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At 23, Michael Fred Phelps has become an international sporting sensation..

The young American swimmer has smashed seven world records and won eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics the first athlete ever to secure first place so many times at a single Olympic Games.

Given his success, it's easy to slot Phelps into the 'born achievers' category -- at 23, he's established a glorious career doing what he loves best, he's a millionaire, a world record-holder and the pride of his nation.

But hold on a minute -- is Michael Phelps really a born achiever or he achieved it brick by brick .

What are the learning for all of us from his success story

Struggle-Overcoming the obstacles-using your strengths

At the age of seven Phelps, the youngest of three children, was diagnosed with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD). For those not familiar with the condition, ADHD is a childhood condition characterised by constant activity, impulsive behaviour and the inability to focus one's attention on anything for a short span of time.

ADHD is treated with therapy and medication, but is not classified as curable -- as per information on the website WebMd.com, about 60 percent of afflicted kids carry the condition into adulthood.

To help release his pent-up energy and to emulate his older sisters who were also accomplished swimmers, Phelps took up swimming, starting to outshine his peers right from the start.

At the age of nine, Michael's parents divorced. His mother brought up all three children single-handedly, encouraging them to follow their dreams at all costs -- one middle-school teacher even told Michael's mother he would never be a success.

Deal with your own issues effectively -- Michael certainly dealt with ADHD and his parents' divorce that way. His mother helped him cope up with his condition and channeled his energy into what he loved

Recognizing and learning from mistakes

In 2004 when Phelps, then 19, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was under the legal drinking age limit of 21 in any case and to top it he was driving in an inebriated state.
A repentant Phelps pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months probation, saying in court, "I recognise the seriousness of this mistake. I've learned from this mistake and will continue learning from this mistake for the rest of my life."

Learn from mistakes and move on- don't dramatize.

Recognizing your strengths and fully utilizing it.

The first place to start with Michael is his body. He stands 6-4 with a wingspan of nearly 80 inches. By all accounts, his frame is perfect for a swimmer.

Michael understands how to use his body to its full advantage. His hands and feet are like paddles in the water, and he has an incredibly powerful kick. The butterfly is his signature stroke, but he's shown the ability to dominate in any event.

Michael's technique is excellent, and no one works harder at it. His training regimen is grueling-two to five hours a day in the pool. He does minimal weightlifting; at this point flexibility and a feel for the water are more important to him.

Zero in on your strengths and overcome your weaknesses -- Everybody has some strengths and some weaknesses. Recognize them and use them.

Michael was less than an average student at school, but Michael was a passionate and dedicated student of his sport. The young swimmer is known to have studied tapes of his races over and over, zeroing in on mistakes and working towards bettering himself constantly. Excellent is still not good enough.

Pursue what you love with passion and put in a genuine effort -- Phelps' dedication to swimming was apparent back when he was nine and began to break national records in his age group. His commitment to what he does has grown with him.

When things gets tough

In the 200 meter butterfly, Michael's goggles started to leak. Keeping cool, he dispensed with visual cues and simply counted the strokes for each length. It was an amazing performance that not only ended in victory, but a new world record-breaking the one he had set in 2007. Later Michael described his problem as a "wardrobe malfunction."

Because of his entry into multiple category , fatigue seemed to show in the 100-meter butterfly. Michael lagged behind Milorad Cavic, who was swimming the race of his life. In the final 20 feet, Michael looked like a beaten swimmer. But his extra kicking strength powered him close enough to the exhausted Cavic that he touched the wall a hundredth of a second sooner.

Replayed showed that, on the final stroke, Cavic had Michael beaten. But Cavic glided to the wall while Michael made one last desperate lunge. It was the only race in which he did not set a new world record. But it was easily his most memorable

Remain focused on your goals when the things are tough/difficult

contributed by Sri Vats