Michael Phelps, the decorated U.S. Olympic swimmer, could become the richest Olympian ever. He has shown competitiveness, hunger to win, humbleness and a great team spirit.  According to an article I read today USA Today by Christine Breenan, Phelps isn’t talking endorsements and going to Disney World, he is talking spending time with his mother, two sisters and friends.  Associated Press writer Paul Newberry writes that Phelps is the antithesis of Mark Spitz who was aloof and arogant according to team mates. Phelps is very popular with his team mates hanging out with them and serving as the unofficial ambassador for first-time Olympians. Somehow I bet that will carry over to the fortune that will likely be his when the endorsements start to roll in. 

Interesting, another AP National Writer Pauline Arrillaga wrote a thoughtful piece entitled Joys, burdens of being best face Phelps now. Arrillaga’s article put Phelps among some pretty good company including Sir Edmund Hillary, Chuck Yeager,  Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Bill Gates,   Stephen Hawking, Oprah Winfrey, Lance Armstrong, Dr. Ben Carson, Barry Bonds, Pete Sampras, Carl Lewis and even fourteen year-old Sameer Mishra National Spelling Bee Champion.

I’m writing this post while at the Sheraton Hotel in Sioux Falls, SD. Believe it or not, a piece on Michael Phelps just aired on the CBS Evening news. Everyone stopped talking and tuned in to the segment. When it was over, conversations changed to Phelps and fellow U.S. Olympic swimmer Dara Torres. Phelps and Torres both have lots of richness that await them. We have all become richer with pride, astonishment, and admiration just watching them.

 Tim Richardson is an inspirational speaker who speaks about how giving increases employee morale, lowers employee turnover, increases customer loyalty and creates higher profits for Fortune 500 companies, associations, and national conventions. He is the founder of the The Worlds Biggest Blog Party an event which will connect bloggers from all over the world to raise money for charity. He is also founder and president of the Bill Walter Melanoma Research Fund and co-founder of the Jeffrey Roth Cycling Foundation. Click here for more information on professional speaker Tim Richardson.