As I've gotten older and grown more independent, I think for myself, and that's how it should be. Michelle Kwan More Quotes by Michelle Kwan More Quotes From Michelle Kwan There's a lot of emotions that always come out after a skate of a lifetime. I always start crying because there is so much buildup to that competition. Michelle Kwan cry competition emotion I want to see how far I can train. I have to see how far my body will go. Michelle Kwan body train want What I love the most is getting on the ice and just popping in a fabulous CD and skating - all by myself, the rink completely empty, just me and the music. Michelle Kwan skating cds ice I don't really remember a time younger than 5 years old that I didn't have skates on because all I can remember is every day, tying up my skates and a big smile on my face, excited to go on the ice. Michelle Kwan smile ice years It's incredible. Nine? Wow. I just remember winning my first one, getting the medal and the plate, the pin with the diamond for first place. My ninth title, I have no answer for that because I never thought it would be possible. Michelle Kwan titles would-be winning And what is a gold medal? I'd never really thought about it before Nagano. Now I realize that it's a dream to strive for. I love my silver medal, because it stands for all my dreams and all I'm still capable of fulfilling Michelle Kwan realizing gold dream I always thought after 2002 that I'd hang up my skates and turn professional and just go on tour and do shows. But I don't know when it is enough. I mean, I still enjoy it. I'm the luckiest girl alive that I get to perform in front of thousands of people, do what I love doing. Michelle Kwan doing-me mean-girls people To represent your country is an honor and a great experience. Michelle Kwan great-experiences honor country As an athlete, I've always been very proud to represent the United States. Michelle Kwan united-states proud athlete I actually prefer soothing music - and maybe that's the skater in me. Michelle Kwan soothing skater When I feel like I'm in a rut, I remember it's the little things in life that are important, like riding a bike with a friend or eating ice cream with my baby niece. Michelle Kwan ice-cream niece baby I had dreamed of being at the Olympics since I was 7 years old. Michelle Kwan olympics years As a kid, falling was embarrassing. As I got older, I got used to falling and picking myself back up. There's not a sense of failure. It's of disappointment. You train so hard to not make mistakes. When you do, you're learning from that. How do I improve? How do I get better for the next time? Through every failure, there's something to be learned. Michelle Kwan myself failure learning time In figure skating, you have four minutes to do your best. It's your time; you do your best. Michelle Kwan do-your-best best you time Whatever you're fighting for, you go with full passion and love. Michelle Kwan you passion fighting love The biggest lessons I learned were probably the times where I had the biggest setbacks and the biggest challenges - when I had the biggest jumps forward and lessons learned. Michelle Kwan setbacks forward lessons challenges A few years after I finished skating, someone asked where my medals were. I'm like, 'In a suitcase somewhere.' Now they're nicely displayed in an ice rink, but medals don't really mean that much. It's the experience, the story of the skating, the love. Michelle Kwan story someone experience love You see figure skaters fall all the time. It's the way you pick yourself back up and keep going. Michelle Kwan yourself you keep-going time Sports provides that tool kit to be successful in life. Because it's not always going to be smooth sailing. Michelle Kwan always successful sports life I have stood on the shoulders of giants like Billie Jean King, Hillary Clinton, my mother - people who have really empowered and influenced my life in an incredible way. Michelle Kwan king my-life mother life
