Olympic swimming superstar Michael Phelps' struggle with ADHD as a youngster was one of the challenges in his life that helped lead him to the podium in Beijing, he tells CTV's Canada AM.
The 23-year-old from Baltimore, Md. has a record for the most gold medals won at a single games, with eight in Beijing, and has a total of 14 career gold medals -- the most won by any Olympian.
In an interview Thursday to promote his new book "No Limits: The Will to Succeed," Phelps said his decision in middle school to stop taking medication for attention deficit hyperactive disorder, and face his struggle head-on, was a key to his success later in life.
"I said 'mom, I'm done. I don't want to do it anymore. I don't want to take it anymore and this is something I can do on my own'," Phelps said.
That decision, he said, was followed by the choice to focus on swimming, which led to greater concentration in the classroom, and eventually a slate of world records and trips to the podium.
"I decided it was really time for me to focus on something and I turned to swimming," Phelps said.
"And that allowed me to really zoom in on something I loved and something I wanted to do, and I was able to focus, and after that I was able to focus on everything I did. So I was able to sit still in the classroom and focus on what I really wanted to do."
Phelps' book explores his own personal road to success and how he overcame his struggle with ADHD, and other challenges such as injuries, bullying and a teacher's comments that he would never be successful in life.
He said the goal of the book, and the Phelps Foundation, is to share his experience, promote an active lifestyle and to inspire youngsters to follow their dreams.
"I had a dream, I had a plan and I reached for my dream and that's really the only way I got there. That's the easiest way to say it, and just saying anything is possible," Phelps said.
"It's like my book, there really are no limits to anyone's success."
