“There are goals that I have, and then I dream of it, and then I make it a reality. If I could crawl out of my skin and see it, it would be really amazing.”

I love competing.

I’m thrilled that I was able to share my first Olympic Games experience with my U.S. teammates.

I am like any typical teenager.

We go to church on Sunday and then have family dinner. My mom usually cooks, and most of the time, it’s protein and something else. She will ask us kids what we want!

When I was younger, I thought every kid was adopted because that’s all I’ve known. I have everything I need, so I never felt the need to have answers for what happened.

Mentally, I have to get my body and mind in the right place before I start the routine, but once into the zone, it’s like I turn on a switch. I envision myself doing the same thing for the Olympic Games.

I have dual citizenship.

I would be like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I wish I could go to prom.’ But then I think, ‘You know what? A lot of people can’t say they’ve ever done what I do – they’ll never have this opportunity.’

So far, my goals stops at making an Olympic team, and then if that happens, then I’ll jot down more goals.

Most people would focus on concentrating more, and I can’t do that. It almost makes me overthink a lot of my things. I have to focus on not thinking.

You can have fun and do well. Just let loose a bit.

You can still be very good at what you do and have fun.

We strive for greatness.

As a kid growing up, I was never like, ‘I want to go to the Olympics,’ so having to pass on 2012 because I was too young didn’t bother me at all.

I always say my biggest competitor is myself because, whenever I step out there on the mat, I’m competing against myself to prove that I can do this and that I am very well trained, prepared for it.

In the morning, I usually get up between 7:40 A.M. and 7:45 A.M., and then I’ll brush my teeth, do my hair, and just throw on my leotard and my clothes and go to the kitchen.

In the dream world of Matisse and the gritty reality of American frontier, the diversity of women in our society offers the chance for greater exploration and even greater inspiration.

God sleeps in the rock, dreams in the plant, stirs in the animal, and awakens in man.

Please don’t let me sleep. I’ll only dream of her.

My great grandfather, like many, came to this country in search of the American Dream.

Ah, Christ, that it were possible, For one short hour to see The souls we loved, that they might tell us What and where they be.

I think anyone can do anything they dream of if they put their mind to it and put in the work.

When I won in 2003, never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would win Wimbledon and have my kids seeing me lift the trophy, so this is pretty surreal. And yeah, I was almost shocked in the moment that it all came together so nicely.

I kiss the skies, set the sun in my eyes and swallow up the streams. I swear to god, I only feel alive in my most ludricious dreams.