One of my sayings is: look good, feel good, do good.
Michelle Carter
I know that God is intentional with everything that He brings to me and what He does for me. I'm not here just to be here. God made me intentionally! He created me on purpose, for a reason! To throw the shot put for sure. That's one of the things I am created to do.
You need to have explosive power. So you need to have good agility to move your feet quick and be in the right place at the right time. So you have to be an overall athlete: you need to be in shape to be able to throw.
Accepting your body and body image is very important, because there are images that are put out in the media and in your face every day that you need to look this certain kind of way, that it's gonna take you far in life.
I can walk in a room of people who may not know Christ and still be myself. And they can still see Christ in me even though they may not know who it is, but I know that they can see that in me and I'm carrying that with me.
By the end of the day, I just want someone to feed me.
I was definitely a handful back then. I could not sit down long enough to study.
Athletes can not look the same and be great in their individual sport. The example I like to use is Gabby Douglas. She could not flip in the air if she was built like me, but then Gabby Douglas couldn't throw the shot put. I was built like this because I was made to throw the shot put.
My family's so awesome. They help me be the person I can be.
Of course, I can't wait until I get the medal and I can walk around the house and say, 'Daddy, I got you.'
I just encourage young girls to be true to themselves.
Some people are meant to be bigger, and that's okay. Because if everybody was built the same, it would be a little boring. We enjoy the differences in each other, and I think that's what makes all of us beautiful.
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, right? I always figure that as you experience life and things, you usually learn and pick up on things that you can do better. That's how I look at my career over time.
I'm in a sport where people don't look at us like women: they don't look at us like being girls or feminine. But I've been girly all my life, and so I couldn't separate... between the sport and being a woman.
Don't be afraid to try new things, because I just tried shot put not knowing my family history behind it, and trying it led me to the rest of my life.
The first event I vividly remember was competing at the Junior Olympics in Seattle, Washington. It was my first major competition outside of Texas, and I remember being very nervous. I could not control my nerves, and I threw a few fouls.
For a couple of years, being professional, I kind of questioned myself. Should I wear my false lashes or take the time I want to take so I can feel good when I go out on the field? Because nobody else was really doing that. And I thought, No: I'm not going to change what I believe I should look like to fit anybody else's standards.
My first media interview was when I was a high school freshman and I was set to compete at state champs. The interview was the first occasion people had heard me on TV. When I watched back the recording on TV, I thought, 'Wow, is that what I sound like?' I didn't like the sound of my voice.
My body had to mature, and my mind had to mature. I had to put these pieces together.
I can actually dress up or bring my femininity in and bring my own flair and my own stout - and still be great at what I do. We're created different to be unique!
I'm very, very grateful for all the support I've had. It's been an amazing journey.
Winning a gold medal means you're the best in the world at that time.
My goal is to peak big in Rio because my goal is to win gold.
I have to have my lashes. For me, it all sets the tone: I'm getting ready to go to work.
I pretty much eat at home all the time, so it's either eggs and sausage, scrambled together, throw some cheese on it, or some bell peppers and onions.
I throw the shot put, people expect me to look like somebody named Helga and not put on make up to be considered serious about my sport.
Black Girl Magic means that I have the power to overcome anything. Especially when we're in a world where you're told that you can't do something or you're less than, I'm reminded that my ancestors have overcome so much. There's still so much work to be done, and I have the power to overcome it.
If you are feeling good, you look good, you are confident about yourself, you are going to go out there, and you will rock it.
I love what I do and know I'm good at it. It helps that I can get financial support along the way.
Even though I was dealing with all of these health issues, I was still doing well during my season. It wasn't the best season, but it was consistent. And I figured if I could be this consistent when I'm not my best, what happens when I get better, where could I be? So I wanted to see what I would be like on the other side.
At my first Olympics, I didn't have a contract, and I wasn't making any money. After my first Olympics, I was working at 24 Hour Fitness at the front desk. I would go to practice in the morning, run home, shower, grab some food and then go straight to work. I didn't get off of work until 10 or 11 o'clock at night.
If I was to get nervous, then I'm wasting my energy.
I learn how to put myself in situations at practice that cause me to zone in on what I'm trying to accomplish at meets. I try to make my practice surrounding as close to competition pressure to focus on what I need to do on the big stage.
I love hair, I love make up, I love fashion, and I love throwing the shot put.
I think it's important to do whatever makes you feel your best.
For some people, being bare-faced is wonderful. Others like a little bit of mascara and eyeliner.
In college, I would do my teammate's hair and their makeup sometimes. I did a friend's makeup at the 2008 Olympics, and she said, 'Have you ever considered taking classes?' For some reason, it had never crossed my mind.
Being a female athlete, sometimes your clothes don't fit right if you have a small waist and broad shoulders, or strong hips. And it's OK to embrace that.
Everybody wants to come out and win the gold, and sometimes it takes a personal best, sometimes it doesn't. But to be able to have all those pieces come together, it's a great feeling.
My very first sport was soccer. I used to play in goal, but after I was hit the face with the ball a couple of times, I was done with soccer.
I loved playing with a doll as a youngster. I liked dressing her up and combing her hair. This one doll had a really big face and hair and earrings. I had her for a long time and only got rid of her when I was at high school.
You have to understand, everyone's body was built to do something. I was built to do something, and that's how I was built. I think the world is realizing we were promoting one body type, and there have always been many.
The parents say, 'Can you talk to my daughter and say that it's OK? That she can have muscles?' They'll say, 'I show her pictures of you so they can know she's good at what she does but still looks like a girl. She wears dresses.' It releases people to be whoever they want to be in the sport.
My dad never wanted to push what he did on us. It was more, for him, if you chose to do this, then we're going to do it, and we're going to get it right. It was, 'I know how to do it. I'm going to teach you how to do it because I want you to be good at it.'
The best piece of advice my father gave me was to always work hard. One thing he instilled: Proper preparation prevents poor performances.
I was not aware of what my dad had accomplished. I grew up with him playing football.
You have to grow up, and you learn things along the way.
My goal is to beat you whether you're clean or dirty.
You have 15-20 years of work for that one throw, that one moment. And I was like, 'Okay, Lord, this is it - you told me I had the victory. So this is the time to show me'. And I'm going to give it all I have because this is my last throw in the Olympics.
The night before, I'll lay out the makeup I want to put on: a brow filler, a lipstick - there's a NYX red one that looks great with those Team USA uniforms - and my lashes.
