Joseph Schooling

You know, and I really want to share one last story with everybody because I think it's going to help this concept land.

In 2008, there was a swimmer called Joseph Schooling that met his hero, Michael Phelps, in Singapore as Michael was on his way to participate in the Olympics in Beijing.

And he has a picture of him.

You know, Joseph was 13 at the time.

You have all the time in the world.

Keep your head up high and keep moving forward.

Four years later, Joseph Schooling beats his hero's record in the 100-meter butterfly on August 13, 2016, becoming the first Singaporean to ever win a gold medal.

The first person to swim over and congratulate him was Michael Phelps.

In every episode, we have a question for everyone here and those watching at home.

For this episode, I would like to know, do you think Singapore's very own Olympic gold medal winner, Joseph Schooling [laughs] is fast enough to escape a water spirit?

Singaporean now, we have pride, lah.

Yes.

Eh, now, now one gram what, uh, 200 plus already yeah.

Yeah.

[laughs] Why? You planning to rob Joseph Schooling, is it?

[laughs] He want to steal.

And then over the time, people wouldn't know who he was so much.

And then I would do Joseph Schooling.

And the time moves fast.

And kids today, primary school, they don't necessarily know who Joseph Schooling is.

So now I use you.

Not the young ones, not the very young ones.

... um, our daughter..." Because she loves swimming.

"What if she wants to be like Joseph Schooling or something?" You know, our benchmark of success for swimming.

Then my wife pointed back at me.

"Why are you pointing it like that? Why is it a alternative? Why is it a fallback? Why is it lower or seen as lesser? Why not, yeah, academics or arts or whatever?" And ultimately, I think what I, as a parent, have been telling my daughter and my wife also, "Whatever you do, just do it well.