I always want to try for what's been offered to me.
— Mirai Nagasu
My mom is really dedicated to me. She drives me to school and skating, wakes up for me, and I'm just really appreciative.
I've always been an A or B student. When I get a B, I freak out a little bit!
I have a great work ethic because I've watched my parents work super hard.
Maybe Asians are switching from studying to sports.
For my dad to say he's proud of me - in English - is a really big deal.
There are always moments when I think about leaving skating, but when I think about that, I'm not very smart, and I'm not very pretty, and there's nothing else that stands out about me besides my skating.
I feel like the worst has happened to me, so what better person to skate to 'Madame Butterfly' than me?
It's been exciting to share my story for people to relate to me and reach out.
Who cares if you get last place. This is the Olympics. Making it is the hard part.
Narcissism is just self-confidence.
Getting to the Olympics was the hard part.
Never lose your undying belief in yourself and your abilities.
I made history here by landing the first triple axel for a U.S. lady, third at the Olympics, and that's a big deal.
Everyone has been injured, regardless of whether they're an athlete or not.
I'm very Asian, and also my mom raised me to be polite and to eat whatever is put in front of me. I actually enjoy snails a lot. And I've eaten sea urchin and that shebang.
I can snap my toes. Everyone keeps asking me this, but I know it's kind of weird, but I think it's fun that I can snap my toes.
When I started not training as hard and doing what I needed to do, everyone else improved without me improving.
I think I would be bored if I were winning all the time, even though it would be nice.
My parents always tell me that they never would have let me start if they had known how expensive and difficult figure skating is.
I think my own thinking is harsher than my mom's discipline.
Being the heavy favorite is not always a good thing because of the amount of pressure on an athlete.
It was hard for me to leave the nest, but my mom is super proud of me. She said, 'You became independent really quickly, and I'm so proud of you,' but she misses me all the same.
Skating becomes more important to me every year. It's obviously harder as age takes a toll on the body and the brain, and I think because of that, competing becomes much more difficult. That's why those who stick around are always so appreciative of others' skating because we know how much work goes into it.
People have drawn me, which is super cool. I'd love to print some out and put them on my wall.
I got to meet Rachel Platten, who sings 'Fight Song,' I love that song.
Figure skaters are usually young and then just fade away. But I'm not a fade-away kind of person.
I really believe in myself.
Whenever Michelle Kwan texts me or mentions my name, I'm like, 'Wow.' I still can't believe that this is someone who I grew up looking up to, and they know my name.
Not only would my parents work full hours, my parents both woke up at 5 A.M. My dad left the house at 5 A.M. to go to the fish market to pick out his own fish, and my mom woke up at 5 A.M. to wake me up in order to get me ready for skating before school.
I would like to be on 'Dancing With the Stars' because I want to be a star.
I don't even remember how many times I've sprained my ankle. I've had stress fractures galore and torn my PCL. You just take a little time off if you have the time, and if not, you keep training until you can take the time off.
When I'm at home, I'm a real big cuddler, so I sleep with my dog in my arms.
I just want to redeem myself and show the world that... it wasn't a fluke that I won at nationals. I can compete on the international stage as well.
The only thing I can expect from myself is to learn from each competition and improve.
I've learned a lot from my parents.
I think it's because I'm so hard on myself that I can push myself this far.
I guess I can be stereotypical and say that Asians are very cheap.
To all the little girls out there, I would tell them to really appreciate what their parents do for them. And also to truly believe in their dream. If they truly believe that they're capable, things will happen for them - as long as they put in the work, of course.
I don't necessarily always feel happy when I'm skating.
Although there's a stigma that you learn only until a certain point, and then you just maintain, for me to learn the triple axel at 24 goes to show that anything's possible.
In the history of sport in general, people stick around. Look at Shaun White and Lindsey Vonn just continue on, Olympic cycle after Olympic cycle; that is why they are famous.
Just really believe in yourself and stay true to yourself.
When someone really, truly believes in themselves, magic happens.
I have always believed that I am an amazing skater regardless of what the results say, and I think that determination and confidence has kept me in the game so long.
When I come home from training, my attention immediately has to focus on my school courses, which helps keep the stress level balanced. I mostly balance both by drinking a lot of coffee and making sure I time manage well, which doesn't happen all the time, especially during finals week.
I used to skate around the rink with my mom, and we used to race each other until I started getting way better. Then she hung up her skates and resorted to playing my music at the rink.
I fall a lot during training.
I'm that person: I will literally do everything to not get out of bed, so I have alarms set for every 15 minutes.