There is no shortage of angst-inducing news these days: natural disasters, economic woes, political unrest.

“God might give out plenty of gifts, but he doesn’t give away gold medals.” Casey Barrett’s resolute last statement seals his point to his readers in his revealing article about Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. Mr. Barrett contends that, while Phelps couples talent and a body uniquely built to propel him through the water (abnormally long torso, big feet and hands and short legs), something else helped Phelps achieve 14 gold medals: thousands of training sessions