I love the Olympics!

Something about watching these elite athletes push the boundaries of their physical and mental capabilities to become the best in the world…so inspiring.

But what if the principles that drive these elite athletes could be applied to our everyday lives?

So I was curious to know the strategies and tips used by top olympic mindset coaches to create these amazing humans and see how I can apply them to my own life to help accomplish my personal goals.

Let’s dive in to what I found (pun intended). 😉

Olympians Aren’t Born, They Are Made

Olympians aren’t born, but rather they are developed through passion, perseverance, practice, and purposeful preparation. I love this quote from gold medal-winning gymnast Shannon Miller, “The mental aspect has to kick in, especially when you’re talking about the best of the best. In the Olympic games, everyone is talented. Everyone trains hard. Everyone does the work. What separates the gold medalists from the silver medalists is simply the mental game.”

Dr. Colleen Hacker, six-time Olympic mindset coach, teaches that mental toughness is a skill that can be nurtured and built. Mental toughness is not about pushing through physical pain or denying your emotions or mental health. It’s how you respond when faced with challenges and failure.

Just rememeber that without pressure, there would be no diamonds. 🙂

Adopting An Olympic Mindset

Olympians are not just athletes, they are exemplars of discipline, focus, and perseverance. By integrating their strategies and habits below into your own life, you can transform your approach to achieving goals and navigating challenges. Here’s how to cultivate an Olympic mindset and win at life based on advice from top Olympic mindset coaches:

Goal Setting

Olympians don’t just train to compete; they train with a purpose. Similarly, setting clear short and long term goals is the first step toward adopting an Olympic mindset. Laura Wilkinson, an olympic and world champion diver and now mindset coach really states how important it is to create both short and long term goals to keep you on track to reach your long term goals. Whether it’s advancing in your career, improving your health, or mastering a new skill, make your goals specific, measurable and attainable and just keep going…you got this!

Develop A Winning Routine

Consistency is key to not only Olympic success but any kind of success you are looking for. Create a routine that aligns with your goals and stick to it. This might involve daily habits, such as a structured work schedule, regular exercise, or dedicated time for personal development. An effective routine helps build discipline and ensures steady progress toward your objectives.

Beginner’s Mindset

Dr. Hacker challenges her athletes to expect to learn something new each and every day. When you expect to learn, you do! Have a spirit of openness and cultivate a growth mindset. Be coachable. Take responsibility to share knowledge and experience and insight as often as you ask for help, guidance and correction. Appreciate small improvements and understand that big things come from the smallest changes. I’m a firm believer in being open minded and being a forever student.

Visualize Success

Visualization is an incredibly powerful and scientifically proven tool used by Olympians to enhance performance. Spend time regularly visualizing your success and the steps required to achieve it. Imagine yourself overcoming obstacles, reaching your goals, and FEELING the emotions. This technique not only boosts motivation, but also prepares you mentally for real-life challenges. Check out this awesome video of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels pre-flight briefing, where the pilots “chair fly” and visualize the complex maneuvers in the air, so cool!

Control The Controllables

Not all aspects of sport (and life) are completely under an athlete’s control. Athletes can’t control their opponents, the officials, the weather or the score (and countless other competitive variables), but they can control many factors. Things we can control, our mindset, choices, inner-dialogue, actions, thoughts and words. Focusing on variables under our control can help us improve, enjoy the process, maximize potential and live like champions. 

Be In The Now

It’s so easy to get caught up in the future: will I score, will I make the team, will I win a gold medal, will I get that big promotion, and so on. Equally likely is the temptation to dwell on the past: thinking about a mistake you made, the “bad” call from the official or the time the coach corrected you in public. However, only when you focus on the now are you really in control of your life. The next time you are stressed out, notice what version of “time” you are thinking because most likely, it’s in the past or the future. So take notice and realize that life is lived here and now.

You Don’t Have to Finish First To Be A Winner

Olympic athletes carry themselves as champions win or lose, which is something we all can replicate in our lives. They do not depend on winning to maintain their confidence nor do they allow their problems to change how they treat others. We won’t always come in first, but we can always maintain integrity, a positive attitude, and confidence to keep pursuing our goals.

Go For The Gold

By adopting an Olympic mindset, you can elevate your approach to personal and professional challenges. Embrace ambitious goals, develop a winning routine, and maintain a focus on growth and wellness. With dedication and persistence, you’ll be well on your way to winning at life, just like the champions of the Olympic Games.

Whether your dream is to reach the Olympic podium or just make it to your dinner reservation on time, you too can cultivate excellence and strive to be the best version of you no matter what your goals are.

There are only 133 days left in 2024.  What can you accomplish this year? I challenge you to dream bigger 😉

Looking for inspo? Check out some of the best mindset books below and start upgrading your mindset now.

Gina