What Olympic Athletes Can Teach Us All About Resilience
Three strategies that work for Olympic athletes — and also for us non-athletes
The Olympics arrive every four years with the promise of astonishing talent and inspiring achievements. But what if you’re not an athlete? Can you learn something about your own unique abilities through the lens of the Olympic games?
I am not athletic. I exercise, but I lack the coordination, speed, or strength to personally relate to those talented few who excel in sports. I have pursued “expertise” in other non-sport activities and vocations that required patience, mental endurance, and flexibility, though, and like most athletes, I have experienced setbacks and challenges.
As a clinical psychologist, I often witness how self-doubt and a reluctance to excel rob people of their potential. Sometimes, harsh self-expectations or perfectionism get in the way. Clients’ doubts about their capabilities and a reluctance to try and potentially fail are some of their biggest roadblocks to achieving success. They have forgotten or put aside the passion they once felt; their worries and fears overshadow their ambition and stall them in their tracks.
