What 8 Competitive Athletes Say to Psych Themselves Up
It's a mental game.
Whether your competition is thousands of triathletes or a single precipitous mountaintop, sometimes the only thing actually stopping you from your best performance is your own mind. We asked eight elite athletes to share mantras, mottos, and self-motivating words that help them get through the hard stuff and play at the highest level.
Simone Biles, 19, Gymnast
Career cred: Biles is a five-time Olympic medalist—she won four gold medals in team, all-around, vault and floor at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
"My mom always says, 'Be the best Simone you can be,' because there is only one me. So when I step on the mat or do anything, I remind myself of that and give 100 percent and nothing less."
Gwen Jorgensen, 30, Triathlete
Career cred: Jorgenson won the gold medal in the 2016 Olympic triathlon.
"I often tell myself mantras that are techniques. I repeat to myself: 'high elbow' when I'm swimming, which makes me swim faster. When I'm running, I tell myself to relax my shoulders, which refocuses my attention to technique instead of pain. I love how the process redirects my mind while also making me go faster."
Emily Harrington, 30, Climber
Career cred: Harrington went from winning five U.S. National Sport Climbing Championships to completing numerous first female ascents around the world.
"I rely on a single word: yes. It's simple, one syllable, and the definition of positivity. My old coach taught me this mind trick when I was 12 years old. She told me to find a word to say to myself while climbing to help me focus and push through tough sections. I repeat it to myself to clear my head of everything else, get rid of the extra noise, and focus on the present. I swear it has been the only reason I've made it through some of my hardest climbs and not fallen, or made it through some serious moments of doubt on a big mountain."
Megan Fairchild, 32, Dancer
Career cred: As a principal dancer with New York City Ballet, Fairchild has danced numerous roles including the Sugar Plum Fairy and Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty.
"My mantra is a combination of: Don't compare yourself to others, we all have different strengths; you got this, you were made for this, this is your moment to shine; and enjoy the journey. It can be very challenging to step out on stage in front of an enormous audience and execute well under pressure in a way that you know is true to your potential. If I can keep a calm mind before I go out there, and enjoy the performance, that's when I do my best."
Lexi DuPont, 27, Skier
Career cred: DuPont is a Freeskiing World Tour contender.
"For me, the difference between first and second place or tapping into that flow state for skiing perfectly really comes down to the power of my mind. I practice meditation every morning in order to provide a space where I am able to give myself my full, undivided attention. I think it's more than a motto or a mantra but a fully encompassing perspective, which I have developed over a lifetime of experiences outside. It helps me appreciate the stillness and remove myself for a moment. I recognize the hazard and then move past it to focus on skiing the mountain safely."
Tia Blanco, 19, Surfer
Career cred: Blanco won the World Surf Games in August of 2016.
"I always tell myself: Believe in yourself with all your heart, and everything happens for a reason. My mom has always told me how powerful your heart can be as a guide, especially whenever I travel."
Caroline Gleich, 28, Skier
Career cred: Gleich was the first skier to be a Blue Climate and Oceans Project ambassador.
"When I'm on a spicy, knife-edge ridge and climbing along, I say to myself, 'Humans are very sure-footed animals.' It's a mantra I learned when I was a little kid on a horse backpacking trip. High up on the trail, I get scared, and the horse guide would say, 'Don't worry, horses are very sure-footed animals.' It helps me stay calm and keep my footing. When I'm doing something really scary, I sing a song to myself. One is from a silly YouTube video of fuzzy animals playing in a band. It goes, 'Fuzzy, fuzzy, cute, cute.' Something about the baby hedgehog reminds me to stay calm, because freaking out never helps anything."
Krissy Moehl, 39, Ultrarunner
Career cred: Moehl was the youngest person to complete the Grand Slam of Ultrarunning and set the record in the women's Hardrock 100-mile endurance run two years later.
"I smile. Look up. Look around and smile. Because I get to be here. Because my body and mind are capable. This started during my very first ultramarathon. I first think about how lucky I am that my body allows me to traverse such beautiful landscapes. Then I can think about what I need to do to keep moving forward."
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