5 Classes I Discovered As An Olympic Swimmer To Assist Construct Self-Confidence

You may know Katie Hoff Anderson as a two-time Olympic swimmer and three-time Olympic medalist, eight-time World Champion and present American file holder in swimming. Actually, she was as soon as touted because the “feminine Michael Phelps” logging her first journey to the Athens Olympics at simply 15 years outdated!

Nevertheless it hasn’t been all sunshine and roses.

Within the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Anderson missed her lifetime objective to safe an Olympic gold medal within the 400-meter freestyle by simply 0.07 seconds, sending her into deep disappointment and self-reflection looking for her id inside and out of doors of swimming. She turned this journey right into a e book, known as Blueprint, and in 2020 she based health coaching firm Synergy Dryland. Most lately she has partnered with Lash Lounge as an official model ambassador.

So, what are Anderson’s secrets and techniques for turning lemons into lemonade?

Right here’s a have a look at the 5 classes Anderson says she realized as an Olympic swimmer to assist construct self-confidence

Embrace the suck.

“That is army slang for accepting one thing that’s utterly disagreeable but additionally unavoidable. It’s approaching and accepting the scenario, irrespective of how dangerous it’s. It’s additionally the most important lesson I realized throughout my time as an Olympic swimmer. I skilled some actually excessive highs but additionally some tremendous low lows – and studying easy methods to take care of the latter in a productive and wholesome method is really a realized ability. By studying to simply accept and transfer ahead regardless of setbacks in my profession and well being, I used to be capable of enhance my mindset and construct confidence that helped me in future challenges that got here my method.”

Reimagine failure.

“There isn’t any such factor as perfection, irrespective of how exhausting you’re employed. Simply since you didn’t accomplish what you got down to do doesn’t imply that you simply failed. Actually, failure usually results in alternatives you could not have initially had and teaches you to have grit and resilience. If you happen to reimagine failure as a brand new alternative – to enhance, to vary or to develop – you’ll come again stronger and extra assured than ever.”

Concentrate on each day wins.

“Solely focusing in your greatest objectives can really feel overwhelming and have an effect on your psychological well being. For me, these objectives had been successful Olympic gold medals and residing as much as my nickname as the feminine Michael Phelps. Now, I concentrate on small each day wins. It may be something from finishing my each day exercise to focusing an hour on “me” time. I’m a girly woman at coronary heart, and getting my lashes completed at The Lash Lounge offers me an hour to concentrate on myself and leaves me feeling extra assured and delightful. Specializing in smaller accomplishments in the end units you up for attaining the large ones.”

Altering course helps you develop.

“I named my e book “Blueprint” as a result of everybody has a blueprint after they begin out chasing a objective. The factor about blueprints is that they’re editable – you possibly can alter and make new drafts to excel and transfer ahead as life unfolds. The Olympics challenged me to understand it was okay to regulate my objectives and in the end my id, and by doing so I discovered pleasure and confidence outdoors of swimming. That progress is invaluable.”

Worry makes one thing price doing.

“Worry is paralyzing, however overcoming it’s what builds resilience, character and confidence. Dealing with one thing that terrifies you and appears unimaginable is the one method you’ll enhance for subsequent time. My first shot on the Olympics, I threw up on the pool deck after my race out of nerves. It made worldwide headlines and almost made me too intimidated to ever compete once more. Pushing by way of solely made me stronger and extra assured – not solely in my swimming profession, but additionally personally as a public determine. I used to be capable of overcome my concern and know that I can overcome something I put my thoughts to.”