Lessons on a growth mindset from the Paris Olympics

Imagine training all your life for a single race or event. Putting your body through its paces day after day, year after year, but falling short because your mind let you down when it mattered most.

For Olympians, mental strength and rest and recovery are as important as physical ability. The opportunity to win gold comes around every four years. Those who can regulate their emotions when everything is on the line – and remain resilient when things don’t go to plan – are the ones who so often come out on top.

But what do these athletes say to themselves when they’re feeling the pressure? How do they cope with the weight of expectation? And what can we learn from them when it comes to building resilience in our lives?

Adopt a growth mindset

Few athletes embody the growth mindset like Simone Biles. Arguably the greatest gymnast of all time, Biles famously withdrew from four events at the Tokyo Olympics after her mind and body fell out of sync. She prioritised mindfulness and returned to the Olympics in 2024, putting on a masterclass while winning three gold medals and a silver. Despite her elite status, Biles could still be seen practicing positive affirmations – a key part of a growth mindset – before her routine, taking a moment to exhale and remind herself of one simple fact: You’ve got this.

Embrace the ups and downs

In Paris, Dutch runner Sifan Hassan became the first woman in history to claim gold in the 5000m, 10,000m and marathon over the course of two Olympics. This achievement is even more impressive given Hassan quit running after a fifth-place finish at the Rio Olympics. She spoke candidly about her struggles with self-belief in the wake of her 2016 performance, but it was her experience in Rio that set the foundation for success in Tokyo and Paris. It taught her that life is unpredictable, but that’s what makes it interesting. Perfection, she argues, is boring.

Eliud Kipchoge, who won gold in the men’s marathon at Rio and Tokyo, also arrived in Paris to compete for a historic treble. Unlike Hassan, however, he recorded his first career DNF (did not finish). ‘It was not the race I came here for,’ Kipchoge said of his performance. ‘But that’s sport. Sport is up and down'. He refers to sport as a garden - a place where you plant seeds in hopes for them the flower. But as we know, gardens also grow weeds. Kipchoge continued, 'today I harvested weeds'. Despite this result, he plans to continue his running career.

Trust the process and visualise success

After winning gold in the canoe slalom, Australian paddler Jessica Fox told the press that she tries to stay focused on the process and being herself. She had faith in her abilities and training and knew if she stayed true to her instincts, which have been honed by countless hours of preparation, she would be in with a shot at the gold. Visualisation, she said, is a powerful tool – Fox told herself she could do it, that she was going to nail the hard moves, and it went to plan.

Separate outcome from self-worth

The best athletes understand that their worth as a human isn’t tied to the result.

Look at Jemima Montag, the Australian racewalker, as an example. Montag took the bronze in Paris and said there’s a careful balance of wanting a medal but not needing it. ‘Not needing it for your own self-worth but wanting it,’ she explained. Saying, ‘I’m willing to give this a crack and be tough, and if it doesn’t happen the sun will rise tomorrow, but let’s give it a go.’

Of course, having a strong mindset and repeating positive affirmations isn’t necessarily going to turn you into an elite athlete and bring you the gold. But it will help you navigate all kinds of challenges in everyday life.

If you’re looking to emulate the Paris Olympians and improve your mindset and resilience, Virgin Active’s Personal Trainers can help with holistic wellness, accountability and motivation alongside muscle gain and weight loss.