5 Lessons I Learned to Help Build As an Olympic Swimmer

you know Katie Hoff Anderson as a two-time Olympic swimmer and three-time Olympic medalist, eight-time World Champion and the current American record holder in swimming. In fact, he was once touted as “female Michael Phelps,” who recorded his first trip to the Athens Olympics at just 15 years old!

But it wasn’t all sunshine and roses.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Anderson missed an Olympic gold medal in the 400m freestyle by just 0.07 seconds, prompting him to deep disappointment and self-reflection to search for his identity in and out of swimming. He turned this journey into a book. Draftand founded a fitness training company in 2020 synergy dry area. The last partner Lash Salon as an official brand ambassador.

So what are Anderson’s secrets to turning lemons into lemonade?

Here’s a look at five lessons Anderson says he learned to help build self-confidence as an Olympic swimmer.

Embrace the suck.

“It’s military slang for accepting something that’s totally unpleasant but also inevitable. It’s about approaching and accepting the situation, no matter how bad it is. It’s also the biggest lesson I’ve learned in my time as an Olympic swimmer. I’ve experienced some really high levels but at the same time I’ve also experienced some super low levels at the same time and learning how to deal with them efficiently and healthily is truly a learned skill.By learning to accept and move forward despite setbacks in my career and health, I’ve been able to improve my mindset and build the confidence that helps me through future challenges.

Re-imagine failure.

“No matter how hard you work, there is no such thing as perfection. Failing to achieve what you started does not mean you have failed. In fact, failure often opens up opportunities you didn’t have in the beginning and teaches you courage and resilience. Failure is a new opportunity to evolve, change or grow. You will come back stronger and safer than ever before.

Focus on daily earnings.

“Just focusing on your biggest goals can feel overwhelming and affect your mental health. For me, those goals were winning Olympic gold medals and living up to my nickname as female Michael Phelps. Now, I focus on small daily gains. Everything from completing my daily workout to focusing on an hour of “me” time. “I’m a girly girl at heart, and getting my eyelashes done at The Lash Lounge gives me an hour to focus on myself and makes me feel more confident and beautiful. Focusing on smaller successes ultimately sets you up for big successes.”

Changing the course helps you grow.

“I named my book “The Sketch” because everyone has a plan when they start chasing a goal. The thing about blueprints is that they are editable – you can adjust and create new sketches to perfect and progress as life evolves. The Olympics forced me to realize that it was okay to change my goals and ultimately my identity, and by doing so I found joy and confidence outside of swimming. This growth is priceless.”

Fear makes something worth doing.

“Fear is paralyzing, but overcoming fear is what builds resilience, character, and confidence. Confronting something that scares you and seems impossible is the only way to improve next time. My first shot at the Olympics, I threw up on the pool deck in anger after my race. It made headlines around the world and almost scared me too much to compete again. Moving forward has only made me stronger and more confident – ​​not only in my swimming career, but also personally as a public figure. I have managed to overcome my fear and I know that I can overcome anything I put my mind to.”