5 Key Lessons for Health and Success from Paris Olympians
So it’s a wrap for Paris 2024! The performances, athletes’s stories and France have captured our hearts. The inspiring come backs after hitting rock bottom, pivotal moments of resilience, and relentless hard work to reach world class performances have truly moved us.
There are countless reasons to have loved these Olympics, beyond the incredible sports performances.
The parity in number of female athletes competing for the first time. The rise in women wining medals after having children is huge progress for women in sport. A testament to the sports research, the health professionals and coaches who surround these athletes. They all pave the way for women to believe that they can start their family alongside their professional sports career. Out of the 9 British athletes who were also mothers, 6 won medals!
It's easy to get caught up in the medal charts and judge who or which country is the ‘best’. However, surely the greatest power of the Olympics, especially this year, is its ability to bring our divided world closer, even if just for a moment. Equally invaluable is its capacity to influence and inspire the next generation, encouraging them to believe in themselves and dare to dream.
In our family, it's a bit of a joke that I seem to enjoy the interviews in TV sports more than the performances! After listening closely to the journeys behind so many incredible feats, here are 5 primary lessons we can all apply to our health, aspirations and lives.
Know your why
Most Olympians start their chosen sport out of pure joy and passion—they simply love the way it makes them feel. Gradually, this passion evolves into a desire to perform at their best. However, this can become confusing and entwined with their entire identity, which is why many Olympians experience significant mental health challenges after achieving such greatness. British diver Andrea shared a very wise insight after her individual diving event: “It doesn’t take away from my accomplishments this year. Just missing out on one medal doesn’t change who I am.”
As athletes grow older and wiser, their "why" can change, especially among those who are also parents. British diver Tom Daley and rower Fiona Glover both acknowledged that their primary motivation for returning to compete this year was to inspire their young children.
Your "why" will help you get out of bed to do what you need to do, which is especially important on the days you'd rather not. And you never know who’s watching and who you’re inspiring.
2. Hold the vision
We all love hearing from speechless medal winners as they recount the journey to their triumphant moments. Many have deeply personal reasons tied to their achievements. “I wrote it down 13 years ago!” exclaimed an emotional gold medal-winning rower, Lola Anderson. Her late father had saved the note and handed it to her before he passed away.
High jumper Nicola Olyslagers always heads straight for her journal, meticulously writing out or drawing the details of every jump. This practice not only strengthens her reflections but also enhances her memory of the events and fortifies her vision. Visualization is a highly researched and proven method used by many athletes. As a physiotherapist and coach, I find this tool immensely useful in rehabilitation because the brain cannot distinguish between actually using a muscle or merely thinking about using it!
Writing down and visualizing our goals helps us connect to and deeply anchor in our dreams.
3. Take care of your mental health as much as your physical health
Vulnerability expert and researcher Brené Brown explains how courage is always accompanied by bravery and vulnerability; these three attributes come together. American gymnast Simone Biles and swimmer Adam Peaty beautifully displayed all three, returning for these Olympics with the world's expectations on their shoulders and speaking openly about their struggles just to be there.
Having withdrawn from the Tokyo Olympics after struggling with the ‘twisties’, we all loved witnessing Simone's fairy tale ending, given her openness about the mental injuries she had experienced. Simone’s coach explained that the “twisties” are often unrelated to the sport itself. While I’m no expert in the condition, I do know that the human body signals when we’re out of sync and need some head space or a moment to reset. Both body and mind need to feel and heal in a timely way; otherwise, the nervous system goes into chaos, resulting in an unregulated and confusing response.
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix. Photo credit Clive Rose
British diving medalist Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix is also said to have struggled with the twisties in Tokyo. On her instagram she shared: “three years ago, I didn’t even want to be alive, so to say … that I’m happy I’m alive and I’m breathing, and I’ve got my family to support me”, seemed as valuable to her as her medal.
Seeing those we admire be so honest about what it really takes to show up is both heart warming and inspirational.
Protect your mental health. Healing from mental injury is always worth pursuing.
4. Learn tools to handle pressure, optimise stress and adapt quickly. And, have fun!
Few athletes experience flawless preparation for their events. Most must adapt their training and performance strategies. British skate medalist Sky Brown, for instance, suffered a shoulder dislocation just days before her event and still needs surgery post-competition. Kite surfing gold medalist Eleanor Aldridge switched her kite size in the final minutes before the championship run and clinched gold, outmaneuvering her French competitor, who kept the same kite.
The pressure can of course be intense. Veteran Olympian Michael Johnson discussed on the BBC the mind games Olympians must conquer. He emphasized that athletes need to manage their nerves rather than pretend they don’t exist, and those who are self-aware enough to do so perform better.
Practices like meditation, visualization, journaling and simply having fun are critical. Simone Biles echoed this in a viral photo of her meditating or visualizing, captioned simply “mental health matters.” She also shared she’d spoken with her therapist the morning of one of her performances.
Simone Biles. Photo credit Jamie Squire / Getty
Veteran cyclist Dame Laura Kenny also highlighted the importance of happiness, frequently stating in her BBC commentary that being a happy athlete is key.
If you’re having fun, that’s when the best memories are built.” - Simone Biles
5. Surround yourself with a great team
Every athlete I saw being interviewed, without exception, thanked their team. This team comprises fellow athletes, friends, family, the medical team, supporters, and, of course, their coach—often the one jumping up and down and the first person the athlete hugs! Athletes couldn't reach their potential without their team's support. They wouldn't know how to train optimally or spot their blind spots without their coach. Nor would they be able to push beyond their comfort zones, believe in themselves when it mattered, or bring their performance together in time. Yet, with their coach and team, the dream becomes possible. Keely Hodgkinson was quick to thank her network and home nation as a whole for the ongoing support: “It’s not just me,” she shared, “my people know who they are.”
“ It’s a whole team effort – it’s our gold medal “ - Keely Hodgkinson, 800 metre gold medalist
Success takes a village, and sometimes you have to go out of your way to find or create yours.
Shutterstock
Even if you don’t have Olympic aspirations, you likely strive to show up as your best self in life, work, parenting, or in your recreational sport. Olympic legends highlight the incredible power and resilience of human beings. They showcase the exquisite capabilities of our bodies and the strength we possess both physically and mentally. Our potential often extends beyond our imagination, revealing that with self-belief, determination, and training, we can achieve remarkable things.
Witnessing the emotions tied to success reminds us that an aligned goal is worth the effort and how rewarding it feels to truly show up as our best. By following interviews or social media accounts of Olympians, you'll discover the incredibly courageous individuals and compelling stories behind every single participant.
“It’s not about being the best. It’s about being better than you were yesterday.”
Florent Manaudou, France
I have to admit I wasn't especially excited before these games began. The political tension in France after the eventful elections, the polluted Seine, and the arson rail attacks were all rather concerning. However, as I watched the opening ceremony, I was gradually reminded of the many reasons I love France, including the way it values food and movement. By the time I listened to Celine Dion's breathtaking come back performance of Edith Piaf’s “L’hymne à l’Amour,” I was hooked.
We must never underestimate the power of the Olympics—it's about so much more than the medals.
So, thank you, Paris and the International Olympic Committee, for delivering a spectacular Olympics. And to all the incredible athletes who rose to the challenge in pursuit of excellence and inspired so many of us, thank you. My only regret is not making the journey to see you live. France needed this. We all needed this. The entire event has rekindled my faith in humanity, leaving me feeling a little more hopeful again, aren’t you?
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sally Dibden is a Health, Life and Performance Coach to leaders around the globe. She is the founder of The Wellbeing Consultants™, The Mind Body Wise Podcast and online communities dedicated to women’s holistic health and performance. She also runs her Physiotherapy, Yoga and Pilates Clinic in France where she lives with her family near Geneva.
Sally takes an holistic, whole body approach. She specialises in the mind body connection, optimising the nervous system, hormones and the subconscious to empower dynamic women to feel and perform their best. Her ethos being that sustainable success and happiness in all leadership roles - whether that be as an entrepreneur, professional, parent or athlete comes from a foundation of holistic health. Trained in the NHS and RAF, Sally has worked with thousands of patients and clients over her 28 year career and understands the tendency of high achievers to stretch themselves. She helps her clients reach their potential with balance over burnout, enabling them to enjoy and sustain their energy for all their ambitious goals.