Develop an Olympic Mindset
Image by Агзам Гайсин from Pixabay
Watching the 2026 Olympic coverage, you heard about the importance of the mental aspects of performance. You may be wondering what it takes to have the mindset of an Olympian. Here are two ways you can get started today:
See tough competition as an opportunity to get better
Working with young athletes, I often hear that they experience performance anxiety and self doubt when competing against an opponent that has a higher ranking or better record. They are focused on the probability of the end result. Facing tough opponents is actually an opportunity for skill development and personal growth. If we always win easily, then we do not have to perform at our best to come out on top and it can impact our skill level and motivation to work hard in practice.
When you compete or practice with athletes at a high skill level, you can see what you are working towards by what they are modeling, which is important for visual learners. Goal setting helps foster intrinsic motivation which is critical for long-term commitment, resilience, and peak performance (Alkasasbeh & Akroush, 2025). In addition, playing against the best can bring out your best, which is why you will see so many athletes set personal bests (PBs) and records at the Olympics.
Focus on long-term goals versus short term rewards
When watching Olympic coverage, you likely heard the commentators make the comment that an athlete has been building for this peak performance through their training and competition schedule. They knew what they needed to work on in order to achieve their best, and they were disciplined in staying focused on the big picture instead of worrying about their placings every single competition in the years prior.
The level of skill we need to be successful when competing against the best is often higher than we need when facing an average opponent. When we are working to improve our skill level, we may experience more mistakes or even feel like our skill level is growing backwards as our body, brain, and nervous system adapt. These mistakes are actually a sign of improvement that will take you another step closer to your big goals. Similar to the commonly used business expression, short-term pain for long-term gain. It takes discipline and patience to focus on your own future goals when someone else may hold up the trophy at times along the way.
Learn more about developing an Olympic mindset by booking a free consultation at https://toniaandersonpsychology.janeapp.com or email tonia@toniaandersonpsycholocolgy.ca to get started.
Tonia Anderson is a Registered Psychologist (RPsych, BPE), former elite athlete and executive leadership coach, specializing in sport psychology, health, and performance. With over 25 years in peak performance, she has worked with junior, amateur, and professional athletes competing at local, provincial, national, and international levels including World Championships, Olympic Trials, Pan-Am Games, and more. Tonia works with business executives, emerging leaders, youth, first responders and individuals wanting to achieve their career, sport, and life goals.
References
Alkasasbeh, W.J. & Akroush, S.H. (2025). Sports motivation: a narrative review of psychological approaches to enhance athletic performance. Front Psychol. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12358434/