After an Olympic loss, White realized his problem wasn't physical skill but a lack of motivation. He fixed his life outside of snowboarding—relationships and personal fulfillment—to reignite his competitive fire and win again.

A mental performance coach taught diver Molly Carlson to visualize fear as a piece of paper in front of her eyes. Instead of trying to destroy the paper, she gently shifts it to the side, allowing it to exist without consuming her focus, freeing her to perform.

In the moments before a race, Lindsey Vonn's mind is "pretty empty." All preparation and visualization are done beforehand, allowing instinct to take over. Thinking about technique at 80 mph is a recipe for disaster; performance must be automatic.

Before her final race, injured and facing immense pressure, Lindsey Vonn’s 96-year-old coach offered a powerful reframe: "What is 60 seconds in your whole life?" This perspective minimized the moment's weight, freeing her to compete without fear and win a medal.

Instead of focusing on the immense pressure of winning the Olympics, Shaun White set a secondary goal: get on the Rolling Stone cover in specific pants. This made the primary objective more enjoyable and less intimidating, serving as a powerful motivator.

In a high-pressure Olympic qualifier, White's coach unexpectedly told him to perform a more difficult trick just seconds before his final run. Trusting his coach and letting go of the plan allowed him to enter a flow state, leading to a perfect score.

Kobe Bryant framed his performance not as winning or losing, but as an opportunity to "figure things out." This curiosity-driven mindset relieves pressure, anchors you in the present, and makes it possible to enter a flow state, proving more sustainable than fixating on outcomes.

In crises, focus only on what's inside an imaginary "hula hoop" around you: your attitude and your actions. Surrender the outcome to external forces. This mental model, used by endurance athlete Dean Otto when paralyzed, prevents overwhelm and allows for clear-headed decision-making when stakes are highest.

After failing to medal at the Sochi Olympics, White intentionally decided to make the loss a positive catalyst. This mindset shift prompted him to rebuild his life, team, and motivation, ultimately leading to his next gold medal.