Alpine ski racer Mikaela Shiffrin’s gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics wasn’t just about physical training—it was the result of a radical mental shift, driven by self-doubt, relentless self-talk, and a calculated detachment from outside criticism. For years, Shiffrin has dominated the World Cup circuit, but the Olympics have been a more complicated story. After a disappointing performance in Beijing and a serious injury in 2024, she approached the Milano Cortina Games with a “clean slate,” but it took an unconventional strategy to get there.
The Power of Self-Reminders
Shiffrin covered her bathroom mirror with sticky notes containing affirmations: “You have the ability. Go and EARN what you want.” and “I am loved, and this is going to be a great day.” The purpose was simple: to drown out negativity with deliberate positivity. This wasn’t a spontaneous decision; it followed months of work with a sports psychologist, focused on mental activation. Shiffrin admitted to feeling overwhelmed in the past, often operating in a chaotic state where even basic self-care felt impossible.
The new strategy, however, backfired initially. “That left me with an insane amount of time to just be with myself and my thoughts, and I was like, ‘I don’t like this. I do not like this,’” she said. The enforced solitude forced her to confront her deepest fears—the possibility of failure and the inevitable backlash from critics.
Embracing Doubt as a Superpower
Shiffrin’s breakthrough came when she stopped fighting her insecurities and started using them. She realized that her anxiety about public perception was a source of motivation, not weakness. “I actually think my doubt and uncertainty and my ability to care about what other people think is a superpower, most of the time,” she admitted.
This isn’t just about mental toughness; it’s about acknowledging the reality of modern athlete life, where online abuse is rampant. Shiffrin has faced death threats and hostile comments from fans, and she understands that no matter what she does, someone will disapprove. Her solution: drown out the noise by cultivating an internal voice that drowns it out.
The Art of Selective Exposure
To further shield herself, Shiffrin strategically curated her social media feed, replacing sports content with DIY home organization hacks and closet cleaning tutorials. The goal wasn’t escapism; it was intentional mental hygiene. “There was no sports. There was nothing except for DIY, home organization hacks, and closet cleaning. It was so soothing,” she described. This demonstrates a deliberate effort to control her environment, minimizing exposure to negativity while maximizing calm.
Beyond the Gold Medal
Shiffrin’s victory in slalom wasn’t just about the gold medal; it was about trusting her training and accepting that perfection is impossible. The mental work wasn’t a quick fix; it was a years-long process of building resilience and self-awareness.
“I felt like every day we were in Cortina, it was like I gained a sticky, I lost a fuck to give to things that didn’t serve me,” she laughed. The key takeaway: winning isn’t a guarantee; it’s a continuous effort.
Shiffrin has already secured the World Cup slalom title, but she knows that success is fleeting. The work doesn’t stop, and her next race requires the same relentless preparation. Her sticky note collection may be gone, but the mental discipline remains.
