The Goat

30 May The Goat

At the U.S. Classic competition, gymnast Simone Biles wore a leotard with a rhinestone goat on it. Was it bragging? Hardly. Biles landed a Yurchenko double pike vault, something no female gymnast has ever attempted, much less accomplished in competition. The Olympic and world champion is indeed the “greatest of all time” gymnastic athlete.

But 24 is traditionally retirement age for most gymnasts and losing 18 months of competitions would usually spell a death knell. How does Biles do it, and what can speakers take away from this champion?

Biles viewed the downtime as an opportunity to develop new moves. She pushed herself, fighting age and difficulty. She ignored the chatter of social and mainstream media. And she kept her intention clearly in mind– to win the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

This is our wish for you. Stay focused. Ignore the chatter, including the noise in your head around doubt and negativity. Leverage the Biles’ model. Identify a clear intention. Commit to a consistent program with rehearsals and make this time sacred. Then believe in yourself with all your heart and soul. In your field, may you too be the G.O.A.T.