The Hidden Cost of Winning Too Much | Mikaela Shiffrin

2026-02-13

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Mikaela Shiffrin was throwing up before almost every race, drowning in performance anxiety no one could see.The world's winningest alpine skier reveals why thinking about winning made her lose, how her mom taught her to master the mental game, and why she didn't want to break the all-time wins record.She won a race by three seconds after an injury and the world called her slow for only winning the next one by seven tenths. Shiffrin opens up about the choking sensation that triggered her gag reflex, the sports psychologists who helped her reframe...

Mikaela Shiffrin was throwing up before almost every race, drowning in performance anxiety no one could see.

The world's winningest alpine skier reveals why thinking about winning made her lose, how her mom taught her to master the mental game, and why she didn't want to break the all-time wins record.

She won a race by three seconds after an injury and the world called her slow for only winning the next one by seven tenths. Shiffrin opens up about the choking sensation that triggered her gag reflex, the sports psychologists who helped her reframe fear, and why she hopes people debate the greatest of all time forever.

This is about the gap between external success and internal struggle and what it takes to stay human under superhuman pressure.

Mikaela on YouTube

Mikaela on Instagram

In this episode you will:

Recognize why refusing a title can be more powerful than claiming it
Discover why focusing on outcomes sabotages performance
Learn how to transform crippling anxiety into competitive fuel
Understand the difference between pressure you create and pressure others impose
Master the art of staying present when the stakes are highest

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