Emma McKeon's message for young women: “Don’t be afraid to dream big and have big goals"
Emma McKeon’s has learnt to find comfort in uncomfortable situations.
The Australian swimmer has accepted that gruelling training sessions and setbacks are all part of the learning process, and that there is no such thing as a shortcut to success.
It’s a mental technique that helped her become the most decorated athlete at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 with four gold and three bronze medals, which in turn made her Australia’s most decorated Olympian ever.
“I think you get comfortable in deciding to take an uncomfortable decision,” McKeon told Olympics.com.
“Like in the morning when you don't want to get out of bed and you're so worn out and tired, you get comfortable just saying to yourself, ‘No, this is what I need to do for my goals’.
“You get used to making those choices. Those non-negotiables are going to get you up and you're going to dive in the pool and give everything you've got for that session.”
Emma McKeon on goal setting
McKeon’s achievements in the pool have made her an inspiration to many, and in particular to young women.
International Women’s Day was celebrated around the world on 8 March, and the 29-year-old reiterated that patience and focussing on the bigger picture were paramount to her success.
“My message would be to not be afraid of the time it will take to achieve your goals,” she continued.
"And just to remember that the time is going to pass. So you may as well use that time to work on what you want and those big goals.
“Don’t be afraid to dream big and have big goals and big dreams.
"I think the dreams that you've got when you're little, you can carry those on with you. You don't need to put them aside if you really care about them.” - Emma McKeon to Olympics.com
Athletes are often judged by their performance on the biggest stages, whether they do well or not.
What most people don’t see is the years of hard work, dedication, and often setbacks that they have to go through in order to perform for a brief few seconds or minutes at a major event.
Despite being best-known for breaking world records and winning medals, McKeon was quick to highlight that it was the setbacks that provided her with the most value.
“Setbacks are huge, I think. Those values are the things that you learn most from, and it's unrealistic to think that you're just going to always win and have PB after PB,” she said.
“So it’s understanding that those values and those setbacks are going to be a part of it, and realising that if you allow yourself, you can grow the most from them and carry that forward, build on that, and then succeed from that as well.”
Advice for prospective Brisbane 2032 athletes
If selected, McKeon will compete in her third Olympic Games at Paris 2024, and Australia will be watching the New South Wales native and her teammates closely for two main reasons.
Firstly, swimming was one of Australia’s most dominant sports at Tokyo 2020, with McKeon being joined by the likes of Kaylee McKeown, Zac Stubblety-Cook, and Ariarne Titmus as gold medal winners.
Secondly, Brisbane will host of the 2032 Games, and excitement is growing Down Under.
“Brisbane is only eight years away. You've got athletes that are maybe 10 or 12 years old now that could be making those Olympics,” McKeon said.
“I would like to tell those kids that I was once in that same position, a 10 or 12 years old, dreaming of one day going to the Olympics, and also thinking, ‘I'll probably never make that (level), it's the Olympics’. It was this almost unattainable thing.
“But I still had this big dream that I would go there, go to the Olympics and compete for Australia there one day. Those young kids can do it if they believe and keep working hard and keep enjoying what they're doing.
“Keep setting goals and they could one day go to those Olympics in Brisbane.”