Winter Olympic stars reveal their favourite mantras ahead of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics

Do you have something you say to yourself everyday to keep you motivated? Find out what winter’s top athletes repeat to themselves as they bid for glory on the greatest sporting stage. 

4 minBy Olympics.com
Mikaela Shiffrin PyeongChang 2018

(2018 Getty Images)

Scaling heights and navigating disappointing lows is part of the Olympic experience, and for those heading to Beijing 2022 the Games will be no different.

What then, do Olympic athletes do to ensure they bring their A-game when they need it most?

Some pack lucky charms while others undergo certain race-day rituals. The following athletes use words, sayings, and quotes to help them keep focused, and remind themselves what they’re doing it all for.

We asked some of the biggest names to share with us their favourite mantras and here are the results.

Mikaela Shiffrin: “Be nice, think first”

Two-time Olympic gold medallist and alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin: “The thing that I tell myself the most these days is a little bit of a tribute to my father, but also just to both my parents. Since I was a baby, they always said: ‘be nice, think first.’

“It's just something I still tell myself and my mom still reminds me of that. And I think it's good words to live by, and it also reminds me of my dad. Yeah, just makes me smile.”

Anna Gasser: “Make the most out of every day”

PyeongChang 2018 big air gold medallist Anna Gasser: “Make the most out of every day, and kind of to do something that scares me every day, which sounds bad, but it's more like to challenge myself every day.

“So even if it's just something little, try to make the best out of it on every day.”

(2018 Getty Images)

Ester Ledecka: “Enjoy every run”

Double Olympic gold medallist Ester Ledecka: “My whole life I’m trying to do what I like, I just want to enjoy every run and if this will happen this season and I will lose every single run but I enjoy it, that’s enough for me.”

Katharina Liensberger: “Believe, fly, achieve”

Austrian alpine skiing Olympic silver medallist Katharina Liensberger: "Ski fast, do what you love, let dreams come true and you will see that everything is possible.

“It’s always important to ski with enthusiasm and to ski just with my full heart because I really love what I'm doing.

“Believe, fly, achieve. These are three really strong words for me.”

READ MORE: Ester Ledecka exclusive: "Inside I still feel like half snowboarder and half skier"

(2018 Getty Images)

Lucas Braathen: “Manifest ambitions”

Olympic alpine skiing debutant Lucas Braathen: “Manifest ambitions is a mantra of mine.

“It's just to set clear goals, is to set a time and date where that goal should be made, and it's saying it out loud. That's a mantra that helps me increase the chances of winning.”

Maddie Mastro: “Don’t be afraid to try”

2018 PyeongChang Olympian Maddie Mastro of Team USA: “Don't be afraid to try, because trying is the first step in learning and that is kind of my favourite thing to say to the younger kids and my favourite little quote.”

READ MORE: Lucas Braathen: "I'm not cocky, I'm just open about my ambitions"

(2018 Getty Images)

Vincent Zhou: “The man in the arena”

2019 World Championship figure skating bronze medallist Vincent Zhou: “My favourite quote has to be ‘the man in the arena’ by Teddy Roosevelt.

“It basically says it's not the critic who counts, not the person who points out how the strong man stumbles or how the doer of deeds could have done the better. It's the man in the arena whose face is marred by blood and dust and sweat and tears, who strives valiantly and fails over and over again.

“It's such a powerful, inspiring quote, and I strive every single day to be that man in the region of just working so hard every day, trying to achieve the impossible one day.

Corinne Suter: “Everything happens for a reason”

2018 PyeongChang Olympian Corine Suter: “I would say it's the phrase: everything happens for a reason.”

READ MORE: Corinne Suter: "I've always wanted to be the fastest"

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