Top athletes help you achieve an Olympic State of Mind
PV Sindhu, Allyson Felix, and Jordan Burroughs among athletes showing how mindfulness, motivation, and visualisation can help you be the best version of yourself.
Some of the world's top athletes in Olympic sports have joined forces with Bridgestone and Olympic Channel to create Olympic State of Mind.
This personal journey helps you get the best out of yourself through the techniques of mindfulness, motivation, and visualisation.
Those sharing their knowledge are six Team Bridgestone athlete ambassadors - six-time Olympic athletics gold medallist Allyson Felix, teenage swimming sensation Ariarne Titmus, Rio 2016 javelin gold medallist Thomas Rohler, reigning badminton world champion P.V. Sindhu, London 2012 freestyle wrestling champ Jordan Burroughs, and three time Olympic triathlete Ai Ueda.
Mindfulness
Practising mindfulness has really helped Rio 2016 badminton silver medallist P.V. Sindhu.
The Indian started meditating in the middle of 2019, and then won her first world title in August.
She told Olympic Channel, "I really enjoy it. I used to just have a vision of my game before but I never meditated as such.
"It can be anytime in the morning or in the afternoon, whenever I have time. For me, mindfulness is when you think something in your mind, you have to just go with it.
"It's very important to believe in yourself and have hope that you can do it. Then just go with the flow." - PV Sindhu on mindfulness
Motivation
Motivation can be hard for some athletes, particularly those approaching the end of their careers.
Ariarne Titmus, who stunned Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships, doesn't have that problem.
The Australian is yet to appear at an Olympic Games, and competing in Tokyo is her big target.
She said, "Motivating myself to train is super easy because I always have my goals and I try to keep them in the front of my mind. I do a lot of self-talk with them and try to repeat them.
"If I have a bad race, I think the biggest thing for me to motivate myself is look at where it went wrong and then try and fix that." - Ariarne Titmus
Visualisation
Wrestler Jordan Burroughs has been through his fair share of ups and downs during his career.
After his gold at London 2012, he suffered crushing disappointment at Rio 2016 and vowed to improve himself physically and mentally.
As well as embracing mindfulness, the American uses visualisation to give him an edge on his rivals.
That new mental approach paid swift dividends with Burroughs winning his fourth world title in 2017.
He said, "I try to visualise my opponent being right in front of me. It's less about what he's doing and more about my preparation and knowing that I'm prepared to beat this guy.
"My visualisation means going out there, getting my hand raised, getting to the motion and the movement that I need to be victorious." - Jordan Burroughs
How to achieve the Olympic State of Mind
Learn from top Olympic athletes with the Olympic Channel's Olympic State of Mind, presented by Bridgestone.
As well as Burroughs, Sindhu, and Titmus, there are also tips from Allyson Felix, Ai Ueda, and Thomas Rohler.
Watch videos featuring these stars and athletes of all abilities from around the world, and enhance your knowledge of motivation, mindfulness, and visualisation.