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Lindsey Vonn's 7 Strategies to Bounce Back From A Setback (Even When It Feels Impossible)

This article is more than 6 years old.

Jonathan Kozowyk

We are taught to fail forward, fast. Every obstacle is an opportunity, according to Ryan Holiday. Harvard graduates heard from Oprah, there is no such thing as failure. These groupthink mantras sound motivating, but fall short of proving helpful. As an entrepreneur in a shifting global landscape, failure, setbacks, and pivots are a routine part of the ecosystem. The truth is, experiencing it can leave your stomach in stitches, your palms in a cold sweat, and your mind racing with self-doubt. What we need are additional practical strategies to move the needle back in a positive direction with efficiency and speed. We need a roadmap for resilience.

Recently at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Boston, world-renowned ski champion, Lindsey Vonn, shared key insights into how she prepares, bounces back, and pushes forward to new heights. Vonn is an Olympic gold medal skier and four-time World Cup champion. Though repeated injuries threatened to halt her racing career, Vonn dug deep and developed resilience to position herself as a strong contender for the upcoming Winter Olympics.

Are you wondering how to blaze a trail, achieve a new milestone, or an individual wondering how to overcome that latest professional pitfall? Read on for an Olympian’s take on a 7 step foolproof bounce back plan:

  • Prepare. The key to the comeback lies in the consistent, intentional training in advance. Develop personal training routines to keep yourself sharp, strong, and prepared for the next challenge. This could be a morning routine, a coach or mentor, a supportive community, or regular self-care. Vonn trains six hours every day, including the summer. When asked how she maintains focus, Vonn says, “You choose it. If you want something bad enough you are willing to give up everything else to achieve it. Being under stress for long periods of time allows me to stay focused in the race.”
  • Internalize the lesson. If you are feeling stuck, reflect on the lessons hidden in the situation. According to Vonn, “the opportunity not taken is an opportunity lost. I approach everything I do that way. On the mountain and in life. My performance generates opportunities. ‘What can I do better?’ Is always what I am asking myself.” This technique is critical to the acquisition of wisdom, which allows her to improve for the future.
  • Harness pressure to your advantage. Failure can be scary, but Vonn leverages fear to propel herself forward instead of paralyze her progress. In the Olympics, “you feel the weight of the world watching you," she explains. "Hell, yeah, I’m nervous. And I take it on and use it as energy to fuel me. If I don't go to the gym, it is already in my head that I am behind and someone else is better than me. I think about what my competitors are doing. I want to be better than them.”
  • Keep an open mind. Your brain is wired to keep you safe, which is why a setback can trigger stress and strong urge to fight or flee. If you feel stuck and blinded by your current situation, create emotional distance, gain perspective, and see if there are any creative solutions you may have missed. Vonn finds a way to approach life aware and open to new possibility. According to her, “why be afraid of something if you don't know what the outcome will be? Amazing things can happen when you keep an open mind.”
  • Define yourself. The story that we tell ourselves becomes who we are. Setbacks can be a catalyst for a new self-narrative that holds you back. Remember, your failure does not define you; the way you come back does.According to Vonn, “I didn't want my injuries to dictate when the end of my career would be. I have a lot more I want to accomplish.”
  • Visualize. During stressful situations, the mind releases cortisol, which inhibits creativity. Practice mindfulness to quiet the mind and imagine a brighter future. Paint the mental picture with crystal clarity. Vonn, despite repeated ill-timed injuries, stands just nine wins away from tying with the current world-record holding champion. Her secret? “Visualizing for me is really important. The more I visualize the more confident I am in what I am about to do. We only get to slide down the course, we don't get to run it (in advance). The more I visualize doing something, the better I am at it in life too.”
  • Keep moving: Being an entrepreneur is fraught with unexpected obstacles. Approach each situation as an iteration to learn from for the future. Practice results in progress and progress is the point. Vonn spent hundreds of hours in physical therapy and rehabilitation after her injuries. She describes her motivation for the effort, “I want another opportunity to try to win again.”