The Simple Habit Helping Simone Biles Win Gold Medals That More Of Us Should Try
We should all be taking a page out of the G.O.A.T.'s book.
Focus Pix | Shutterstock Simone Biles has won 2 gold medals so far in the Paris 2024 Olympics, bringing her collection of Olympic gold up to 9 medals, along with 30 World Championship medals.
As the most decorated gymnast in U.S. history, she’s the G.O.A.T. for a reason, and that reason extends beyond her phenomenal physical accomplishments.
Simon Biles prioritizes her mental health, something more of us should do.
She attributes much of her success to being in therapy on a consistent basis, highlighting how important it is to care for the mind-body connection.
Biles shared her secret to gymnastics world domination after claiming her place on the U.S. Olympic team for the third time. When asked what led her back to another Olympics, Biles responded without hesitation.
“Being in a good mental spot, seeing my therapist every Thursday, it’s kind of religious for me, so that's why I’m here today,” she said.
The crowd erupted in jubilant cheers, a reaction that marks just how far our society has come in discussing mental health and breaking down the stigma that surrounds it.
“I knew I wasn’t done after the performances in Tokyo,” she said. “So, just getting back in the gym and working hard and trusting the process with Cecile and Laurent, I knew I’d be back.”
In 2021, Biles withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics, a decision that received both an outpouring of public support and unwarranted backlash.
She stood strong, making the declaration to "Put mental health first."
"If you don't, you're not going to enjoy your sport and you're not going to succeed as much as you want to," she said. "It's okay sometimes to even sit out the big competitions to focus on yourself because it shows how strong of a competitor and person you really are, rather than just battle through it."
By stepping off the mat when all the world’s eyes were on her, Biles sent the message that taking care of our mental health is always the way to win.
A. RICARDO | Shutterstock
She spoke directly to the people who tore her down for taking a break, saying, “We also have to focus on ourselves because, at the end of the day, we’re human, too.”
“We have to protect our mind and our body rather than just go out there and do what the world wants us to do,” she concluded.
Being in therapy offered Biles essential support, which set her back on the path to where she is now.
For Biles, taking care of herself hasn’t been a finite act. She’s still in therapy. She’s still using those essential support networks to ground herself and work through the intensity of her experience as an Olympic athlete. Most importantly, she's seeing the positive effects of putting in the work around mental health.
After winning the all-around gymnastics final on August 1, 2024, Biles shared a peek into her process.
“Three years ago, I never thought I’d step foot on a gymnastics floor again, just because of everything that had happened,” she said. “I got back in the gym and worked really hard, mentally and physically.”
She shouted out her therapist, saying, “Even this morning at 7 a.m., I saw my therapist, and there’s a time change, so she is so amazing for allowing me to do that these couple of days here in Paris.”
“Making sure I’m mentally well, I think you see that out on the competition floor,” she said, emphasizing how tending to her mental health helps her win. Her statement touched on an often-overlooked aspect of caring for our mental health: It’s really, really hard to do.
Therapy is a practice that builds on itself. It takes time and commitment, even when it’s scary, to keep going back. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution to healing. Biles found what worked for her, and she acknowledges that it’s an ongoing journey.
We can all find inspiration in her commitment to her well-being. She knows she’s worth it, as are we all.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.