The School of Greatness The Hidden Cost of Winning Too Much | Mikaela Shiffrin
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Feb 13, 2026 
Mikaela Shiffrin, world-class alpine skier and multi‑time Olympic medalist, speaks candidly about the hidden toll of relentless winning. She discusses how outcome-focused thinking sabotaged performance, the physical symptoms of anxiety, and how sports psychology and her mother’s coaching helped her reframe fear. Short takes on injury comebacks, media pressure, and staying present under extreme expectations.
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Process Over Outcome
- Focusing on winning sabotaged Mikaela Shiffrin's performance because outcome-thinking pulled her attention away from execution.
- She wins only when she focuses on skiing the course and the next turn, not on the result.
Victory Created Crushing Expectations
- After an injury Mikaela won races by massive margins which set unrealistic expectations from others.
- That expectation spike led to years of performance anxiety and vomiting before races.
You Control The Narrative
- Mikaela learned she could shape the mood of those around her by reframing questions positively after a close loss.
- Her response shifted media and team reactions from tension to celebration.