Imagine if every email you sent – every phone call you took – was scrutinized, critiqued, and scored by the person who writes your paycheck.
In day 2 of The Game Inside The Games, Nastia Liukin and Dr. Michael Gervais explore the unique psychological challenges athletes face in judged sports like gymnastics.
They discuss how the constant evaluation by judges – even during pre-competition training sessions – impacts athletes’ performances, mental states, and ultimately their ability to podium.
Nastia shares compelling stories from her own journey, revealing how her father’s coaching philosophy helped her navigate the subjective nature of judging.
This episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the psychological strategies that can make or break an Olympic dream – and the human behind it – when your every move is being watched.
“The most important part is to always train as if you’re competing and to compete as if you’re training.”
Episode Insights by Microsoft Copilot
- Judging in Gymnastics: Judges start evaluating athletes even before the competition, during every training session. They note consistent mistakes and look for them during the actual performance, making it crucial for athletes to train as if they are competing.
- Mental Preparation: Visualization and maintaining a positive mindset are key for athletes. Negative thoughts can lead to mistakes, so athletes must focus on visualizing their routines and staying grounded.
- Self-Validation: Athletes should focus on self-validation rather than seeking external approval. Trusting their training and performance helps them stay confident and perform at their best.
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This episode is brought to you by Accenture, Avanade, and Microsoft.
Copilot for Microsoft 365 is revolutionizing how we work. At Accenture and Avanade, we amplify the power of your workplace. We are pioneers in generative AI and early adopters of Microsoft Copilot. We’ve been at the forefront of exploring the power of AI to enhance productivity, creativity, and innovation for our clients and ourselves. We offer end-to-end services from security and data protection to skills and governance, ensuring you can integrate Copilot in a safe, secure, and responsible way to create a workplace where technology enhances human potential.
