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Athlete mindset: 10 most powerful approaches, from female athletes
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08 Mar 2025
What separates the GOATs from the rest? Speed? Strength? Pure talent? Nope.
According to trainer Ryan Flaherty, the real X factor is the mind; the best athletes don’t just train their bodies, they train their mentality.
This “athlete mindset” is what keeps them locked in, pushing through pain, pressure, and setbacks. And when it comes to women in sports, that mental toughness hits different.
Yes, Serena Williams plays tennis and owns it. Simone Biles didn’t just compete — she straight-up redefined gymnastics.
None of their progress or wins came from nothing. They fought for them.
And that fight paid off. The 2024 Paris Olympics was the most gender-equal in history, with an equal number of female and male athletes — 5,250 each.
Women in sports have been slaying for decades, breaking records while taking down barriers. But let’s be real, getting here wasn’t easy. As they competed, they had to battle pay gaps and media bias and deal with people who always doubted they belonged.
Female athletes face many challenges, including body image issues, mental health concerns, and inequities in sports. Source: AFP
The struggles of female atheletes
It’s a tale as old as time.
More often than not, women are first assumed incompetent until proven otherwise, while it’s the opposite for men.
Talented women often find themselves questioning their abilities, burying themselves in self-doubt and contemplating things such as job opportunities, qualifications, appearances, or even if their cooking today merits the caloric expenditure.
Even the best of the best, like female athletes, struggle with this.
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The neverending paradox
As “Barbie” puts it – you have to be thin, but not too thin, and you have to be healthy but also thin. You’re supposed to love being a mother, but can’t talk about your kids all the time, but also a career woman who is always looking out for other people. You always have to stand out and always be grateful, but never forget that the system is rigged against your gender.
One famous example is Olympic gold medallist Imane Khelif, who suffered nasty false accusations about her gender due to her appearance and outstanding performance in the ring – it turned into one of the biggest controversies of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
World leaders like President Donald Trump and even famed “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling claimed that Khelif had been born male, accusing her of being a man who was “enjoying the distress of a woman he’s just punched in the head.”
In reality, Khelif is just another woman outside the ring and even enjoys the occasional glam sesh.
“I’ve been bullied ever since I was a little girl,” she confided in an interview with Le Monde. “As a child, I was criticised for being too muscular or for walking like a boy.”
Despite the progress made in women’s sports, major challenges still remain. Source: AFP
Disproportionate criticism
Double standards, annoying biases, irrelevant expectations, and unwarranted criticism. Women face all these every single day, not limited to issues such as:
- Age
- Voice
- Attractiveness
- Body
- Likability
- Class
- Colour
- Marital status
- Pregnancy
… and more. You get the idea.
Even in modern workplaces — and that includes the tracks, fields, and wherever female athletes work at — women are constantly confronted with stereotypes such as expecting they would work less efficiently with a child, or that a young woman will soon become pregnant and will be “of no use.”
And for those who menstruate, people assume you can’t work during “that time of the month” because of pain and mood swings. Same applies to female athletes.
Female athletes struggle with body image due to societal pressures, sport-specific demands, and media scrutiny. Source: AFP
Having a different build
Historically, weakness has been linked to physical strength, and men are simply physically stronger. In a literal sense, yes, women simply are “built different.”
Women typically have a 10-12% smaller vital capacity than men of the same height and age, with smaller airways and less respiratory muscle. Males also have a higher muscle mass, and they have a higher capacity for metabolism and power output.
“I believe that the physical differences between men and women are the root of all sexism, and until we live in some kind of post-physicality world (which, admittedly, with automation is getting closer), I don’t see how we’ll ever have true gender equality,” says this Reddit user in a now-deleted post.
So when the body is unable to keep up, that’s where the mind comes into play – namely, the athlete mindset.
Benefits of an athlete mindset
Having an athlete mindset doesn’t mean you have to be in a race or at the gym. It means having a task-oriented mindset, resilience, discipline, and the mental strength to improve your confidence, focus, and performance.
Start asking yourself questions that athletes would ask themselves. Where do you want to be by the end of this year? What do you need to work towards that, and how can I stay motivated to continue?
Most importantly, focus on the process rather than the end goal. See each obstacle as an opportunity for growth rather than a reason to stumble and stop.
Having an athlete mindset will help you in areas such as:
Studying better
Just like how athletes train with consistency, adopting a similar approach to studying can also improve your focus, efficiency, and, most importantly, outcomes.
Set some structured goals, learn to manage your time effectively, and always remind yourself to take one step at a time.
A football game can be won by an 89th minute goal but you shouldn’t do things last minute. Remember, the footballers trained for years to score that one goal. So should you.
A thriving career
To succeed in any career requires the same qualities as an athlete would have – perseverance, adaptability, and being committed to sustained self-improvement.
Having an athlete mindset for your career means you can ensure you stay motivated and ambitious, hitting your goals and pushing through any setbacks you may face.
Inspiring others
Athletes are famous for many reasons, but one star quality that they share is that they inspire others to persevere and push their limits.
Young, budding boxers will look at Khelif and realise that they too, can triumph in both the ring and the public eye. One day, people will also look to you in admiration, hoping to share some of your star qualities, and that’s when you learn to lead by example.
The athlete mindset of today’s top sportswomen
Here are the medal-holding and record-breaking women who live and breathe the athlete mindset — and the great lessons they have to share about their athlete mindset.
Julien Alfred won the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the 100-metre event, setting a new national record of 10.72s in the final. Source: AFP
1. “If you can believe it, you can achieve it. It was a rocky road. I had mental breakdowns, and there were times when I felt like giving up.” Julien Alfred, 2024 Olympics 100-metre champion
2. “No matter where you are from, no matter what past you have, it is all about your future and your goals.” Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Olympic and World Championship gold medal sprinter
3. “You should be overconfident, you should have more confidence. I am the greatest and you should feel that way about yourself, too. I’ve seen the world be my friend. I’ve seen the world turn on me. But at the end of the day, I’ve always been with me.” Sha’Carri Richardson, one of the world’s fastest women, with a 10.65 second 100 meter time set in 2023
Imane Khelif’s gold medal is Algeria’s first in women’s boxing. Source: AFP
4. “My message to young people is to follow your dreams. Don’t let obstacles come in your way, resist any obstacles and overcome them. My dream is to win a gold medal. If I win, mothers and fathers can see how far their children can go. I particularly want to inspire girls and children who are disadvantaged in Algeria.” Imane Khelif, an Olympic gold medal boxer from Algeria
5. “After I started swimming and then joined the Olympics, I became more self-confident. As I became more confident, I got used to the outer world, and others got used to me.” Sevilay Öztürk, Turkish Paralympic swimmer
6. “I went on the courts with a ball, a racquet, and hopes. That’s all I had… Never give up because you never know what can happen and who you can inspire. It’s so important to give your all no matter what you do, no matter how many obstacles you face.” Serena Williams, one of the greatest tennis players in history – with 23 Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals
7. “Work hard, never give up and follow your dreams. I just want to work as hard as I can, give my 100% and just go and try to get the best results possible. I can’t deny it’s going to be hard, but I’m just going to work. Be confident, believe in yourself and I think the most important thing is working with your team.” Marta Garcia, a Spanish racing driver who currently competes in the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship with Iron Dames
8. “To be the best, you have to constantly be challenging yourself, raising the bar, pushing the limits of what you can do. Don’t stand still, leap forward.” Ronda Rousey, first American woman to win an Olympic medal in judo
9. “Take the risk and do it. It’s a life-learning adventure, and you will have many opportunities. Jump in and enjoy yourself.” Celine Collete, professional beach volleyball player
Saina Nehwal is the first-ever badminton player from India to clinch an Olympic medal. Source: AFP
