When we watch the Olympics, we admire speed, strength, and perfection. We see extraordinary skill. But true greatness operates behind the scenes and makes the difference between excellent and extraordinary.

It is the ability to be fully present at the right moment. To withstand adversity—such as bad weather or unfair refereeing—and still deliver your best performance despite inner demons like pressure or fear. Olympic champions are not made by talent alone, nor by skill alone. The Olympics are a test of mental strength.

Talent and skill are the prerequisites for qualifying. But whether you are better than everyone else on the decisive day is not determined by the body—it is determined by the mind.

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier won bronze in ice dance even though part of Gilles’s costume came loose during their free program. If the fabric had touched the ice, they would have received a deduction. In the middle of a rotation, Gilles reacted instantly, grabbed the loose piece, and incorporated the movement into the choreography. Presence instead of panic under maximum pressure.

Then there was the drama around Ilia Malinin, who entered the men’s figure skating event as the overwhelming favorite. All of his competitors before him had already made mistakes. The “Quad God,” as he is called because he masters more quadruple jumps than any other skater, only needed to skate cleanly to secure gold. Instead, he faltered and ultimately finished eighth. Later, he said that there had simply been too many thoughts in his head.

Psychology calls this emotional agility: the ability to notice difficult thoughts and emotions without being controlled by them. The athlete acknowledges the emotions for what they are—simply emotions. They have a function. They have a function. If I feel nervous, it means the event matters to me; but the nervousness does not block me—it helps me focus more precisely on what I need to do. You are not your emotions. You can manage them.

And this is just as crucial in business. These days, organizations and people are increasingly under pressure. Fear and uncertainty have become constant companions. The question is not whether we feel these emotions—but how we deal with them.

This post was published by Wolfgang Jenewein on LinkedIn on February 2, 2026. Zum Original-Beitrag