Overcoming Fear at the Extreme Edge of Winter Sports.
When Team GB winter sports athlete Zoe Atkin steps onto the halfpipe, she doesn't feel fear; it's her nervous energy, knowing that one miscalculation could result in serious injury or a missed medal. According to the freestyle skier and Olympic hopeful, her biggest challenge lies in mastering the psychological aspect of competing at the highest level - particularly when dealing with the mental barrier between success and failure.
Atkin explains that the key to overcoming fear is reframing it as something more positive: "If you were a regular person and drop them in a halfpipe logically you feel fear. But we train our whole lives for one specific thing." The 23-year-old believes that with dedication, focus, and mental toughness, athletes can overcome the emotional hurdle of competition.
In contrast, her teammate Kirsty Muir approaches fear differently. The 21-year-old relies on superstition - always wearing a lucky snood she received from an admired skier when competing, and listening to music to boost her confidence during training sessions. Her favorite song is Foo Fighters' 'The Pretender', which serves as her competition anthem.
Both athletes have faced their share of injuries, but Muir notes that injuries happen even when you're prepared: "There was the time I crashed on my face and had a split lip. That didn't stop me."
While there are differing approaches to managing fear, both athletes agree that accepting the risks is essential for success in high-pressure winter sports. Atkin explains this sentiment by stating: "The biggest challenge of my sport is definitely overcoming the fear." The athlete's mental approach has been greatly influenced by her studies in symbolic systems, which she believes aid in understanding and reframing fears as a biological process.
For both athletes, it comes down to mental toughness - they must learn to accept that injuries can happen even when you're thoroughly prepared. It is an emotional hurdle that must be overcome if success is to be achieved on the podium at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
When Team GB winter sports athlete Zoe Atkin steps onto the halfpipe, she doesn't feel fear; it's her nervous energy, knowing that one miscalculation could result in serious injury or a missed medal. According to the freestyle skier and Olympic hopeful, her biggest challenge lies in mastering the psychological aspect of competing at the highest level - particularly when dealing with the mental barrier between success and failure.
Atkin explains that the key to overcoming fear is reframing it as something more positive: "If you were a regular person and drop them in a halfpipe logically you feel fear. But we train our whole lives for one specific thing." The 23-year-old believes that with dedication, focus, and mental toughness, athletes can overcome the emotional hurdle of competition.
In contrast, her teammate Kirsty Muir approaches fear differently. The 21-year-old relies on superstition - always wearing a lucky snood she received from an admired skier when competing, and listening to music to boost her confidence during training sessions. Her favorite song is Foo Fighters' 'The Pretender', which serves as her competition anthem.
Both athletes have faced their share of injuries, but Muir notes that injuries happen even when you're prepared: "There was the time I crashed on my face and had a split lip. That didn't stop me."
While there are differing approaches to managing fear, both athletes agree that accepting the risks is essential for success in high-pressure winter sports. Atkin explains this sentiment by stating: "The biggest challenge of my sport is definitely overcoming the fear." The athlete's mental approach has been greatly influenced by her studies in symbolic systems, which she believes aid in understanding and reframing fears as a biological process.
For both athletes, it comes down to mental toughness - they must learn to accept that injuries can happen even when you're thoroughly prepared. It is an emotional hurdle that must be overcome if success is to be achieved on the podium at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Zoe's whole-life dedication and focus is so inspiring, and it's awesome that she's learning from her studies in symbolic systems to help her overcome her mental barriers 
. And Kirsty's got this quirky superstition thing going on that actually works for her - who doesn't love a good lucky snood?! 
It just goes to show that everyone finds their own way to cope with fear and anxiety, and it's all about finding what works for you 
. Can't wait to see these two athletes kill it at the Olympics! 
I think its crazy how differently these two athletes approach fear, but both are total pros in their own way! 
Zoe's all about reframing it as a positive thing, like training her whole life for that moment, whereas Kirsty's got this superstitious vibe going on with her lucky snood 
. But I get it, sometimes you need a little extra motivation or luck to push through the tough times! 
I'm literally so inspired by these two athletes but also simultaneously frustrated that they have to deal with fear and anxiety in their sport 
It's not like they're asking for the impossible here... they're human beings, after all! 
And I love that Zoe is talking about reframing her fear as something positive - that's so powerful and empowering 
. Mental toughness is everything, and I'm rooting for these two to crush it at the Olympics 
!
I think its so cool how these athletes are finding their own ways to deal with fear, like Kirsty's superstitious vibes 
. It shows that everyone's journey is different, but they're both right in a way - you gotta face the risks to succeed! 
, Foo Fighters' 'The Pretender' is such an empowering anthem 
! Zoe's approach to reframing fear as a positive energy is super inspiring, and I'm definitely gonna try that out on my own platform adventures 
. Meanwhile, Kirsty's superstitions might seem weird, but hey, if it works for her, right? 
And can we talk about how both of them are total rockstars for being so mentally tough despite facing injuries? Injuries happen, no matter how prepared you are, and that's something I think a lot of us can relate to 
...I mean, what's wrong with feeling some anxiety before a big competition? It's normal, right? Like when I'm about to take my laptop to the repair shop and it might cost an arm and leg 
.
it's all about being resilient and getting back up after a fall 
For me personally, I get really nervous before online gaming tournaments, but my friends always tell me to just chill and focus on the game 
. Reframing fear into something positive is key - like, if you were just a regular person trying out a halfpipe for the first time, you'd totally freak out, but athletes train their whole lives for it 
. And I love how Kirsty Muir uses her lucky snood and music to boost her confidence - that's some awesome superstition going on! 
Atkin's study on symbolic systems is super interesting too - who knew that understanding fears could be a key to success? 
They're like total inspirations to me lol! I mean, I try to put on a brave face too when I'm trying out new gaming setups 
Zoe's all about refocusing her energy and training for years, I can get with that 
. Whatever it takes to master that halfpipe, right? 
- less superstition, more self-awareness! 
. But Atkin's whole reframing fear as positive vibes thing is super inspiring too! It makes sense though, especially with the mental barrier of success and failure - it's all about finding that balance and not letting fear hold you back 
! I mean, it's mental toughness 101 
gotta give props to her for studying symbolic systems and finding ways to manage those pre-competition nerves