17/02/2026
* Resilience: What Olympians Can Teach Us About Disappointment *
For those of us watching top athletes cope with disappointment amongst the excitement and achievements of the Winter Olympics in Italy currently, we are also witnessing recurring displays of resilience that is both 'learnt' and 'built'.
For the athletes at this top level of their game, learning to cope with a loss of their dream is a part of their training, as well as the opportunity to grow in their sport and life, as a whole. We see here The Resilience Doughnut in full action as a 'doing word':
"While being naturally optimistic or conscientious helps, researchers say that to some extent, resilience can be learned. What we might perceive as mental Teflon in top athletes is also the result of a lifetime of practice."
The sense of 'grit' as a individual and the feeling of 'connection' around them is not just by chance - it has been learnt and built, to achieve a sense of purpose beyond the loss of a medal, when they experience the feeling of not achieving their personal best.
Enjoy a read from the NY Times to learn more ...
Source: Gloria Liu - Northern California - New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/11/well/move/winter-olympics-athletes-disappointment.html
Dealing with failure is part of the job for elite athletes. Here’s how they cope with it.
