Celeb Shot
Transforming Fear into Focus: Lessons from the Olympic Luge
Four-time Olympian and Author Ruben Gonzalez shares how facing his fears while navigating his Olympic journey taught him that shifting his focus could help him achieve his goals faster.
In 1984, I started my journey in the sport of luge. For 24 years, I forced myself to slide down icy tracks, even though I didn’t enjoy the sport. The truth? I hated it. But the luge was my ticket to the Olympics, and my Olympic dream kept me going. That dream was always in focus.
Every time I stood at the start tower, my heart would pound in my chest, my mouth would dry up, and my hands would drip with sweat. Fear gripped me. As my sled picked up speed, the fear only intensified. By the time I crossed the finish line, I was petrified, gasping for air, and on the verge of hyperventilating. Each run left my body physically drained, with muscles aching that I didn’t even know I had.
After a day of training — 5 or 6 runs — I was utterly exhausted, longing only to sleep. Back then, the luge wasn’t exhilarating. It was terrifying. The only thing that kept me going was my unwavering focus on the Olympic dream.
I’ve always believed that successful people are willing to do what unsuccessful people won’t. That belief, combined with relentless focus, helped me achieve my Olympic dream three times.
But in 2008, 20 years after competing in the 1988 Calgary Olympics, I learned something that sparked a new goal. No one had ever competed in four Winter Olympics in four different decades. The thought of making Olympic history ignited a fire within me. If I competed in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, I’d become the first to achieve this milestone. So, despite a six-year break from the sport, I decided to make a comeback.
Before hitting the luge tracks again, I reached out to my friend Jonathan Edwards, who had competed in the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. Unlike me, Jonathan genuinely loved the luge. I hoped he could offer some advice to help me overcome my fear of speed.
And yes, I see the irony: a luger afraid of speed. Trust me, I couldn’t agree more.
When I confessed my fear, Jonathan offered a perspective that changed everything. He said, “Ruben, you’re focusing on the wrong thing. Luge isn’t about speed. Every track is fast; that’s a given. Luge is about having the best time. You could hit the highest speed, but if you crash, you lose. Focus on what you need to do in each section of the curves to ensure you get the best time. Focus on the steering, and the fear will disappear.”
It clicked. I had been focusing on the circumstances — the speed — instead of the actions required for success: proper steering.
Determined to shift my mindset, I returned to the track, committing to focus 100% on steering and 0% on fear. The result? The fear vanished. Overnight, the luge transformed from a dreadful experience into a thrilling, exhilarating ride.
The transformation didn’t take weeks, months, or years. It happened the moment I shifted my focus from the uncontrollable to the actionable.
What About You?
What are you focusing on in your life or work? Are you fixated on external circumstances, like the economy, or are you concentrating on personal growth, becoming the best version of yourself? Are you caught up in how little others contribute at work, or are you focused on becoming the most valuable person on your team?
Circumstances and other people’s attitudes are beyond your control. But your actions and focus are entirely within your power.
Your focus determines your results.
Don’t dwell on the challenges. Instead, focus on the steps you need to take to excel — at work, at home, in your relationships, and in every area of your life. When you do, you’ll transform your experience, build confidence, and start achieving your best results.
Guaranteed.
Put It into Action
Stop focusing on your circumstances. Focus on what you need to do this minute to get your intended results.
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