Mikaela Shiffrin has opened up candidly about the persistent fear that shadows even the greatest athletes, admitting the “scare of failure” remains a powerful force as she gears up for—and reflects on—her journey at the Milan Winter Olympics.
In an exclusive conversation with EssentiallySports during the Games, the legendary American skier got real about confronting her vulnerabilities head-on. “I think I have so much fear,” Shiffrin revealed. “I really feel, you know, I’m afraid to get injured. I’m afraid to feel pain. I’m afraid to fail.”
The 30-year-old icon, who finally claimed a long-awaited gold medal in women’s slalom after an eight-year drought since her previous Olympic triumph, described how the pressure from Beijing onward haunted her through crashes, doubts, and the quiet terror of questioning if she’d ever recapture her peak form. Yet, she emphasized turning that fear into fuel: it’s not about erasing it, but channeling it to push harder through intensified training, visualization, and mental resilience.
Shiffrin highlighted mindset shifts learned from recent setbacks, reframing failure as a lesson rather than a dead end. She discussed her pre-Olympic routine, strategies for battling performance anxiety, and the competitive fire at Milan, while also touching on balancing massive expectations with personal growth and enjoying the process over fixating on results.
Her raw honesty underscores why she’s not just a record-breaking skier, but a relatable champion who faces the same inner battles as anyone—proving that even at the top, the fear never fully vanishes, but it doesn’t have to win.
