Think About What You’re Thinking About

Your Life Is Shaped by Your Thoughts

By Jenna Dexter

In 2012, Simone Biles was virtually unknown in the world of gymnastics. While she had proven her capabilities, her lack of consistency gnawed at her as she went into the 2012 American Classics, one of her first elite competitions.

Eyeing the far more experienced gymnasts, intimidation gripped her and she began the competition not truly believing she could win. While she placed first for vault and second for all- around, she fell off the balance beam and stumbled during her floor routine, thus proving to herself that she could not perform well consistently.

She carried memories of her failures into the 2013 American Cup and performed so badly that her coach pulled her from her last event, saying, “You are not focused and could get hurt.”

Tears streaming, Simone sat in the locker room overwhelmed with defeat and hopelessness when the infamous former Romanian coach, Marta Karolyi, walked in and said, “The problem is not your body. It’s your mind.”