Just being in competition with other junior elite girls…
““Just being in competition with other junior elite girls like Katelyn Ohashi and Lexie Priessman pushed me to raise my game. Once, I’d been hesitant to beat these girls because I was afraid they wouldn’t like me if I did. I now understood how wrong that thinking was. Every one of us had worked for years to earn our place in the arena. Competing my hardest in all my events was the highest form of respect I could show to them and to myself. Besides, as my mom always told me, “Don’t ever compete against someone else, Simone. You don’t go out there to beat another person. You go out there to do your very best. And if your very best means that you win that competition, that’s the way it should be. If your very best means that you come in third or fourth, that’s fine too. As long as you did your best. You don’t go out there grudgingly and think, Oh, I need to beat the person. No, no, no. You go out there and be the best Simone you can be. And whatever that outcome is, we’ll take it.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Competing against peers should inspire personal excellence, not fear of rivalry; true respect comes from giving your best regardless of outcome.
In simple terms: Compete to improve yourself, not to defeat others.
Key Takeaway
Focus on personal best, not others' approval.
Themes
sports
mindset
self‑improvement
Mood
determined
reflective
Type
motivational
inspirational
When to use this quote
- gymnastics meets
- team training
- personal goal setting
Key Concepts
growth mindset
intrinsic motivation
respect
performance pressure
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you stay motivated when you fear judgment?
- What does “best” mean to you?
A Different Perspective
Balancing competitive drive with sportsmanship can be challenging.