3 self-leadership secrets from Simone Biles' comeback

THE ART & SCIENCE OF LEADING SELF
An Olympian Mindset 🧠

My friend, Simone’s words (above) make 3 important points about the impact of self-leadership.

I want to dive into this today because in one simple sentence she distilled several key aspects of self-leadership that you can put into practice today.

In 2021, Simone Biles made a life-changing decision.

She chose to prioritize her mental health and withdraw from all but one event at the Tokyo Olympics. Fast forward to today: she has made a dominant return to gymnastics that has her competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics. How did she go from a debilitating case of “the twisties” to leading the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics team in Paris?

Her mindset.

Insight #1: You Cannot Control Others 🙅🏽‍♀️

The public met her decision in Tokyo with a mix of support and criticism.

Nevertheless, Simone’s steadfastness exemplified what strong self-leadership looks like. Rather than focusing on how others perceived her actions, she concentrated on making the best decision for herself. What empowered her to do that?

A strong belief in a fundamental truth: You cannot control the perceptions of others.

This Mindset empowered her to make difficult decisions.

It gave her the Courage to center her own well-being when it mattered most. It also served as a key source of Resilience. The same belief that enabled her to focus on herself powered her return to the top of the sport.

Simone’s awareness of what she could not control enabled her to focus on what she could control: herself.

Insight #2: You Can Control Yourself 💪🏽

After she withdrew from subsequent events, she didn’t just step back; she stepped into a journey of inner work.

She understood that to lead effectively, she needed to be in a position of strength and stability. Engaging in this inner work required immense Courage. She went to therapy to confront past traumatic events, including those that triggered “the twisties.”

She dug deep and confronted her fears and traumas head-on.

Her Mindset empowered her to demonstrate this Courage.

Focusing on what she could control meant she directed her energy towards her thoughts, her recovery, and her mental health. The benefit: she strengthened her mindset and grew in her self-awareness. Both of these are key ingredients for Olympic-level competition.

Inner work is not just about overcoming obstacles.

It’s about self-leadership that empowers you to observe, learn, and strengthen yourself from the inside out.

The time you spend investing in self-leadership strengthens your understanding of the vast power you have to control the most important piece of the equation in whatever situation you face: yourself.

Insight #3: Effective Self-Leadership Fuels Broader Impact 🚀

Simone Biles’ story speaks to the power of self-leadership.

By controlling what she could - herself - she sparked a global conversation about the importance of mental well-being, particularly in high-pressure environments. This ongoing conversation has turned her into a recognized global leader on mental health. Her commitment to leading herself well has extended her impact well beyond her 37 Olympic and World Championship medals.

This is the power of Mindset in self-leadership.

And this is what “Inner Frontiers for Outer Impact” is all about - developing your ability to lead yourself well so that you can lead others effectively and multiply your impact.

FROM INSIGHT TO ACTION
Putting It Into Practice 👣

Let’s keep it simple. 😊

Spend time observing your ability to accept what you cannot control.

• How much time and energy are you devoting to things out of your control?

• How much time and energy are you devoting to what is within your control (you)?

• What does this reflection reveal?

What will you do with this information?

SUPPORTING THE OLYMPICS
Shout Out for Team USA 📢

I want to send my best wishes to Simone, Jordan Chiles, Sunisa Lee, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera as they work to bring home a gold 🥇 medal for Team USA!

Want to watch Simone compete? 🤸🏽‍♀️ Here’s the schedule of when she will be on your screen.

EXCELLENCE UNBOUNDED
How I Can Help You

🚀 CEO Coaching Programs: Are you a CEO who wants to:

• Skillfully navigate uncertainty 

• Lead confidently

• Drive results

Developing greater leadership capacity in 4 key domains (Mindset, Courage, Resilience, & Innovation) will empower you to do all three.

Book time to learn about the bespoke 1:1 coaching programs I deliver. During this call, we will talk about your challenges, your goals, and how we might partner to fully “unbound your excellence.”

🎤 Speaking Engagements: My mom can attest to the fact that I LOVE to talk. 😂 Now, I put that talent to work delivering talks on Mindset, Courage, Resilience, & Innovation.

A few past clients include KraftHeinz, Amazon Women @ Payments, PAHEi, & the Panamá Chapter of the International Coaching Federation (I delivered this talk in Spanish).

If you are interested in having me speak at your event, please fill out this form.

Until next week,

Shawnette