One Mindset
As different as their sports and their lives are, Gabby and Shelby share an attitude when it comes to competition. Both girls were born natural competitors — and both completely understand that competitive feelings, for athletes, can just as easily be a mousetrap as they can be a springboard. The difference boils down to mindset.
During their Crossroads experience, the topic of competition came up and each racer described her journeys toward discovering a healthy way to channel it into a potent fuel for success.
“I am naturally very competitive. I like putting myself up to a challenge and conquering that challenge. During a race, there are often multiple times when I feel like, ‘Whose idea was this?’ but then I remember that finish line feeling, and I push through. It’s my carrot. Telling myself I can do it when part of me feels like I can't. It feels amazing.” – Shelby Hall
“I am so competitive that it got to the point where I had to dial it back and learn how to compete against myself. It's easy to beat yourself up when you don't finish. But I've learned to make it a game and to continue playing and competing against myself. As long as I'm better than I was yesterday or better than I was at the last race and I keep progressing, that's what matters to me.” – Gabby Downing