This 2026 Olympian says meditation is essential for training. Here’s why.

The 2026 Olympic Games are in full swing and the Winter Games provide a daily dose of sportsmanship, resilience and astonishing commitment. Witnessing the regimes of any competitor can be both baffling and inspiring. And while much of the years of preparation is indeed ambitious, you may also come across a training tip that you recognize. Like meditation.

In one exclusive interview released by the Olympic Games, Italian alpine skier and two-time medalist Sofia Goggia shared that quieting the mind is an essential part of her approach to both training and life. “Meditation is a moment where I concentrate, be here and now and observe thoughts as they pass through my mind without any judgement,” she explains in her native Italian. “I think meditation gives you…an inner sense of balance.”

Goggia notes that the balance that meditation provides, that feeling of power, is especially crucial when you’re competing at such a high level. It’s also what helps her find her focus and express herself, both as a person and as a skier.

Her inner world is further nourished by a gratitude practice, something she believes everyone can benefit from. She explains that no matter what you do in life, “living with a sense of gratitude is something that really makes a difference.”

Cultivating that sense of stillness, inner peace and gratitude is a fundamental aspect of her demanding lifestyle and helps her withstand external expectations and pressures. She acknowledges that this can look different for everyone. “I believe that each of us knows or understands which method is the most correct and appropriate to find that sense of center for ourselves,” says Goggia. And that, as she notes, means paying attention.

“I think it’s very important for us to live in a way that allows us to notice the beauty around us,” she says. “So we have to take a break every now and then.”