The path to Olympic success is as diverse as the athletes who walk it. While training regimens and natural talent play crucial roles, an often-overlooked factor is an athlete’s personality. During just 19 days at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the world’s top athletes, along with their coaches and support systems, demonstrate what they’ve been working towards for a lifetime. Every Olympian’s journey is unique, and their approach to competition can vary significantly depending on their personality preferences.
Inquiring Greens, the analytical achievers, approach Olympic training with a thirst for knowledge and love of complex strategies. They set goals based on thorough research and analysis, often creating detailed performance models. For example, an Inquiring Green might aim to improve their 100m freestyle time by optimizing stroke efficiency and turn technique. These athletes enjoy analyzing game footage and biomechanics data, seeking cutting-edge training methods to gain a competitive edge. When managing pre-competition nerves, they often gather information, studying competitors’ statistics or reviewing their own training data. If you look at Swimmer Penny Oleksiak’s approach to competition, she shows a lot of Inquiring Green traits, with her ability to analyze performances and continuously refine her technique contributing to her status as Canada’s most decorated Olympian.
Organized Golds, the disciplined performers, thrive on structure and tradition. They set clear, specific goals with well-defined milestones and deadlines, such as qualifying for the Olympic team by placing in the top three at nationals. These athletes maintain meticulous training logs and adhere strictly to schedules, often being the first to arrive and last to leave practice. To manage pre-competition anxiety, they typically create detailed routines, following specific warm-up sequences or visualization techniques; anything that can add some predictability to the event. Sprinter Donovan Bailey exemplifies an Organized Gold, with his rigorous adherence to training schedules and pre-race routines contributing to his 100m world record and Olympic gold medal in Atlanta 1996.
Authentic Blues, the inspirational team players, are driven by personal values and the desire to inspire others. They focus on personal growth and team harmony alongside performance goals, aiming to lead their team to success while fostering a supportive environment. Authentic Blues often manage nerves by connecting with others, seeking support from teammates or coaches. Canadian rugby sevens captain Olivia Apps shows Authentic Blue characteristics through her leadership on and off the field, focusing on team cohesion, inspiring teammates, and raising awareness for the sport.
Resourceful Oranges, the adaptable competitors, are energized by competition and thrive on variety. They set adaptable goals focused on immediate challenges, preferring varied training routines and excelling at thinking on their feet. To manage pre-competition nerves, they typically do high-energy warm-ups or use positive self-talk. Wrestler Erica Wiebe, gold medallist in the 75kg freestyle event at the 2016 Rio Olympics, shows Resourceful Orange traits with her dynamic, adaptive style and ability to adjust strategies mid-match.
Understanding personality can provide valuable insights for athletes, coaches, and sports psychologists at all levels. By recognizing natural tendencies, athletes can leverage strengths and address potential blind spots, while coaches can tailor their communication and motivation strategies. Most people, including successful Olympians, are a blend of these traits, demonstrating the ability to draw on different strengths as situations demand.
As we watch the world’s best athletes compete, we can appreciate not just their physical abilities but the unique personalities driving them to push the boundaries of human achievement. The Olympic motto “Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together” takes on new meaning when we consider the diverse personalities that come together to celebrate achievements on the world stage.
Brad Whitehorn – BA, CCDP is a lifelong Introvert, and the Associate Director at CLSR Inc. He was thrown into the career development field headfirst after completing a Communications degree in 2005, and hasn’t looked back! Since then, Brad has worked on the development, implementation and certification for various career and personality assessments (including Personality Dimensions®), making sure that Career Development Practitioners and HR Professionals get the right tools to do their best work.
