We’ve all been there: the 2:00 AM glow of a laptop screen, the crushing weight of “growth targets,” and the feeling that your business owns you rather than the other way around.
In the high-stakes world of entrepreneurship (and everywhere else), we are often told that more – more hours, more data, more grit – is the only way to the top.
But at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, 20-year-old figure skater Alysa Liu shattered that myth. Her gold-medal finish was more than a podium placement.
It was a historic milestone in more ways than winning gold.
What Makes Alysa’s Gold So Special?
Alysa Liu did more than win two gold medals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. She ended a 24-year drought, becoming the first American woman to take home the Olympic singles gold since 2002.
But the history books will remember her for how she won. In a sport often defined by rigid perfectionism and youthful “expiration dates,” Liu won as a 20-year-old who had already retired once. She returned on her own terms, kept her piercings, chose her own music, and prioritized her mental health over the math.
Her victory is a masterclass in sustainable success that every woman business owner needs to bookmark. Here’s how you can apply Alysa’s story to your own brand.
Focus on joy and passion instead of the numbers.
In first stint as a figure skater, Alysa was a prodigy chasing quadruple jumps because that’s what the technical scores demanded. She eventually realized she lowkey hated it. When she returned for her current gold-medal run, she made a radical choice: she stopped chasing the math.
Alysa swapped high-risk, soul-crushing technicality for artistry and joy. In contrast, Quad God and crowd favorite Ilia Malinin tragically crashed and burned during his program after the immense pressure of his technical expectations became an insurmountable weight. Alysa, on the other hand, glided to gold.
The Lesson:
If you’re managing your business solely by the spreadsheet, you risk having pressure hitting impossible numbers that lead to a total collapse. When you prioritize the “art” of your brand and the passion behind your mission, the profit often follows as a byproduct of your excellence, not as a source of your stress.
The Power of the Strategic Break
After placing sixth at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, Alysa took a break. We’re not talking about a weekend off – she walked away from skating for two years. She went to college, hiked to Mount Everest Base Camp, and lived a full life outside the rink.
That gap was not a failure of ambition. Rather, it was a preservation of self. She only returned to skating when a casual ski trip reminded her that jumping on ice was fun.
The Lesson
Business owners often fear that stepping away means losing momentum. In reality, a strategic break provides the perspective needed to see where your business is serving you and where it’s draining you. Don’t wait for burnout to force a stop. Schedule your breaks to keep your vision sharp.
Reframing the Narrative
One of the most striking things about Alysa’s recent performance was her unbothered energy. While other skaters radiated visible stress, Liu was seen yelling, “That’s what I’m talking about!” and waving to her family and friends in the crowd. She famously told reporters that medals don’t validate her.
By deciding that her worth wasn’t tied to the podium, she stripped the pressure of its power.
The Lesson
When a deal falls through or a launch falters, reframe it. Instead of a catastrophe, see it as a plot twist in a much longer story. By lowering the stakes of individual moments, you gain the emotional flexibility to perform at your highest level when it counts.
Build a Brand that Wins on Your Terms
Alysa Liu proved that you don’t have to crash and burn under the weight of expectations to be the best in the world. You just have to tell a better story, one where you’re the protagonist, not the sidekick.
Is your brand story fueled by passion, or is it weighed down by the numbers? At Sacred Fire Creative, we help women entrepreneurs craft winning brands and powerful storytelling that resonates with authenticity and joy.
Work with us today to develop a brand that thrives.