After arriving in Paris and while talking with some of the athletes in preparation for their first competitions, I found that some of them were still focused on “What can I learn here?” Some of them mentioned how great it was to see all those other athletes from different countries and sports—some of whom they even used as role models. Suddenly, they find themselves eating next to Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, or Coco Gauff in the dining hall. “I want to learn as much as I can from these athletes while I’m here,” they said, eager to observe what they do, what they eat, and how they behave. This curiosity wasn’t limited to the dining hall; in the gym, training facilities, and around the village, athletes expressed their desire to learn as much as possible from other successful athletes.

But is that what being at the Olympic Games is about? Learning from other high-class athletes? Further developing one’s skills?

From my perspective here at the Olympic Games, it’s not about learning right now. We can reflect and learn from the experience AFTER the Games. It’s not about honing one’s skills at this moment. We can work on individual skills AFTER the Olympic Games. But right now, something else should be more (or even most!) important.

Right now, it’s not about developing one’s skills and performances; it’s all about delivering one’s best performance.

By delivering, I don’t mean it in a forceful sense of “You have to show what you can do now.” Rather, it’s about giving oneself the opportunity to gently use all the skills and resources developed and crafted over the past months and even years, and to showcase them now in the competition.

It’s not about looking for further technical refinement or observing opponents to learn from their training or preparation routines. It’s not about further development. Instead, it’s about looking inward, focusing on the personal competencies acquired over time, and using those now in competition. It’s about helping oneself to deliver performance in the sense of unfolding one’s competencies.

Just like a flower (sorry for the cheesy metaphor): The flower grew from a small seed over time. It took in all the nutrients, water, and sun it needed to grow. Now, the flower is ready to show its beauty—not by improving its bud even further because it thinks it needs to, but by simply unfolding its beauty when the sun touches it next. Because the flower is ready. It doesn’t strive to improve, develop, or be more beautiful. It simply unfolds and stands there with all its beauty and dignity.

That’s what it’s also about when it comes to important competitions. It’s not about developing this or that skill during training the day before the competition. It’s not about learning how other high-class athletes train and prepare themselves for the upcoming competition. It’s not about improving footwork, stance, or whatever is necessary in one’s specific sport.

The only thing that is important right now is to focus on giving oneself the opportunity to let those skills that have been developed over time unfold. Here and now. Not more, not less.