Lindsey Vonn Loves Being Put Down
The US skier reveals her secret that always pushed her to her absolute limits.
Being the best in a sport is not easy – especially over a long period.
Not only physical fitness plays a role, but also mental strength and the intrinsic motivation to always push oneself to one's limits.
The currently injured ski queen Lindsey Vonn talks about the latter on tennis legend Maria Sharapova's podcast "Pretty Tough" – and reveals her secret for what always motivated her most throughout her career.
Like Michael Jordan: Vonn in Search of Provocations
"Similar to Michael Jordan, I like it when someone puts me down or when I feel like I'm being put down," reveals the 41-year-old, stating that she loved being criticized. "Because that motivates me tremendously."
Just like the basketball legend, she tried to draw motivation for herself from the smallest provocations. "They can be very small things, but I just need a reason to push myself even harder," says Vonn.
Vonn Surprised by Her Competitors
Looking back, the American even expresses some surprise that her Ski World Cup competitors didn't figure out Vonn's special kind of motivation earlier.
"It's surprising that my competitors didn't see through that earlier. Because the more they talked badly about me, the more competitive I became. It always gave me an advantage. Tell me I can't do it – and I will," says the four-time overall World Cup winner.
Success Speaks for Itself
In her career, Vonn can look back on an incredible 84 World Cup victories, two World Championship titles, and an Olympic gold medal, among other achievements.
In 2024, she made a surprising return to the World Cup after a five-year break and achieved two World Cup victories in 2025/26. Before her comeback, she had to endure some harsh criticism regarding her comeback plans – it was undoubtedly a strong motivation.
Following her severe crash at the Olympic Games, Vonn has so far kept open the possibility of a return to the World Cup. She intends to make a final decision only in 2027.
Most recently, she was at least able to celebrate a personal milestone >>>
