The Creative Athlete: How to Stay Centered Through Any Outcome

In this episode of In Deep with Olivia Smoliga, Olivia unpacks why creativity might be one of the most important qualities an athlete can develop. Inspired by the theme of creativity at In-Depth Swim Academy and her recent reflections after returning to racing, she explains how creativity teaches us that nothing is permanent — not a win, not a flop, not the nerves in the ready room, not even the feeling of finally “making it.” This is where mastery begins: knowing how to stay centered through all of it.

Drawing on breathwork, personal stories from recent clinics, and examples from art, pottery, and painting, Olivia shows how the same lesson repeats itself over and over: every inhale passes, every exhale passes, every moment passes. That truth becomes a superpower in competition. Instead of getting swept away by the storm of emotion, pressure, or self-judgment, athletes can learn to return to their breath, stay in the center of their own storm, and use every race as feedback.

The episode also explores non-judgment as a performance skill. Olivia talks about how the best in the world fail constantly, how attaching to either failure or success can limit your next performance, and why creativity opens the door to limitless possibility. No two paintings are the same. No two strokes are the same. And no one else can express your sport the way you can. When swimmers stop trying to copy someone else’s lane and start using their breath, their curiosity, and their own expression as guides, they begin to become masters of their craft.

This episode is for any swimmer who feels overwhelmed by outcomes, boxed in by comparison, or afraid of what a bad meet might mean. It’s a reminder that your creativity is not separate from your performance — it may be the very thing that frees it.

Listen to the episode below!