For me being able to see all different places where I've skied and cherish them, and be able to see them - really see them - is something that I'm passionate about. I'm into photography, so I really enjoy taking photos of all the places that I've gone. I think that's the coolest part about being an Olympic sportsman, I get to travel around and see the world for free, technically. And get to see different cultures, and all the different people that I've met along the way - it's a pretty awesome job.
I think, when you're traveling around as much as I, as a sportsman, have to. It's a bit chaotic. You're constantly traveling and moving. It's not all amazing and beautiful all the time, but you try to make it that way, and you know, you better enjoy what you're doing. I do.
I think some people had, probably, a time in their life where they were good at two things and they had to make a big decision. For me, it was never like that - I just skied every day of my life and kind of made the right steps in the right direction, and so there wasn't really a choice of like, "What should I do?" I remember when I was like 10 years old, I was just wanting to be in the Olympics and wanting to compete in the World Cup, and there was never another choice in my head.
Slalom skiers train their whole lives for like a minute and a half. We're not soccer or tennis players that can play the whole game. Once you're in the World Cup, you're physically prepared, so then ski racing almost always comes down to more mental than physical. I've been working on understanding that I've done everything that I can up until this point, and now I need to breathe and enjoy the moment, and do what I know I can do, versus trying to do more. Because you're fighting to do more, but that doesn't always work.
