As a U.S. Team athlete on the World Cup Climbing Circuit, Lisa Chulich walks through the sports psychology dialog she encountered when returning to competition season after season. Ranking internationally was just the start. Finding the mentality to sustain and grow became an unexpected challenge.

Athletes are told 'fight for your dreams, battle as the underdog with nothing to lose.'

But what if you do win? How do you handle this new challenge of maintaining your best?

"What I didn't realize, was once I had achieved my goal of a consistent top 25 placement, controlling anxiety of losing that - and the ranking's advantage - became harder than the climbs themselves. " [Lisa Chulich]

We may work decades to achieve a goal. This deep drive and passion can fuel us to success.

Yet if we don't separate our worth from performance, present from future, or confidence from ego, our success might slip away from our fingertips.