The Lawyer’s Well-Being Brief…Redefining the Possible: Well-Being Lessons from an Olympic Trailblazer

“You are your own best friend. Never ever put yourself down.”-Paulo Coelho

Welcome (back) to the Lawyer’s Well-Being Brief! Each week, I share insights and practical strategies to help us cultivate well-being and thrive — both personally and professionally. Live well! Lawyer well!

At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Ester Ledecká accomplished something no one had ever done before — winning gold medals in two different sports at the same Games. From a young age, advisors told her she’d have to choose between skiing and snowboarding, warning that chasing both dreams meant she’d never master either. Ester refused to believe that success required limitation. She believed instead in possibility — and in herself.

Her story offers profound lessons about well-being and performance. Like many lawyers, Ester was often told that excellence required relentless focus and sacrifice. But true endurance and success come from balance and alignment, not depletion. The five pillars of well-being — Movement and Recovery, Sleep, Nutrition and Hydration, Mindset, and Connection — are as vital in the legal world as they are on the Olympic slopes.

Movement & Recovery: Ester trained with intensity, but she also built in recovery. Her body couldn’t sustain two sports without dedicated rest and mindful movement. For lawyers, daily movement — even a walk between meetings — and intentional downtime are the fuel for lasting excellence.

Sleep: Quality rest was non-negotiable for her to perform at that level. Sleep restores focus, sharpens judgment, and sustains decision-making — skills lawyers depend on in high-stakes environments. Prioritizing rest isn’t a luxury; it’s a strategic advantage.

Nutrition & Hydration: Ester’s training required attentive fueling — hydration, balanced meals, and consistent nourishment. Likewise, legal professionals can support brain function, mood, and energy through intentional nutrition choices instead of skipping meals or relying solely on caffeine.

Mindset: Perhaps Ester’s greatest strength was her belief that dual success was possible. Her mindset shaped her reality. Instead of focusing on fear or constraint, she visualized her best performance and trained for it. Lawyers, too, can cultivate a growth mindset — replacing “I can’t” with “What would make this possible?”

Connection: Ester found coaches and mentors who believed in her when others didn’t. She built a team around her goals and thrived through that support. In law, genuine connection — with colleagues, mentors, and peers — creates resilience. It reminds us that we thrive together, not alone.

Ester’s story is a vivid reminder that “impossible” is often just “untried.” For lawyers striving to sustain excellence, integrating movement, recovery, sleep, nutrition, mindset, and connection isn’t a distraction from success — it’s the foundation of it. Like Ester, when we care for the whole self, we give ourselves the best chance to achieve what once seemed out of reach.

Forward Always!