"I'd rather regret the risk that didn't work out than the chances I didn't take at all."
- Simone Biles
Courage
"I was built this way for a reason, so I'm going to use it."
Belief in Self
"We have to protect our mind and our body, rather than just go out there and do what the world wants us to do."
Self-care
"After hearing the brave stories of my friends and other survivors, I know that this horrific experience does not define me. I am much more than this. I am unique, smart, talented, motivated, and passionate. I have promised myself that my story will be much greater than this, and I promise all of you that I will never give up."
Resilience
"You will not always be strong, but you can always be brave."
"I feel like I learned the most about myself during Tokyo [2021]. How courageous, how brave I am. Because I always like to fake bravery. But I really think that solidified me being brave, speaking up for myself and just putting myself first."
"What I’ve been through, I’ve just always fought through it, and it’s just been really hard. We have triggers and unfortunately, I had one of my biggest ones here. But to come out and come back with a bronze medal [for beam], it means the world to end the Olympics like this."
"It’s not out of cockiness. I’ve won five world titles and if I say, ‘I’m the best gymnast there is,’ (the reaction is) ‘Oh, she’s cocky. Look at her now.’ No, the facts are literally on the paper."
Ambition
"It’s important to teach our female youth that it’s OK to say, ‘Yes, I am good at this,’ and you don’t hold back."
Self-esteem
"I still had moments when my nerves got to me, but whenever I’d start to get anxious, Kyla Ross would remind me, 'Simone, just do what you do in practice.'"
Focus
"I wanted every child, regardless of race, to be able to look at my Worlds win and say, I can dream big too."
Aspirations
"I say put mental health first."
Awareness
"I’d rather regret the risks that didn’t work out than the chances I didn’t take at all."
Taking Risks
"Practice creates confidence. Confidence empowers you."
Self-confidence
"It doesn’t matter what you look like. You can strive for greatness, and you can be great."
Empowerment
"For anyone saying I quit, I didn’t quit. My mind & body are simply not in sync."
Facing Fears
"I always say my biggest competitor is myself because, whenever I step out there on the mat, I’m competing against myself to prove that I can do this and that I am very well trained, prepared for it."
Determination
"Don’t wait until you’ve reached your goal to be proud of yourself. Be proud of every step you take toward reaching that goal."
Goals
"Most important, my mind was in the game—I was determined not to fail level seven a second time."
"Everything is possible at any one competition."
Optimism
"I think everybody inside is a champion themselves depending on how you handle your failures and successes."
Success
"Go easy on yourself. Whatever you do today, let it be enough."
"Just being in competition with other junior elite girls like Katelyn Ohashi and Lexie Priessman pushed me to raise my game."
"You don’t have to be a robot all the time, and you don’t always have to seem happy out there."
Self-awareness
"If you’re not having a good time it’s OK; you don’t have to hide that from people."
Happiness
"You can still be very good at what you do and have fun."
"It’s not always winning. People, I think, mistake that it’s just winning. Sometimes it could be, but for me, it’s hitting the best sets I can, gaining confidence, and having a good time and having fun."
"If I disappoint someone, it’s their loss for putting that expectation on me when they don’t know me. I can’t control what they want."
"I was missing out on public school and going to the football games, prom or homecomings. But I’ve been to three World Championships … so I think it’s like a win-win."
Balance
"I think it’s nice to see so many people at the top that are people of color because it gives you inspiration, motivation. But also in the gym, I think representation matters."
Connection to Earth
"Maybe it's good we don't know what will happen next in our stories, because if we did, we might not turn the page."
Hope
"You make your own luck."
"It hurts my heart that doing what I love has been kind of taken away from me to please other people."
"I have everything I need, so there are no blanks left unfilled."
Contentment
"I plan on doing things that I can’t do because of gym right now. Things like going swimming with sharks or jumping off a cliff into water."
New Beginnings
"At the end of the day, if I can say I had fun, it was a good day."
"I feel like I’m small and mighty and pack a powerful punch, just like Tide PODS."
Strength
"Don't ever compete against someone else, Simone. You don’t go out there to beat another person. You go out there to do your very best."
Teamwork
"I was glad to put the whole thing behind me, because I wanted every child, regardless of race, to be able to look at my Worlds win and say, I can dream big too."
"I wasn’t born a Texas girl. In fact, before I called my parents Momma and Poppa Biles, I knew them as Grandma and Grandpa."
Family
"I wasn’t thinking about our deal either when I got selected for the Worlds team."
Overcoming Obstacles
