Author: E.Cherkuri, Megaphone Staff Writer

📍Pasadena, CA

(Information collected from her book promotional event at Caltech University)

The life story of Betsy Mitchell goes beyond Olympic success and competitive swimming. Her swimming accomplishments, which include a gold and silver medal from the 1984 Los Angeles Games, are undoubtedly remarkable, but, as she emphasizes in her recent autobiography, More than Medals, the entirety of her greatness and potential to inspire others does not lie solely in her swimming accomplishments..

Mitchell’s introduction to swimming wasn’t a planned one. When she was just five years old, she joined the local YMCA swim team. However, she quickly found herself limited by the existence of strong gender stereotypes in her  town of Marietta, Ohio, with few recreational opportunities. In fact, Mitchell wasn’t allowed to play tennis because it wasn’t considered a “woman’s sport” then.

Reflecting on this period of her life, Mitchell explained, “And, um, I’m 58 years old, which means I was six years old in 1972, which means when I went with my brothers, my brother and his best friends to sign up for T-ball, the mom of the league said, ‘Not a lot of them.’ And in those days, Title IX was passed. Now, in 1972, the Title IX line was passed, and in those days, Title IX meant providing opportunities for women.”

Although starting simply as an activity to escape the summer heat, Mitchell’s unwavering work ethic and dedication sparked a genuine passion for swimming that continued throughout her entire life. In her book, she emphasizes that even though people face challenges or barriers to do what they desire, they need to find their passions and not be defined by their preexisting notions of themselves.

HER TIPS OF ADVICE

The Power of the Journey: Mitchell highlights that striving for improvement and achieving goals is the ultimate measure of success, rather than just results.

Learning from Losses: A key component of Mitchell’s worldview is accepting failures as chances for personal development. She contends that setbacks make you more resilient and teach you important lessons, making you a more formidable rival. Mitchell emphasizes the value of personal motivation above rewards from outside sources. An athletic career that is both sustainable and rewarding is fueled by discovering passion and purpose inside oneself.

According to Mitchell “Swimming was incredible, a source of immense pride. Yet, the one goal I set for myself, the sub-minute 100m backstroke, remained unconquered. Despite achievements, a part of me craves that singular accomplishment that keeps me grounded. That’s the truth.”

Accept the Individual Path: Mitchell argues that comparing oneself to others all the time is pointless. Instead, pay attention to your objectives, recognize and celebrate your accomplishments, and design your path to success.

Keeping a Good Balance is Essential: Mitchell emphasizes how crucial it is to keep a good balance in life to prevent burnout. Sustaining performance and general life pleasure requires putting well-being first and encouraging a balanced lifestyle.

A New Path

When Mitchell decided to give up competitive swimming, she started a new career in education. Currently, she is the sports director at Caltech, where she has found a new passion— empowering young collegiate athletes and assisting them in finding their own routes to success. She continues to be an inspiration to others who want to pursue success both inside and outside of the validation that comes with awards and medals. Her story serves as a monument to the value of perseverance, internal drive, and developing your personal success definition.