I Studied Alysa Lius Mindset

TA Issue #01: Creative Deep Dives: Alysa Liu (for creatives who have lost their spark)

Like the rest of the world, I was enthralled by the joy and passion that Alyssa Liu showed us all in the Winter Olympics last month, when she brought home gold for the U.S Figure Skating team.

Welcome to Creative Deep Dives, a monthly issue here at Thriving Artist, where I study successful creatives and share my insights. I know that technically Alysa is an athlete, but she speaks about her skating as art, and I think there is a lot that creatives can learn from her mindset.

In this issue:

• The hustle culture paradox

• When Achievement Becomes the Enemy

• Why you don’t need to struggle to be great: The Alysa Liu Mindset

• Why Joy is the Antidote to Getting Everything You Want

  
  The Hustle Culture Paradox

  The world tells us that to achieve your dreams, whether that be winning a gold medal, landing your dream job, or finding “success” in your creative pursuits, you must be willing to sacrifice everything in the pursuit of your goals. Your sleep, relationships, physical, and mental health all become obstacles you must overcome to create the reality you desire.
  

• If you don’t have enough time, wake up earlier

• If you don’t have enough money, just put in more hours

• If your peers are more successful than you, work harder than they do

  And if you're not willing to make these sacrifices, you do not want it enough.

  For artists, there is the struggling artist trope that implies that part of what makes one's work great is the struggle it takes to make it.

  This is not true.
  

  In fact, in the “grind” of building your dream life, most people burn out and lose the passion that made them start in the first place.
  

  And yet, more people than ever are choosing to follow their dreams anyway.

  With the rise of social media and content creation, we’re watching people build lucrative creative careers in real time. The question is no longer whether to pursue your passions; it’s how to pursue them without burning out along the way.

  Can you build your dream life and enjoy the journey to get there? I think Alysa Liu has this figured out.
  

When Achievement Becomes the Enemy

Like Alysa, I grew up a high achiever. Now I wasn’t going to the Olympics, but I was determined to keep my average over 95, take as many extracurriculars as possible, and I was a dancer.

When I heard Alysa’s comments about the pressure she endured as a young girl in figure skating, I immediately empathized with her.

As a child, once you reach a certain age or skill level in your sport, academics, or craft. All of that “sharing is caring goes out the window, and instead, you are faced with…

• Intense competition with peers

• Comments on your body, and control over your food

• Increased pressure in an environment that was once safe and fun
  
  Years later, at 18, I got a chronic illness (no proof it was caused by stress, but who knows), and I realized how silly and unnecessary it was to be so stressed at such a young age. You can want something deeply without damaging yourself in the pursuit. I think that is what Alysa Liu has shown the world.

Alysa’s Mindset

I spent a few days studying interviews and articles in which Alysa Liu discusses her mindset around returning to competitive figure skating. I’ve distilled my learnings into 6 pillars of her mindset.

Enjoy the journey just as much as the result

“I love struggling, it makes me feel alive”- Alysa Liu.

The journey is 99% of the work. You might as well enjoy it.

Return to why you loved it in the first place

Once something becomes a job, it's easy for the passion to get sucked out of it. Whatever it is you're pursuing, recall the first time you fell in love with it. What can you do to feel more of that?

Have agency over your career: your perspective over everyone else's.

You do not need to be chosen and told that you are great to achieve your goals. If someone is trying to control the direction of your life or career, have strong boundaries and cut them off if needed.

“I get to pick my own program music. I get to help with the creative process of the program. If I feel like I’m skating too much, I’ll back down. If I feel I’m not skating enough, I’ll ramp it up. No one’s gonna starve me – tell me what I can and can’t eat.” - Alysa Liu

Relieve yourself of the pressure

Zoom out and put things into perspective. In fact, you perform better when you are calm. (look at Alysa :)

“Even if I mess up and fall, that’s totally okay, too. I’m fine with any outcome, as long as I’m out there.” - Alysa Liu

Is success worth it if you’re not enjoying yourself once you get there?

How you do one thing is how you do everything, so if you are constantly stressed while you're working towards your dreams, you will be stressed once you get there.

Take breaks when you need them:

Breaks are the remedy to burnout. When you feel yourself getting worn down, take a step back; the work will be there when you return.

“Take those breaks. You need them. And don’t let anyone push you past your breaking point. You are the only one that knows your limit. And you know yourself. - Alysa Liu

The Science Behind it

Now reading all that is great, but I know it can feel impossible to shift your mindset when you have spent an entire lifetime operating under immense stress, so here are some tidbits about the brain to ease your mind (hehe).

Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to change and adapt due to experience. It is an umbrella term referring to the brain's ability to change, reorganize, or grow neural networks.

“verywell mind”

Your brain is malleable, meaning each time you think more positively, you're essentially rerouting your neural network.

AKA: the more you notice your negative thought patterns and gently correct them, the easier it becomes to have a positive mindset without trying.

If you make a conscious effort to shift your mindset, you’ll be as chill as Alysa Liu in no time.

Now, of course, this isn’t meant to eliminate stress. As Alysa says, struggling can make you feel alive. However, there are ways of thinking that can make dealing with this pressure so much easier.

Action Points

1. Audit your pressure. Where in your creative life are you grinding out of guilt instead of joy? Name one thing you’re doing because you think you feel like you “should” and ask yourself if it’s actually serving you.

2. Return to the spark. Reflect on what made you fall in love with your craft in the first place?

3. Take one Alysa Liu-inspired action: Pick one of her 6 mindset pillars and apply it this week:

• Enjoy the journey (celebrate a small win)

• Return to why you loved it (revisit your passion origin story)

• Have agency (make one decision that’s yours, not someone else’s expectation)

• Relieve the pressure (zoom out, what actually matters?)

• Ask yourself: “Would I enjoy my success if I got there this way?”

• Take a break if you need one (no guilt)

4. Rewire one thought. Catch yourself in a spiral and gently correct it. Remember, neuroplasticity says the more you do this, the easier it gets.

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Joy is the Antidote

Here’s the truth that everyone who has a big dream needs to hear.

Joy isnt a distraction, it’s actually the key to getting everything you want.

Alysa Liu didn't win because she sacrificed everything. She won because she returned to what made her love figure skating in the first place. And then, she protected her joy like it was part of her training plan.

Alysa shows us that the struggling artist myth is just that, a myth. Your best work won't come from pressure and exhaustion. It'll come from a version of you that's rested, inspired, and actually enjoying the craft that you love.

-Rocky :)