From Setback to Comeback: What Leaders Can Learn From Olympic Athletes

When Cole Hocker crossed the finish line at the World Championships 1500m, he thought he had done enough. Then came the news. 

Disqualified. All of it gone.

But what happened next is what matters most.

Less than 24 hours later, Hocker showed up to the 5K final. No one expected much. 

He didn’t just run. He won.

This is not just a story about speed; it’s a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and the mindset required to perform under pressure when everyone assumes you're out.

Cole Hocker's story is not just a story about speed; it’s a masterclass in resilience, leadership, and the mindset required to perform under pressure when everyone assumes you're out.

The Real Skill Behind the Comeback

In psychology, this phenomenon is called cognitive reappraisal. The ability to take a setback and change the story you’re telling yourself so that you can keep moving forward.

In the WIN Room, we call it self-leadership.

It’s not luck. It’s a skill. One that I’ve seen play out in Olympic stadiums and corporate boardrooms alike.

The best leaders are not the ones who avoid failure. They are the ones who know how to respond when failure happens.

Three Steps to Use with Your Team This Week

This is a tool I use to teach every leader, seller, or rising professional who finds themselves stuck. Whether it’s after a lost deal, a missed quarter, or just a tough conversation.

1. Notice it

 Catch the story you're telling yourself after the setback. Example: “We lost that deal. I should have done more.”

2. Normalize it

 Separate data from identity. Everyone takes losses. Example: “What can we learn from the loss? It’s not who I am. It’s just what happened.”

3. Neutralize it

Recenter on the next winnable interaction and take one step toward it. Example: “I’ll book a 10-minute follow-up with the decision-maker to learn how we can improve.”

Why Sports Are the Ultimate Training Ground for Leadership

The Cole Hocker anecdote is not just a sports story. It is the exact tension every ambitious professional faces.

You show up. You prepare. You deliver. And still, things can go sideways.

The question isn’t whether that will happen. It’s how you’ll respond when it does.

Sports are the fastest way to understand how people handle pressure.

There is no time to overthink. No time to blame. The race starts whether you’re ready or not.

Cole Hocker gave us a live case study in how to manage your mindset when everything is on the line. And he did it without a whiteboard, a playbook, or a post-race speech.

He just ran. Different mindset. Different outcome.

That’s the rep every leader needs to see and feel again.

A Conversation You Can Run in Your Next Team Meeting

Want to turn this story into a moment that sticks?

Ask your team this question: What’s one time you turned a setback into a comeback?

Let people reflect. Let them talk. Then, walk them through the 3-step framework above

You’re not just giving them a story. You’re giving them a skill

Because losing happens. But leading through it is a choice

Your Next Rep Is the One That Counts

Cole Hocker did not win the 5K because of luck. He won because he refused to let a disqualification write the ending.

That is the same muscle every leader needs to build.

Because every interaction is a rep and every rep is either costing you or creating value.

So the question is not whether you failed. The question is whether you reframed it.

Want to help your team practice self-leadership under pressure? Take the WIN Room Team Assessment today to get started.