What does well-being teach us about performance?

But the multiple award-winner has had lows, too, including injuries, difficulty accessing coaching resources, and being overlooked in some qualifiers.

For Nagasu, who began competing aged six, learning to accept the bad with the good was a challenge, and her well-being suffered.

“Growing up, I saw many role models lead a perfect career. Once I got into the limelight, I felt I was always making mistakes, which was really hard for me to navigate,” she says, adding that skaters tend to get “a lot of their value and self-worth” from their results, despite the sport being very subjective.

Now she hopes that sharing her experiences with the young skaters she coaches and listening to their concerns can help them “become great human beings and future leaders,” she says. “There is something magical and relatable in being imperfect. By talking about my vulnerable moments, I feel better, and I want to help others as well.”

Indeed, talking out issues and having a sounding board is a crucial way to foster well-being, according to the Wellness Council of America. And Nagasu goes one step further by encouraging the young skaters to show empathy and kindness to themselves.

It is a practice she has been inspired to do more since joining WABN, which helps women athletes transition into a second or dual career in business by providing mentoring, peer support, and upskilling.

“It has been a seven-year transition [from competitive skating], and I’m still questioning my choices all the time,” she says. The Olympics was such a sure-footed route, and I still haven’t found something else to commit to in the same way, but WABN has shown me that’s OK, which has been extremely helpful for my mental well-being.”

Recommended ways to overcome burnout include improving sleep, rest, exercise, diet, and social connections—some of the core dimensions of well-being.

Feeling restored, Hirata returned to her previous role at Oklahoma City Thunder with a fresh approach to work and life.

“Everything was better—my performance, my relationships with my teammates and coaches—once I started looking after my well-being. If you want to reach your full potential, you need to stay healthy physically, mentally, and emotionally,” she says, adding that she now encourages others to maintain their well-being.

“I wish I had had someone to tell me it’s OK to acknowledge your feelings and understand what you need,” she says. “When monitoring my well-being became part of my lifestyle, I became a better athlete and person.”

In addition to being a role model to the women she coaches, Hirata leads well-being sessions for EY employees as part of the company’s mission to “build a better working world” and offer “long-term value” to society.

The main program involves teaching core cheer moves but also features icebreakers, power poses, and other fun activities to foster camaraderie while providing stress relief.

Hirata says she’s grateful to have another opportunity to interact with and give back to EY professionals, as WABN has given her well-being a tangible boost.

Participating in the program has improved her confidence and helped her realize her potential after professional sport—something challenging for all athletes, particularly those in Japan. Only 4% of Japanese athletes found the transition from an athletic career to their current role “easy” compared to 34% of athletes globally, according to research by EY in 2021 (2021 EY WABN research report, “Beyond the Field.”).

“Sometimes I’ve felt like all I am a professional cheerleader, and I don’t know anything about business, but WABN opened my eyes and made me think about all my options,” she says.

Whatever lies ahead, Hirata’s strong sense of well-being has equipped her to tackle it with gusto.