This week on the PerformHappy Podcast, I’m talking with Utah gymnast Avery Neff — a rising star whose journey proves that resilience, mindset, and belief in yourself can take you further than raw talent ever could.
Avery wasn’t always the clean, confident athlete you see competing on the NCAA stage today. She started as a “floppy” gymnast, fearlessly throwing skills with plenty of courage but not much form. With the help of her coaches, her relentless drive to prove herself, and a mindset shaped by her fearless family, she turned those early struggles into the foundation of a championship career.
In this episode, Avery shares how she developed her growth mindset, how she battled through one of the toughest challenges of her career — spraining both ankles in her debut collegiate season — and how she worked her way back when many thought she was done. She also opens up about the importance of setting big goals, visualizing success, and finding joy in the process, even when fear or setbacks creep in.
Whether you’re an athlete learning to push through fear, a parent supporting a child through setbacks, or a coach looking to inspire your athletes, you’ll walk away from this episode with powerful lessons on confidence, perseverance, and chasing big dreams.
In this episode, Avery and Coach Rebecca talk about:
- Why resilience matters more than natural talent
- The mindset that helped her recover from two sprained ankles in record time
- Why believing in yourself (and saying your goals out loud) changes everything
- How gymnastics taught her life lessons that will carry far beyond the gym
“If you’re not saying it, somebody else is — and somebody else is going to get it before you do.” – Avery Neff
