Women's Health April 17, 2026 0 Comments

Lindsey Vonn Reveals the Surprising Secret to Her Unstoppable Comeback and Joyful Life Beyond the Olympics

Ever wonder what happens when a world-class athlete known for sheer speed and grit decides that slowing down might just be the toughest challenge of all? Lindsey Vonn — yeah, that Lindsey Vonn — isn’t just a ski legend who conquered slopes at breakneck speeds; she’s now navigating the uncharted territory of stillness after the whirlwind of the Milan Cortina Olympics. It’s kinda ironic, isn’t it? The same woman whose life was all about pushing limits is now embracing slowing down, yet not in the way you’d expect. Injuries have forced a physical pause, but her drive? That’s roaring louder than ever. From championing underserved girls with The Lindsey Vonn Foundation to building a business empire that stretches way beyond the ski slopes, Lindsey’s hustle is far from over. So, what does it take for a powerhouse like her to pivot from breaking records to seeking fulfillment beyond medals? Let’s dive into this intriguing chapter where resilience meets reinvention — and discover how one of the fiercest competitors out there is mastering the art of slowing down without ever truly stopping. LEARN MORE

5 min read

Lindsey Vonn has achieved just about every title and accolade possible as an elite ski racer, in a career defined by speed, risk, and a superhuman ability to push through pain. But in this current chapter of her life post-Milan Cortina Olympics, her biggest goal is to appreciate the stillness.

“I have high ambitions of myself slowing down,” she tells Women’s Health. “I don’t know if that’s ever possible. I’ve been saying that for a few years now, and I made a comeback to the Olympics, so I don’t know how I’m going to manage that. But it’s definitely something I want and need to do.”

While her body has forced her to slow down physically after said comeback ended in a severe leg injury, the rest of her life shows she’s doing anything but. The Lindsey Vonn Foundation, which supports underserved girls through educational and sports-based programs, has “given over a million dollars in scholarships,” she says. It’s something she’s both proud of and actively looking to grow. Beyond that, there’s a widening portfolio of business ventures: a production company, investments in women’s sports teams and leagues, and her ski line, VONN.

“I love working hard. I don’t know if I actually could stop working hard,” she says, adding that her parents and grandparents operate the same way. “My dad always says that work gives you purpose, so I need something to continue to drive me.”

Most recently, Lindsey partnered with Invivyd for their Antibodies for Any Body campaign to spread the word about the body’s natural defense system against illnesses. It’s something that has long been important to her as an athlete, but is especially critical now. “I can’t really afford, at this point—with my injuries, with my immune system the way it is—to stress myself in too many ways,” she says. “I need my body to be focused on my leg and healing and not worrying about getting sick.”

New Limits to Push

Lindsey took a wellness assessment on AntibodiesforAnyBody.com, which, fittingly, gives you a gold, silver, or bronze medal based on your daily habits in fitness, nutrition, and sleep. While she was going for gold—when has she not?!—she ended up with silver. The question she scored low on: “Do you generally feel free from consistent or prolonged feelings of stress?”

“I still have a lot of stress in my life, which obviously affects your immune system, so I need to work on that,” she says with a laugh.

Lately, recovery requires a different kind of discipline for Lindsey—it’s less about pushing hard and more about restraint. That shift shows up in her daily routine. Sleep, something she says she’s “always struggled with,” has become non-negotiable, and the way she fuels has taken on a new level of importance.

“I’m eating as clean as I can, and also as much as I can, because when your body’s recovering from something, whether it’s injury or being sick, you need calories to be able to fend off whatever is hurting you,” she says. “It’s hard because I’m not as active as I want to be, but I need it. My body needs it.”

The same mindset that carried her through a record-breaking career is now redirected into new arenas, but with no less effort. “I kind of hold myself to a different standard than I think what society would expect,” she says. “Right now, I’m just focused on my health and trying to get better. And then beyond that, I really don’t know where life’s going to take me. I know that I love pushing the limits on whatever it is that I do, and I’m sure I’ll find something else, some other limit to push.”

Finding Her Joy

Lindsey has always approached her life and career on her own terms, and that shapes how she thinks about her impact on the next generation of athletes. “I just want people to be themselves,” she says. “Oftentimes in ski racing, in my career, things have always been done a certain way, and I’ve definitely ruffled feathers doing things my way, but I think that’s important.”

When she considers her legacy, she hopes it extends far beyond what she’s accomplished in her sport. “I hope that people see me as more than a ski racer,” she says. “I’ve had a lot of adversities in my life, both professionally and personally, and I’ve always found a way to persevere. And I hope that message resonates with people far beyond the ski slopes.”

Her definition of success has also shifted accordingly. She makes decisions based on what will bring her happiness and what she feels truly passionate about. That’s what drove her back to the Olympics after announcing her retirement, and how she decides where to invest her time and energy off the slopes.

“It’s not about medals or about making money. It’s about having fulfillment in life,” she says—through sports, travel, meeting new people, and working on new business ventures. “Joy and happiness are really what drive me in life at this point.”

Lindsey can also find it in the little things. With her mobility limited, she’s attempting to spend less time on her phone in favor of journaling and reading. She just started Colin Jost’s A Very Punchable Face: A Memoir after reading “some cheesy romance novel” a friend gave her. “I don’t think I’ve ever read a cheesy romance novel, but it definitely was entertaining,” she says. “I can’t do heavy, intense stuff right now. I got to do light.”

The only exception to that is Law & Order—while texting Detective Olivia Benson herself, her friend Mariska Hargitay. “I literally send her a picture of the screen,” she says. “I’m like, ‘Season 27, episode 19.’”

She’s also texted Mariska to tell her that she’s trying to emulate her in her own world. “Olivia Benson always solves a crime, so in the end, it’s light. In the end, everything is resolved, and you feel better, and she made the world better,” she says. “I want to be as badass as Olivia Benson in real life.”

In the midst of a career defined by pushing the limits of what’s possible, it’s no surprise she’s drawn to stories with a happy ending. In her own life, she’s still pushing toward that, embracing what comes next with the same relentless drive.

Amanda Lucci is the director of special projects at Women’s Health, where she works on multi-platform brand initiatives and social media strategy. She also leads the sports and athletes vertical, traveling to cover the Paris Olympics, Women’s World Cup, WNBA Finals, and NCAA Final Four for WH. She has nearly 15 years of experience writing, editing, and managing social media for national and international publications and is also a NASM-certified personal trainer. A proud native of Pittsburgh, PA, she is a graduate of Ohio University’s E.W. Scripps School of Journalism. Follow her on Instagram @alucci.