Mississippi State University’s Student Association hosted Olympic medalist Shawn Johnson on Tuesday, Nov. 1, as a part of the organization’s Fall Lecture series.
During her speech, the Olympian and entrepreneur focused on the importance of having fun, saying that for her, pursuing her successful career as a gymnast was never about winning, but instead her love for the sport. 
“It was never because I wanted to be an Olympic gold medalist,” Johnson said. “It was always because it was fun.”
Johnson shared a story about her time competing in the 2008 Beijing, Olympics, where she won the individual gold medal in the balance beam and three silver medals in the individual all-around, floor exercise and team categories.
“I saw my teammate Nastia Liukin’s score pop up, and I knew it was impossible for me to win the gold medal,” Johnson said. “I remember standing on the floor with this really confusing feeling: ‘If the only thing the world wants and expects of me is to bring home a gold medal and it’s not possible, is it even worth it to go out there?’”
She then recalled thinking, “If you can’t go out there and win the gold medal, at least go show the world that you deserved it. I decided it didn’t matter what happened because at that moment, the only reason I was walking out there was for myself.”
Johnson said she remembers her routine like  it was yesterday–sticking every landing, striking every pose. 
“I was on cloud nine. I was so beyond proud of myself. I put in hundreds of thousands of hours, and this was my moment,” Johnson said. “I did the best I could do, and there wasn’t anything that anyone could say to me in that moment that would have made me feel otherwise.”
Johnson said despite her personal feeling of accomplishment, she still received criticism from the press over her routine. 
“I kept getting asked all of these negative questions on failure, and time after time, people were saying I came up short,” Johnson said. “It absolutely crushed me because I felt in my heart that I had given everything I possibly could.”
In the end, though, after surrounding herself with her supportive family and coaches, she said she thought she did great, and deserved the gold medal.
Johnson retired from competitive gymnastics in 2012, and since then she has become a certified Nike trainer, and she enjoys advising and encouraging young gymnasts. 
For more information on Johnson, visit shawnjohnson.com.