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Aryna Sabalenka: “If You Heard My Self-Talk, You’d Think Something’s Wrong With Me”

How do you usually handle self-doubt? How do you find your confidence again? Today, Jay welcomes two-time U.S. Open Champion Aryna Sabalenka just days after her incredible victory. Aryna opens up about what it truly feels like to lift the trophy again, not only as a moment of triumph, but as a deep release after seasons of heartbreak and near misses. She reflects on the sting of falling short in Grand Slam finals and the heavy weight of being labeled the favorite, sharing how those setbacks forced her to grow into a calmer, more emotionally balanced competitor. Aryna’s honesty about pain, pressure, and resilience gives a rare glimpse into the mindset of a true champion. The conversation dives deep into the mental battles that shape elite performances. Aryna opens up about her relationship with nerves, the self-talk that carries her through the grind of a Grand Slam, and the inner dialogue she’s learned to trust. Rather than resisting fear or doubt, she has learned to accept them, turning vulnerability into strength. Aryna also highlights the critical role of gratitude, choosing to see the pressure of competition as a privilege rather than a burden. Through stories of her father’s encouragement and his lasting influence, Aryna illustrates how her drive is not only for personal success, but also to honor his legacy. In this interview, you'll learn: How to Use Self-Talk to Stay Focused How to Celebrate Your Wins Without Guilt How to Balance Pressure With Gratitude How to Keep Showing Up When It’s Hard How to Surround Yourself With the Right People How to Build Confidence Step by Step Success isn’t only about reaching the finish line, it’s about the discipline of showing up, the courage to keep going when it’s difficult, and the willingness to celebrate even the small wins along the way. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 01:28 How Does It Feel To Win… Again? 02:18 Toughest Moments Up to This Point 03:54 Lessons Learned From Defeat 05:52 Preparing for the Pressure 07:54 Inside the Mind of a Champion 11:20 What is The Hardest Part of Being at the Top? 12:57 The Importance of Celebration 19:10 How Did You Find Tennis? 21:08 What Inspires You? 24:12 A Champion’s Morning Routine 28:15 Balancing Work and Personal Life 29:16 Fighting for Equality in Sports 31:32 The Role of Fashion in Confidence 33:11 Turning Grief Into Strength 37:34 How Do You Define Love? 39:31 Why Discipline Defines Success 41:00 Have You Ever Wanted to Give Up? 43:30 The Purpose of Hard Challenges 45:19 Unique Rituals and Habits 47:26 Who is Your Toughest Opponent? 49:21 The Power of Having the Right People by Your Side 55:19 Favorite Sports Beyond Tennis 56:25 Mastering Your Time 58:45 The Value of Rest and Recovery 59:39 Battle of the Sexes 01:02:43 Aryna on Final Five Episode Resources: https://www.youtube.com/@ArynaSabalenka https://www.instagram.com/arynasabalenka/ https://www.facebook.com/arynasabalenka/ https://www.tiktok.com/@aryna.sabalenka https://www.instagram.com/jayshetty https://www.facebook.com/jayshetty/ https://x.com/jayshetty https://www.linkedin.com/in/shettyjay/ https://www.youtube.com/@JayShettyPodcast http://jayshetty.me

Jay Shettyhost
Sep 9, 20251h 12mWatch on YouTube ↗

At a glance

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Sabalenka on self-talk, loss, discipline, joy, and resilience under pressure

  1. Sabalenka describes winning the U.S. Open as relief after a season of painful final-round losses and heavy expectations, framing the title as proof of emotional growth.
  2. She explains her intense internal self-talk during Grand Slam stretches, emphasizing acceptance of nerves rather than resisting thoughts that can grow stronger.
  3. She shares how she processes defeat by creating distance from the moment, avoiding rewatching lost finals to protect her mental health, and relying on her team for technical analysis.
  4. She credits discipline, recovery, and celebration as essential parts of performance—showing up on hard days, sleeping, enjoying dinners, and allowing joy to sustain longevity.
  5. She opens up about her father’s influence, his sudden death, and how she turned grief into motivation, while also stressing the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Treat nerves as normal data, not a threat.

Sabalenka prepares by telling herself it’s normal to feel nervous and uncertain; attempting to push thoughts away can amplify them, while acceptance helps her compete anyway.

Protect your mental health by choosing how you review failure.

She avoids watching lost finals because it reopens pain and reinforces behavior she’s not proud of; instead, she lets her team extract tactical lessons and feeds her only what’s useful.

Discipline is success before trophies are.

She defines success as showing up consistently—especially on days you don’t want to—arguing that this repeated commitment is what ultimately makes winning possible.

Celebration is performance maintenance, not indulgence.

After tough losses earlier in the year, she intentionally celebrates big wins because the next one is never guaranteed; joy is framed as a necessary counterweight to pressure.

Recovery is a competitive skill.

Sleep, treatment, mobility work, and even enjoyable dinners are positioned as part of training; she learned that depriving herself “to stay focused” was counterproductive.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

I feel like if someone would hear, like, my conversation in my head throughout, like, this three weeks period, they would think that, okay, there's, this is something, like, something wrong with this person, because it's constant conversation.

— Aryna Sabalenka

I'm just trying to tell myself it's okay to feel that, it's okay to think that, it's absolutely okay. Everyone thinks that. It's all about you going out there and fighting no matter what.

— Aryna Sabalenka

I think for me, success is the, the discipline that you put in.

— Aryna Sabalenka

I feel like, uh, universe, God, or you, you call however you want it, send those challenges because you can handle it, and for a reason, you know? Like, everything happens for a reason.

— Aryna Sabalenka

I want everything to be decided in a conversation, and no wars and stuff. Just, like, sit down, speak, and figure out all of the problems.

— Aryna Sabalenka

Relief and meaning of repeated Grand Slam winsHandling losses and post-match processingSelf-talk, nerves, and acceptance under pressureDiscipline as a definition of successRecovery, balance, and celebrationGrief, family influence, and motivationTeam dynamics, trust, and finding the right people

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