Productivity
How being more confident can lead to ultrarunning success
According to his Red Bull Wingfinder test, ultrarunner Florian Neuschwander is confident, sociable and supportive. We discover how this has helped him to succeed.
With events that span distances most of us would think twice about covering on a bike, ultrarunning is one of the most challenging sports around, pushing mind and body to the absolute limit. Perhaps surprisingly for an activity that includes solitary hours of running, it’s also a sport where sociable, balanced and supportive people can thrive.
They may be traits that sound better suited to team sports like football, but much like the world of freerunning, ultrarunners can also benefit from some surprising personality traits, as demonstrated by ultrarunner Florian Neuschwander when he took part in the Red Bull Wingfinder personality test.
While you may not harbour any ambitions to follow directly in Neuschwander’s footsteps (we wouldn’t – they covered more than 4,800km in 2018 alone), knowing your strengths and weaknesses can help you to thrive in any environment. We’ve been talking to Neuschwander to find out more about how his personality has helped him to achieve great things, and how similar traits could help you to progress in your own career.
Being confident is perhaps one of Neuschwander’s most powerful strengths, with the athlete believing in his own abilities and meeting challenges head on. It’s a trait that can help you in any walk of life, but how has it helped with Neuschwander’s rise to the top?
“Sometimes you have good times and sometimes bad times in sport,” Neuschwander tells us. “You need to have the confidence that you are able to run fast and long with the top guys. If you don’t believe in yourself you’re doing something wrong. At the moment, I have some problems with my feet and I’ve already had a month of rest. But I look at this as a positive thing and it gives my body the chance to have a proper rest. It means I’ll start again with the confidence to get in shape again very soon.”
Neuschwander’s Red Bull Wingfinder report also highlighted being sociable as another key strength, helping him to meet and network with people naturally, succeeding through enthusiasm and an ability to build relationships. While it may not sound like the sort of trait that’s readily associated with long-distance running, it actually has far more relevance than you may first imagine.
Florian Neuschwander training
© Richard Ström/Red Bull Content Pool
“As an ultra runner, you do a lot of nice races, often worldwide,” Neuschwander explains. “I’m really happy to meet new people who love to run the same distances that I do – after a race you sit together and have fun, eat and drink together and sometimes party a little. A lot of people also share the same passion and follow on social media; on my Facebook and Instagram I talk to my followers quite a lot and write messages to them when they want to know more about my running.
“So running is actually a really good sport to socialise and meet new people. When you interact a lot, you become more interesting to people, and I think they prefer that I am authentic and appreciate the way I live my sport.”
Neuschwander’s approach to sport is refreshing to see, with his positivity based on the fact he’s a balanced learner, capable of thinking logically and rationally. It means he trusts his instincts and remains objective, learning from experience and succeeding as a result.
When I lose a race, I don’t think too much about what went wrong… I look forward and carry on
“Being balanced is very important to me,” adds Neuschwander. “I never stress myself too much and I try to take it easy. For example, when I lose a race or have a bad run, I don’t think too much about what went wrong, I don’t cry and I am not angry. I look forward and carry on like the bad race didn’t happen.
“I also like to see the positive things that can be learned from the race. Bad races are, in some cases, also good races. You can learn from them for the sport, and sometimes for life in general as well.”
As for being supportive, Neuschwander has used this particular trait to help give something back to the sport that made him famous. “It’s important to me – I like to support my friends and younger athletes as well. I train with them, give them tips about training and also try to talk about some of the upcoming talent on my social media. A couple of weeks ago I donated five big boxes of sports clothing and accessories to kids in Rwanda.”
It’s easy to see how Neuschwander has become popular in the world of ultrarunning, but the star also has some tips for people with similar personality traits who just want to be more successful in everyday life.
“Have fun, meet friends, travel and talk to people,” he adds. “Don’t take everything too seriously, but do stay focused, as you need to know what you want. Interact on social media and try new things out – doing the same things quickly becomes boring and sometimes a new input can change everything in a positive way.”
Sounds good to us. Want to know more about your own strengths and weaknesses, and which top athletes you share personality traits with? Take the Red Bull Wingfinder test today.