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“The key is to normalize your situation, normalize your lifestyle,” he explained. “I have a very consistent, disciplined lifestyle. I surround myself with loyal, integrity-filled people, and that’s my basis. And going to the Olympic Games, nothing changes.”
Which isn’t to say he doesn’t appreciate the pinnacle of international competition, another highlight of which is being surrounded by likeminded athletes at the Olympic Village. “Everything about the Olympic Games, besides the contest, felt different,” Eaton recalled of Tokyo. “The media and the attention around it, I’ve never seen anything like it, so that was unfamiliar.”
“But competing in a pressure position,” he continued, “felt right at home. I remember putting my headphones in and warming up before the event and being like, ‘Wow, I didn’t know I was going to feel this comfortable.'”
And this is why he takes pride in being “incredibly present,” because the moment at hand is the only thing that matters in such a situation.
“If you’re thinking about a meeting that you have next week, you’re going to make it 10 times crazier in your head than when you actually get to the meeting,” Eaton said. “The biggest part about the Olympics is the anticipation. I think that’s where a lot of athletes fall short, because they make it so much bigger in their head. It’s just another contest.”
