We always knew she was good. We just didn’t know she was this good! Simone Biles’ all-rounder capabilities have always shone bright. On the mats, she nails it all: the vault, the beam, the floor, and the bars (even if she claims it is her weakest) Even in life, she’s a loving wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend to her gym girls, and an inspiration to billions. But now, she’s also ‘Dr. Biles’, a tag she always wanted for herself. So how did it all unfold?
On May 12, Simone Biles received the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Washington University. Donning the formal green robe and a hat in typical ‘passing out’ fashion, she showed up at the 2025 graduation ceremony, where she also delivered the keynote address. After all, who could have done it better than the 11x Olympic medalist? However, her speech not only emphasized key aspects like finding purpose in one’s work, self-worth, and resilience but also lay bare some deeply personal insights she had never shared before.
In her keynote speech, Simone Biles told the graduates about her unfulfilled career wish. Yes, apparently, she’s envisioned a completely different college path for herself as she confessed, “I always dreamed of going to college, not just to be part of a collegiate gymnastics team, but to study medicine, to become a children’s nurse or a pediatrician, and to enjoy all the fun of a college campus.” Yes, who knew she truly wanted to be “Doctor Biles.”
But yes this was a lesser-known fact. In 2021, Simone Biles gave a keynote address during a virtual meeting at the American Academy of Pediatrics. She had shared that before becoming a gymnast, she wanted to tread in her mother’s footsteps and become a pediatric nurse. Biles had said, “After making five World and two Olympic teams, the nursing career didn’t work out for me.”
But did that make her love die down? No! “But…I’ve always wanted to help kids and I love kids…and I come from a family of [nurses].” It’s only today that she has laid it out in the open in front of 17K people! But that’s not all she said. She made optimum use of her innate talent and the opportunities she received and became the GOAT of Gymnastics. If you have ever harbored an interest to become a sight like her in the gym, fret not. The Olympic star had some invaluable insights to share from her illustrious gymnastics career. Here are the wise words she voiced out.
Simone Biles gives out her success mantra
Today, in gymnastics, Simone Biles has attained the stature and longevity that not many can claim. But how did she do it? Of course, she had visionary mentors like Aimee Boorman, Cecile, and Laurent Landi to guide her every step of the way. But, at the end of the day, the sport demands a lot from the athlete. And here’s what Simone Biles mentioned as her Mantra in her keynote address at the Washington University.
Biles said, “Success in academics, like in athletics, requires sacrifice and dedication.” Biles even said, “There is a lot of fun along the way but to make it to the top, you also really need to find joy in the work.” She continued, “To be an elite student or an elite athlete or an elite anything, you have to be one of those people.” That right there was the GOAT’s mantra! Do you think it stands apt for people from all walks of life?
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