Over the last few weeks, many of us have found ourselves glued to the TV, marveling slack-jawed as Simone Biles defied the laws of physics with her floor routines and Michael Phelps glided his way to five gold medals in the pool. Watching such feats from our living rooms after a long day at work can make us feel like we have nothing in common with these exceptional athletes making history on the world stage. But we would do well to take inspiration from the lifestyles of champions to achieve our own goals, fitness-related or otherwise.

It’s important to remember that Olympic athletes start out as normal people, just like you and me. Although they are certainly blessed with physical attributes that contribute to their success in sports, their behaviors and habits over years of training have much more to do with their achievements than any innate characteristics.

Malcolm Gladwell says that we need to spend 10,000 hours practicing something in order to excel at it, and Olympians might agree. One thing’s for certain: star athletes show up each day and put in the work. While Gladwell’s estimate is ambitious, it’s likely that most of us could stand to spend a bit more time working toward life goals instead of watching TV or disappearing down social media wormholes.

Olympians can also teach us the importance of mental as well as physical strength. They decide they want to win a medal and picture themselves accepting one on the podium. Decide what it is you really want, and envision yourself getting it rather than questioning whether it’s possible. Mental toughness also helps us survive the inevitable feelings of disappointment that will flare up when there are setbacks along the way. Olympians expect such roadbumps, and use them to develop inner strength.

Set a goal for yourself to be achieved by the next Summer Olympic Games. How will you train?