2 Things We Can Learn From Raygun's Olympic Travesty

There's underconfident, there's over-confident… and then there's Raygun. Here's what her Olympic performance has taught us.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | September 10, 2024

If you have not seen Rachel 'Raygun' Gunn's Olympic performance by now, you might have heard about the devastating backlash. The Australian Olympic breakdancer proved that one embarrassingly undercooked dance routine on an international stage can take you from obscurity to global infamy within hours.

To say the memes have been brutal is an understatement. The Olympian's performance was parodied on every platform, from TikTok to Saturday Night Live. Her "moves" undeniably overshadowed the historic debut of breaking as a full-fledged sport at the Olympic Games. But while people laugh, no one seems to be able to answer the question—how did she make it to the Olympics?

Say what you want about Raygun's performance—she displayed confidence that most of us wish we had. The only problem is that her sense of self-assurance was misplaced. While she was touted as an unbeatable force on local breakdancing circuits, she did not match up to her international competitors. She was confident in an area where her talents were seemingly lacking.

This is not an attack on Raygun—her misfire at the Olympics could be chalked to a number of reasons like regulation complications at the games, the conservative size of the female breaking community in Australia or maybe even simply having a bad day.

However, that does not change the fact that many people feel confident in areas where they may be less than ideal—to their own detriment. Here are two ways you might be falling into a similar trap of overconfidence.

1. You Live In An Echo Chamber

An echo chamber is a psychological environment—existing physically or online—that reinforces an individual's beliefs, whether they are accurate or not.

People often validate their beliefs and talents in an echo chamber by negating outside opinion. Dissenting or critical voices are blocked out, leading to a skewed perception of reality. In this way, whether you are truly exceptionally skilled or not, an echo chamber can confirm your inflated beliefs.

A 2023 study published in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Philosophy gives the example of "conspiracy-based climate-change denialist echo chambers." Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, the study points out that mistrust in anyone outside of the "trusted" echo chamber could make the denialist disregard verified information. This depends on how deeply their beliefs are rooted in group theory.

To be clear, not all echo chambers are wrong. Being surrounded by like-minded people can positively impact one's life. Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous encourage their members to surround themselves with other recovering alcoholics. This helps their sobriety and shows them how to live an addiction-free life.

The same cannot be said when it comes to the realm of talent and competitive excellence. If everyone in your circle affirms that you are good at something when you are not, this can lead to delusions. The dangers of placing yourself in a bubble of "yes men" means you never truly see how your talent compares to that of a wider group of people. You could end up disappointed when you meet competitors who excel at your skill.

2. You Are A Big Fish In A Little Pond

We all remember the smartest kid in our high school—the one we were sure would be a tech genius someday. While in some cases you might have been right, other times, this kid became an ordinary member of society. This is the perfect example of the "big fish little pond theory."

This phenomenon occurs when an individual feels exceptional or superior in a smaller, less competitive environment but struggles when placed in a larger, more cut-throat context. Students who excel in less challenging schools may be average or below average in more competitive institutions. This concept can also apply to athletes and artists.

A 2005 study published in the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology explored the pros and cons of grouping talented athletes in elite settings. Placing a skilled athlete among other high achievers can lead to a decline in their self-concept or perception of their abilities. However, it also offers a valuable opportunity for skill improvement by observing and learning from more talented peers.

The bottom line is that placing yourself in a highly competitive setting might give you an objective estimation of your value and skill. If you only compete within a small group, you may believe you are better at something than you actually are.

While we cannot be sure if this happened in Raygun's journey to the Olympics, it can probably serve as a cautionary tale. It is one thing to believe that you are good at something and another when you compare those skills to your peers. Striving to be the best means putting yourself in uncomfortable situations to test and grow your skill set. We can all agree that it is best to do this before you put yourself on the world stage.

Do you think your optimism is causing you to overestimate your skills? Take this test to find out: Realistic Optimism Scale

A similar version of this article can also be found on Forbes.com, here.