I grew up in Southern California in the 80s and 90s, where my dad introduced my brother, my sister and me to the surprisingly big ice hockey scene there. The sport bonded us together as a family. From the start, I was thrilled by hockey's fast pace and technical demands. I absolutely loved being a part of a team. 

I went on to be a member of the U.S. Women's Hockey team in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010. I'll never forget what it was like to win my medals: a gold, two silver and a bronze. I felt an intense surge of accomplishment and pride, coupled with the pure joy of knowing I had reached these heights in the sport that means so much to me.

Being in Paris for the games this summer made all these memories flood back.

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I have been so impressed by the athletes this year, especially the women of the U.S. gymnastics team. Simone Biles returned to the Olympics after bravely withdrawing from the Tokyo 2020 Games to care for her mental health. Suni Lee came back to gymnastics after battling two kidney diseases. 

They both triumphed on the world's biggest stage.

Watching them, I've thought a lot about what it was like to come back from my own critical injury. Whether I was competing, studying at Harvard and the University of Minnesota, or in my work as an entrepreneur, the experience forever shaped me.

These are the three biggest lessons my recovery taught me:

1. I learned to be more adaptable

I first tore my shoulder playing hockey in 2000. The season was already challenging. The prospect of dealing with the pain and having to rehabilitate the injury felt scary. 

Even when I thought I was in the clear, my shoulder wasn't quite done with me. I tore my labrum, the ring of cartilage which helps stabilize the joint, a year after my first surgery. Coming back from that experience took an even greater mental and physical toll.

I never knew what to expect. The timeline of when I would be fully healed and ready to get back on the ice at full power was unclear. I had to learn to adapt and find a measure of peace and positive thinking amid the uncertainty. 

With both injuries, I had to go to physical therapy in order to return to hockey. What was a necessity at the time turned out to be transformative — not just for my hockey career, but for everything that came after.  

2. I learned to be emotionally resilient

I don't think my trajectory, in sports and in business, would have been possible without the lessons I learned from my physical therapy. The value of it extended far beyond the rink.

The skills I gained during recovery have helped me lead a more functional and balanced life today. The demanding nature of PT, and the fact that there were no shortcuts, taught me patience, discipline and emotional resilience.

All I wanted to do was get back out on the ice. It was hard to avoid resenting the recovery process, let alone to truly embrace it. 

What helped me get past that anger was remembering that I wasn't just doing this for me: I was doing it for my teammates, who were constantly there for me to cheer me on. 

3. I learned to honor my limits

Physical therapy got me back on the ice and taught me to slow down and focus on healing. I gained a new appreciation for my body's capabilities and learned to respect its limits. 

As an entrepreneur now and the co-founder of Sports Innovation Lab, a market research firm focused on the intersection of sports and innovation, I make it a point to prioritize my physical and mental health.

To me, pushing myself to exhaustion is not what true success looks like. It's taking the time to rest and recharge your body and mind.

I've found that you cannot lead, or be a source of support for anyone else, if you don't prioritize your own well-being. If you struggle to do that for yourself at first, do it for the other people on your team, in whatever form that takes. 

We are all a part of something so much bigger ourselves. Ultimately, the biggest lesson I have learned is that setbacks are not the end, but a chance to come back stronger. 

Angela Ruggiero is a four-time Olympian and gold medalist for Team USA ice hockey, and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. She currently serves as chairperson and co-founder of Sports Innovation Lab and is the Hockey Operations Advisor to the New York Rangers. She is a member of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committees and the International Ice Hockey Federation's Hall of Fame. Angela is a graduate of the Harvard Business School, Harvard College and the University of Minnesota. 

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