Exclusive: Mikaela Shiffrin Says 'You Can Simply Be Passionate About What You Do' in Order to Succeed: 'I've Made It a Little Bit More Relatable'

Though Mikaela Shiffrin, who has the most World Cup wins of any alpine skier in history and is considered one of the greatest alpine skiers of all time, is an amazing athlete, she still wrestles with imposter syndrome from time to time.

"I'd love to think I've made it a little bit more relatable for people to understand that you don't have to be God's gift to this earth in order to be successful in what you do. You don't have to be famous, you don't need to be striving to become a billionaire. You can simply be passionate about what you do, and if you're willing to sacrifice and work hard and have people who support you, those are the key ingredients to having a really successful career," the 29-year-old, who is teaming up with Barilla in honor of World Pasta Day on October 25 and is helping fans connect with loved ones through their Ticket To Togetherness program, exclusively tells Morning Honey.

"That's kind of how my career has been. I never felt so confident. It's something that I see right now with a lot of athletes. There's this idea that you have to pump yourself up and be like, 'No, I'm the greatest and I'm going to win.' That's always been really uncomfortable for me," she admits. "I think people relate to that. There's kids watching and thinking, 'I'm not that confident,' or 'I don't have that special gift or edge,' but I'm not that much different from others. I want to keep driving that message home. You don't have to be any one thing besides passionate."

The blonde babe, who is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and seven-time world champion, made headlines when she finished top 15 in her first two NorAm Cup races.

In 2014, she earned five more World Cup wins, and in 2023, she secured her 87th World Cup victory in Are, Sweden. Though she was sidelined from an injury in 2024, she still finished the 2023-24 season with nine victories to bring her World Cup win tally to 97 career wins.

"For me, it's about working in line with the struggles rather than conquering them," she explains. "You sort of work hand in hand with those things, and for me over the course of my career, it's made it easier to tackle challenges when I know that I can be nervous at races but still be successful."

These days, Shiffrin, who is engaged to fellow alpine skiing star Aleksander Aamodt Kild, is seeing what else is out there for her. "I'm exploring other opportunities. I've gotten to go to the U.S. Open and New York Fashion Week and Paris to watch other athletes compete," she shares. "I'm trying to take advantage of those opportunities and explore other interests that I have. As women's sports becomes more and more impactful, there are always growing pains to get through. Some people give me feedback and say, 'Stick to your job. We don't want to see you doing other things. Focus on skiing,' but there's this concept that an athlete can't be more than athlete."

When Shiffrin isn't focused on her sport, she also loves to spend time connecting with people, which is why partnering with Barilla for World Pasta was a no-brainer.

To celebrate the day, Barilla is also taking over the Hudson Yards Subway Station on World Pasta Day, October 25, giving out boxes of Barilla's Classic Spaghetti to commuters, while supplies list. The Classic pasta will be turned into a literal subway ticket that can be used for a free ride to travel to see loved ones and enjoy a delicious meal together on World Pasta Day, which is just days before her new season starts when she’ll once again set out to do the impossible – hit 100 World Cup wins.

"Barilla is actually one of my longest standing partners. I have been working together with them for 13 years now. They've been with me my entire ski racing career, and it's been such an incredible journey working with them. There's the support for athletics and athletes, but they've also been there for me through everything in my career," she shares. "But Barilla has always really emphasized supporting the things I value most. In this case, with the Ticket to Togetherness campaign, it's one of the biggest things I value — sharing meaningful moments with the people I love."

"One of the best ways to do that is through a really great meal, and specifically, a really great pasta meal," she continued. "It's my go-to post-race meal, and it also carries a lot of sentimental value for me because it brings me back to when I was a kid and I was always excited to eat pasta. This campaign is really special."

Since Shiffrin is always on the go, she doesn't get to eat many meals with her family or loved ones. "I value those moments," she says. "A global survey commissioned by Barilla in August 2023 and research conducted by Barilla Group in collaboration with the University of Minnesota in May 2024 show that 60 percent of individuals acknowledged eating alone more often over the past two years, and that's definitely the boat I'm in most of the time. I look forward to sharing meals with my loved ones when I get the chance, and I love that this message is supporting them."

For pasta fans across the U.S., purchase any two box of Barilla pasta and visit www.barillatogetherness.com to enter for a chance to win a trip to see a loved one.