Jordan Chiles Is Ready for What's Next

You remember the moment: Jordan Chiles, mid-floor routine at the 2024 Paris Olympics, four different Beyoncé songs blaring, winking at the camera like she owned the room. She burst into tears the second after she stuck the landing and ran straight for her team. If you hadn’t already, that’s when the rest of America fell for her.

Since then, she's become one of the most-followed Team USA athletes, and not just for the medals. It's her nails (see: her latest All-Star mani, a whole mood on its own), her unfiltered Instagram, and the way she's turned herself into a genuine source of positivity for a generation of young fans. They watch her every move, including the Girl Scouts, where she’s stepped up as a keynote speaker for the group’s recent conference. Oh, and did we mention she did it all while sticking the landing on college too? (She just graduated from UCLA with a degree in African-American Studies.) 

We caught up with Chiles and learned how she does it all, what’s left on her bucket list, and the advice she learned the hard way. 

You've said you're in your "peace era" right now. What does that actually look like on a random day?

“Honestly, it's about giving myself the time and respect for everything I've built, not just in my career, but in who I'm trying to become as a person. I've done a lot of competitions, a lot of representation, but taking time for myself is the biggest thing. I only put myself in spaces I actually want to be in. Lately, I've been working really hard for two and a half weeks, then taking a full vacation. 

Being a businesswoman is something I've always wanted [Editor’s note: Chiles has said she looks up to the way Serena Williams has built her own business empire] and to have the vacation part, you have to work for it. My circle has gotten really small. I surround myself with people who understand what I'm trying to do and what's next.”'

You called your memoir "I'm That Girl." What's something people still don't know about "that girl"?

I'm That Girl is going to forever be the model people ran with, and I appreciate that, it's something I had to live up to and be confident enough to represent. But there's a lot I still want to put myself into, whether that's acting, or growing my Shero Athlete Collective, where I mentor athletes to understand there's more to life than just their sport. There's plenty people don't know about me — and honestly, that's fine. Putting my whole life on social media is already a lot without adding more to it.”

Between endorsements, brand deals, and your book, what's a financial lesson you learned the hard way?

“The biggest one: The first time you get a check, don't spend it all. I was lucky, my dad helped me put money into savings early on,  but I still had that instinct (of wanting to go get something) every time money came in. You can wait. You can have patience. Investing is the biggest lesson I've learned since then, and in the right things, not just buying bags, cars, and jewelry. That's what actually lets your money grow so that five or six years from now, you can look back and be glad you did it. That's especially true for NIL — when you're a freshman getting your first deal, it's tempting to treat every check like a reason to spend, but you still need to cover the basics. Save it.”

Is there anything you've spent money on that you consider worth every penny?

“Investing in a house for my parents. I love giving back — to my community, Girl Scouts, gymnastics programs without funding, hospitals. I'm just a giver. But making sure my parents had a home, and getting my mom a car, were the biggest things for me. They sacrificed so much for me, so I like giving back to people who've sacrificed in the same way I did, just differently.”

What's a wellness or recovery habit you never compromise on?

“Relaxing on my couch and binge-watching shows. That's when my brain actually gets to relax. I don't have to worry about anything. Crime shows, romance shows — doesn't matter. It's just the chance to sit with myself. 

Vacations too, though I can't be on one all the time since I still have things to do. But being able to look back and feel proud of what I've accomplished matters just as much.”

If your 15-year-old self saw your life now, what would surprise her most?

“She'd probably say, ‘How are you here? How are you getting flowers from Beyoncé, going to concerts, (being featured) on magazine covers?’ She'd be impressed. But I also think she knew what she was going to become. I never thought being a two-time Olympian was even in the cards, or that my book would become a bestseller that fast. Those were just dreams. So I think she'd say, ‘My dreams became my reality. Now look at me. I'm just living life.’”

Fast forward to 35. What do you think your 25-year-old self would say?

"I think she'd say, 'This is where you're supposed to be, and you're doing more than what we expected.'"

What advice would you give parents raising kids with big athletic dreams?

“I'd say I wanted to quit because I was having a bad day, and [my mom would say]  ‘Try quitting on a good day,’ and I couldn't do it. That's the test. [But] my mom once told me she wished she'd listened to my feelings a little more during a hard moment with a coach. It would've helped her understand what I was going through. As a parent, you have to let your kid go through the process of failure and understand that it's OK, because you only grow from it. Just stand by them, uplift them, make sure they feel protected and supported. That's the best thing you can do.” 

What's making you smile right now?

“Meeting people who support me, not just as an athlete, but as I represent myself, my personality. That's the biggest lesson: I'm happy talking to people every day who want to uplift me while I uplift them.”