Half of figure skating is opinion, convincing judges.

Always try to maintain complete tolerance and always make an effort to give people more then they expect.

What was really funny is that as I got older all those guys who called me a sissy in junior high school wanted me to be their best friend because they wanted to meet all the girls that I knew in figure skating.

I graduated a the top of my class in the '84 Olympic Games; I won a gold medal.

And the fact that I liked to show off and be the center of attention really lends itself to figure skating very well.

Adversity, and perseverance and all these things can shape you. They can give you a value and a self-esteem that is priceless.

So as an amateur Olympic competitor I loved criticism, because it made me better. But now as a professional I don't really know how to channel it or where to take it, so I don't take it quite as well.