The 37-year-old, recently crowned the World Games Greatest Athlete of All Time, said that despite enjoying many high points in her career, it was the low points that really shaped her to become better at her sport.
Nicol has won 81 Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour titles in her professional career of close to 20 years.
“Whether I lost, become the world’s number one, or struggled to cope with the pressure of being the world’s number one, all those feelings helped me to identify what was truly important for me – the need to work harder and continue to find ways to keep improving myself.
“When I was at the top, I saw competitions as something that was good for me. I used it to see how far I could push my potential, not just for one year but for the long-term, using the skills I had.
“That was my experience with squash and I am ever so grateful for it.
“You have to believe in yourself, and not see failures as something bad and give up on yourself. Make it a point to come back even stronger and work harder to realise your true potential,” Nicol said during an interview with Bernama Radio.
The Penangite said playing squash had been a fulfilling career for her as she had achieved everything possible including eight World Championship titles, an unprecedented record 109-month (nine-year) reign as the world’s number one and being named the most successful Asian Games athlete with seven gold medals in total.
Her hopes for the future now centre around the Nicol David Foundation. She says she hopes to see and hear success stories from the foundation in the next five years, and to continue to work on youth and women empowerment.
“When kids learn something new, in squash or in any other sport, it is bound to change their lives in some way,” she said, adding that it is her ultimate dream that the foundation she put together will impact the lives of children in a positive way.
The Colombia-based Nicol, who will be back in Malaysia next month after being away for over a year, said the first thing she wants to do when she’s back is spend time with her family and feast on local delicacies.