Figure Skater Jason Brown Shares Letter to His Younger Self Ahead of Olympic Return: 'Dream Big'

The last time Jason Brown skated on Olympic ice, he was eight years younger (and rocking a much longer ponytail).

The Illinois native and 2014 Winter Olympics bronze medalist is quick to offer a range of comparisons for his growth since then, as he's weathered obstacles and kept advancing through a sport not known for its wealth of late-20something athletes.

"I think for me in 2018 [when he failed to make the team], I really felt broken," Brown, 27, tells PEOPLE.

"It was like the foundation of the house was there, but it had completely collapsed, you know?" he continues. "So it still had the cement, the base, solid as a rock; but the whole house that was on top of it kind of crumbled. And I think it's one of those moments where you can either say, 'I'm walking away' or 'I'm rebuilding this house.' And you kind of become that architect and say, 'How do I want to rebuild this from the ground up?' "

Rebuild he did, earning a spot on Team USA for the Beijing Winter Olympics that begin early next month.

"Really, I'm so proud of the career that I've had in the sport, but there's that piece of knowing that you're not quite finished yet — that you haven't quite exhausted all the options or the path to take or the programs that you wanted to explore," he says. "And so I think for me, there were still things that I wanted to prove to myself and I knew I was capable of doing. And I think that was kind of the biggest constant oil to the fire."

(Laughing, he notes, "I know, I use a lot of analogies!")

As Brown prepares to return to the Olympics, he is sharing a letter to his younger self who has much more skating — winning and losing and trying again — to do.

Read the full letter below.

Jason,

You'll get involved with this unbelievable sport that keeps you up at night, but will also be the catalyst for your wildest dreams. So follow your heart and dream big!

Remember your time is valuable and limited. Use it wisely. Skate to music that moves you and invest time into activities and people you love! You'll have no regrets that way, and when reporters ask you about sacrifice you won't question whether any of it was worth it, because it was.

You'll want to please everyone and make them proud, but you can't do it all … and that's okay!

You are going to doubt yourself … like every day. People's words will get under your skin, and you'll struggle with your self-worth. Don't let that stop you from believing you are capable. It happens, and it doesn't do you any good.

You'll place people on pedestals, so forgive them when they fall. Remember that we are all flawed. There is so much more beauty in that.

You will struggle, and you will fall … not once or twice, but hundreds and thousands of times in front of thousands of people … but it's nothing to be ashamed of because you'll always have the courage to get back up!

You'll meet incredible people and travel the world, but not without losing your way a few times.

You'll search for the meaning of life, and ponder your identity. Don't let that scare you. Embrace it, ask questions, and unabashedly be yourself!

You have a voice. So use it! You won't for many years, but I can promise you that you'll be happier once you do.

The medals, achievements, and accolades are incredible in the moment, but you'll always wake up to a new day ready to go after your next set of goals.

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So allow yourself to have the same mindset when you crumble under the pressure. Stop dwelling and forgive yourself. You tend to waste a little too much time beating yourself up about the past. Move on! The rest of the world does.

Your team around you loves and supports you unconditionally. Thinking otherwise holds you back. Reaching out for help and leaning on them shows strength, no need to ever suffer alone.

You will burn out, but don't give up on yourself, because when that flame gets reignited, it burns even brighter.

… and while all this hindsight may have been helpful to you, you're going to have to experience it all for yourself before you'll be able to figure it out! So good luck kiddo! Keep tying up those skates, and buckle up for a ride of a lifetime 😉

Sending lots of love from the future,

Jason ❤

To learn more about all the Olympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.org. Watch the Winter Olympics beginning Feb 3 on NBC.