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The 22-year-old Welsh competitor took the -57kg title at London 2012 when still a teenager.
Jones lost form after London, but has re-established herself as world number one after winning the latest World Grand Prix event in Manchester.
"The hunger has come back now because I want to be a double Olympic champion. I want to be a legend," she said.
"Winning the Olympics was an amazing feeling, but afterwards it was a bit like 'what do I do now'.
"So I lost a bit of motivation going back into training and competitions I had so much pressure on me. I kept thinking 'I'm the Olympic champion I can't lose' - being only 19 and having to deal with all that pressure.
"So my coach sat me down and said 'listen, your Olympic medal is never going away' so now I'm not fighting to defend that every time I fight, I'm doing it because I want to get extras."
In an interview for BBC Wales' Sport Wales television programme, Jones said she is now completely focused on defending her Olympic crown.
Jones' win in Manchester on 17 October was the latest in a string of battles with Spain's Eva Calvo.
Her improved form has already secured a place for Britain in the -57kg division at next year's Olympics, with Jones likely to be selected ahead of Rachelle Booth.
Jones trailed Calvo 4-0 in Manchester, but hit back to triumph 14-4 for her first title on home soil since the London Games.
"It was an amazing feeling," said Jones.
"The crowd were amazing, I couldn't believe how many people were there all screaming me name and I was four points down.
"And with [Calvo] if you go down it's really hard to get it back because she's really evasive and awkward.
"But I got one point back and thought 'I'm not losing in front of my own crowd' and then I got her in the head and she was a bit fazed and stunned because I got her in the head so I just kept going.
"I ended up going off the back of the second round 10-4 up from 4-0 down so it was an amazing win."
The pair could meet again in the final Grand Prix of the season in Mexico on 5-6 December.
You can watch BBC Sport Wales at 19:00 BST on Thursday 29 October on BBC Two Wales and via the iPlayer.
Jade Jones wants to become "a legend" by winning a second Olympic Taekwondo gold medal at Rio 2016.