47. An unstoppable drive with our host Laura Wilkinson on the Jedburgh Podcast
Once again this week, things are a little bit different as today’s episode features Laura being interviewed by former Special Forces Green Beret, Fran Racioppi, on ‘The Jedburgh Podcast’. Touted as ‘a conversation with prominent visionaries, drivers of change, and those dedicated to winning’, this podcast is a natural and timely fit for Laura, as she participates in the Olympic Trials this week and next in her bid to compete in her fourth Olympic Games. Be sure to tune into the Olympic Channel and NBC and join Fran in cheering her on in her attempt, and enjoy this interview here today which outlines precisely just what it takes to reach similar success in your own life.
Laura and Fran begin by looking at what it takes to reach elite levels, and then discuss Laura’s career from her start in high school to present day. Along the way, they explore her perspective on failure and fear, the need to take ownership of your performance, her Sydney Olympics experience, and her Dream Chaser philosophy. They also delve into Laura’s neck surgery and recovery, her preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, and her take on finding balance in life and achieving longevity in sports. The interview concludes with her thoughts on channeling the pressure of the moment, ‘The Pursuit of Gold’, the 3 things she does every day, and the elite performance characteristic that Laura most exemplifies – drive. As Laura heads into the Trials which will determine her immediate Olympic future, today’s sweeping examination of the many components which have brought her to this moment could not be more relevant – listen in and prepare to be inspired.
Episode Highlights:
· What it takes to reach elite levels
· Laura’s high school diving experience and her ‘call to action’
· Her perspective on failure
· Taking ownership of your performance
· Laura’s performance at the Sydney Olympics, the events leading up to it, and the pep talk she gave herself
· Dream Chaser
· Her neck surgery and recovery
· Laura’s thoughts on fear and moving past it
· Preparing to qualify for Tokyo
· Dealing with the ‘uncontrollables’
· Her thought on finding balance in her life
· Achieving longevity in sports
· Channeling the pressure of the moment
· Her ‘Pursuit of Gold’ podcast
· Laura’s next couple months
· The 3 things Laura does every day to be successful
· The elite performance characteristic that Laura most exemplifies
Quotes:
“Faith and determination separate the good from the great.”
“Just because somebody tells you you can't, doesn't mean it's true.”
“Failure is part of success. And the concrete actions that you take from the moment you accept that you failed are what defines you as a leader and as an elite performer.”
“I'm not afraid to look like a fool.”
“When we talk about the development of elite talent, there's a requirement to be humble and show humility.”
“How can I become better? How can I fix that? How can I move forward?”
“It doesn't matter how old you are, doesn't matter what station you have in life, you can really make a difference for somebody just by being there for them.”
“This pressure that you felt became a power.”
“I realized that there were so many people that probably would never have the opportunity that I was in at that moment.”
“The task ahead of you is never greater than the power behind you.”
“I absolutely loved it, because it wasn't about me in that moment...it was about something so much bigger.”
“So it's about the pursuit, it's about the hunt. It's about who you become. And I think that's what I really mean by Dream Chaser.”
“You have to have this done just to be a mom because if you trip down the stairs, if you have a small car accident, like, that could lead to a quadriplegic.”
“A lot of times we're scared of the unknown…fear is a lot of times a liar.”
“To wholly stay in the moment is really the biggest key…and you have to practice that in practice.”
“I think really breaking my foot back then was such a gift because it gave me that opportunity to focus on visualization, to go through so many competition scenarios in my mind with so many different athletes.”
“Adversity makes you stronger.”
“The challenge in front of you sometimes becomes the blessing that you needed.”
“I have learned this last year is that I can just tear my plans up, throw them out the window, because I’ve got to roll with it. And I'm not good at that.”
“I think one of the best things COVID taught me was that I need to have my kids be part of what I'm doing.”
“They saw the sweat, they saw the tears, they saw the frustration, they saw how many times a day I was having to do this stuff and how hard I was working, all just hoping to get back in the pool. So it provided a lot of really good conversations for us.”
“The best people you see doing this are beginners at some point, like, you have to start somewhere.”
“I've had a lot of times where I'm like, you know, God, I'd be okay, if He closed the door, and we're done with this. But He's made it very clear, this is where I need to be, and He's made a way, and then that fire is back, and that fuel is back.”
“I've learned not to be scared of my emotions. I've learned how to use them and how to direct them.”
“And it's not about the pressure, or the expectations, or all these other things, just let that go. And it's just about me enjoying the moment.”
“This is actually my way of finding the resources and giving them to other athletes.”
“Learning those lessons from people and taking that with me, I think makes me not just stronger mentally, but emotionally and spiritually.”
“There's this need for achievement and growth mindset - be better today than you were yesterday, continuous self improvement - that you display that has set you apart from all of your competition.”
“For all the people who maybe think they're too old to do something they love to do, don't let society or culture decide that for you. If you love something, do it.”
Links:
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
The Jedburgh Podcast:
The Jedburgh Podcast on iTunes
The Jedburgh Podcast Instagram
34. Turning the Tables on the Media with Emmy Award Winner Randy McIlvoy
Randy McIlvoy, Sports Director and anchor of KPRC 2 Television in Houston, is Laura’s very special guest on the podcast this week. A four-time Emmy winner, Randy has received numerous additional nominations, as well as honors from the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters Association. He and Laura have known each other for quite some time, but this is the first time that she has had the opportunity to turn the tables and be the one to interview this celebrated interviewer.
Randy begins by sharing his own history in sports, his development into sports reporting, and his tips for athletes who are interested in doing so themselves. He then discusses many aspects of his job including the most important character trait for it, the most difficult aspect to it, the importance of establishing relationships, and his advice for athletes preparing for interviews. Randy also reviews some of his most memorable moments in his job over the years, and offers his perspective on the sport that has transformed the most, the quality he feels elite athletes share, how COVID has impacted his work, and the sporting events he would like to cover that he hasn’t yet. The mutual respect between these two remarkably successful individuals is palpable during this conversation that is as comfortable as it is revealing, providing a behind the scenes glimpse into the world of sports reporting and the joy that can be found in making your passion your occupation.
Episode Highlights:
· Randy’s history in sports
· His development into a sports reporter
· Randy’s tips for athletes wanting to get into reporting
· The most important character trait for his work
· The most difficult aspect of Randy’s job
· The importance of developing relationships
· Advice for athletes preparing for interviews
· His favorite sport and game he’s covered
· Keeping viewers excited
· Randy’s memorable stories
· His play-by-play experience
· Interviews that made Randy nervous
· The quality he feels elite athletes share
· What has surprised him the most in interviews
· The sport he believes has transformed the most and become the most competitive over the years
· The ‘Tiger Factor’
· How COVID has changed covering sports
· The sporting events that Randy would still like to cover in person
Quotes:
“My dream was to play college baseball.”
“Breaking into TV, you know, I would have been willing to do whatever…I wanted to cover sports, I wanted to tell stories.”
“You’ve got to have a skillset that’s a little broader now that can kind of separate yourself from others trying to get after these jobs.”
“You can’t just sit back and let it come to you…you’ve got to grind. You’ve got to always look to improve what you’re doing.”
“You could easily let this job that we do, this profession, kind of consume you if you don’t find a balance.”
“Act like the camera’s not there.”
“Just have a conversation with the person asking the question.”
“You do know we just witnessed one of the greatest all time moments in college football history, right?
“It can get monotonous if you let it…you’ve got to go find stories.”
“You’re constantly in the planning stages.”
“I almost drove off the road.”
“You seem to experience everything with the athletes.”
“I’ve got to act like I’ve been here before.”
“You’ve got to be committed to what you’re doing.”
“You’ve got college golfers that come out and are just lighting it up.”
“The athletes were becoming a bit of the reporter for you.”
“You miss the contact, that’s what you miss. You miss the face-to-face stuff with them.”
“The Olympic Games would be cool to cover.”
Links:
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: Laura's Instagram
Facebook: Laura's Facebook page
Connect with Randy:
References:
33. How to keep moving forward in uncertain times with our host Laura Wilkinson
Today’s episode is a little different as Laura doesn’t interview a guest, but instead addresses head-on an issue that is impacting athletes throughout the world. There is a sense of weariness and exhaustion that Laura is observing in many athletes as they deal with postponements, cancellations, and what feels like an eternal holding pattern in their lives as this pandemic drags on. With her vast amount of experience, Laura possesses a great deal of wisdom and she shares it here today to help you navigate these ever changing circumstances and continue moving forward to achieve the goals you have set for yourself.
She starts by sharing her own recent history and current situation, reviewing the pandemic’s impact upon herself and other athletes, and explaining what it means to train with a moving target as well as how to accomplish it. Laura also stresses the importance of staying in the moment, looking at this unusual time as one of life’s precious opportunities, and offers a stirring analysis of the greatest gift you can give yourself. Laura sugarcoats nothing in today’s episode, demonstrating that life is filled with difficult patches to navigate, that it is up to us to decide who we want to be as we face these difficulties, and also passionately reinforcing the fact that we do, indeed, have the potential to not only get through all this but to thrive in the process.
Episode Highlights:
· Laura’s recent history and current situation
· The pandemic’s impact on athletes
· Training with a moving target
· Staying in the moment
· This precious opportunity
· ‘Cool Runnings’
· The greatest gift you can give yourself
· Who do you want to be?
Quotes:
“I actually have a nice titanium plate and 6 screws in my neck now.”
“It was devastating to so many athletes on different levels.”
“Now there’s pretty much nothing on our schedule until the Olympic trials in June.”
“Even though the target may be shifting and moving around, you’re aiming for that bullseye, and that has not changed.”
“We are going to have to adapt.”
“You are capable of getting through this and thriving.”
“You could handle anything as long as you stayed in the moment and gave it everything that you had.”
“They get back up and try again.”
“Instant gratification is actually not normal.”
“If it’s important to you, it is worth fighting for in that long term.”
“We need to remember that there’s so much more that goes on than just what we’re seeing in that little clip.”
“A gold medal is a wonderful thing, but if you’re not enough without one, you’ll never be enough with one.”
“Those moments magnify your character for better or for worse.”
“I have not only won all those things, I have failed miserably at all of those events as well.”
“I choose to be a champion both in character and in integrity.”
“If I may lose, let me stand by the road and cheer as the winners go by.”
“What can you do right now in this moment to the very best of your ability to help you continue working toward that goal?”
“It will give you peace.”
Links:
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence: https://www.laurawilkinson.com/learn
Laura’s Social Media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lala_the_diver
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheLauraWilkinson
References: