107. My Untold Journey Through Trials with Pursuit of Gold Host Laura Wilkinson
In this special episode, listeners are invited to explore Laura's journey to Olympic triumph, shaped by resilience and determination. Approaching the 24th anniversary of a pivotal moment in her life, personal audio clips, as shared here today, recount significant moments along her journey that profoundly impacted her path. Laura’s tale of being a young diver filled with Olympic dreams and facing momentous decisions at times of relative uncertainty inspires many of the episode's themes such as overcoming adversity, embracing gratitude, and finding strength in challenges.
Using this momentous event as a springboard, the episode delves into resilience amidst adversity, from life-altering decisions to recovering from injuries. Through this intimate account, listeners gain insights into how resilience shapes Laura's responses to life's trials, and how gratitude emerges as transformative amidst setbacks, shifting her focus towards opportunities and fostering a positive mindset. As you will hear, community support proves vital in overcoming obstacles, brilliantly highlighting the importance of unity, and each setback becomes a chance for growth, paving the way towards Olympic success. As the world looks ahead to the upcoming Paris Olympics, Laura’s very personal reflection here today offers timely, hard-earned lessons and insights from her own stellar career that will prove invaluable to all those engaged in their own Pursuit of Gold.
Episode Highlights:
Facing career-altering decisions and overcoming devastating injuries
Embracing gratitude amid setbacks
Transforming obstacles into opportunities, fostering resilience, and maintaining a positive mindset
The pivotal role of coaches, teammates, and loved ones
How each setback serves as a chance for growth and self-discovery
Persevering through setbacks and challenges
Reflecting on past challenges
The anticipation building for the forthcoming Olympics in Paris
Conquering uncertainty and fully committing to Olympic dreams
How moments of reflection and gratitude provide solace and fortify determination in the face of adversity
Quotes:
"Every cloud really does have a silver lining. If you open your eyes, you'll find it."
"Recognize that although you may not be happy with the competition, there is more to life than that competition."
"Sometimes we will win that amazing gold medal and sometimes we'll miss it. But amazing things still happen because I didn't give up."
"Every obstacle that we face, there is an opportunity inside of it, but we have to be willing to find it."
"Find things to be grateful for. In the middle of the tough, in the middle of the painful, in the middle of the hard, there is something to be thankful for. Fill your mind with that and focus on those things."
Links:
Laura’s Social Media:
52. Unwavering Belief with 2-Time Super Bowl Champ Tory James
With the start of the new football season upon us, the timing is perfect for 2-time Super Bowl champ, Tory James, to join Laura on the podcast. During his 11 season career in the NFL, Tory enjoyed great success with a few different teams, especially the Denver Broncos, and even earned a spot in the 2004 Pro Bowl. Tory’s resilience throughout this extensive career is very much a function of the influence his family had upon him, and, especially, the unwavering belief that he had in himself, and he discusses these factors and so much more here today.
He begins by sharing his early involvement in sports, his shift into football, his mom’s perspective on it, and both those who doubted and believed in his potential. He then goes on to summarize his playing career from high school to college to the NFL, the pivotal injury he suffered and his recovery from it, his ability to use fear to help him, and the source of his impressive longevity in the NFL. He finishes up by sharing the hardest and greatest moments in his career and what he does these days in retirement. Throughout this fascinating conversation, Tory highlights the role that family, gratitude, love of the game, and his unwavering belief played in his success, and his story as told here today will undoubtedly move and inspire all who listen.
Episode Highlights:
· How Tory became involved in sports and football in particular
· Listening to the one coach who believed in him
· His feeling of unwavering belief
· His Mom’s perspective on his playing football
· Tory’s impact on those who doubted him
· His transition for high school to college football
· Getting to the NFL
· The difference between the NFL and college football
· His knee injury and recovery
· Using your fear to help you
· His return from the knee injury
· What makes the NFL so tough
· The source of his longevity in the NFL
· Loving to play
· The important role family plays
· The hardest and greatest moments of his career
· What Tory does in retirement
Quotes:
‘‘It hurts so bad. It hurts still to this day, because I still like basketball over football. But I was always good at football, so I took his advice and I started playing football.”
“So when I'm helping little kids, I tell them, ‘See it in your mind, you do it perfect in your mind over and over again until it becomes you and it becomes natural.’”
“For whatever reason, people put their fears on you, and I just never let it affect me.”
“I think you probably changed their entire outlook on how they saw the world, and I think that's huge.”
“That's, like, the joy when I think about playing football - how it made people feel.”
“The power of just having one person believe in you like that one coach when everybody else is saying ‘No’, it makes a huge difference.”
“It was really hard to mess up in Denver, they just had it down. That's probably one of the most professional teams I've ever played for, and it showed by us winning and everybody loved each other, and everybody helped each other. It was amazing.”
“We're all going to go through stuff, and it's how you handle it that's going to grow you as a person and your character and who you are the rest of your life beyond your sport, too.”
“Fear is feeling excited and ready.”
“Now today, what I do is I'm thankful for everything that happens.”
“Hard work, dedication, drive, and just willing to do what you have to do and just not ever giving up on your goal.”
“I hope everybody else that I'm playing with feels like they're the best because that's the type of players I want to play with.”
“You tell me I can't do it, I'm going to find a way to prove you wrong.”
“You made this choice to enjoy it and to have fun and playing the game the whole time.”
“The reason I'm playing is for family.”
“I learned discipline, hard work, to be honest, from my mom.”
“It turned out to be the best thing that happened to me because I think if I wouldn't have gotten hurt early on, I don't think my body would have held up as long as it did.”
“They always kept me grounded and humble, like, you know, and I kept that with me my whole football career.”
“I wanted to get 10 years and I felt like if I got 10 years and that's like my goal, that's like my gold medal.”
“I love your mental mindset. I love your passion, your gratitude, you're always so thankful for every opportunity, good and bad. I love that you showed us your purpose that's beyond yourself, your unwavering belief in your dreams.”
Show Links
Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
49. Bouncing Forward with Paralympic snowboarder Amy Purdy
Joining Laura on the podcast this week is the top-ranked female adaptive snowboarder in the U.S., Amy Purdy. Diagnosed with meningococcal meningitis at the age of 19, Amy has gone on to become a three-time World Cup para-snowboard gold medalist, the 2014 Paralympic bronze medalist, and the founder of Adaptive Action Sports, a nonprofit organization that helps youth, young adults, and wounded veterans with physical disabilities get involved with action sports. She is a professional motivational speaker who has been featured at both TEDx and Pop Tech, and is also an actress, model, dancer, clothing designer, and an experienced product spokesperson. In addition to all this, Amy was also the breakout star and a finalist on season 18 of 'Dancing with the Stars'. A true inspiration to us all, Amy shares her incredible story with Laura and her listeners here today.
Amy starts by discussing her love for snowboarding during her teenage years. She then discusses her struggle with her medical condition and how she rose above her hardships through her self-belief. As you listen, you’ll learn of Amy’s many accomplishments, such as securing brand deals and winning a bronze medal. Along the way, you’ll understand Amy’s positive contributions to athletes with disabilities/special needs, and the lessons you learn from this podcast will definitely inspire you to look at difficulties in a whole new way.
Episode Highlights:
-Amy’s early days when she snowboarded with her friends
-How meningococcal meningitis impacted Amy
-Amy’s struggle with self-doubt
-How Amy discovered a creative solution to help her snowboard
-How Amy co-founded Adaptive Action Sports
-Amy’s successes with snowboarding
-How Amy’s injury complications changed her life
-Amy’s experiences and how she connects with her audience
Quotes
‘’So yeah, so snowboarding really was my passion. That’s what pulled me through my darkest days. And then you know, who would have thought that it would become almost my purpose, right?”
“And when I woke up from this coma, a few days later, I still have this respirator down my throat. And so, I couldn’t talk. But I wrote out on a piece of paper that I was given a choice and I chose to stay.’’
“I was just hanging on, and also incredibly grateful, like to have the opportunity to hang on and fight. And so, gratitude became a big part of not just a practice, but to be honest, like a very natural organic thing for me, because every day I woke up and I was alive, I was grateful whether I’d lost my legs or not.’’
“And I remember at one point saying, ‘I don’t know if I can do this, but if anybody can, it’s going to be me.’ ‘’
“I needed a community of people who are like me, and it didn’t really exist and needed something to pull it together.’’
‘’It’s like going through the valleys of despair and like finding your way out and having these real realizations of what’s really important in life, and how do we get through challenges. And I’ve decided to share the journey along the way.’’
Show Links
New Book: Life at 10 Meters: Lessons from an Olympic Champion
5 Smart Strategies to Confidence
Laura’s Social Media:
Connect With Amy:
Bouncing Forward with Amy Purdy
Adaptive Action Sports Website
Resources:
On My Own Feet: The Journey from Losing My Legs to Learning the Dance of Life (2014)