Amit Bray once said, “Everyone has the fire, but the champions know when to ignite the spark.” So what does this process look like? What really separates the ordinary from the extraordinary?
If you’ve been with me for a while, you know that I don’t do average — I do greatness. There’s something exceptionally inspiring about the legends who reach the top of their game. It’s even more amazing when they can maintain that state of high achievement again and again, despite the odds, the competition, and their own personal challenges.
As a former football player myself, talking with top athletes is always moving. But no matter what field you’re in, you can learn lessons from the pros. It’s the most victorious athletes who face the enormous pressure that comes with being at the top. Simultaneously cheered on and envied, they must find reserves of power from within no matter how their life trajectory moves. In learning from legends, I hope you’ll find inspiration to push boundaries, challenge yourself, and discover just how much is possible for you.
It was my great pleasure to talk to Lindsey Vonn, the most decorated ski champion in the world. I never made it to her level, and I was truly honored to connect with her, pick her brain, and dive into questions about both professional and personal mastery.
Who Is Lindsey Vonn?
For many people, my guest needs no introduction. With 82 World Cup victories, Alpine Skier Lindsey Vonn is the most decorated ski champion in history. Among her many accolades, Lindsey has won an Olympic Gold Medal, two World Cup titles, four World Cup victories, and 16 Crystal Globes. Lindsey’s wins far exceed any other skier in the world.
Lindsey’s journey wasn’t without challenges. She battled depression, overcame self-doubt, and suffered numerous injuries, which eventually led to her retirement in 2019. Since retiring, she’s focused on her personal life and philanthropic pursuits. She’s written two books: the autobiographical Rise: My Story and the New York Times bestseller Strong is the New Beautiful. In addition, she runs the Lindsey Vonn Foundation and supports Wings for Life and the Wounded Warrior Project.
Not only is Lindsey an incredible inspiration, but she also has great insight into one of the most challenging processes we all go through — change. Having centered most of her life around skiing and competition, Lindsey met the challenge of transitioning away from competitive racing head-on. In ending one cycle and beginning a new one, Lindsey learned to let go of the past and move forward into the new, exciting chapter she’s in now.
Talking with Lindsey was fascinating. It’s always wonderful to hear of the attitudes, processes, victories, and struggles of the most successful people on earth. I loved hearing about what fueled her amazing athletic achievements and how she’s embracing life in a whole new way post-career. Let’s get started!
On Success Despite Setbacks
Lindsey brought an almost superhuman ability to the slopes without fail. There’s no doubt that she had a natural talent and a dedication to training. So what else plays into the recipe for Lindsey’s success?
“I’m a really competitive person. … I’m like a perpetual one-upper. … I think one of the things that most people said about me when I started to succeed [was,] ‘Now she’s got this, she’s going to … relax, and it’s not going to happen again.’ And that’s the exact opposite [of the] way that I think. … I’m like, ‘If I get this, and I’m going to get this … I need to get that.’ … I always try to get better and better … because that’s the fun of a challenge.” – Lindsey Vonn
Obviously, Lindsey isn’t one to rest on her laurels. Instead of sitting back after a win, she was always hungry for more. Of course, not everyone is naturally competitive and needs to outshine other people. A competitive nature might be great for an Olympic athlete, but maybe you have a softer approach to life. But even if your biggest comparison is to your best self, how can you let that propel you forward? Do you want to stay stagnant, or do you want to expand? Whether it’s advancing in your career, improving your mindset, or cultivating relationships, where is there room for growth, and how can you surprise yourself by doing something new?
It’s that same long-term view and stamina that fueled Lindsey even when things didn’t work out. In her field, athletes train for decades to perform for a matter of 60 seconds. And if something goes wrong? They have to live with the weight of knowing that those decades of training are, in a way, gone.
Haven’t we all felt like that? Have you pursued a job, a relationship, a dream for years and years only to have it dissolve in a matter of days or minutes or seconds? I asked Lindsey what helped her in the moments she felt like this.
“I always felt like if I worked hard enough, things would turn around. Like whenever I had a really bad moment, I said, … ’The good guy is not going to finish last. … I’m going to come back. I just have to double down, … reinvest everything in myself, and come back. … Sometimes you just need a little bit of a reset. … You need to take a break and come back to it sometimes. … It’s more of just a mind over matter.” – Lindsey Vonn
And remember, the journey is as important as the destination. So remember that the lessons you learn along the way are just as valuable if not more valuable than the end result.
Lindsey also shared a great tip for building confidence when it’s starting to wane — journaling.
“I think the biggest thing is just believing in yourself, which can be very difficult to do, obviously, especially if you have multiple setbacks in a row, … but that’s why I always journal. … I did a lot of journaling from general day to day to when I was racing and training. I would write everything down, especially when things are going well because everyone thinks when things are going well like, ‘This is great. It’s so easy,’ and they forget about what they’re doing. And then all of a sudden, one day, things aren’t going well, and you think, ‘How do I get back? So I always kept notes of everything — what runs felt good, what skis felt good, what foods felt good — and then I always had a reference point to go back to.” – Lindsey Vonn
I don’t know about you, but I’ll be using this technique from now on. Why only journal when we have an issue to work out when we can document and remember our successes?
