What we cover: In the seven months that this series has been my Labour of Love – my Love Child – we’ve been fortunate to chat with a number of those fine human specimens who fall under the “Olympian” banner. What I love about these conversations, is that these people undeniably rank as the best of the best. There is no question; it’s not up for debate. But in sitting down for tea with each of them, they’ve all proven one thing: Beneath the shiny hardware and accolades and the glory, are people. People with struggles, people with sometimes negative self-image issues, people who suffer from the famous “imposter” syndrome. People who are, in fact, just people. For me, someone who is your everyday participant in life – I will never stand on a podium while they play my national anthem – I get more comfort from these connections than I can possibly articulate. And today’s talk takes the proverbial cake. (The proverbial gluten-free, sugar-free, nut-free, organic free-range-egg cake. Because more and more that’s just what cake today looks like.)
She’s a two-time Olympic rower. She’s a silver medalist. She’s supermodel gorgeous. She’s fit and smart and funny and author of her awesome and inspiring new book “Beyond the Finish Line: What happens when the endorphins fade”. She’s Krista Guloien. But despite her success, what I love best is that she’s a self-professed “functioning hot mess”. And she admits it all: That in her life, she’s occasionally been plagued with self-doubt, times of insecurity and uncertainty, times of not knowing who she is and who she’s meant to be. But she shows up. And she shows up. And she shows up. And when she falls, you know what she does? She gets back up – stronger than before.
This could very well be one of the most relevant conversations I’ve been blessed to be part of.
She reminds us all that how we see ourselves is not how others necessarily do. Krista has a life philosophy and it’s three simple words. “Find a way.” If something matters to her – and this is a beautiful reminder for us all – she will find a way. Because in applying this one simple mandate, she’s been able to identify what is no longer serving her. If she finds herself making excuses, saying she’s too busy, simply put – not finding a way to make it happen, she knows it’s because it’s not really a priority for her. When she shared that with me, I nearly fell off my chair. Find a way. Those words are going to live on my fridge for the next 60 years of my life. (Since I intend to live to 104, that math does work.) As Krista says: “When you really want something, you show up. You find a way.”