Miscellaneous
Easily one of the most talked about stories coming out of the current Olympic Games is Simone Biles’ decision to pull out of some events for mental health reasons. Her actions have generated a vast amount of opinions representing many different views, and I find that there is so much involved with both her decision and the reaction to it that we can learn from and apply to our own lives. Join me today as, together, we engage in this very timely case study of strength, leadership, and courage. We’ll start by reviewing both who Simone is and the decision she made at the Olympics this year, particularly in light of the narrative surrounding what we are led to believe strength truly means. We delve into the variety of opinions which her decision generated, some of the reasons behind these views, 3 lessons we can learn from the entire situation, and the comments offered by some of Simone’s fellow gymnasts, including a definition of just what exactly ‘the twisties’ are. Lessons learned through sports have always proven transferrable to our daily lives, and Simone’s actions at the Olympics this year exemplify this notion providing thought provoking guidance for us all. So much of what we learn here today is also explored ever further in my Ascend Mastermind, the next cohort of which is now open for one more week as a six month program starting at the end of the summer. If you’re a high achieving entrepreneur or high level professional who is ready to uplevel your health and well-being (mental, emotional, physical) while creating and pursuing goals you actually want then this Mastermind is the perfect opportunity for you. You’ll get to strengthen your habits, get clear on what you want and be held accountable by, and find support among like-minded women as you ascend. Check out the details here: www.kellytravis.net/ascend, and if you would like to hear first hand from someone who has actually gone through one of my Ascend Masterminds, let me know and we can make that happen as well. As always, if there is ever a topic you would like me to discuss or a guest you’d like me to interview on the podcast, please feel free to contact me at pr@kellytravis.net - I would love to hear from you! The Finer Details of This Episode: Simone Biles and the decision she made during these Olympics Narratives surrounding what strength is supposed to be Opinions regarding her decision and some reasons behind them 3 things we can learn from Simone The ‘twisties’ Other gymnasts’ perspectives on Simone’s decision Quotes: “Recognizing that you're not okay to compete or participate in anything…and withdrawing by fighting the need to keep your pride, is strength and courage and leadership.” “Strength is in recognizing that you are human, and you can't do it all the time.” “Anytime we see someone behave in a way we are uncomfortable with doing ourselves, it stirs the emotional part inside of us.” “Judging other people's coping decisions is the lowest form of arrogance.” “This idea that humans need to do whatever is necessary to just keep going, to perform, to sacrifice their whole self, our whole self, is what makes us, you know, what leads us to burnout, leads us to emotional distress, physical distress, health issues, vulnerable, to being taken advantage of, right, all of these things.” “Where am I still trying to live up to others' expectations, and how am I letting myself down by doing that?” “Ignoring what our body and our mind are trying to tell us, is an epidemic in and of itself, and our society lives on autopilot.” “What would happen if you started to choose you?” “I believe she doubled down on winning when she opted out.” “You don't owe anybody anything. And you especially don't owe them your body, your health or your autonomy.” “We want to support others, we want to support ourselves. We need to listen and prioritize our health and well being, and we need to let go of expectations or perceived expectations.” “The more we hear of people prioritizing their health and well being, the more we are given permission to do the same.” “If this is something you want to continue to work on while you work on your goals, if you want to be able to work on that narrative, so that you do believe that you can prioritize yourself while also working on your goals, definitely check out Ascend. That's what we do.” Show Links: Kelly’s homepage - http://www.kellytravis.net Ascend Mastermind - www.kellytravis.net/ascend Why Naomi Osaka's French Open Withdrawal is a Mental Health Win Adam Grant's Instagram Page Former Gymnasts Explain the Dangerous 'Twisties' that Prompted Simone Biles to Withdraw Catherine Burns on Twitter