Carli Lloyd is one of the most accomplished soccer players in the world. She’s a three-time Olympian, two-time gold medalist, and two-time FIFA Player of the Year. This summer, Carli co-captains Team USA in her fourth World Cup. But her journey to the top of the soccer world was hardly conventional. At one point, Carli almost quit the sport. On this episode, we dig into how she rediscovered her passion and developed the work ethic, competitiveness, and mental toughness that have defined her career since.
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Show Notes
- When Nobody Was Watching by Carli Lloyd
- Carli Lloyd put on the greatest World Cup final performance ever
- Carli Lloyd Wins FIFA Player of the Year
- Sky Blue FC (NWSL)
- Medford Strikers Soccer Club
- Rutgers University women’s soccer
- Chris Petrucelli, soccer coach
- James Galanis, soccer coach / trainer
- Michael Jordan, NBA
- Bruce Lee, martial arts
- Muhammad Ali, boxing
- Tom Brady, NFL
- John F. Kennedy
- Justin Timberlake
Resources / People Mentioned
- The moment Carli almost quit soccer after being cut from the U21 team (2:05)
- How working with James Galanis changed the trajectory of Carli’s career (4:47)
- How she shifted her mindset and started to believe in herself (9:20)
- How changing her work ethic re-built her confidence (11:35)
- Carli’s “Empty the Tank” mentality (13:59)
- Why she loves the big moment (15:43)
- The missed penalty kick in the 2011 World Cup Final that changed her preparation (18:33)
- How Carli works on her mental toughness (22:00)
- “Be better than you were the day before.” (24:07)
- The three characteristics of a great teammate (25:16)
- How she manages her mental energy (28:53)
- How playing sports shaped her as a person (31:10)
- Carli’s advice to parents of young athletes (32:57)
- Carli’s advice to young girls (35:10)
- What she wants her legacy to be (35:49)
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Jon Dorenbos on Life is Magic- A Story of Resilience, Faith and Forgiveness
- Herm Edwards on You Play to Win the Game
- John Smoltz on Getting Outside Your Comfort Zone
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