Dominique Dawes is a three-time Olympic gymnast who helped Team USA to its first ever gold medal at the Summer Games in Atlanta in 1996. She is the only American gymnast to medal in the team competition at three different Olympic Games and is the first African-American gymnast to win an individual medal. But the success came at a price. Now, Dominique is helping to change the culture inside the sport she loves with the opening of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics & Ninja Academy. On this episode, we talk about finding your greater purpose and defining success in your own terms.
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Show Notes
- The intensity of training for the Olympics (2:10)
- The keys to her sustained success as a 3x Olympian (3:50)
- The struggle to find her identity outside of the sport (5:21)
- The pressure that “The Magnificent Seven” experienced going for gold at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta (7:32)
- Growing up in a sport that values perfectionism (8:20)
- Focus on your why (12:03)
- Putting ego aside to come together as a team (14:36)
- What drove her to compete (19:40)
- The mental, physical and emotional toll of competing at the highest level in gymnastics (21:04)
- Understanding her greater purpose (22:28)
- Paving the pathway for African-American gymnasts like Simone Biles (25:19)
- Channeling her pain into purpose (27:42)
- A parent’s role and involvement in their child’s participation in sports (31:05)
- The mission of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics and Ninja Academy (34:46)
- Her entrepreneurial journey (37:43)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Dominique Dawes Gymnastics Academy
- The Weight of Gold (HBO documentary)
- Golden: The Journey of USA’s Elite Gymnasts
- SpringHill Company
- LeBron James, basketball player
- Simone Biles, gymnast
- Jordan Chiles, gymnast
- Halle Berry Wins Best Actress: 2002 Oscars
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- Cleo Wade on Boundaries, Being Present, and The Power of Mantras
- Dansby Swanson on How to Improve Your Mental Approach
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