What does it take to become an Olympic gold medalist? Figure skater Tara Lipinski catapulted onto the world stage at age 15, becoming the youngest individual gold medalist ever at the 1998 Winter Olympics. Today she’s a broadcaster for NBC and producer for the new docuseries, Meddling. On this episode, Tara shares the sacrifice and immense discipline it takes to be elite and what it’s like to perform under pressure.
Follow Tara: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Show Notes
- How Tara’s career began in the local roller skating rink (1:27)
- The sacrifices her parents made to allow her to pursue her dream (2:23)
- The internal drive to compete (4:09)
- People overestimate talent and underestimate discipline (6:10)
- Repetition builds confidence (10:07)
- Control what you can control (12:05)
- When your idols become your competition (13:43)
- What it’s like to train your entire life for an Olympic moment (17:00)
- Strategies to overcome self-doubt (19:44)
- It comes down to the mental game (22:00)
- Reflecting on the mental health aspect of competitive sports (22:17)
- Learning to take risks inside of perfectionism (23:57)
- Find your edge (25:47)
- Embrace discomfort (30:06)
- How she dealt with the instant fame at age 15 (32:04)
- Finding a new identity outside of skating (33:11)
- Her new project as a producer (38:09)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Tara Lipinski’s gold medal routine
- Winter Olympics
- Tara and Johnny (podcast)
- Johnny Weir, figure skater
- Meddling (docuseries)
- Michelle Kwan, figure skater
- The Weight of Gold (documentary)
- Elevate
- Dexter: New Blood (TV show)
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Olympian Dominique Dawes on How to Find Fulfillment
- Carli Lloyd on Outworking the Competition
- Amy Van Dyken on How to Keep a Positive Outlook
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