we evolved because it’s what we can do it’s what we should do
it’s what we should do
it’s what we should do Today Tomorrow forever
have you ever wanted to show up and be
have you ever wanted to show up and be your best and something got in the way
your best and something got in the way
your best and something got in the way think about it presentation a test you
think about it presentation a test you
think about it presentation a test you stayed up all night preparing for you’re
stayed up all night preparing for you’re
stayed up all night preparing for you’re probably over prepared for it and then
probably over prepared for it and then
probably over prepared for it and then the next day it’s like the answers quite
the next day it’s like the answers quite
the next day it’s like the answers quite aren’t coming to you like you can’t
aren’t coming to you like you can’t
aren’t coming to you like you can’t access all of the knowledge you have in
access all of the knowledge you have in
access all of the knowledge you have in the learning you’ve done you ever wanted
the learning you’ve done you ever wanted
the learning you’ve done you ever wanted to meet someone new maybe they’re
to meet someone new maybe they’re
to meet someone new maybe they’re interesting to you maybe you’re
interesting to you maybe you’re
interesting to you maybe you’re attractive to them and after you get
attractive to them and after you get
attractive to them and after you get past the first tulo it’s like you fumble
past the first tulo it’s like you fumble
past the first tulo it’s like you fumble your words like you can’t quite be you
your words like you can’t quite be you
your words like you can’t quite be you you walk away from that experience
you walk away from that experience
you walk away from that experience feeling small maybe like you couldn’t
feeling small maybe like you couldn’t
feeling small maybe like you couldn’t quite access your wit and your humor the
quite access your wit and your humor the
quite access your wit and your humor the characteristics that people know and
characteristics that people know and
characteristics that people know and love about you or those big games those
love about you or those big games those
love about you or those big games those big performances there’s so much hype
big performances there’s so much hype
big performances there’s so much hype and excitement around the event but then
and excitement around the event but then
and excitement around the event but then the event starts and it’s like you’re
the event starts and it’s like you’re
the event starts and it’s like you’re just a little bit off like the game is
just a little bit off like the game is
just a little bit off like the game is moving faster than your skill set allows
moving faster than your skill set allows
moving faster than your skill set allows you like you can’t quite access all of
you like you can’t quite access all of
you like you can’t quite access all of the training that you’ve done I think
the training that you’ve done I think
the training that you’ve done I think this is a shared part of the human
this is a shared part of the human
this is a shared part of the human experience I think we all get in the way
experience I think we all get in the way
experience I think we all get in the way of ourselves far too often myself
of ourselves far too often myself
of ourselves far too often myself included the thing is though is that
included the thing is though is that
included the thing is though is that many of us want to go for it in life and
many of us want to go for it in life and
many of us want to go for it in life and so if that’s the case we signed up for
so if that’s the case we signed up for
so if that’s the case we signed up for things to be difficult and challenging
things to be difficult and challenging
things to be difficult and challenging and what I know is inherent in that
and what I know is inherent in that
and what I know is inherent in that process is stress and pressure there’s
process is stress and pressure there’s
process is stress and pressure there’s uncertainty we have to take some risks
uncertainty we have to take some risks
uncertainty we have to take some risks and all of that can be anxiety provoking
and all of that can be anxiety provoking
and all of that can be anxiety provoking for most people it can feel scary and a
for most people it can feel scary and a
for most people it can feel scary and a little anxiety and fear that’s okay
little anxiety and fear that’s okay
little anxiety and fear that’s okay that’s our brain doing exactly what it’s
that’s our brain doing exactly what it’s
that’s our brain doing exactly what it’s designed to do to keep us safe it’s
designed to do to keep us safe it’s
designed to do to keep us safe it’s helped our species survive to plan and
helped our species survive to plan and
helped our species survive to plan and worry for what could go wrong in the
worry for what could go wrong in the
worry for what could go wrong in the future but too much anxiety and too much
future but too much anxiety and too much
future but too much anxiety and too much fear that gets in the way of us pursuing
fear that gets in the way of us pursuing
fear that gets in the way of us pursuing our best it gets in the way of us going
our best it gets in the way of us going
our best it gets in the way of us going for it in life so if we want to go for
for it in life so if we want to go for
for it in life so if we want to go for it in life we have to learn to trust
it in life we have to learn to trust
it in life we have to learn to trust ourselves to be good enough and if I
ourselves to be good enough and if I
ourselves to be good enough and if I decode what that statement means to
decode what that statement means to
decode what that statement means to trust yourself to be good enough first
trust yourself to be good enough first
trust yourself to be good enough first you have to know who you are as a human
you have to know who you are as a human
you have to know who you are as a human being I didn’t know who I was when I was
being I didn’t know who I was when I was
being I didn’t know who I was when I was playing volleyball I had never thought
playing volleyball I had never thought
playing volleyball I had never thought of that concept outside
of that concept outside
of that concept outside I’m a good athlete or I’m a great
I’m a good athlete or I’m a great
I’m a good athlete or I’m a great volleyball player and we all do this we
volleyball player and we all do this we
volleyball player and we all do this we all have a tendency to wrap up or enmesh
all have a tendency to wrap up or enmesh
all have a tendency to wrap up or enmesh our identities in the things that we do
our identities in the things that we do
our identities in the things that we do and the roles that we play rather than
and the roles that we play rather than
and the roles that we play rather than who we are as a human being and what we
who we are as a human being and what we
who we are as a human being and what we stand for is a human being and the trap
stand for is a human being and the trap
stand for is a human being and the trap behind that door is that when we get
behind that door is that when we get
behind that door is that when we get tested if we don’t know who we are it’s
tested if we don’t know who we are it’s
tested if we don’t know who we are it’s hard to show up and be the best version
hard to show up and be the best version
hard to show up and be the best version of ourselves so if we can put language
of ourselves so if we can put language
of ourselves so if we can put language to the thoughts and the words and the
to the thoughts and the words and the
to the thoughts and the words and the actions that represent who you are at
actions that represent who you are at
actions that represent who you are at your best then that gives us a reference
your best then that gives us a reference
your best then that gives us a reference point to come back to when we’re not at
point to come back to when we’re not at
point to come back to when we’re not at our best when things are a little bit
our best when things are a little bit
our best when things are a little bit off for ourselves and with that clarity
off for ourselves and with that clarity
off for ourselves and with that clarity comes a sense of groundedness comes a
comes a sense of groundedness comes a
comes a sense of groundedness comes a sense of conviction to be your best self
sense of conviction to be your best self
sense of conviction to be your best self when we’re tested and we get tested
when we’re tested and we get tested
when we’re tested and we get tested every single day this is about how we
every single day this is about how we
every single day this is about how we show up every single day I’ve done the
show up every single day I’ve done the
show up every single day I’ve done the work now so I know that what I stand for
work now so I know that what I stand for
work now so I know that what I stand for is living with a sense of curiosity and
is living with a sense of curiosity and
is living with a sense of curiosity and that gets tested for example when I’m
that gets tested for example when I’m
that gets tested for example when I’m driving and someone cuts me off
driving and someone cuts me off
driving and someone cuts me off and almost runs me into another Lane and
and almost runs me into another Lane and
and almost runs me into another Lane and I feel threatened it’s really hard to be
I feel threatened it’s really hard to be
I feel threatened it’s really hard to be curious in those types of moments but I
curious in those types of moments but I
curious in those types of moments but I know when I’m able to guide myself back
know when I’m able to guide myself back
know when I’m able to guide myself back to a thought around curiosity like I
to a thought around curiosity like I
to a thought around curiosity like I wonder what it was like for that person
wonder what it was like for that person
wonder what it was like for that person living life today before now when I do
living life today before now when I do
living life today before now when I do that I’m able to respond as a better
that I’m able to respond as a better
that I’m able to respond as a better version of myself I’m able to get a rep
version of myself I’m able to get a rep
version of myself I’m able to get a rep at being a better version of myself in
at being a better version of myself in
at being a better version of myself in that moment so the question for you is
that moment so the question for you is
that moment so the question for you is who are you what are the thoughts in the
who are you what are the thoughts in the
who are you what are the thoughts in the words and the phrases that guides you to
words and the phrases that guides you to
words and the phrases that guides you to be your best when you’re tested and then
be your best when you’re tested and then
be your best when you’re tested and then that the question is can you get more
that the question is can you get more
that the question is can you get more reps at being the best version of
reps at being the best version of
reps at being the best version of yourself today and then trust Trust is a
yourself today and then trust Trust is a
yourself today and then trust Trust is a skill like any other skill that you have
skill like any other skill that you have
skill like any other skill that you have that you possess if you practice you can
that you possess if you practice you can
that you possess if you practice you can improve it and the way to practice or
improve it and the way to practice or
improve it and the way to practice or train trusts would be to get
train trusts would be to get
train trusts would be to get uncomfortable
uncomfortable
uncomfortable on purpose more often so that you can
on purpose more often so that you can
on purpose more often so that you can learn to be comfortable in that space
learn to be comfortable in that space
learn to be comfortable in that space this is how this came to life for me I
this is how this came to life for me I
this is how this came to life for me I learned this lesson on the USA team it
learned this lesson on the USA team it
learned this lesson on the USA team it was after the London Olympics and there
was after the London Olympics and there
was after the London Olympics and there were about twenty eight of us sitting in
were about twenty eight of us sitting in
were about twenty eight of us sitting in a room in a semi-circle some of the
a room in a semi-circle some of the
a room in a semi-circle some of the girls on the team had been there for two
girls on the team had been there for two
girls on the team had been there for two weeks
weeks
weeks fresh off the boat some had been to as
fresh off the boat some had been to as
fresh off the boat some had been to as many as five Olympic Games our coaches
many as five Olympic Games our coaches
many as five Olympic Games our coaches were sitting behind us and our
were sitting behind us and our
were sitting behind us and our performance psychologist was at the
performance psychologist was at the
performance psychologist was at the front of the room he asked a very simple
front of the room he asked a very simple
front of the room he asked a very simple question he said would anyone like to
question he said would anyone like to
question he said would anyone like to come to the front of the room to test to
come to the front of the room to test to
come to the front of the room to test to see how their mind works under pressure
see how their mind works under pressure
see how their mind works under pressure imagine that imagine if I asked her a
imagine that imagine if I asked her a
imagine that imagine if I asked her a volunteer in this audience right now to
volunteer in this audience right now to
volunteer in this audience right now to come stand on stage with me with the
come stand on stage with me with the
come stand on stage with me with the bright lights in the camera and test to
bright lights in the camera and test to
bright lights in the camera and test to see how your mind works under pressure
see how your mind works under pressure
see how your mind works under pressure what if I asked you to come up here on
what if I asked you to come up here on
what if I asked you to come up here on stage with me right now to test your
stage with me right now to test your
stage with me right now to test your mind to see what what happens under
mind to see what what happens under
mind to see what what happens under pressure what’s happened is your
pressure what’s happened is your
pressure what’s happened is your powerful mind has already imagined
powerful mind has already imagined
powerful mind has already imagined yourself up here so your body has
yourself up here so your body has
yourself up here so your body has switched on in some sort of way and
switched on in some sort of way and
switched on in some sort of way and whether you’re aware of it or not your
whether you’re aware of it or not your
whether you’re aware of it or not your thoughts have already gone to oh my god
thoughts have already gone to oh my god
thoughts have already gone to oh my god and you’re thinking about all of the
and you’re thinking about all of the
and you’re thinking about all of the things that could go wrong if I test
things that could go wrong if I test
things that could go wrong if I test your mind to see how it works under
your mind to see how it works under
your mind to see how it works under pressure will it work and so this is our
pressure will it work and so this is our
pressure will it work and so this is our brain doing exactly what it’s designed
brain doing exactly what it’s designed
brain doing exactly what it’s designed to do you’ve interpreted a threat I know
to do you’ve interpreted a threat I know
to do you’ve interpreted a threat I know I’m intimidating a five-foot-four you’ve
I’m intimidating a five-foot-four you’ve
I’m intimidating a five-foot-four you’ve interpreted a threat right and so your
interpreted a threat right and so your
interpreted a threat right and so your body has switched on even more so if you
body has switched on even more so if you
body has switched on even more so if you pay attention your heart rate has
pay attention your heart rate has
pay attention your heart rate has increased right now it’s maybe feels
increased right now it’s maybe feels
increased right now it’s maybe feels like it’s pounding in your chest with
like it’s pounding in your chest with
like it’s pounding in your chest with the anticipation of having to come up
the anticipation of having to come up
the anticipation of having to come up here if I asked you to actually stand
here if I asked you to actually stand
here if I asked you to actually stand and walk to the stage it would feel like
and walk to the stage it would feel like
and walk to the stage it would feel like your legs are a little bit heavier than
your legs are a little bit heavier than
your legs are a little bit heavier than they normally are if you pay attention
they normally are if you pay attention
they normally are if you pay attention there might be some butterflies in your
there might be some butterflies in your
there might be some butterflies in your stomach
stomach
stomach that’s not nervousness that’s blood
that’s not nervousness that’s blood
that’s not nervousness that’s blood leaving your stomach as it goes to your
leaving your stomach as it goes to your
leaving your stomach as it goes to your extremities because the thought of being
extremities because the thought of being
extremities because the thought of being up here is so threatening that it’s
up here is so threatening that it’s
up here is so threatening that it’s kicked on your fight-or-flight response
kicked on your fight-or-flight response
kicked on your fight-or-flight response again this is a little bit of anxiety a
again this is a little bit of anxiety a
again this is a little bit of anxiety a little bit fear it’s your body doing
little bit fear it’s your body doing
little bit fear it’s your body doing exact
exact
exact what it’s designed to do but this is the
what it’s designed to do but this is the
what it’s designed to do but this is the exact moment that I’m talking about
exact moment that I’m talking about
exact moment that I’m talking about where we feel most uncomfortable that
where we feel most uncomfortable that
where we feel most uncomfortable that causes us to hesitate and go for it the
causes us to hesitate and go for it the
causes us to hesitate and go for it the biggest threat that we usually face on a
biggest threat that we usually face on a
biggest threat that we usually face on a day-to-day basis is the thought that
day-to-day basis is the thought that
day-to-day basis is the thought that someone what someone thinks of us could
someone what someone thinks of us could
someone what someone thinks of us could be bad it’s fear of judgment from others
be bad it’s fear of judgment from others
be bad it’s fear of judgment from others and it’s for that same reason in a room
and it’s for that same reason in a room
and it’s for that same reason in a room of 28 Olympians and Olympic hopefuls
of 28 Olympians and Olympic hopefuls
of 28 Olympians and Olympic hopefuls just one person raised her hand to see
just one person raised her hand to see
just one person raised her hand to see how her mind would get tested under
how her mind would get tested under
how her mind would get tested under pressure do you want to come up and do
pressure do you want to come up and do
pressure do you want to come up and do it I’m just kidding you’re off the hook
it I’m just kidding you’re off the hook
it I’m just kidding you’re off the hook I’m not gonna make me do it but your
I’m not gonna make me do it but your
I’m not gonna make me do it but your heart rates up isn’t it yeah I know I
heart rates up isn’t it yeah I know I
heart rates up isn’t it yeah I know I know so one person right one person went
know so one person right one person went
know so one person right one person went up there and she was an absolute mess
up there and she was an absolute mess
up there and she was an absolute mess right her legs were shaking and her
right her legs were shaking and her
right her legs were shaking and her voice was cracking she could barely get
voice was cracking she could barely get
voice was cracking she could barely get through the activity and it was awesome
through the activity and it was awesome
through the activity and it was awesome it was such a beautiful moment because
it was such a beautiful moment because
it was such a beautiful moment because she earned the right to do something
she earned the right to do something
she earned the right to do something that the rest of us didn’t earn when we
that the rest of us didn’t earn when we
that the rest of us didn’t earn when we sat on our butts and we didn’t go for it
sat on our butts and we didn’t go for it
sat on our butts and we didn’t go for it she earned the right to get
she earned the right to get
she earned the right to get uncomfortable and to grow and from that
uncomfortable and to grow and from that
uncomfortable and to grow and from that she built capacity for herself to trust
she built capacity for herself to trust
she built capacity for herself to trust to do difficult things in the future
to do difficult things in the future
to do difficult things in the future and that’s the essence of it that’s it
and that’s the essence of it that’s it
and that’s the essence of it that’s it right there
right there
right there you can train trust you can do this more
you can train trust you can do this more
you can train trust you can do this more often the next time you have a brilliant
often the next time you have a brilliant
often the next time you have a brilliant idea and you want to raise your hand and
idea and you want to raise your hand and
idea and you want to raise your hand and share it instead of the internal civil
share it instead of the internal civil
share it instead of the internal civil war that takes place this should I
war that takes place this should I
war that takes place this should I shouldn’t I just go for it the next time
shouldn’t I just go for it the next time
shouldn’t I just go for it the next time the teacher or someone says hey who
the teacher or someone says hey who
the teacher or someone says hey who wants to go first throw your hand up go
wants to go first throw your hand up go
wants to go first throw your hand up go for it when you’re standing in line at
for it when you’re standing in line at
for it when you’re standing in line at your favorite coffee shop find a perfect
your favorite coffee shop find a perfect
your favorite coffee shop find a perfect stranger to compliment because it’s
stranger to compliment because it’s
stranger to compliment because it’s those moments that we purposely get
those moments that we purposely get
those moments that we purposely get uncomfortable that we train trust and
uncomfortable that we train trust and
uncomfortable that we train trust and that’s what this is all about and I want
that’s what this is all about and I want
that’s what this is all about and I want to end by talking about this idea of how
to end by talking about this idea of how
to end by talking about this idea of how we’re defining what good enough means
we’re defining what good enough means
we’re defining what good enough means because I think socially we’ve
because I think socially we’ve
because I think socially we’ve conceptualized it as the pursuit of
conceptualized it as the pursuit of
conceptualized it as the pursuit of perfection or incessantly working
perfection or incessantly working
perfection or incessantly working towards accomplishments or being more
towards accomplishments or being more
towards accomplishments or being more than or being better than others and
than or being better than others and
than or being better than others and there’s a cost to all that and the cost
there’s a cost to all that and the cost
there’s a cost to all that and the cost is internally it’s just
is internally it’s just
is internally it’s just exhausting to our resources but the
exhausting to our resources but the
exhausting to our resources but the pursuit of perfection what happens is we
pursuit of perfection what happens is we
pursuit of perfection what happens is we avoid mistakes in pursuing
avoid mistakes in pursuing
avoid mistakes in pursuing accomplishments we tend to avoid
accomplishments we tend to avoid
accomplishments we tend to avoid innovating we avoid experimenting we
innovating we avoid experimenting we
innovating we avoid experimenting we avoid failure in that stuff that’s the
avoid failure in that stuff that’s the
avoid failure in that stuff that’s the good stuff that’s at the heart of
good stuff that’s at the heart of
good stuff that’s at the heart of pursuing your best self so if we want to
pursuing your best self so if we want to
pursuing your best self so if we want to get after it maybe we need to think
get after it maybe we need to think
get after it maybe we need to think about how we’re framing what good enough
about how we’re framing what good enough
about how we’re framing what good enough means and I’m not by any means saying
means and I’m not by any means saying
means and I’m not by any means saying that you shouldn’t work hard that’s not
that you shouldn’t work hard that’s not
that you shouldn’t work hard that’s not how it works if you want to get after it
how it works if you want to get after it
how it works if you want to get after it in life if you want to be a doctor an
in life if you want to be a doctor an
in life if you want to be a doctor an engineer it doesn’t matter you have to
engineer it doesn’t matter you have to
engineer it doesn’t matter you have to work hard you have to study you have to
work hard you have to study you have to
work hard you have to study you have to know your stuff but what I do want to
know your stuff but what I do want to
know your stuff but what I do want to highlight is the difference between
highlight is the difference between
highlight is the difference between having so much passion for something
having so much passion for something
having so much passion for something that it drives you towards mastery
that it drives you towards mastery
that it drives you towards mastery versus this all-too-common striving and
versus this all-too-common striving and
versus this all-too-common striving and straining to somehow prove our worth
straining to somehow prove our worth
straining to somehow prove our worth based on the standards or expectations
based on the standards or expectations
based on the standards or expectations that others have set for us others being
that others have set for us others being
that others have set for us others being your peers society or the world so in
your peers society or the world so in
your peers society or the world so in pursuit of your best trusting yourself
pursuit of your best trusting yourself
pursuit of your best trusting yourself to be good enough is a great compass to
to be good enough is a great compass to
to be good enough is a great compass to have and to trust yourself to be good
have and to trust yourself to be good
have and to trust yourself to be good enough know who you are so you can be
enough know who you are so you can be
enough know who you are so you can be that more often purposefully get
that more often purposefully get
that more often purposefully get uncomfortable lean into it so you can
uncomfortable lean into it so you can
uncomfortable lean into it so you can build your capacity to trust yourself
build your capacity to trust yourself
build your capacity to trust yourself and set your own standard for what good
and set your own standard for what good
and set your own standard for what good is because at the end of the day what is
is because at the end of the day what is
is because at the end of the day what is better than your best thank you
better than your best thank you
better than your best thank you [Applause]
”
Be First to Comment