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Elana Meyers Taylor

Three-time Olympic Medalist Says You Can’t Spend Life in Your Gold Medal Moment

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When three-time Olympic medalist Elana Meyers Taylor finally steps out of the bobsled for the last time, maybe after the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, she will be able to look back at a trail-blazing career in which she became the first woman to earn a spot on the U.S. National Team competing alongside men as a four-man bobsled pilot.

While she won four golds at the World Championships, gold has thus far eluded her grasp during the Olympics. As she prepares for Beijing, she shared a lifetime of lessons in this episode about how to cultivate a mindset of “continuous learning,” one that constantly improves her and opens her to new opportunities that make her life a model for others.

One thing seems assured: if she wins gold, she will enjoy it for a while and then start looking for the next opportunity. “Every time I speak with a young person, I tell them the benefits of sports and try to encourage them to play as many sports as they can,” she said, “but with the emphasis that it can be a vehicle to whatever career they’re going to do next. And there will be a next for all of us.”

Bobsled aficionados and business leaders, alike, will enjoy Meyers Taylor’s insights on the joy of competing at the highest level while not allowing your wins and losses to define who you are.


You will learn:

  •  4:00   The power of role models to open new possibilities for others.
  • 10:30  Why failing at her Olympic softball trial was best-case scenario.
  • 13:00  How to trade “obligations” for “opportunities.”
  • 24:30  Why bronze medalists are the happiest on the podium.
  • 38:00  Why business leaders should be like “multi-sport” athletes.
  • 40:00  Why respect is the glue that binds successful teams.


You will learn:

  •  6:00   How easy it is to cut corners in practice and why you’ll suffer as a result.
  •  8:00   How to emphasize the power or “we” on your team.
  • 11:00  How living and working in Japan in the aftermath of the Fukushima disaster taught Lane that caring was the universal language of respected leaders.
  • 15:00  The level of employee interaction required to achieve success.
  • 18:30  The difference between being accountable and responsible.
  • 27:00  How to identify a meaningful friend or mentor.

Resources:


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13-Time New York Times Best-Selling Author & Leadership Coach

As a Hall of Fame keynote speaker, longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, and 12-time New York Times Best-Selling author, Don Yaeger is one of America’s most provocative thought leaders. From walking into Afghanistan with the Mujahadeen to living with football legend Walter Payton, Don has spent three decades embedded with the world’s greatest "Greats." Now a sought-after executive coach and host of the Corporate Competitor Podcast, he translates the lessons of sports and business legends into actionable strategies for building a culture of greatness.
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Simon Sinek

Best-Selling Author, Inspirational Speaker

"Don is one of the best storytellers I’ve ever met. I’ve known him for a long time and every time we talk I walk away wiser and more inspired. He is the best in the business at teaching you a skill – storytelling – that will last you a lifetime.”

Beth Brooke

Global Vice Chair of Public Policy for Ernst & Young

“The ability for athletes to get hired is carried on through you because you are putting out the message that lessons learned from sports are important in life. It is embedded in this podcast, what you’re doing is significant.”

Rick Hendrick

NASCAR Hall of Famer, Owner of Hendrick Motorsports & Chairman of the Hendrick Automotive Group

We speak the same language. I am inspired by the stories you tell, the people you have met, and the things you’ve done. Those of us that are competitors like to follow others that have been down that journey, so it is always fun talking to you!”

Bill George

Longtime Medtronic CEO, Harvard Professor

“Many of the leaders I have worked with were excellent athletes, and I think there is a direct correlation. You’re one of the few people that really has pursued this study, Don. Keep up the great work. What you are doing really makes a difference.”

Greg Brenneman

Home Depot Board Director

“Don, you have mastered the skill of interviewing and asking great questions. That is a great skill all leaders need in order to understand their team members’ thought processes.”

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