733 The World’s Greatest Athlete: Katrín Davíðsdóttir

This is episode number 733 with the world's greatest athlete and CrossFit champion, Katrin Davidsdottir. Welcome to the School of Greatness. My name is Lewis Howes, a former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur. And each week we bring you an inspiring person or message to help you discover how to unlock your inner greatness. Thanks for spending some time with me today. Now let the class begin. It doesn't matter how much talent you have. The only way that you're going to be successful as one of the greatest in the world is if you have talent and you have so much hard work that you back that talent with consistent, dedicated effort. That will set you up for the chance of being great. And that's what our guest today has done. Catrin David's daughter is a legend in the fitness and CrossFit world. She is an Icelandic CrossFit athlete known for her four appearances at the CrossFit Games, took 30th in her first Games appearance in 2012 after less than a year of doing CrossFit, improving to 24th in the Games in 2013. Now, 2014, she was sidelined from the games that year. She didn't qualify, but she returned with a fierce dedication to be great in 2015 and improved her focus and took the title of the fittest woman on earth. She then proved that it was no fluke with a repeat victory in 2016, making her only the second woman to repeat as champion. Talk about a fierce competitor. Talk about someone who has a big heart, a deep desire to push herself to the greatest limits humanly possible. That is what Catrin has been able to do with herself and she is just getting started. In this interview, we talk about how fast she knew she wanted to be in the CrossFit Games. We talk about when she realized that she needed a coach and a strategy to be able to advance her in her passion. And she was able to get only so far alone, but in order to be a champion, she needed a coach and a strategy. The importance of rest and reflection when you fail. Why you need to build a solid structure that you love doing day after day. Also the importance of balance if you wanna be the best in the world at anything. And we talk about who she was working for and competing for in her 2015 win. I'm super excited about this. I've been following Catrin for a long time and we've been connected online for a while, but we finally got to connect in person in Boston and this is an incredible interview. Make sure to share with your friends lewishouse.com/733 tag Catrin on Instagram as well as you're watching this or as you're listening to this and let her know what you think about this as you listen.

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Again, a big thank you to our sponsors. And if you are looking to be great in your life, then we have an incredible young woman who is going to inspire you right now to reach beyond your dreams, to reach beyond your limits, and to achieve everything you want. So let me introduce to you the one, the only, Catherine David's daughter.

Welcome everyone to the School of Greatness podcast. We've got the legendary Catherine David's daughter in the house. Finally. I know. We've been trying to do this for what, two years? Probably.

Two years.

So long. Every time I say I'm about to.

Come to California, I mean it every single time. You haven't been to California, I don't think in two years.

I'm in Boston right now.

Yeah, I haven't.

We're in Boston.

I don't think I've been there since.

The CrossFit Games, yeah. The Games in 2016.

2016, yeah.

Wow. Yeah, so we've been talking since then and we were like, yeah, I'm gonna be out there for like an event or a sponsor thing or you never make it out. So I decided I'm coming out to Boston.

We did it.

We're here in like Harvard Square and I'm excited to be here because you've had an incredible journey. You're only 25. You've won two CrossFit Games back to back.

You've qualified for six games.

Five games.

12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18.

Six games. You qualified twice and then you missed once.

Yes.

What was that like when you were qualifying and you're just like, I'm gonna get better every year, and then all of a sudden, I don't qualify after a year of pain and struggle and training?

Honestly, right now, I can look back and say that it's the best thing that ever happened to me. In the moment, it was the hardest thing that ever happened to me. I kind of, I was born very competitive. And it didn't really matter what it was, whether it was, you know, swimming when we were in school or, you know, running around the playground, you know, with the boys, I was always in a competition. And I did gymnastics until I was 16, and I was never really good at gymnastics, but I think I love the conditioning part and I love the dedication. I train four hours a day, six days a week and I liked that structure. And at 16, I kind of, I didn't want to do it anymore and I was trying to find something, you know, I was playing around with track and I was playing with go to a global gym and I was always missing that like, you know, waking up in the morning and working hard towards something and, you know, having a purpose. And in 2011, Annie wins the Games. She's one of my best friends now. She's from Iceland, but that was all over the news, all over the media, and they were showing clips from the CrossFit Games and saying that she won that. And I remember my mom and my grandma was kind of lost that summer. I'd been doing like two years of kind of like back and forth of gymnastics and track.

You were in high school at the time?

Yes.

Yeah.

My mom, my grandma, like, why didn't you try that? And in my head, I feel like it was the day after that. I went to the gym that she was at. Yeah, and I signed up for boot camp. I signed up for CrossFit, and that was literally it.

Wow. Right away from day one, you knew.

Yeah, I think I'd been doing it for about three weeks when I remember talking to my mom, and I was like, I was like, Mom, I want to make it to Regionals.

Wow.

Which is like the qualification process or used to be for the CrossFit Games. And that was probably in September, and then probably around the new year, I remember that goal kind of shifting to I want to make it to the games.

No way. That quick.

That quick. And that's a little bit dangerous because I was so good right away.

So that was 2012?

This is, yeah, this is the end of 2011 and 2012, I actually make it to the games.

Your first year.

My first year trying. Yes.

Of training.

And no one could do that today. I mean, the sport was so much younger, but I really, I progressed very fast and I got good right away. And when I say good, I actually think that's so dangerous because I think I got kind of content, you know, it was good. I was a young one. I was the one that made it right to the games. And honestly, when I got to the games that year, I, I didn't really belong. I was very starstruck by everyone that was there. I didn't have a coach. I hadn't trained for that. amount of volume. I didn't have the headspace to be there and honestly didn't enjoy it at all. But I got to call myself a games athlete. And then again in-- Would you play.

As top 30, right?

It was somewhere 30, I might have been 30, yeah. And then I have another year of kind of doing the same thing. Like I would show up every day and I would train and I love training. And then I was a full-time student and I was coaching and show up again 2013 and kind of just same story. good enough that I'm a games athlete and I get to call myself a games athlete all year. But as soon as I get to the games, it's a whole other level and a whole other playing field and it's so many days and so many things to think about. And again, like I don't, I didn't really have a coach and again, no.

One came with you to support you in coaching wise.

I had some people from my gym.

But they weren't like coaches.

They weren't my coaches. They were very supportive and honestly, couldn't have done it without them. But we hadn't worked together and I didn't have the mindset and I didn't have the preparation that needed for the games.

You didn't have a strategy mentally, yeah.

And that's kind of just like kept going like that until 2014, I didn't make the games. And right in that moment of not making it to the games, I remember there was a workout that had 10 legless rope climbs in. And legless rope climbs were a weakness of mine. And there was, it was, that was the workout. 10 legless rope climbs. There was nowhere to hide. And for weeks leading up to it, I had been so nervous for that one workout. I was at that point in the best shape that I'd ever been in. And I'd always made it to the games. But I was, couldn't stop thinking about that workout. I was, that was the workout. I was like, it could throw me out. Like, maybe I won't make it to the games. And that was on day two of Regionals of three days. And day one, I was crushing it. I was in first by so far. And I remember I was. They asked me, and it was like, wow, like, you've improved so much. Like, how do you feel about this workout? And I. I could never be happy with what I was doing because I was so nervous about that workout. I'd be like. I'd be like, yeah, happy that. But I really just got to get to that rope climb workout. Like, so crazy that I couldn't just be in and I was constantly like, I don't know, like projecting forward to that one and my potential failure in that one. And sure enough, we get to that workout and I think I was on my seventh one when I fail a rope climb. And I immediately start crying. I'm sorry, I bawl my eyes out and I'm on the field and there's minutes left on the clock and I didn't make a single roped climb more. And it did throw me out. And it's kind of like I was right, you know?

What you say you created, yeah.

I think I created that for myself and it wasn't my physical ability because I was fit enough that year. It was my lack of mental toughness that year. And I was just projecting forward that I could possibly not make the games. instead of getting, we fail rope climbs all the time. Right.

So you just get back up.

You fail lifts, you fail rope climbs. You just, you stand back up and you try again.

So you tried again or you just.

Like, I did try again, but I was just falling down the rope and, you know, I wasn't collected and... You.

Could have taken more time of rest. You could have, you still had tons of time.

And I was just rushing it because I was so, like, I needed to make that rope climb instead of resting until I was ready. Like, I was just jumping back up and failing and... In that moment, that was, I had nothing planned that summer. All I wanted to do was train for the games. And so he wasn't my coach at the time, but I'd done training camps with Ben Bergeron, who is now my coach. And I remember getting a text from him. So every morning, probably like a week or two, I would wake up in complete shock. Like, you know, when you're just like, oh, like, did that actually happen?

Wow.

And a couple days later, I get that text from Ben being like, I know that this is tough for you right now, and you might not see this in this right moment, but this could be the best thing that ever happened to you. And I remember that I was so mad that he would say that. Like, why would he say that to me? Does he not understand? Like, it was so hard for me right there and then. That was all I wanted, and that was my biggest goal. was to make it to the Games. And that summer, I remember I took some time off and I went with my dad and my siblings to Morocco. And when I came back, I hated the fact that everyone else was training for the Games and had that purpose, and I was just going to the gym. So I kind of like, I think I just kind of tricked myself in my brain that I was training for the games. That summer was probably the summer that I started training so much more with Annie. So she was training for the games.

So you were essentially training with her for the games.

Yes. So I was, you know, the best workout buddy that she could have at that time, because I would push her and push her and push her. Yes. But at the same time, yeah. But I wasn't like, I don't know, I guess like for her, she was training to win the games. So for me, actually training for the games too and pushing with her. So that kind of, she really pulled me through that summer. And at the same time as I got to push her. And that year, I remember I didn't really watch the games. I remember watching the final workout and it was really late in Iceland because of the time change. And I remember watching it and the final was done and I remember just closing my computer, going to bed, And I wake up the morning after it was like a million pounds were lifted off my chest. I felt like such a clean slate. It was like no one had made it to the games. And honestly, in that moment, I think it was such an advantage for me because everyone else had just finished the games and have to recover. And here I am fired up and fresh. Wow. So, and that's... Focused. Focused. There are so many things that kind of clicked that year that I think I always think things happen for a reason. You are where you're supposed to be for a reason. And I was supposed to go through that. And then I never really liked reading. I just have a tough time like sit. I need to be doing things. But that summer when I went to Morocco was the first time I really picked up a book. And I remember picking up Michael Johnson's book. It's called Gold Rush. He was the absolute favorite for the 90, like leading up to the 92 games, he had won every single race that he ever entered in 100 and 200. He has these chapters in the books where he describes a 100 meter race and it takes less than 10 seconds for him or about 10 seconds, but this could be a whole chapter of him describing what he's feeling when he's on the starting mat or his, what do you call this starting blocks? Yeah. and then he described it like what's going through his mind and what he's thinking like right before the gun comes off and then it's his reaction and then like the whole dry face where he's literally like facing down and he'd be like after like 40 to 60 meters he starts like you know raising himself up and then he would always do like a right-left and he would never see anyone because he was so far ahead. And he gets sick in the Olympics or right before and he ends up, it's terrible Olympics for him and he doesn't even make the finals. And what a failure for him in that moment when he himself knows that he can win. But instead of, I don't know, he instead of giving up in that moment or thinking he's not good enough or what a failure, he comes back in '96, he wins gold in 100, 200, and he added 400.

Crazy.

And it's just crazy to think that I don't know, I needed to read that story in that moment because it would be easier for me to think that I had failed or I was a failure or that I wasn't good enough or I'm not as good as those girls, but it just showed me that I'd failed at those regionals and I wasn't as good as I needed to be in that moment, but it wasn't a destination. You know, it was a point for me to pass through and I could use it. And then I started reading some sports psychology and I started working a lot more with Ben. And he talks to me a lot about what I should be focusing on and what I should not be focusing on and what should be going through my head in workouts. And it was at the end of 2014 that I was training in Boston and I asked him to be my coach and he was like, Let's try a month. And we'll take it from there and did that. I remember the new year, he was like, okay, I'll be your coach.

Wow. Why did you come to Boston in the first place?

That's just kind of like a long story. It was one of his athletes used to do some programming for me. So before the 2013 games, I came for a week, and that's kind of like how I met everyone. And then early 2014, one of his team athletes that they won the games, they've won the games before, they've podiumed, I think, one or two times. he had a phenomenal team and a couple of those individuals on the team, one individual that year, and I went and trained with her. Her name was Rachel. And so I kind of went over there. I was gonna go for, you know, just a week or two and train with them. And I don't know. There was something about training there that kept me wanting to come back for more. Like I say, like, I'd always kind of. just been good. So I just kind of did the training. I'd be like, Yep, done that check. Yep, done that check. And I remember when I got to Boston, I'd never been in a place where there was a coach. Like, I love being coached. And I've been coached my whole life in gymnastics.

What did you have in Iceland? Were there no coaches?

No.

It was more like you're taking class. And I'd never experienced having a coach in CrossFit. And when I come here, and Ben kind of like has his whole team and some individuals and, you know, everyone would show up at 9:00 a.m. and they're all waiting to hear what he has to say, just like in gymnastics, you know? Like, I think I just loved that. And they, whenever he spoke, like everyone wanted to listen to what he had to say. And he honestly didn't say much, which I think taught me a lot because he's not, out there shouting, Good job, or you should do better, or this or that. He would more, I remember doing these hill sprints once, and he'd be like, Jeff, 50. Cat, 54. Rachel, 57. And it was like, you,'re not getting a good job or you should be going faster. He's just giving me my time.

Very neutral.

Yeah.

But it made me internalize. It made me be like, I know if I worked hard enough or not. I know if that 54 seconds, I know if it was my best or not. He doesn't have to tell me. And it really, it showed me, I started paying attention to what really was my best. And I think I really learned what hard work was. There's a difference between working hard and working really hard. So those weeks, whenever I would come to Boston, I think I accidentally put myself into this like professional athlete bubble. Yeah. Because when I was in Iceland, I was a full-time student. I was a coach. I was trying to train. I have all my friends in my family that, you know, you're hanging out with or going out for lunch. But when I was in Boston, I would stay with Ben and Heather. Heather is Ben's wife and their family. And I would go with Heather in the morning to the gym. and we would work out and then I would have lunch and, you know, take a little break and then would work out again and I'd probably be done by like three or maybe like three or four. But Ben never went back home until it was like 5:30 that's like when he leaves the gym every day. So I had all this time that, you know, I just had at the gym and I would read, I would do all this recovery stuff. Yeah, I would sit in the NormaTech, so I'd do muscle stem stretch, all these things that I'd never used the time to do before. So it was kind of like accidentally living this professional athlete life and sleeping more and eating better and, you know, all these car rides and dinner time talks with the Bergeron family, I learned so much.

And you were like, I can't leave this.

Yeah, so...

I have to be here full time. This is the way.

Absolutely. And I think every time I left, I felt so much better that I just like, it kept me wanting to come back for more.

It sounds like that structure was what you really loved.

Yeah.

Because when you go back home, it was kind of like on your own time, you have a lot of different things, but it's not a core structure with one focus.

Absolutely.

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If you qualified for the games that year?

Wow. I don't know.

I... Do you think we'd have won those two years back to back?

No, I don't think I would have won the games. I think I needed to not make it the games. I think it showed me how bad I not only, how bad I wanted to be there and how much I was willing to work for it. And I think I really needed that. 'Cause I think if that wouldn't have happened, I would have been content with what I was doing and I was-- Qualifying. With qualifying and I'm 100% sure I would not have won the games if that wouldn't have happened.

Wow.

Yeah. Yeah.

Huh. That's interesting. Where would I be? I'd probably be in school. I'd probably be-- Really? Yeah, I wanted to be a doctor.

Still in Iceland?

I used to love, and I still do, I love learning and studying. It's just, I don't have time for that right now with what I'm doing. And I know school will wait for me. Like, school will always be there, and I can always learn and study, and I love reading now. But the sport doesn't wait for me, and this is what I'm doing right now, so I need to give it everything that I have.

What do you think it takes to be the best in the world?

Everything you got. If you're not giving it everything that you have, I always say this. I remember everyone likes balance, like talking about balance. So you need this and you need that and you need to have this in your life. And I always felt very conflicted because that's not what I wanted. And I remember Ben was having a presentation once and It's the first time I ever heard anyone say champions don't have balance. And I was like, he's right.

If.

It'S not right or wrong, for most people it's probably the right thing to have balance.

Right.

But if you want to be the best in the world at something, you just can't. Because if you're spending, you know, if you're spending your time on something other than your craft or something that other than something that's not gonna make you better, someone else is spending their time on getting better. And I always think that someone else is gonna be spending their time, so I better be doing it too. And there's a time and place for everything, like hanging out with your friends and getting your nails done, but that has to be the right time. And when you've already put in, when you've slept enough, and when you've eaten the right things, and when you've done your training, and then sometimes it's good to get that little bit of break. But that has to be the right time. Yeah, I hear you. So yeah, it takes everything you've gotten, a lot of hard work.

Wow. Do you balance it ever? Do you take like a day off once every three months?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

Your coach would be like, okay, today just rest. Does that ever happen?

Yes, I have one day a week that I have a full rest day. Like I say, like you can only work as hard as you recover and all of that, but you better be doing everything of that 100%. But then there are times that you have, for me it's normally Sundays. Sundays are my day off.

No workout.

That I take completely off.

Recovery, swimming, little jog, maybe a three-miler.

Sometimes I will, like I actually perform a lot better the day after if I move. I like just getting some blood flow in, getting light, but it has to be very light. It can't be, I'm not getting lactic, I'm not getting any extra soreness. My favorite thing actually to do is sit in the sauna. That's a great, that's my favorite recovery thing. It's very, it's like a, it's like me time. I bring in a book and I sit in the sauna for like 30 minutes and it gets really hard. Like it's actually hard to sit in the sauna sometimes when it gets really hot.

You die, you die.

But I feel really good after. Yeah.

What's your biggest physical weakness right now that's holding you back from being the best at all times.

So 2015, actually coming back from that year of not qualifying, not qualifying, we win the games.

It's crazy. It's amazing.

That is crazy.

Crazy.

But at the same time, when you look at the things that we did, it's not crazy, but it's just crazy looking at it like that. And 2016, repeating. and it's like when you know that you can win and when you know what it takes, you want to win. And I am ready to do whatever it takes and I am ready to give it everything that I have and work as hard as I possibly can every single day. There is no better feeling than showing up at your competition and knowing that you, knowing you did everything you could. That's what gives me confidence. It's not conf, you never know that you're better than someone else or that you're gonna, you never know that you're gonna win or where you're gonna place. But if you know that you did everything that you could, you can stand there, you can be confident. And then you go out there and give it your best. And you know that you're gonna come out there and it's gonna be your best result.

It's the worst when you know you didn't train enough.

Exactly.

I could have done this differently. I should have done it more, but I didn't. That's when you beat yourself up.

That is the absolute worst.

Worst.

So coming back in 2017, of course I want to win.

And... Back to back to hopefully back.

Yeah.

And I... I was tired in 2017, mentally tired. And I think I kind of lost my sense of why I do this and my purpose and my joy in the sport. and I think- why were you tired.

From the emotional pressure you put on yourself?

Yes, I think I was- Now I've.

Got a three P, now everyone's- yeah.

I had a lot of things. And in 2015, I truly fell in love with the sport and the process of just getting better and of working hard. And every day would show up to the gym, and I was learning so many new things. I was reading all about That's the year that I really kind of got what it meant to be the best version of yourself. When I used to compete, I used to constantly be on the leaderboard and the outcome would matter to me so much. But then, like, starting to read about sports psychology and Ben talking to me about, like, I can only control a couple things. I can't control an outcome. I can't control the weather. I can't control the judges. I can't control my competitors. but what I can control is my sleep, what I eat, my effort that I put into any kind of workout, my mindset, my outlook on a problem that's happening or whatever is in front of me at that time.

And.

We just kind of like loved the process. We worked really hard. We got to the games and it was an advantage. But no one was looking at me. You know, you didn't have any pressure. No pressure. You didn't have people, yeah, I didn't have people interviewing me. And suddenly we come out on top.

Crazy.

And because of that reason, I think people thought it was a fluke. And I took that very personally because I knew what we had done and we had worked so hard. So that whole year, I wanted to prove that it wasn't. and in 2016, very suddenly, my grandmother passed away. And she was my best friend and my rock and my everything in this world. She was a light. And that was, that's definitely It's it just happened fast and and that that year I did everything for her everything and Every training session everything that I did I wanted to win for her.

So you had a deeper purpose so.

I had a deeper purpose that year. So when I get to the 2016 games It was really weird, but I Honestly, like, I would come off the floor and I somehow just like, I would make a lift that I have no clue how I made or I would be like focusing on like, it might be a five round thing. And I remember like, I would always pull through right at the right second. And I somehow just like, every time I got off the floor, I was like, I never knew how I did it. And I would always just be like, It's her. And right before the final event, both of us had this necklace that was actually my grandparents that gave it to me and her best friends gave it to her. For her, it was either her 65th or 70th birthday, but it was the same necklace. And she used to use it a lot. And when she passed away, I got a little protection angel. And I put one on hers and one on mine. And hers is buried with her. Wow. So I always have this necklace with me. And right before the final event, I took it out of my bag and I was wearing this high neck sports bra. So I was able to actually, so I tucked it in and I was wearing it for the final event. And it was a really, I was in the lead, but this was a really hard workout for me. And this is probably one of the proudest competition moments. that I've ever had because how easy is it to, it was pegboards and thrusters. And how easy is it to, like with the rope climbs, just go up before you're ready because it's the win on the line. But at the same time, I just took everything a moment at a time and I'd do another pegboard when I was ready and I would do the thrusters when I was ready and actually get my best result even though there was so much on the line. But I remember I'd walk over to the chalk bucket and I'd go over and the necklace would always fall out and I think it kept reminding me, She's there with me.

Wow.

And that year, I remember just holding the necklace. It felt like an eternity before he announced who had won.

'Cause you didn't know.

'Cause I didn't win that last event, but then it was like, what's the point spread? You know? And I came out a couple points ahead. Wow. And I was like holding it, and I wanted it nothing more than to win for her. And I think I had that that year, and then that 2017 year, you've already done a back-to-back win, I didn't know my purpose anymore. Anything that was-- you- purpose was now pressure.

It's like how to deal with the pressure and how to overcome this pressure.

Exactly. And I think I just kind of lost that a little bit. And I don't think I realized it until I was at the Games and I never had one of those magical moments, which I talk about, like when you come off, you know, like, whoa. Like, I love competing. It's my favorite thing in the world. like when I'm out there on the floor. And I didn't have that. And it was, it wasn't until that Sunday morning after the games I had one of those workouts. And I had that magical moment.

After the games?

No, it was right at the end, but it was just too late.

Too late.

You know? And I didn't even podium. I took fifth of the games. And I know that's a tremendous, that's very good. It was just not what I wanted and not what I'd worked. so hard for.

How did it make you feel?

Terrible. I think it took me such a long time to acknowledge that I wasn't happy with it and to acknowledge that I wanted to win the CrossFit Games and that I wasn't happy with that placement. And honestly, like, the longest thing took me to acknowledge how I was feeling, like I was. I was missing the joy. I was missing my spark. I was missing my purpose.

All 2017.

This is all after the 2017 games that I think I was kind of realizing these things. And there was a moment in time where I was like, do I love competing in this sport anymore? Like, do I want to do this? It's like, I was like, why do I want to do this? And I got this email from, there's a doctor at our gym who saw someone posts this that it was like his little cousin that she was 15 or 16, she posted this essay. She was talking about how she had been, she's very down, like very depressed. She would go to school and she would do enough to get by. And after school, she would go home and she would do nothing. She, in this one May, it was before Memorial Day, her aunt comes and She was so excited, was like raving about this CrossFit exercise and she's like, you know, wanted her to come with her to the gym and she was like fine, you know, whatever, we'll go with her. And it was Murph, which is like a mile run, 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups, 300 squats, and then another mile run. It's a tremendously hard workout. It's long and it's grindy. And there was all these people, they all showed up to do this workout. and they're all working so hard, like some of them until their hands are ripping and they're all sweaty and like, but they're all there doing it together and they all made her feel so welcome and she decides that she wants to join this CrossFit gym. And she had been in CrossFit for a couple weeks when she then like starts looking at videos, she gets more interested and she watches the documentary Fittest on Earth.

When you won, right?

Yep. And she says she saw Captain David's daughter talk about being the best version of herself.

Wow.

And she was like, and something clicked with me. And she was like, and so I'd go to the gym and, you know, she couldn't do pull-ups and she'd start working on pull-ups until she could do one. And, you know, she had to work so hard. And, you know, sometimes she would turn, she had to wait until her hands healed. And, you know, it's such an accomplishment when you work so hard towards something and you and you're able to do something that you previously didn't think that you could do. And she then took it from there and she like, I started working harder in school and she now has, she's happier. She has a better life. And what if her friends see that and see how inspired she is and a better version of herself and inspired them to get better? And it was like an immediate flip in my head. That is probably the thing that means the most to me out of everything that I've ever received or anything that I've ever done or gotten that someone could, I get to go to the gym every day and do what I love. Yeah. And work hard towards that. And I am lucky enough to be in a position that the CrossFit Games team and Mars and Heber, they want to tell my story and you, you know, thank you for having me on here, but I get to tell my story and I get to show what I love and how hard I work. And if that can inspire that girl, that one girl, and imagine who she goes on to inspire, I was like, that is my purpose. And that really, that's why I started working out hard again. It's like, I want to do it for that girl. I want to do it for those people that need it, for the opportunity that I can then inspire someone else.

So that's the mission now.

So that was, yeah, it still is. and that's was leading into my 2018 games or the season and that's actually the season that I can honestly say that I've never worked harder in my entire life.

Yeah.

Do you feel like you brought the joy back too and the passion and the love?

Yeah, I do, I do. In a different way, it's more, I feel like with anything, like when you start out in anything, there's always a lot of excitement and everything is fun and it still is. It's like it was a lot of hard work like this year we did. I've never worked out so much in my life and I was doing so much.

Two, three a days, like yeah.

Like a lot of them were three a days and some of them would be like, you know, one of them might just be 90 minutes of just running or biking and it's just a lot of time to just sit in your head and I had to tell myself so many times how much I wanted this and why I was doing this. So it's not always fun and games. but I will say in the big picture, this is the thing that I love the most. Wow. And I am so thankful for that. That I get to do every single day.

You gotta tell your coach to let you listen to podcasts during those 90-minute bike rides.

I do that. I do that. Thanks for getting me through that. Good.

Yeah.

That's good. So you got third this year at the Games, 2018. How did you feel again?

Right, that's why we were talking about this. It's because of my weakness.

How did you feel?

I just started rambling on.

Yeah, it's all good.

So that was, anyway, yes.

How did you feel placing third and not being on the top, which you wanted, but working harder than you've ever worked in your life and having a deeper mission and a purpose? How did you feel? Because when you got fifth, you were unhappy, even though you were kind of faking like, okay, this is good, but not. How did you receive it?

Very mixed feelings, and I still have those mixed feelings. I want to win the CrossFit Games. I want to come out on top, and I know what it feels like to come out on top.

Yeah.

And I worked as hard as I could this whole year, and as hard as I ever have in my entire life. That's very scary to do that. Because if you do that, if you actually work as hard as you can, and you still come up short.

Oh, man.

You have no excuses.

That's tough.

You have no excuses. and that's really tough, but at the same time, it's like, I woke up the morning after and my initial reaction, it's like, it's like it's done. There's nothing you can do about it, and I didn't win.

It's like-- and you knew you gave everything in every event.

You're like-- so it is hard, and it's not what you want, but at the same time, I'm so proud of the work that I put in. I'm so thankful for how much my coach coaches me and teaches me every single day. My family, my friends, they're so incredibly supportive. The amount of support, like Christmas, it's like I was late for Christmas dinner and my mom didn't even blink an eye. She was like, I'm stressing trying to like, you know, shower and get ready and my mom was like, It's okay, like she knows how hard it was working and why it was doing it.

Yeah.

You know, and it's like, it just means the world to me. So it's like all those things that I'm so thankful for and I have to celebrate that I did take third. It's incredible. It's amazing.

But at the same time, I want more.

Yeah.

So what's the big weakness then? The big weakness back to it. It's like raw strength and power output.

Raw strength? Yeah, like- Don't you have raw strength? I mean, your freaking legs are strong.

Your arms are strong. I know, I know, you would think. When I say I have a weakness or strength, it's compared to my competitors.

Yeah, okay.

So I know I'm strong and I'm fit and all these things, but compared to my competitors, I'm not strong enough.

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And it's crazy to say that I want to be the best in the world and I want to win the CrossFit Games and then I'm out there on the field and it's a, it was a CrossFit total. So we did a one rep max back squat, one rep max press, and then a one rep max deadlift. And if you'd asked, even before the games, if you would have asked me, I mean, I just didn't expect it to show up, but we should be ready for anything. But if you would ask me what would be the worst things for, like, to show up for me, it'd be like, it'd be the one rep back squat and the one rep deadlift. Like, give me a 10 rep and I'm good. but the one rep. So I'm out there on the field and I'm not having a good time and I'm literally, and I try and be very in the moment and engaging to what I'm doing. But I remember, like, literally in my head, I'm like, I'm never going to show up and have a weakness. I'm never going to show up and not be able to play with the girls. I want my worst finishes to be 30th place, not 36th. So right there and then, I've decided that I'm not gonna show up and not be strong enough ever again. There's no reason that I can't be as strong as they can.

Is this at the beginning of the event or at the end of the event?

This is during. I knew it.

I knew it.

Because you knew it was coming. Yes, I knew that.

So now you've been training.

So now I've been working so hard on my strength.

There you go.

Yeah. and we're getting stronger.

That's good. It sounds like over the last four years now, since with your coach, right? Four years, that you've been developing your mindset at an extremely high level of being more neutral, less reactive, less hard on yourself, all these different things, and really just training and preparing the mind to win. What is the element of your mind that you still need to work on? that would take you from here to a whole another level. And mindset training. I don't want to call it a weakness in your mind, but what's the thing that you can't?

I don't know. I'm constantly working on something and I think it really depends on, you know, the mood I'm in or what I'm going through in that time.

You mean you're not a robot?

It's a workout. I know, I'd love to be. I think it fluctuates. and something that I've realized that I used to be a lot better at and I think I got pulled away from is trusting. So there's a big picture process and trusting the process and every day just doing the little things over and over, doing them right, knowing that you got better that day and trusting that you're on the right path. And it's kind of like that process in the middle of a workout. You know, like if you're doing something that's five rounds, 10 rounds, and everyone goes out so hot like in the beginning and they're off, but you know, like, what is it? How are you going to do your best in that workout? How am I going to get my best time? And it might not be go out really hard. It might just be like, get in at a good pace, hold that pace and be able to like come through at the right time. Like I said, like I did in 15 and 16, and I feel like sometimes I get so caught up in that I should be the best at this workout or should be so good in this and that you start competing with other competitors and then you might go out too hot and then I might crash and burn and someone else passed me at the end. Just like trusting the process and trusting my gut instinct and my pacing and kind of bringing it back in a little again. And not being so much in like, 'cause it really is, it's an individual sport and no one is touching, it's not a contact sport. No one's playing with you, no one's gonna tackle you, it's just you and your Elaine, you know?

I think it was an Einstein who said comparison is the thief of joy.

How true is that?

Right, and so the more you compare to everyone else's times or whatever it may be, I think that's good to train maybe that way to be like, okay, I know I need to like chase this person and this person, but also just chasing your own best times and your own best.

I do that a lot in my head. I put a competitor next to me to make sure that I'm pushing and pushing and pushing. But yeah, at the same time you have to like, was it my best? And if it was like high five and move on. And you can like, all right, we gotta change that.

Yeah.

What's the part of your daily routine that you love the most?

My mornings.

What's involved in them?

I don't know. I actually like working out too, but I'd say my mornings. I love a slow morning. And I probably said that because if I have a good morning, it sets my day up so good. But if you're rushed, if I'm rushed, everything goes backwards. My day is ruined. I'm kidding, but it's not. But kind of.

It's harder.

It's weird if my morning starts weird, but I love just like, I try and I set an alarm like two hours before I have to be anywhere. And when I'm in like a great routine and it was probably my favorite like this summer, like leading up to the Games when every morning I would wake up and just make my coffee and then bring my coffee out and just read a little bit. Just like have time to just, yeah, just sit and read. And then I would journal after. And whatever chapter I'd read about, I would try and pick something out of it that I thought applied or my favorite part of the book. And I would write about it. And after I'd written about it, I would write down three things that I'm thankful for for that day. And I love starting my days thinking about, because there are so many things, like sometimes you'd be on number three and I can't pick what I want to put there. because I have so many things and you're like, oh, like what am I most thankful for this? And after that, I would always write down like 30 days until the games. And that really got me to think even though there's a month left or even if it's two months left, it's it always seems like such a long time until I feel like you put down the actual days and you see how much every like how much can happen in two months, like so many things. But then if you put down like like, 60 days. And it's like, today is one of those days. And you realize how much every single day counts.

Every day matters.

Every day matters. And. And I loved putting that down there, and it showed me, like, how many days are left. And. And so much can happen. But this day matters so much.

Yeah.

And then at the end of that, I would put down my own thoughts or how, like, I try and link, like, what I was reading to. To something that I would do that day, and it really got me just. in the right mindset. And I love going into the day with that.

That's great.

And then I go make breakfast. Normally over breakfast, just because of the time change, I love calling my mom or my dad or my grandpa, my best friends. I'll always try and FaceTime with someone in the morning, just talk a little bit, and then I'll go get ready and go to the gym. That's when I'm like, I'm ready for the day. You're ready.

Yeah.

I'm curious, I don't know if you've talked about this, maybe you have, but do you think intimate partnerships and relationships support someone's drive to becoming the best in the world? Or do you think that that could hold you back?

Both. I think it depends on the person. Yeah. Yeah, like both people.

Yeah.

I think if you're with the right person and if you look at Matt Fraser and Sammy, for example, I, they're so, like, they're so good for each other. And Matt is so focused and so driven to be the best in the world.

He's a machine.

He is. And then Sammy is, she loves taking care of all the little things and taking care of the food and she's such a bubbly personality but so on it at all times that I think they really, they're a very powerful couple. But then I also think like if you're dating someone that might not be the right or doesn't live the same lifestyle, it's probably pulling you away.

Right, right.

So I think it's just a, it's a good mixture of both and I think it really depends on who it is. Yeah.

How do you feel about it personally?

I'm not dating anyone. I think that scares me a little bit. I think if I were dating someone, I think I'm scared that he would be pulling me away from what I'm doing. Or if I'm not very excited, then I feel like it might not be the right thing for me to do, but at the same time, I'd be open for it. And if it was the right person or someone that is living the right lifestyle, of course, the option's always there. Yeah. But I don't know. Have you been with someone in the.

Last few years where you've been training full-time and been in a relationship too, or? No, I don't know.

Extended relationship, no? No, I've dated someone in like my recovery period after the games when I have enough time.

For a couple months, yeah.

But then suddenly my focus all goes in. Yeah.

Okay, interesting.

Mm-.

I won't go into that anymore. I'm just fascinated to see that.

I know, everyone is so curious.

Well, I think it's just like when you obsess over something.

I guess I just don't, yeah, I just don't have an answer.

Well, when you obsess over something that much in a good way, I think it's hard to do it when this is like your time and your moment. And I was talking with another friend of mine, Nick Simmons, who's an Olympian 800-meter runner, American champion in the 800 and all these things.

That's a great event.

And he was like, you know, for six, seven years, he was like, I didn't have a relationship because I knew I wouldn't be able to give them the time. And I knew I needed to be selfish because this was my time. Now, I'm sure there's ways you can do both, you know, and you can have both and have it all. But he knew with his personality type, he was like, I don't think I'd be, it wouldn't be fair because I need to be selfish 100% of the time and do what I want to train, recover, like, unless someone's on board with that. It's not gonna be fair.

He's right.

It's interesting. What are your thoughts on body image and femininity? And what does that mean to you? Do you ever feel like you're this fierce competitor in your industry, but then do you ever feel like, oh, maybe I'm not as feminine as what other people are?

Absolutely.

Do you ever feel insecure about that?

Yeah, I think it's something that, ever since I grew up, I was tall.

Like 5'7, come on. It's not that tall.

Okay, so I know, I know, but I wanted to be a gymnast.

So I was so tall. So you were tall in a gymnast's world, yeah.

I always wanted to be smaller. I always wanted to be skinnier. I always wanted to be lighter. You know, I look at pictures of myself when I was a kid and I was so skinny, you know, I was taller, but I just wanted to be smaller. And I think that's the way that I kind of grew up, was always wanting to be something different, and I wanted to have curly hair, and I have straight hair, It's all these little things. And after starting CrossFit, it's when you work really hard towards something and, you know, like I always had big shoulders or I had the big biceps or this or that. And now it's like, look at what they can do. Look at what my shoulders can do. Look at what my biceps can do. Like it's amazing what our bodies can do. And I think if you look at it that way and you look at, you know, I have a six pack because I work out and that six pack can do this and I don't know. I think it can make you more proud of the body that you have. But of course, of course I struggle. I'm in different shapes, different times of the year, and of course I'd love to always just be shredded and look like a Viking, you know, like I do at the games. But at the same time, it's like, I'm not gonna look like that and get stronger. You just have to put things into perspective. And I think we all struggle with it. But I think it's just cool that we all have these different body types. And I think you see a lot of the games that, you know, that we're all different heights. We have different shoulders and legs, but they're all these amazing bodies that can do all these things and every single one of them beautiful.

What's it mean to be a beautiful woman?

I think I always go kind of back to the confidence thing. I think that always shines through. If you're happy with who you are, if you're happy with what you're doing, if you're living your life and kind of like in line with what your goals are and you're confident in that and that you're doing that and you have healthy relationships, I think that always shines through.

That's a great answer.

Thanks.

Great answer. And do you have a message for young girls or women who maybe don't believe in themselves or don't think they're pretty or don't think they're short enough or tall enough or whatever their insecurities are. Do you have a message for them?

Something that I actually have this on as a bracelet. I'll show you. It's here. I love blue and it has little gold sparkles in.

Yeah.

Just be the best me.

Ooh, okay.

I think there is only, there's only one of each and every one of us and like I've talked about a little, it's like you only have control over so many things and we have control over ourselves and what we do and how we treat others and what we do and how we act. And I think if in each and every moment we focus on becoming a better version of ourselves, I can always, I can be a better daughter, I can be a better friend, I can be a better athlete, and all these little things. And each and every moment, we make the right choice to become a better version of ourselves. And in return, it's like if you're being a better daughter and you're treating other people well and you're getting better in your craft, and I think that can only push the world upwards.

That's good. What's the greatest lesson your grandmother taught you?

She was always the light in the room. I think the biggest thing that I take away is how she made other people feel about themselves. She was always a light, how she presented herself. But the biggest thing is, and this is something that I really try and do, is things like how she says good morning to someone that she doesn't know, or when she'd meet someone in an elevator. made them feel important. And they could leave that room or that little, you know, it might not be a big interaction, but they could leave it and they could feel good about themselves. And they could feel seen and feel important. And that's, I always want people to feel like I can give them the attention that they deserve. And that's something that I try and live by.

That's great. And your coach, Ben, if there were three things that he says to you on a consistent basis, that if there's someone who just needs coaching in their life, they could be a crossfitter, they could be a basketball player, they could just be anything in their life, but there's three lessons that he shares with you on a consistent basis that you would share with everyone else, what would be those principles that he constantly instills in you?

That's a great question. I don't know how to put that into three things.

Or even just two, one or two?

No, I think there are way more.

The top three things.

The top three.

To coach someone.

It's focusing on the right things. You know, it's probably that you can't control others or the outcome, but you can control your sleep. Make sure you get enough sleep. That's like my number one recovery thing, sleep. If for nothing else, just like get your eight, hopefully 10 hours of sleep every night. And it's your diet, it's the effort that you put into what you're doing, whatever your craft is. It's focusing on the right things. And I feel like when you do that and you focus on the things that you actually can control, I feel like your mind is like a windshield wiper. Clear. Just see things clear and you're not constantly like fussing about little things or getting aggravated. if you can change it, just change it. And if you can't, then move on, you know, and you're not, I don't know, it at least gets my mind so much clearer. I think number two is probably focusing on details. I think there are so many little things that you think are little things, you know, like that little accessory thing at the end of your day that you could just skip or, you know, just having that one cookie. You can just have that one cookie or, you know, watching one more cookies. Yeah. Don't we all? And then, you know, watching one extra episode at night, because it's only one more, but you're losing that hour of, yeah, you're losing that hour of sleep. It's washing your hands, you know, so that you don't get sick, because a sick day, you know, can set you back a couple days. It's taking care of all the little details that seem so little in the time, and they're like, oh, it's just 1% or 1%, but they're really quick. 1% add up really fast to something that's really big. And the third thing is relationships. It's developing great relationships around you. And I see that with the way that he treats his family and his friends and who he coaches. It's like you create a great life with the relationships that you create around you.

What's your greatest fear?

Losing the people I love.

Why is that?

I think that's the only thing that I can't see anything good about. Like I said, like not making the games, like anything terrible that happens, like I always believe that we are where we are for a reason. And I think it's gonna teach you something valuable or you're going through something because you can help someone else, you know, along the way. But when you lose someone that you.

Love.

I don't see it. That's the only thing that I. I can ever see anything good come out of.

Well, we're all gonna die, right?

I know. I know.

That's the challenge. What's your vision for your life moving forward in the games and then. Or with the sport of CrossFit and.

Then after CrossFit, whenever that happens. I have so many things that I want to do that I sometimes feel like I will do nothing because I want to do everything.

Oh, yeah.

So...

I call that the passion dilemma.

You have so many passions that you.

Don'T take action on any of them. It's terrible.

Yeah. So out of all the things that even now, like I'm constantly like, I want to do this, I want to do that, I want to write a book, I want to be, I want to work on TV, I want to do this, this is, this is, and you wanna have all these things that you want to do. And at the same time, I'm like, I have to realize that being an athlete doesn't wait for me. And all of these opportunities that I am so lucky that I have are because the foundation is that I'm a good athlete. And I wanna be a great athlete. And I have to continue building that right now and all the messages that I want to spread. the better athlete, the bigger platform I would have. So that's something that I tell myself every single day, that that's what I'm doing right now. It will just give me bigger and better opportunities later to share what I want to do. So it helps me have patience with everything that I want to do.

I don't have patience.

I know, like, own it now. Yes.

That's good. I think focus for now.

Yes.

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Want to do is I'm writing a book and that has, we talked about that a little earlier, but that is a challenge.

It is a challenge.

It's very, yeah, it's very challenging, but it's something that I really want to do.

Our whole community will support it when it's out to buy a copy.

Ah, I know, it's exciting whenever it will come out, hopefully next year, hopefully early next year.

Okay. You have a title for it or no? Working title?

I'm working with it. Okay. I have one, but I'm pretty sure that I'll change it. I don't know. We'll see it. I'll let you know.

What's the thing you're most proud of in your life that maybe most people aren't aware of? That's not winning the games.

It's my work ethic. I'm very proud of that and that's something that I get inspired by with other... I love hard work. I love seeing other people work hard and I love working hard whether that's in the gym, whether that's... I worked very hard when I was in school. I worked really hard when I was in gymnastics even though I was never a great gymnast. I was good on the conditioning side. So whatever it is that you're doing, whether You know, whether it's my book, whether it's working towards a future career that I want to do. Like, I just love hard work.

Why do you love it?

Because I think we can all do it. I think some people are smarter than other people. Some people have more talent. Some people are stronger. Some people are this or that. But we can all work hard.

And.

I truly believe we can do anything we want in this world. I honestly believe that. But you got to be willing to do the hard work. It doesn't matter how good you are or, or not. If you put in the work and you put enough of it, I think you can do whatever you want.

It's interesting you say that, because a friend of mine, Jay Shetty, was giving a speech recently at an event that I was hosting, and he was saying, you know, A lot of us are told a lie that we can do anything we want. He said, I'm gonna probably butcher it, but he said, you can be everything that you are. He said, you can't do anything you want, but you can be everything that you are.

Huh. So I don't quite understand it.

So it's like, and I might be butchering it, but it's like, I can't go be a gymnast in the Olympics. Like, that's not gonna happen for me.

Yeah.

You know, it's just not. But I can be everything that I am. I can be everything my best self.

Yeah.

I can be that through hard work.

Yes, absolutely.

You know, so maybe you weren't going to be an Olympic gymnast.

Yeah.

Because you were too tall or because you didn't have certain things. But you can be everything that you are, which is the greatest crossfitter. Like once you find the thing that you can be, you can be everything that that is. And I think that's inspiring to know that. 'Cause I do believe we can do a lot of things.

Yeah, I think you're right. I think everyone is gonna make it to the NBA or you're not being a gymnast.

But you can be the coach of the team. You might have that. So you can be in the passion, in the place you're supposed to be.

The thing that I think about that though is you probably don't want to be an Olympic gymnast. Gymnastics probably doesn't make you feel good about yourself. If it's not something that.

I can't even do a cartwheel.

I think the things that you love and when you find something you love and you work towards it and you start getting better, I think it fuels you and that's when you want to become the best at something. So I think it takes a lot of things to want that. So I think what you want will naturally kind of align with what you can be, what you are. Exactly, yeah. So I think that's kind of how it works.

Where do you think this when you in your life where you said, I love hard work. When was this moment where you realized you loved it and what triggered you to become obsessed with working hard? Was it something that your grandparents said, parents in school? What was the moment you were like, I obsess over this?

Honestly, it's not long ago since I was thinking about this. I was like, why am I like this? And I've been such, I've been so competitive since I was a tiny little kid.

Did you get picked on?

Did you get like-- no, it was-- so I was asking my mom, I was like, Where does this come from? And a part of-- so my mom was 16 years old when she had me. She was very young. So, I mean, she was pregnant when she was 15. And I think she got told a lot that she wasn't ready to be a mom. She couldn't do this. And so she was like, she had-- she bought all the books, she read all the things. She was like, if I was supposed to know how to say, you know, five words when I was, you know, 10 months, I was gonna know how to say 15. If I was supposed to be able to walk at nine months, I was gonna do it at eight months, you know?

She pushed you.

She's not a push, like, I, 'cause I can't even remember this. She's not like a pushy much. She never, I think she's very supportive and I think it's like from her that I, she's very, and this might just be Icelandic females too, but like believe that we can do anything. and where does that come from?

I don't know.

It's like a mentality in Iceland, and it's. It's my family, and it's. Got it. I think I was just raised that way, but. And then a lot of things are, you know, my dad is very academic, and at the same time, he's not, like, pushy either. But if he would. He's. He's a teacher, so there's ever anything that I didn't understand completely. He's like, oh, that's easy. Come here, I'll show you. So it's like. I always just like, I've had a lot of support and I was, I've always been such like a grandparents little girl.

Yeah.

And I would spend my summers with them and I loved making them proud. I loved showing them my report card and having my results and having tens. I was very result based as a kid. Like I said, even starting CrossFit, I wanted the results and it's not the right things to focus on. I think you should really focus on your efforts. But at the same time, I think I realized that if I did study harder, I would get a higher grade. And if I did do more conditioning, I would be stronger and better at gymnastics. I think because I'm an oldest child, I'm a people pleaser. I want to make people proud. I want to make them happy. And I think early on, I wanted to make everyone proud. I wanted to make them happy. I wanted to be good in this and that. And I think early on, I realized that if I studied harder, I would get a better grade. And if I did this, and I think it just like-- Snowballed, yeah. I think it snowballed like that. And in addition to me being very comp-- I enjoy competition.

Yeah.

That's just something that I was born with.

To win, yeah.

In addition to that, it's like, I want to be the best.

Wow, okay.

Yeah, so I think that's how it's the way I am.

I love it. A couple final questions for you. Before I ask them, I'm curious, is there a question that you wish more people would ask you?

Do you know what I love? I love a good conversation like this. I love where there's, you don't know where it's going or where it's gonna take you, but if you can be honest and have a great conversation, it takes you in places that I think when someone has made up questions beforehand or if it's an interview and they're very like, if they know the questions they're gonna ask before, I probably know them too.

So is there a question you wish more people would ask?

I don't know. I normally just get surprised by where a conversation goes and I'm like, oh, I like where this is going, but no, I normally don't know.

Yeah, okay. I was curious if you wanted me to ask you something that you've never been asked.

Yeah, I'm actually gonna think about this. Yeah, let me know that. Yeah, let you know later.

This question I asked is for everyone at the end, it's called the Three Truths.

I don't know if you've heard of it. I have. It's so funny when people get surprised by this. I'm like, do you even listen to this podcast? But then last night, I was over at Ben and Heather's, and Heather goes.

Have you decided your, have you decided your Three Truths? I was like, I would have been one of the For those people, it.

Would have been like, A lot of.

People are like that. They listen to it and then they don't think about it. It's all right. You know the question, it's, if this was the last day for you, many years from now, and you got to pick the day, but we all die, you know, at least for now we do.

Yeah.

Unless we figure something out through science. And you've achieved everything, everything you want. You've won 50 times in the games.

You'Ve done anything you wanted to do.

You'Ve written the books, been on TV, like all the stuff, you've had a family, if you want to do that, whatever it is, you've done it. But you got to take it all with you and no one gets access to your content anymore or your videos or your message, just memories, right? But you got to share three final lessons or truths that you would share with the world that this is all they would have access to. What would be your three truths?

Number one, I did get to think about this.

You thought about this?

I did get to think about this. The first thing would definitely be gratitude. And it's to be thankful for the people that you have around you and what you have and the opportunities that you have. And I try and be very thankful for, you know, everything, every day. I remember what I have and I am so incredibly thankful for the opportunities that I have and that I get to wake up every day and do what I love. and work hard towards what it's like. That is amazing. And every day that Ben coaches me, he has so many things on his plate, but he takes his time every day to coach me and my family being supportive. It's like, if everyone just take a little bit of time, be thankful for what they have, you can't not smile. You know, your day is better. I mean, some days are hard. I know that, but Even in those hardest moments, you realize how many good things are around you. It makes any day so much better. So number one, gratitude. Number two is hard work. It's work hard because I really believe that we can achieve what we want to and with hard work. And I hope that everyone works extremely hard towards what they love. I know there are a lot of people that just work really hard eight to four, but I hope it's towards what you love. And I think as soon as you love something, you do things better and you achieve more.

And.

Anything is possible with that hard work. And number three, it's surrounding yourself with great people. Because we really get to choose who we surround ourselves with. And I hope it's with people that really lift you up and support you in what you're doing and inspire you and challenge you. You know, I hope it's people that really make you better and make you want to be better. And laugh a lot. That's it. I got four things. I laugh. Can I have a great job? Thanks.

I think laughter is a key to happiness. I think so. If you're not smiling, if you're not joyful, how are you gonna be happy? And I think it brings a lot of peace to people's lives too.

I think it's medicine.

It is. Yes. It's healing.

Yes.

It's therapeutic. I'm glad you did that.

I love that you always smile at.

The end of an event. At least the ones you do well.

Most of them. The ones you do well. I wasn't laughing after my deadlift.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I love like in the two documentaries that I've seen, there's been, maybe there's been three documentaries of this stuff, but both the ones that I saw, you're just like always smiling and I love that. It's you work hard and you're focused and then you're like, you know, you're happy, you're smiling. And I really appreciate that.

It's really fun to watch.

I think a lot of people can just, finish something and be so exhausted and have like a negative face on too. I think you bring this level of like joy and like proud, you're proud.

Yeah.

Which I think is cool. How can we connect with you online? I know you're on Instagram. Where do you spend most of your time on social media? Instagram. That's your drug of choice.

Yeah. I think I've tried to do it all. I do my social media myself and I do enjoy it. Because I want it to be me and I just want it to be, you know, whatever I'm thinking that day and just be authentic and true to myself.

And what's your Instagram handle?

It's KatrinTanya. So K-A-T-R-I-N and then T-A-N-J-A. It's my middle name too. I don't use it as much, but I use it all the time and I And I've tried to do Facebook and Twitter, and I don't think I'm funny enough for Twitter. Instagram is where it's at. Instagram is kind of like what I've settled with is I love the most. And so instead of trying to do.

Lots of things okay, I just wanna focus on that one. Yes, so if you're listening or if you're watching, make sure to take a photo or send Catrin a message of what you enjoyed the most about this interview and tag her on Instagram stories so she can get the feedback as well. I want to acknowledge you for a moment, Katryn, because I love your spirit. I love your energy. I love your heart. I love your commitment to the people in your life. The level of passion you have for your coach, for your family, for your grandmother, for all the people in your life is really inspiring to see that you're not just in it for yourself or your dreams, but you're in it with the people around and that's really inspiring. I also want to acknowledge you because I don't think it's easy to be a woman in general on social media period. With the comparison and the pressure and insecurities and anxiety that's happening in the world right now. And I think you're doing an incredible job owning who you are, owning everything about you, that you are different and that it's inspiring. and I don't feel like there's any insecurities about you when I'm spending time with you, with your postings online. I think you're a great example because there's a lot of women or girls, young girls, who are constantly insecure and comparing themselves to every other girl or woman. So I really acknowledge you for your beauty of who you are and owning all of it. It's inspiring.

Thank you.

And I also acknowledge you.

I appreciate that a lot.

Of course, and I also acknowledge you for your champ mind and the mindset, because I think it's really hard to qualify for something and then fail and not do it, and then come back and win back to back. That's like unheard of. And hard work can only get you so far, but the way that you think is evident to me that it's unbelievable because it's really hard. and all those days of the games and all year long leading up to it, to keep your minds in the right place. So whatever you're doing, keep doing it. It's really inspiring.

I'm gonna walk out of here like a foot taller. Thank you.

Yeah, of course. Everyone make sure you guys preorder the book when it's out, follow you on Instagram because we'll see when that's coming out and everything else that you're up to. Final question for you is, what's your definition of greatness?

My definition of greatness is.

It'S hard.

To put this into words, but it's when you're happy with what you've done. And if I think about this in terms of like when you've worked so hard and you have no regrets, when you did everything that you possibly could, and like you show up at game time and then you give it your best and you know that's your best. It was the best you possibly could. There wasn't something that you should have done or you could have pushed harder here. And I think that applies to life and I think that's when you know that, I guess we have to put it in the present because I also don't want to say that you're then content and happy. I hope that we are always striving towards something better towards becoming better. But I hope that in every moment of our lives, we can look back and know that we're doing our best and know that we're giving at everything that we have. And that, to me, is greatness.

You're the best. Appreciate you. Thank you.

And there you have it, my friends. I hope you enjoyed this one. I loved connecting with Catrin. I loved hearing her story and just being around someone who is so committed, so dedicated to achieving something that great in their life is inspiring for me. I always love deconstructing and assimilating the information and the wisdom and the passion and the energy from people like Catrin because it always teaching me that there's another level for my life as well. And there's another level for your life. It doesn't matter where you're at. right now, if you feel like you're struggling in your life, if you feel like you've got a lot of talent and things are going well, there's another level. And talent is only one thing. Talent can only take you so far. You've got to be willing to put in the hard work in the consistent strategic game plan. Have the coaching to back it. Have the feedback system as well. You need to have all of it in play if you want to be the best in the world at what you do. that's just what it takes. You can't make it happen by chance. It doesn't happen by showing up sometimes. It doesn't happen by having average talent and average work ethic. You've got to be willing to do what most people aren't willing to do. And that's what it takes. Master your skills, put in the work like most are unwilling to do, and you set yourself up for a chance of being great at the thing you want the If you enjoyed this, make sure to share with your friends, lewishouse.com/733 to get the full show notes, all the links, connect with Katrin on Instagram. She has got an inspiring Instagram account, so make sure to screenshot this, put the link on there, tag myself @lewishouse and Katrin as well to let her know what you enjoyed most about this interview. Again, a big thank you to my sponsors and friends. You were born with a deep desire inside of you. There is a calling inside of you. There is something that is pulling at your heart right now. You might know what it is. You might be on the path. Some of you might have no clue what you're supposed to do in this life. It's time to explore. It's time to adventure. It's time to allow yourself to go on a journey and see what's possible for yourself. this might be in your relationships, it might be in your health, it might be with family, business, career, it might.

Be life's greatest adventure.

Whatever that is, you get to discover it and you get to go on the Journey of Life to becoming the greatest that you can possibly be. Each day is an opportunity to show up and be great. Each day is an opportunity to show up and make an impact on someone's life around you. You have a decision.

To make.

How will you show up today? As always, I love you so very much. You know what time it is? It's time to go out there and do something great.

Hey, everybody. Ted Danson here to tell you about my podcast with my longtime friend and sometimes co-host Woody Harrelson. It's called Where Everybody Knows yous Name, and we're back for another season. I'm so excited to be joined this season by friends like John Mulaney, David Spade, Sarah Silverman, Ed Helms, and many more. You don't want to miss it. listen to where everybody knows your name with me, Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson. Sometimes, wherever you get your podcasts.

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