Top WWE SUPERSTAR: “This ADVICE From THE ROCK CHANGED My LIFE” - OVERCOME ANYTHING | Becky Lynch

Hey, Lewis Howes here, and in this episode of the School of Greatness, I'm joined by WWE superstar Becky Lynch. Today, Becky reveals her journey from career uncertainty to becoming a wrestling legend. She gets real about the struggles and triumphs of her career balancing motherhood with being a top world athlete, and discusses her unique relationship with WWE superstar Seth Rollins. Rollins. Now let's dive in.

I think that's the thing is that you don't get confidence by thinking about having confidence. You know, you get confidence by action.

Becky Lynch made WWE history in 2019 as the first woman to win a WrestleMania main event and she became a triple crown champion.

The man is back on top. I completely destroyed myself. I had this then sense of ego, like, look at how disciplined I can be. I am so much better than everybody because I have this discipline. But ultimately, I he was dying on the inside. Then I got on TV, one of the worst debuts of all time.

Really?

And so I failed ethically, publicly.

On TV.

On TV. Ooh. But hey, if you can come back from that, you can come back from anything. Let's go. There is such a level of trust in what we do, and I think I broke that trust for several people, and then just didn't feel good. It just didn't sit right with who Rebecca Quinn is.

The Rock, he, what was the thing he said to you, maybe behind the scenes, backstage, that no one else got to really experience, but he said to.

You that impacted you? One of the things that he said to me, even saying it now, just makes me feel that'll get me. Yeah, so.

Welcome back, everyone, to the School of Greatness. Very excited about our guest. We have the inspiring, the man, Becky Lynch in the house. Rebecca, good to see you. Welcome.

Thank you for having me.

Very excited about you being here, and big congrats on all your success. I love your story because you were not an athlete growing up, really. I think I even saw that you were a flight attendant for a little while. You dropped out of college. You failed PE in high school. And yet in 2019, you were named one of the top female athletes in the world, which is really cool. You're a WWE Superstar, and you are the man. And I'm just so glad that you're here because I've got to connect for a few minutes beforehand. And I love seeing people like you with a good attitude, good energy, and a good heart win.

Ah, thank you.

So, congrats on everything. One thing I wanted to ask you, many things, but one of the things is around your belief in yourself. You came from Ireland, you got into wrestling at an early age, but it sounds like you had a lot of challenges. Like you were into a little bit of drugs, a little bit of alcohol, you were kind of like, whatever was school. But eventually you got things in order and you became very disciplined at your craft and very focused on your dream. How did you learn to build confidence during a time of maybe not feeling that confident growing up?

Gosh, I think that's, you know, I think that's the thing is that you, you, you don't, you don't get confidence by thinking about having confidence. You know, you get confidence by action. And I never had confidence before I started wrestling. And I think that's why I was always trying to fit in or with the kids that were drinking and that would make me cool and then I'd be smoking and it would take the edge off from the self-consciousness and everything that was going on at home at the time. And then when I was 15, and I just failed PE. I was getting ready for my junior cert, which is, I'm not sure what the equivalent is over here, but to your, when you're 15, you're doing these exams in school that at the time, they make it seem like if you fail these, your life is over. Really? But, yeah, all the pressure that they put on you in school.

This will determine the rest of your life.

Exactly.

Where you go to school and college and everything else.

Yeah. And that's how, and that's what what I felt like. And at the time, even though I was a little degenerate and I wasn't doing good in school and I was drinking and I was smoking, I was doing everything that I shouldn't be doing. Like, I still had ambition. I still wanted to do something good in my life. I still wanted to be a lawyer or something productive in society. And I realized on one random Monday when I wanted a beer, that a 15, that I needed to turn my life around. I needed to do something different that I couldn't, I couldn't keep going down this pathway of failing PE and just not applying myself to anything. And so I started looking up, like, different kickboxing things because gyms weren't a thing in Ireland back then. There was, like, two or something, you know, there was, there was, there was this big gym, but it was too preppy. It was too preppy and I was an alternative kid, you know, the ones with the black lipstick and the dog collars and all that kind of stuff. And so I, you know, going to a gym just seemed too mainstream for me, too Jane Fonda. And so then one day I go in to the computer room, because in 2002 everybody had a computer room. And my brother's looking up this website, and it was called Hammerlock and it was this wrestling school over in the UK. And I was like, what are you doing there? And he was like, well, I was thinking about training as a wrestler. And instantly I had this jealousy, this feeling of, I need to do that. And I was like, oh, you're gonna go over there? And he was like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I was like, There's no way. There's no way my mom is gonna let me go over to UK to train 15. I'm also a degenerate. Like she's aware, she's aware that I'm going off the rails. And then the promoter there wrote back to him to let him know that there was two Irish lads that were going to be opening a school like an hour away from us on the train. And so that's how I found out about it. And he told me that and I was like, oh, I want to go too. He was like, no, you're not going. You have to be 16. I was like, I'll lie. And he was like, no, I don't wanna have to look after my little sister. I was like, you won't have to. Lying. And I went down there and I started. And that was it. All of a sudden, for the first time in my life, I wanted to apply myself to something. I wanted to get better at something. I saw progress. in each training session. And that built confidence because not only was I applying myself and getting better at something and seeing results, but I also now had this community. And I think there was also this feeling of like, I'm different, which I always felt a little different. I wasn't wasn't the cool kid, even though I tried to be. But now I had this confidence in my difference, you know? And I was the only girl there too. I was the only girl in a group of lads and I was hanging with them, or maybe not, but I was there. I felt like I was. And so that gave me confidence that I could do this and I could set myself apart and there was something more to me. And then I just continued. on there. I never thought, or not that I never thought, maybe I had like this, this suppressed dream, but I still thought I was going to be a lawyer and do something realistic.

Really?

Until I was like 17. And it was the first time I had played the heel role, the bad guy role, and I was teaming with my brother. And when you're heel, when you're the bad, you can do no wrong. because you can just have fun, you can taunt the crowds, you can be an idiot and... That's your job. Yes, there's such freedom in that. Wow. There's such freedom in that. And I came back and I was like, this is what I need to do. This is what I'm meant to do. This is what I'm gonna do.

At 17.

At 17. And then by 18, dropped out of college, moved over to Canada, wrestled around Canada, around America, around Japan. around Europe. My visa ran out from Canada. I had to move back in with my mom and my mom, God bless her, like she's only ever wanted the best for me. And the best in her eyes was not being a wrestler, especially back then, because what I wanted, what I visualized for myself was me being seen on par as the Rock, as Stone Cold Steve Austin, as Mick Foley, as all these lads that I looked up to. But if you watched TV and you watched how the women were booked, there was lots of bra and panties matches, there was mud wrestling matches. That wasn't anything I wanted to do. That was certainly nothing my mother wanted me to do. And, and so...

There was an opportunity for women to really be stars back then.

Not...

When you started.

Not in the way that I wanted to be.

Mm-.

Not in the way that I wanted to be. And so, so I started looking at, the women's promotions in Japan. And then I went over there and I wrestled in Japan. And I got assigned to this advertising agency over there that wanted to promote me as this big time wrestler. But then when I came home and I had to live with my mom again, she's gone, watch your plan, watch your plan, watch your plan, watch your plan, watch your plan. She always wanted a plan. But with wrestling and I suppose any artistic endeavor, I genuinely think wrestling is an artistic endeavor. You can't necessarily plan it.

Why not? Why can't you plan it?

You can have a rough plan, but so much is out of your control. You can work towards what you want, but you can't decide when you're when you're going to get on somebody's radar, what they're going to be looking for. You know, I think it's the same with, with, with, say, for example, an actor. An actor can do the best audition of their life, but they might have brown hair and the person is looking for blonde hair. And so they see this great audition, but that's not what they were looking for on that day. And, and so I started to believe that if I looked a certain way, that that would give me, that that was my plan. That is how I would get there because all these women looked like figure competitors and they were beautiful models and, you know, it was just a regular average looking girl with a bit of a pair of biceps on me and decent set of shoulders. But like at the time, you know, there was enhancements that were standardly involved in the hiring process. And I didn't have them, nor did I want to get them. And so I thought, well, if I have abs and if I'm ripped, then if I look this way, then they'll want me. And so I kind of compare it to the survivor song on the Eye of the Tiger and you change your passion for glory because then my focus shifted from just how I looked and how that would make if I change how I am to make them want me as opposed to being true to myself.

Interesting.

How long did you-- and them wanting--.

Wanting you for who you are.

For who I am.

So how long did you transform into someone you think they would want? How long was that process for?

Well, it didn't last very long because I completely destroyed myself. So I started bodybuilding then. I was like, oh, let me sign up for this bodybuilding competition. And if I can do well in this bodybuilding competition, then they'll see the... Just the logic that goes through my head, they'll see that. and then they'll be like, oh yeah, let's sign her. Like she'll be on a magazine or.

Something and we'll sign her that way.

Interesting. How old were you then? 19. Okay. I was 19 then. And I mean, maybe it would have worked if I committed to it. But anyway, the point was, I didn't know what I was doing. I was with this lad who had never trained a girl before. He was a bodybuilder himself, but he was a giant man. And a giant, giant man. and who had done many competitions. And he was training me and my diet, then my diet was all over the place. And then he put me onto this other guy who gave me this other diet, which then I just became a maceio and I was trying to wrestle around Japan and all this stuff. My body was just hurting. But like I was loving how I looked in the mirror because I had these abs and I was like disciplined and my focus was what I was gonna eat and how I was gonna train and like I had this then sense of ego, like, look at how disciplined I can be. I am so much better than everybody because I have this discipline. But ultimately, I was dying on the inside because I had no energy. My moods were all over the place. I was like leering at cookbooks of what I was going to eat when this diet finished. And ultimately, I ended up not being able to make it past 10 weeks of this diet. There was two more weeks till the competition. I just, the guy who was training me suggested a cheat meal and that was it. Then I just went completely off the rails and couldn't get back on. And then that then became an unhealthy relationship with food for years. Really? Years and years and years completely destroyed. how I looked at myself and everything like that and how I valued myself.

How did you value yourself then?

On how I looked, like from somebody who had gone from valuing myself on my substance and what I brought to the table in terms of wrestling and my craft, I was then just now I was just conforming to what I thought thought they wanted and what society wanted. But by then, then I was like, I don't even know if I want to wrestle anymore. Maybe that dream is over. It's time to be realistic and get a real job. Then I ended up being a flight attendant.

And so you were wrestling, you were pursuing professional wrestling, I guess, at the time.

Yeah.

Then you quit to be a flight attendant?

Then I was like, well, then I started thinking like, oh, well, maybe I'll be a fitness model, because that'll be easy on my body and But I couldn't maintain it because I was so hungry. I just loved eating. Like, I loved eating so much. And so then I became bulimic and all of these things. And it was really just going from being somebody who cared about their mind, who thought their mind was powerful, to just thinking that I was a set of abs and a pair of arms, you know, and that was where I put my focus. and took a long time to shake that.

How old were you when you shook it?

Thirty five? no, no, no, no quite what like, um, I think that was a process. It was a process it was it was a process. because I was a flight attendant Hated it, but we're still trying. I then did the bodybuilding competition. I came third, by the way. Wow. Out of four. Yeah, yeah, it sounded impressive. So I did the buddy button competition. It was like standing up on stage. Oh my goodness, I'm so glad they just, everybody didn't have an iPhone back then. But I did that, and I was just like, why am I standing? in my underwear showing people my muscles like this, this isn't, this doesn't feel like me, you know? Because for some people, for some bodybuilders, it's such an artistic thing. They are sculpting their body. They are, they love it. They love the discipline of it. But for me, it was, it was some sort of a means to an end, some sort of way for me to be validated by society or something that, that and it just didn't feel authentic and, and, and true to me. It just felt like I was. Yeah, I was just trying to be something that I wasn't. It was just consumed by, by my body will be my vessel, too.

Wow.

But if it looks a certain way, then, then I'll be successful and whatever. And then I I I. Then I started to realize that, like, the part of wrestling that I loved, it wasn't just the training. It was the performance. I love the performance. I love the crowd. I love the creativity. I love the storytelling. And I think throughout my whole life, I found that storytelling is what draws me more than anything. Like, in school, I was terrible at every subject except English and history because it was just stories. Like, it was hearing stories and learning about these stories. And I rocked at those subjects terrible at everything else. And so then I went back to school to study acting.

Is this in London now or where is this?

This is in Dublin.

I'm in Dublin.

Yeah, yeah. I'm kind of all over the place. But at 22, I went back to college, studied acting in Dublin and then did a year in Chicago. And that felt like, okay, now I'm back. Now I'm back a little bit. And then it seemed more like I was part of a creative endeavor than-- Really?

When you're doing the acting?

Yes. Yeah.

When did you get back into wrestling then?

So it's funny because throughout this whole time, this whole time, I'm just going, oh, but I felt like this was my purpose and I gave up on it, but I can't go back. My mom doesn't want me to go back. How am I gonna go back because I've burnt bridges and I don't even know if I can do it. And then I had this ego of like, I was good then and now I'll have to go back to training and what if I suck and all of these things. And I would constantly try and then back off and I would dip my toe in and back off. And I was, I just couldn't let it go. I could not let it go. It would never leave me. And sometimes I would be like, okay, I'm done. I'm done. And like, did you see the wrestler? The movie?

With Mickey Rourke? It was incredible.

Incredible. Incredible. So sad.

Very sad.

So sad. And I remember seeing that and being like, see, this is why I left it. This is why it's so sad. It's such a sad business. That would be me, you know? And this old star that's now trying.

To figure out his life and working at a deli or something, right?

Yeah. I was like, ah, I did the right thing leaving. And then, you know, I would see something, you know, or like I had friends in it that were still doing it. Really? And I tried to distance myself from it, but there was always a pull. And I've kept journals my whole life. And you, like, if I just go back and read it, it's just there's always like a wrestling pull. Wow. And I just never, I never, I didn't know how I would get back there. And that's why I say, you know, sometimes you can't plan or you can plan, you can try and force things, but sometimes the timing of the universe or whatever you want to put it up to is wild. It's just wild because when I finished my acting degree and I was trying to get acting work in Ireland, I ended up getting stunt work on the Vikings, the TV show. And, and I was like, I don't have a clue what I'm doing. So they, they were like, you can come down and do a stint. And I was like, yeah, I'll do that. But I was like, well, I gotta, I gotta figure something out. So I went down to a wrestling school and it was the guy that was teaching the wrestling school, Joe, that, that said, would you think about going for WWE tryout? 'Cause I think I'd get it. Yeah, that was it. And he had just gotten accepted. Him and his girlfriend at the time, Rachel, who was one of my best friends, they had both gotten accepted to WWE and he suggested me going, even though at this time I had decided I was going to move back to New York. I lived in New York briefly in between my first and second year of college. I was gonna move back there. I was gonna pursue acting. trying to get into more theater. And when he said that, it was just like, I excited you. It was just this pull. It was this instinct, you know, after feeling like I was forcing everything for so many years. I was like, this is. But. But the thing is, is if. If I had gotten signed when I was 19, when I wanted to, I wouldn't have ended up where I am now, you know, like, I would have been mouthy. I wouldn't have. understood life. I would have had this ego. I would have. I would have messed everything up, probably birthed more Bridget, and then I just would have been, who knows what would have happened. But all of these other things that were happening and I was, as I was trying to figure out life and I was getting all this experience, helped so much. But then I ended up in the perfect place at the perfect time. with perfect people and with this drive to change things and change how the women were booked. And all of a sudden, what I wanted to do back then didn't seem so crazy now. For a few years, it still seemed a little crazy. But then we got there. We got there. We got there. We're still getting there.

So you do this scene as like a stunt person. Yeah. From the TV show.

Yeah.

And they're like, okay, let's put you through some training to be able to do the stunt training, right? And it brings you back to kind of like the wrestling roots.

Yeah.

And they're like, oh, I think you can make this, I guess this is a school for the WWE, or is.

It like a tryout or a-- Yes, so you go for a tryout, and then if you get the tryout, they'll give you a contract to NXT, which is the developmental brand. And then you can go and learn to be a WWE Superstar.

So we said, Do the tryout. I think you'll make it and go into kind of the underground, the up and coming.

And as soon as he said it, I was like, oh yeah.

And what happened?

Oh yeah.

The trial. You got it.

I got it. But like, I went in there with this mindset of, There is no way they will not want me. Why? There's no way. Look at my experience. I'm like a full trained actor, but I've also had this experience of main eventing in Japan. And I'm a stunt woman. And I was like, How would they not want me? I've done a bodybuilding competition.

Right, right, right.

And amassed all of this wacky experience.

Interesting.

To where I was like super confident. There is no way that these people are refusing me a contract. And then I was also like, I will die before I quit.

Wow.

Because they put you through all these.

Drills, which- and a lot of people quit.

Yeah. Yeah, they gave up.

How many people came in when you were there? How many people were there when you were there versus, I guess, a few years later?

So there was a try, well the try it, there was 30 people, two people got offered a contract. And then how many people, when I started, I was the first class of this brand new performance center that they had opened in Orlando.

What year is this?

This is 2013.

Okay.

And like, yeah, I remember my first day and they were like, look to the person left and look to the person right because they're not gonna make it. One of you isn't gonna make it. Not, you know, it was, it was the likelihood is only one of you are going to make it. Of course, many, many of us made it. Many, many of us made it. And some have come and gone over the, over the years, but, yeah, I was like, oh, I don't know that I'm gonna make it.

Really?

Well, no, like, outwardly, outwardly I could be like, I could see why I wouldn't make it. But there was still this, I was so scared of not making it, and I was so scared of failing. I was so scared of failing. But there was just this little voice of like, this is what you're meant to do. you will main event wrestling. And with absolutely no reason to believe it, by the way, it was terrible. Like, when I came back, I was so mind. Can I curse on you? Sure. That. That I. I was so insecure because now I was with, by the most beautiful women I'd ever seen, these giant behemoths of men that just looked like Superstars. And then there was me, the perfectly average girl from Dublin. who just felt like she had something. I felt like I had something to offer. Something in here, you know?

How many people are there? How many men and women are at this first day?

Gosh, I think there was like, it was maybe 10 women and like 50 dudes or something like that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We were really outnumbered back then. Wow. Really outnumbered back then. But yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I was like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, no.

How did you not lose your confidence going in?

Oh, I did.

It did.

Oh, completely lost, gone. As soon as I walked in that building, woof, gone, gone, it was gone. Anything that I had in the tryout was completely gone and just continued to just be dwindled away as I went through the first few months into, I would say, the first year. The first year. And it wasn't until I had this breakdown, and I remember crying from the depths of my soul, to my friend Frenchie. It was April. It was April 2014. And I just felt like I was doing everything I could to become better, but I wasn't. Like I wasn't becoming better. Like I was just in my own way. And I remember another one of my friends, his wrestling name was Aiden English, and I'd actually gone to college with him in Chicago, randomly acting colleges. wrestling's a little village, you know, you just meet people, they just pop up. And like, I remember him saying, yeah, sometimes you have a bad day, maybe you'll have a bad week, but nobody has a bad month. I was like, buddy, I've had a bad seven months. Like, I'm, I'm screwed. And, but I remember just thinking, like, I'm not a bad person. Like, I suck right now, but I love this. At least I'm not a bad person. And for some weird reason, that gave me a bit more confidence. I don't know why. I don't know why. I think because maybe there's this old thought of wrestling or maybe any sport or endeavor that's competitive where you kind of have to be cutthroat. And I hate that. I don't like that. Especially in something like wrestling where you're not doing it on your own. You're not making history on your own. Everything is a team effort. Yes, you want to be the best, but rising tides are not that jazz.

Everything's a collaboration.

Everything's a collaboration.

Even when you're competing, you're collaborating.

Yeah. But I wasn't going to be able to change the trajectory of women's wrestling by myself. I needed a group of women which I was there with who all had the same goal. It was myself, Sasha, Charlotte and Bailey and we all-- and Paige and Emma and other girls that were there and we all wanted this different future for the sport. And we were all working together. But there was this-- this feeling of, okay, I'm not willing to cut anybody's throat to get on top. That made me feel like, okay, all right, well, maybe that mentality will help me. And I don't need to be the biggest name in the business. I just need to do this. I just need to make a living out of it. I just need to be able to tell stories.

Interesting.

Wrestle.

And in that first year, I guess, from, you know, you said you had this breakdown in April 2014. That was 10 years ago.

Oh, my goodness.

Isn't that crazy? A decade ago. Next month will be a decade. Where did you feel like you were not connecting with in that first year? Was it the story aspect? The athlete aspect?

Was it in the ring? In-ring.

Gotcha.

In-ring, the story part was what helped me. That's what saved my career.

That's what kept you in it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Because Dusty Rhodes was the promo teacher at the time and Dusty, like, loved his broken toys, the ones that were, like, rough around the edges, but he saw that had some soul or something, something about them. Just a little something, just a spark. And he tried to bring that out. And so I didn't know. I didn't know who I wanted to be. Everybody was like, find a character, find a character, find a character. So I try out all these stupid characters.

None of them worked.

And of course none of them worked. They were all awful. But it was the trying, it was the being able to put yourself out there and throw at the wall and see what sticks. Right. Nothing stuck. But I tried and I kept I kept trying and I think he valued the creativity more than the outcome because if somebody came in, they were the total package. I can point to there's a wrestler called LA Knight at the time who right now is making big waves in wrestling. But at the time he was down there, we started on the same day and he had everything. He had it just down. He had it down, you know, so Dusty had no- He was very smooth.

He was great.

Yeah. Dusty was like, yeah, you're great, but he had no more work to do because he already had his act down. Whereas somebody like me was completely lost, completely screwed. Had, and I think there was a combination of Dusty and William Regal that saved my job many, many times because they saw that there was something, something there. In this Irish girl that had not a clue. That had not a clue. Cause I didn't look like any of these other girls that were like stunners. I wasn't great in the ring. But there was something when I talked that- Was unique. That was unique. Interesting. Yeah.

So I mean from that moment I guess, now are they, is it like six days a week training?

So it was like five days a week and then we would do three shows. So you'd do Monday, Tuesday you would do a school session, which is you'd watch matches, but then there'd be extra training.

Gosh, that would have been so fun.

Watching the matches?

Just, I mean, that whole experience. Just like being a full-time athlete. Training, watching, testing, trying, just like...

In hindsight. In hindsight, but during it was... But I remember that that was one of the things that Triple H would always say. you know, because he was head of Development and he was always, Enjoy this, enjoy this. There was times when I would feel like I was in a Rocky movie and, you know, like I get that, like, and you could enjoy it, but the other part of it was not sleeping because you were always scared that you were going to be on the chopping block.

You could be cut like every week.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. We called it Black Friday. And you'd come in, you'd get pulled into the office and that was it and your dream would be over. And, you know, I had several friends that got caught and it was devastating. And my friend Joe, the reason that I got signed in the first place, who I lived with, he got caught. And so that was a whole new world to navigate. But so once the fear of not being caught Subsided, then you could enjoy it more.

For sure.

But when you were scared that you were gonna get fired every other day, not enjoyable. Not enjoyable at all.

So when did you feel like I'm making it? Like, when did you feel like, okay, I'm actually making it, I don't know, in my sport, in society, culturally, financially, when was the moment from 10 years ago to like, I'm arriving?

So I think it was shortly after that. Shortly after the breakdown, Shortly after the breakdown of, okay, wait, I'm not a bad person. And then I remember coming into promo class, not doing a character, but just cutting an angry promo of, of, of, I am sick of the, I put in all of this work, I have done this, I have done that, I have done this, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, and, and, and, and this is why I deserve a shot. This is why I need to be on TV. And I remember cutting that promo. And then people seeing a bit more of an edge and it wasn't just a, hi, yeah, please don't fire me. Hi, hi, hi, hi. I'm so happy to be here. There was now this weird confidence and this, I wasn't so meek anymore. I had a chip on my shoulder and I was ready to fight. And then things started to happen there. Then I got on TV, one of the worst debuts of all time. Oh my god, terrible. I came out there doing a stupid Irish jig and I can't, I can't the Irish jig.

But like-- you- tried to dance?

Yeah, yeah, tried, tried, tried.

You tried to do the Irish dance.

I tried to do the Irish dance. Like as hammed up as possible. Oh my god. Like shameless, just shameless. But like at the time, there was this, This girl, Emmett, she was doing this wacky dance and it was like, okay, well, like wackiness is getting people on TV. There was just wacky characters left, right, and center. Because that was the thing about the developmental system down there. You got the chance to be wacky and you got the chance to try things and fail. And so I failed epically, publicly.

On TV.

On TV. Ooh. That lives on forever. that will never be erased from history. But hey, if you can come back from that, you can come back from anything.

Let's go.

And so the greatest part of it was like, I didn't even realize how awful it was until like a few nights later. And like, I remember seeing Triple H and being like, what did you think? As if he was like, oh yeah, that was amazing.

You dominated, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But the audience loved me. They were still, they were real positive to me. I think, come on, like I was a little idiot. Like, I suppose you couldn't really boo me, like, God bless her. You know, what did she think? What was she thinking? Look at this fool. Um, but, but yeah, and then, and then, and then I tried various different things. But I remember, I remember after that, and then just having this different perspective and this gratitude that I was able.

To.

Pay my bills. And the food in my fridge was bought by the money that I'd made from wrestling. And the roof over my head was paid for by the money that I'd made from wrestling. And I was driving a car with the money that I'd made from wrestling. And like, I was just driving with just tears of gratitude that I could afford these things with the money. that I'd made from wrestling because it, it, I've never felt like money that I've made from wrestling is real money. You know, it just doesn't feel like real money because I'm not working, you know?

You're having fun.

I'm having fun. I love, I love what I do. I love what I do. I love it. I love it. And sometimes, and sometimes it's hard, and sometimes there's so many opinions and there's You know, like our wrestling fans, they're so vocal and they're so great, but you know, you take the good with the bad. So sometimes you're getting lots of negative opinions on what you're doing or you're getting and so, or you think creative should be this way or you should be booked that way. And so you can get bogged down in those things. When it comes to the creative process and I'm putting together a match or I am thinking about a promo, I don't think there's anything bar like playing with my child that makes me feel more alive. Like, I just, I love it so much. And I love just like something coming to me and building from that, you know, just these little seeds of ideas. Like, what if we tried this? You know, what if we tried this? Maybe this will work. And maybe it'll be awful, but that's the greatest thing about wrestling is that because we do it 52 weeks a year, because we're on the road constantly, you get to try and fail so often, but you get to try and succeed so often too. And you never know which way it's gonna go. But if you keep trying, you know, sometimes you hit gold. Sometimes you don't. Sometimes you think something's gold and other people don't. But that's art, right? Like you do the art for what you want to do. And then whatever the audience takes out of it is up to them.

Big WWE fan, Rick Rubin, we had on the show.

I love Rick.

And he talks about what you just said, making art for you, and writing in your journal, in your diary, the things that are meaningful for you, your art, not worrying what people are gonna think about it, but having the courage to put it out there and allowing others to see it as well. that's like part of the process. And he's a big fan, isn't he?

Oh, he's a huge wrestling fan. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And his book is...

It's amazing. Have you read it?

Yeah, it's so good. Read it, listen to it.

Yeah, he's great.

Yeah, and I love because I just like sometimes I just like, okay, what do I need right now?

Universe, tell me.

Yeah, yeah. And then of course it's exactly what you need in that moment. I love it. But it is that. But the other thing about wrestling, which is so different from any other artistic endeavor, like writing a book, you can take your time. If you're writing a script or whatever, maybe like a movie or a song, if you have an album, but say if you're writing a song, you can just take your time to do that. Wrestling, we ain't got time. This show is gonna go live on TV.

We gotta make it happen now.

And if at 7 p.m. you don't have something, you better find something because we're gonna go live.

Have you ever not felt like you were prepared before going live and having to come up with something on the spot?

A million times.

Really?

Yeah, because now it's different. But it used to be back in the day, the show would be getting rewritten while the show was going on live in front of people. So you would have like an idea of what you're going to say and then somebody comes up, no, no, no, no, no, you have to say this. Find a way to put this in. And so you're okay going out the curtain and changing things.

Really? As you're going out, you have to evolve what you're gonna say.

Yeah. So sometimes, and that's happened like several times, but it's really exciting.

It's scary but exciting at the same time.

Yeah, because it's chaos. And it's chaos. And so whatever comes out is great. Because you can't, it's just organic. It's in the moment.

It's the ultimate yes and experience.

Yes. I love it. It's so exciting because you don't know what's gonna happen, but something's gonna happen. There's been so many times when I've had, like, we're putting together a match, but we haven't had the time. And so, like, you're going out and you think that you have something, but you're not sure, and you're not sure if everybody else is on the same page. But you go out there and something happens. Like, something's gonna happen because something has to happen.

And based on what happens, they might rewrite the next thing and the next thing, and it just keeps evolving, huh?

Yeah. Because you never go out there and nothing happens. Because that can't happen. Because that would be weird. People aren't just going to stand in the rain and wait to be told what to do.

Someone's gonna say something and hit someone and just go on to the next person.

And we're just gonna go because that's what has to happen. So it's such a...

They'll throw you out there, you just figure it out.

It's such an exciting addiction.

Wow, that's exciting. I told you I've never been to a show so I gotta come and watch you.

You got it, it's the best.

I'm curious, when is there a moment, you've had so many different matches over the last, you know, 10-15 years, when was the match or the moment that you were in the most flow, that you felt like 100% authentic to you, that the words were flowing, the movement was flowing, like it was all connecting and the audience was connected to you?

Gosh, I suppose there's several. Like, recently, I had a match with Trish Stratus. It was a cage match and it just felt like, yeah, I'm so present. Everything that needs to happen is happening. And that was back in September. So that's like, there's like these big matches that stand out because it, you know, it'll often happen on live events and different things, but there's a big moments, these big events built around it. And then a match that I had with Bianca Belair, WrestleMania 38, one of my favorite matches, one of my favorite stories leading up to it. And I was the bad guy and I loved it. I loved it. I was having so much fun and she was, she's this great athlete and this great baby face and she can do everything. And I was getting to-- because I'd robbed the title from her, essentially. Like, I'd underhandedly beat her. And I was going to be able to give her back her championship. She would beat me for it. I wasn't handing it over. She beat me for it. But it was that, you know, her redemption story. And that was so fun to be a part of. And then there was another match that I had in 2008. with Charla Flair was the last woman standing. And that one stands out because I remember it being the first match where I felt confident in it, in the moment. I can do no wrong. Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

What year is this?

That's 2018.

2018, yeah. Wow.

And so there's like big ones that stand out over time, but yeah.

I love all these stories you have in your book, and I want people to get this. It's called the Man, Not yout Average, Average Girl. Make sure you guys pick up a copy of this because there's so many beautiful stories in here. And one of the things I wanted to ask you about this, so you talk about is, and we mentioned it off camera beforehand, that I think it was 2019, you were kind of at the top of your, I guess, game in the industry, but you also felt like you weren't 100% authentic to you. Is that right? being the person you fully wanted to be.

Yeah.

Was that related to just things that the industry wanted you to do or things you felt like you were to do, or is that other personal stuff that was holding you back or what was playing a part in that?

Maybe a bit of everything. So it was coming from underneath, right? It was coming from being this underdog that the audience loved because she was smiley and happy and would do creative things online because she was never getting an opportunity on TV. But even though I wouldn't get opportunities on TV necessarily, I was always doing stuff with the digital team or on social media. I would create these little stories, these stupid little videos. Skits and stories that I thought were funny and entertaining. and so that the audience could get to know who I was. And then they wanted to turn me heel. They wanted to turn me into a bad guy against Charlotte Flair, who at the time was, she was a good guy, but she, you know, she's the daughter of Ric Flair and she had multiple title opportunities and was seen very much as a chosen one. And so when they were going to turn me heel, I knew she knew. Kind of a lot of people knew this wasn't going to be a heel turn. This was going to be a mega babyface turn for me, because now I would get this attitude and this shoulder chip and all that kind of stuff. But I think, and that worked to a certain point. I would rely on social media things a lot. And then I think I kind of started to put stuff out there into the world and onto the internet that whereas I would justify as it's business and this is making people talk and it's whatever, but I know it hurt people's feelings. That people that didn't weren't in on it, you know? Like it's a different thing. When you're in the ring or you know, and you're cutting promos and stuff like that and I was like, but this is what people want. They want me to be like this. But me as a person didn't necessarily feel, I didn't feel good about that. And I would always justify it, but it left me feeling icky, I suppose.

Interesting. And like, what changed until what moment?

Until what month? What do you mean?

Like, when did you change that? How long was that for?

Yeah, it was until I went out and had my child. Yeah. So it was like, from. From, I would say, mid 2019, then I just felt like it was just forced. It all felt very forced. And I didn't have formidable opponents, necessarily. I didn't have people that were built up for me on the back side, so I was trying to. I was trying to like, like, I was the champion. I had this historical moment of being the first woman to main event WrestleMania. But then my first opponent was somebody who the audience didn't know, who was, was, was quite green. And, you know, none of this was her fault, but it shouldn't, it shouldn't have been my first opponent. So it just then things just didn't feel like they were right. And, you know, I felt like I was trying this, still trying the social media thing that just felt inauthentic. And I just, I don't know, I felt like I put out some stuff that I wish I didn't. You know, I just wish I didn't put that out there. Because, you know, social media can be a great tool, but also can be horribly negative. and it can cost real relationships if people aren't in on it. And so I didn't, I don't, I don't, I didn't, I didn't like that. I think whatever, I will always say whatever you want to say about me, whatever you want to say about me is fair game if we can make money on TV, let's make money. But not everybody's like that. And I know not everybody's like that. And so you have to, there is such a level of trust in what we do. And I think I broke that trust for several people and then, and it just didn't feel good. It just didn't sit right with who Rebecca Quinn is. And so even though I could justify Becky Lynch, it's business, it's business. At the end of the day, my gut said, no, my gut was no, and I was going against it and it felt inauthentic. And then I went and had my daughter and then I haven't I haven't relied on that since.

Really?

And I felt just so much better.

Really?

So much better. So much lighter. I don't put stock in it. I tell my stories on TV. I tell them in the ring. I tell them with my promos. I don't need to be tweeting mean stuff at people on a random Sunday afternoon, you know what I mean?

You talk about your daughter having your daughter and also kind of the fear and insecurity you had about, I guess, telling the WWE about being pregnant and how is this going to affect your career? How did you navigate that?

It's just hot damn.

Did you think you would still have a career if you had a child? Have you seen someone do this before?

No. that was the thing. I'd never seen somebody do it before. Wow. And so that's why I felt like I had to do it. Because, wait a minute. Why should I have to choose? You know, why should I have to choose? Apart from the obvious point of time off, people get. People get injured all the time, right? You can. You can tear your ACL when you're out for a year. So why can't I be out for a year? Because.

They're private.

I bring a child into the world. Interesting. Stuff happens. And so stuff is gonna happen and this is a new world and we're gonna have to find a way to make it happen so that women can still be superstars, still be entertainers, still be on top, but also be mothers if they want to be. You know? That was my feeling. Why not? Why can't I? And so for better or worse, I was gonna be the crash test dummy. But I just felt like, all right, I've changed the game in one way. Obviously not by myself, with a lot of help.

Sure, sure.

You know, I've been part of this change. Let me continue to be part of change. Let me push some.

Boundaries and see what happens.

Let's see what happens. Let me make life more hard on myself, but also way better on myself because now I have another purpose. And life is just so much better.

Way better now.

It's so much better.

You talk about it here also going through different relationships, personal relationships that didn't work out that you were stuck in. felt like you should have been out of much sooner. I was telling you before that I probably done that five or six times in my life where I stayed in relationships too long when I knew, trying to force them when I knew it wasn't really the right thing for either of us. When did you meet your husband? Did you think you could be in a relationship with someone in the business as well? And what is the thing you love about him the most?

So many things. I met him first in 2014. I was an extra. I was an extra and he was part of the Shield, which was like the frickin Backstreet Boys of wrestling. You know what I mean? He was a major star. And I remember just like standing around there awkwardly like, hi, hi, hi, trying to introduce myself there. And then this guy comes over to me and it's Seth Rollins and he introduces himself and he says, hi, I'm Colby. What's your story? And then I'm just like, blah. And I just like vomit all these words and my life history up until that point. And I just felt so comfortable talking to him. But that was just my friend. That was just, you know, that was Seth Rollins who was just such a great nice guy who was so down to earth. This mega star on TV, but was just really nice to me. And over the years then we built up this friendship and I always just used to get so excited to see him. Wow. And like, you know, like he would always, I would always go up and tell him a stupid joke and he would always tell me I was the worst and walk off. Like I just loved those interactions. It was great. And, you know, and we became closer and he was always there for me and he was such a good friend. Then, you know, he's so smart about wrestling, so I would go to him for wrestling advice and everything. But, you know, one of us was always in a relationship. And also, I never wanted to get involved with any wrestlers. I did not want to get involved with any wrestlers because that would be bad news and what would happen if we broke up and...

Right.

Inevitably breaks up. and then in, like, 2019, early 2019, like, we started, like, talking a bit more. He had just broken up with her, his girlfriend. I had just broken up with somebody I'd been seeing for the short little play. And. And. And, you know, I was, like, the man now, and I was, like, feeling myself. I was single, Becky. I You know, crushing it. Yeah, I was crushing it. You know, I was having fun. I was free. And so like we started talking and I was like, yeah, I can have my fun with this cut guy. And then, and then like we started like seeing each other a little bit, but I knew that he was like wanted to sew his wild oats and all this. And all of a sudden I was like, wait, wait a minute. No, no, what are we doing? No, we can't do this. We're too good friends. We're too good friends. And like, I can't, so if I'm like, yeah, whatever, I don't want to get into a relationship with you, then I'm not, I'm not gonna feel anything. I'm not that kind of a person, too. Like, I like a relationship. And so, and so I, I, I, I was like, no, no, no, actually, no, sorry. We'll just be best friends. We'll be best friends. That's what you want. You just want to be best friends with me, 'cause I'm a great friend. And he was like, no, no, no, no, no, that's not what I want. And I was like, It is, it is what you want, I'm telling you. And so then we tried this friendship thing, but he was like, Do you still want to hang out when we're on the road next week? And I was like, yeah, that'd be great. And then I was like, yeah, we can stay in the same room?

That'll be fine. Yeah, right.

And yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, right. Then, yeah, then, then, then, Then we were friends.

Friends turned into lovers quickly.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And then like eight months later we were engaged. Wow. Look at that. A year later, Ru was on the way. And then, and now we've been married for nearly three years. We've been together over five years and he is the best. He's just the best. the thing that I love most about him, I don't know if there's one thing, but he's so empathetic. Like, so I'm Irish, right? I can tell. And I'm fiery and I can be judgy. He assesses everything and like, he's so forgiving and understands where everything, where everyone's coming from. and really assesses everything from like a 360 point of view almost immediately. And he's so patient and he's the best father and he's so generous and he takes care of everybody, everybody around, takes care of his family, his friends, his society, like his community. Like he gives back, he started wrestling, he was called up on the main roster and almost immediately wanted to open a wrestling school to give back to the wrestling community, to help train people. He's a big coffee connoisseur, wanted to open a coffee shop in his town so that people could enjoy coffee the way that he wants. He's just, he's unbelievable. He's the best person I know. He's the best person I know. And he's like funny and he's so smart. He's just great. And then he's like, this wrestling savant and so selfless in so many ways. Like, I could write a book about how great this man is. He's great.

That's beautiful.

I just say it all the time, like, oh, I looked out. Look at me. I did great.

That's beautiful.

I did great in life. And we're just, it's, it's, I've never had a relationship like it. And we have such a happy little family. I mean, it's not perfect. Of course it's not perfect. Nothing is perfect. We have disagreements from time to time, mostly me disagreeing with something or getting annoyed at something. And him patiently trying to rectify the situation. But, you know, we get to do what we love. We get to travel with our daughter. It's just great. Sounds beautiful.

It's just great.

And it's not always easy, obviously, you know, traveling 52 weeks a year with a three-year-old, isn't always easy being all over the place, never really having a settled home life. There's all the things that go into it, but when we just break it down, when we stop worrying about the micro details of, oh, they should have done this on TV or whatever it is that we might We're like, oh, I feel like, you know, I thought this was great and people don't seem to like it. Whatever it is that you could possibly get upset about, we have to look at it and go, how lucky are we that we get to have this family, we get to do what we love, we get to get paid well for it, we get to travel, we have this amazing magic daughter, and she gets to grow up in a house full of love. It's beautiful. Stop the life. It's great.

It's a good life.

It's great. I'm so lucky.

Wow.

It did good. This little average girl did good.

It did good.

Did good.

Besides your husband, who would you say are the three most influential people in your career over the last... Oh, in my career? Over the last, you know, 15 years, who are the three people that influenced you the most and what were the lessons each one of them taught you?

Gosh, I suppose Mick Foley would be number one. He's the reason that I got into wrestling. I loved him and he was different and he was different than everybody else. But that was what he accentuated. He didn't try to be like everybody. He didn't try to look like he relied on his uniqueness and his unique ability to cut a promo and tell a story. And then of course he wrote a bestselling book and so that, you know, all these things that I wanted to do. And then you meet him in person and then anybody who says, don't meet your heroes, because you'll only be disappointed. Maybe they're not talking about the wrestling industry, because anybody who I grew up idolizing has been nothing but amazing.

Wow, he's number one.

And Mick Foley was one of them. John Cena. Amazing.

Just, he seems like a great guy.

He is a great guy. He is a great guy.

What was the big lesson he taught you?

Who are you? Who are you? I don't know who you are. That's what he said to me. Like, I would go to him, I would ask him for advice. He was like, I don't know who you are. I don't know who you are. And I would get so mad and I was, because the people would be chanting my name. I was like, well, they knew. Because I've always had this connection with the audience where they would chant for me even when I didn't have an established character or whatever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. There was always a connection there. We were buds. I think because we both love wrestling, you know? I love wrestling. They love wrestling. Let's have a wrestling show. Let's talk about it. Let's talk about it.

But John didn't know who you were.

John cuts through the bull. he does not tell you what you want to hear. He is honest. And I love that about him because you will get an honest response. And in a world that is, that can often be called fake. Yeah. Honesty is, is very important.

When he meant, who are you? What was he saying?

Like, who are you? Who? When you walk out the curtain, who are you? I don't know who you are. There's nothing that defines you. Who am I? I'm Superman. I'm Superman. And then I walked down, I'm the man. And then after that, well, then I found out who I was and I became the man. And then it was distinguishable. I am the man. Now I know who you are. You were the top dog. And then I became big time Bex and I was okay, I know who this person is.

And so how much, how long after John said to you, who are you?

When the oh, a couple of years.

Oh, it took a while to figure out.

Took a while, took a while.

So when you became the man, did you go to him and say?

No, he kept me.

What did he say?

He said, you did it. He said, I've said that to a lot of people. I'm not, hardly anybody's done it. You did it. You were the man. Wow. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. That was like a Wow. That's John. John's the best. Wow.

Okay, and the third person.

The Rock. Wow. The Rock, yeah, yeah, yeah. He also incredible, like the busiest, biggest star on the planet. But if you are stuck for something and you need advice, he will be there in a heartbeat and be able to help you with that and talk you through anything and listen to your concerns and put them in perspective. And yeah, and just be there. Just be there for you as a friend and as a mentor. When he's also just like the busiest person on the planet. and he takes that time out to do that.

What was the thing he said to you, maybe behind the scenes, backstage, that no one else got to really experience, but he said to you that impacted you?

One of the things that he said to me that I still think about and think about regularly is what do you think about in the quiet of the night when everybody's gone to sleep, when there's nobody around, what is it that you dream of? Yeah. And keep that at the forefront of your mind. And the other thing that he said to me, I think, was when my dad passed away. And if, you know, everybody tries to comfort you, and I never know what to say when somebody passes away to somebody else, like, sorry for your loss, you know, you're sending love. And he said, and now he's always with you. And that, and even saying it now just makes me feel a certain, 'cause now he is always with me, you know? And that'll get me, yeah, so.

Wow, it's beautiful. Yeah.

Trust the rock to always know what to say. Yeah.

Rebecca, this has been a beautiful conversation and I could go for another few hours with you, but I want to be mindful of time. I want people to get your books, beautiful stories, lessons about someone from, you know, really a small town, small country who was able to become one of the biggest stars in the world and all the different life lessons and stories along the way which are really inspiring. So I want people to get a copy of your book, the Man, Not yout Average, Average Girl. Make sure you guys check this out by Rebecca Quinn. really inspiring stuff and just some really cool stories in here that I think people will like whether you're into WWE or not. Again, I've never been to a match but I thought all this stuff was fascinating. So I'm coming one of these days. I'm gonna be there. I have three final questions for you, Rebecca. The first one is called the Three Truths. It's a hypothetical question. So I'd like you to imagine, if you can, a moment that you get to live as long as you want in this world. But it's your last day, many years away. You get to pick as old as you want to be. But eventually you got to turn the lights off for yourself. And in this hypothetical world, you have to take everything with you. So no one has access to this book, our conversation, any piece of content that's ever been out, anything you create from this moment moving forward, it has to go with you. when you leave. But on the last day, you get to leave behind three lessons to the world. Three things you know to be true, and that's all you would ever be able to leave behind to everyone else. What would be those three truths for you?

To believe in yourself. My dad said something and it's from the Bible, but he misquoted it. But and it's a quote that I use in this book too, and he misquoted it, but I like his version better. And it's, if you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will complete you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will destroy you. Wow. And I love that. I love that. It's essentially being authentic. to whatever it is inside. And the other one, the third one, I will use the most polite language that I can. Just don't be a- Just be nice to people. Be good to one another, you know? I think that's what we need in this world more than anything. And if you want an outlet for people not being good to each other, watch wrestling. Watch wrestling where they're not being nice to each other, but it's agreed upon.

It's contained.

It's contained. It's contained and it's controlled. Because I think more than ever, especially in a world where negativity is a hot commodity, Where the algorithm loves it. It is more important where we thought that we left the bullies in the schoolyard, but we don't. They're online every day. They're constantly telling you. They're constantly chirping in their opinions. I think we need more than ever just to be good to one another.

That's beautiful. Rebecca, I want to acknowledge you for a moment for I really enjoy just getting to know you for the last hour and a half and your authenticity. So I want to acknowledge you for you stepping into your authentic, honest, funny and kind self. It's been really cool to get to connect with you for a moment. I acknowledge you for the journey you've been on. I think it's really inspiring to see someone again from your town and your country, you know, do all the different things you did. leave a dream, come back and pursue it for years to get to where you are. And also, I acknowledge you for being the man in your sport and also being a mother, a wife, and a woman that is living a personal life as well and making both of them work at a high level. I guess you said it, that there's challenges still and you guys aren't perfect, but Being able to live your dreams and be a mom and show up for your daughter, I think it's just a really beautiful thing. So I want to acknowledge you for the journey that you're on and your ability to bring joy and entertainment and inspiration to so many people every single week. So it's really cool.

Thanks.

Yeah, of course.

Thank you for having me.

Yeah, of course. I have one final question that I want people to get the book before I ask the final question, where can we support you the most? Where can we follow you and how can we be of service to you right now?

Well, you can follow me on, I think it's @beckylynchwwwe or is it WWE Becky Lynch? I think it's @beckylynchwwwe and that's my Instagram, Twitter. I think my TikTok following.

All your social media.

All my social medias. I think it's all the same. And then my book, available.

Everywhere.

Everywhere.

It's exciting. How else can we be of service?

Watch wrestling.

Watch wrestling. Watch wrestling. Get the books, share with a friend.

Yeah.

Final question, Rebecca, what's your definition of greatness?

Gosh, I think living a life that feels authentic to you, I think that's it. whatever it is that you want to do without the noise, without the pressure, whatever it is that you feel is authentic. I think that's greatness. That's greatness putting out what you want to in the world.

I hope today's episode inspired you on your journey towards greatness. Make sure to check out the show notes in the description for a rundown of today's show with all the important links. and if you want weekly exclusive bonus episodes with me as well as ad free listening experience, make sure to subscribe to our greatness plus channel on Apple podcast. If you enjoyed this, please share it with a friend over on social media or text a friend. Leave us a review over on Apple podcast and let me know what you learned over on our social media channels at Lewis Howes. I really love hearing the feedback from you and it helps us continue to make the show better. and if you want more inspiration from our world class guests and content to learn how to improve the quality of your life, then make sure to sign up for the Greatness Newsletter and get it delivered right to your inbox over at greatness.com/newsletter. And if no one has told you today, I want to remind you that you are loved, you are worthy, and you matter. And now it's time to go out there and do something great.