Apolo Ohno: From Last Place to Olympic Gold | E25

Apolo Anton Ohno is the most decorated Winter Olympian of all time. Between the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Winter Olympics, Apolo earned eight Olympic medals in short-track speed skating. Even as a child, Apolo’s athletic ability was evident, at the young age of 14, Apolo won his first major speed skating title, after just six months of training. 

But, despite his incredible talents and drive, Apolo faced setbacks and struggles from managing his mental health, navigating adolescence and his rocky relationship with his father, to tuning his competitive spirit. Apolo attributes his massive success as a speed skater and athlete to his fear of failure.

In this episode, Randall and Apolo talk about what it takes to succeed at the highest level, and Apolo shares how the struggles he faced growing up and his unique relationship with his father shaped him into the athlete and man he is today. Apolo talks about what he learned from his failure at the 1998 Olympic trials, talks about the four foundations of mental health, and shares tips on how to set a regimen for mental health. 

Topics Include: 

- Advice to people afraid to fail 

- Winning his first big race

- How to sustain performance level after success

- Advice for parents navigating relationships and experiences with their children 

- The role of genetics in sport and excellence 

- Experience of 2002 Olympic Games 

- Going the extra mile and the role of extreme preparation 

- Elements of success

- Passion and money's role in success

- Five golden principles for overcoming challenges

- Philanthropy and the importance of giving back

- And other topics…

Apolo Ohno is America’s most decorated Winter Olympian of all time, earning eight Olympic medals in short-track speed skating across the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Winter Games.

He was an NBC sports analyst for the Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games and is a global ambassador for the Special Olympics and the Winter Olympics. Among his other athletic accomplishments, Apolo won season 4 of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and participated in the 2014 Ironman World Championship Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii. 

Apolo is also the author of the New York Times best-seller, Zero Regrets, A Journey, the autobiography of Apolo Anton Ohno, and his latest book, Hard Pivot. He is a regular speaker at hundreds of organizations from Fortune 100 companies to nonprofits.

Resources Mentioned:
Sandee.com
Apolo Ohno Website

Coaching and Staying Connected:

1-on-1 Coaching | Instagram | YouTube | TikTok | LinkedIn