#72 - Frances Houghton | Learnings From Five Olympic Games
Apr 20, 2021
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Frances Houghton, the first female British rower to compete in 5 Olympic games, shares her lessons from a career spanning two decades. Topics include managing the physical and mental toll of Olympic rowing, changing mindset, setting goals, working as a team, and adapting to change and diversity within the team. She also discusses her journey from being non-sporty to being an Olympic athlete and reflects on the upcoming Tokyo 2021 Olympics and personal challenges.
By shifting her focus from winning a gold medal to standing on the Olympic podium with her teammates and feeling joy, Frances Houghton found greater success and enjoyment in her sport.
Horton encourages athletes to prioritize their own well-being and define success on their own terms, focusing on personal growth and identity over external validation and achievements.
Horton highlights the significance of teamwork, embracing diversity, and open communication in creating a supportive and unified environment that leads to greater performance and camaraderie.
Deep dives
Changing Mindset for Success
Francis Horton, a five-time Olympian, shares the lessons she learned throughout her 20-year career in rowing. She discusses the importance of managing physical and mental tolls, changing mindset, setting goals, and working as a team with different personalities. By shifting her focus from winning a gold medal to standing on the Olympic podium with her teammates and feeling joy, she found greater success and enjoyment in her sport. She highlights the value of perseverance, self-belief, and the power of intrinsic motivation. Her book, 'Learnings from Five Olympic Games,' provides further insights and reflections on her journey.
Reflecting on Personal Growth and Identity
Horton emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and finding fulfillment in personal growth and identity. She shares her journey of understanding herself, changing her mindset, and finding joy in the sport. Rather than seeking external validation and success, she focuses on being proud of who she is as an athlete and a person. This shift in perspective allowed her to perform at her best and create a stronger bond with her teammates. Horton encourages athletes to prioritize their own well-being and define success on their own terms.
The Power of Teamwork and Trust
Horton highlights the significance of teamwork and trust in achieving success. She acknowledges that everyone has different strengths, and by embracing diversity and understanding one another, teams can create something greater than the sum of their parts. She overcame earlier tendencies of pushing others too hard and instead focused on creating a supportive and unified environment. This approach not only improved performance but also fostered a sense of joy and camaraderie. Horton encourages open communication, vulnerability, and building genuine bonds within a team.
Overcoming Challenges and Perseverance
Horton discusses the challenges she faced throughout her career and the importance of perseverance. She experienced self-doubt, physical injuries, and moments of burnout. However, she found ways to keep going by reminding herself of her belief in her abilities and the commitment she made to herself. Through resilience and a willingness to adapt her mindset, she pushed through setbacks and achieved her goals. Horton highlights the value of resilience, perseverance, and a growth mindset in overcoming challenges and achieving long-term success.
Success Beyond External Expectations
Horton shares her insights on finding success beyond external expectations. She learned to prioritize her own well-being and redefine her goals to focus on personal fulfillment rather than solely chasing external achievements. By understanding her own values, strengths, and motivation, she was able to navigate high-pressure environments and overcome self-doubt. Horton encourages athletes to define success based on their own terms and to find joy in the journey rather than solely focusing on the end result.
France Houghton MBE is the first female British rower to compete in 5 Olympic games.
I was fortunate to know Frances through an athlete mentoring program we both worked on a couple of years ago.
But you’re in for a treat for this episode. Frances talks about her lessons from her career spanning two decades. From managing the physical and mental toll of olympic rowing, how a change of mindset can free you up in your sport and life, setting your goals and verbalising them, as well as working as a team of different personalities.