Run Your Life Show With Andy Vasily #268: Redefining Resilience: From Olympic Dreams to Emmy-Winning Success with Nina Sossamon-Pogue
On the show today is the brilliant Nina Sossamon-Pogue, a multifaceted leader who has excelled across diverse fields - from gymnastics to broadcasting, corporate leadership, and authorship. .
In our conversation, we delve deeply into the true essence of resilience through Nina's extraordinary life experiences. Nina has a special gift to blend personal story, scientific research, and stoic philosophy. She presents a fresh perspective on what it means to be truly resilient. Rather than offering simple platitudes, Nina provides actionable strategies for embracing change and overcoming adversity, drawn from her own journey of transformation.
Her story begins in the world of elite gymnastics, where she trained and competed alongside Olympic gold medalists Mary Lou Retton and Bart Connor. Despite being widely projected to make the 1984 Olympic team, Nina faced her first major setback when she failed to qualify. Rather than letting this define her, she channeled her passion for the sport into earning a full scholarship to Louisiana State University. However, fate had other plans, and a severe knee injury brought her gymnastics career to an abrupt end.
What followed demonstrates the very essence of resilience that Nina now teaches. She successfully pivoted to broadcast journalism, where her dedication and talent led to her winning an Emmy Award. Building on this success, she then transitioned into corporate leadership and became a best-selling author, each step of her journey informing her unique perspective on resilience.
Throughout the episode, Nina weaves together several core themes that challenge conventional wisdom about resilience. She emphasizes the importance of authenticity in both success and struggle, integrating personal experiences with research-based insights. Her approach balances stoic principles with emotional intelligence, offering practical tools for maintaining course in high-stress environments. What makes her message particularly compelling is how she presents complex ideas about resilience in ways that are both accessible and actionable.
I hope you enjoy this episode. Thanks for listening.
Connect With Nina
You can find Nina's books below: