733 The World’s Greatest Athlete: Katrín Davíðsdóttir

Dec 17, 2018

Katrín Davíðsdóttir, a two-time CrossFit Games champion from Iceland, shares her inspiring journey from aspiring Olympic gymnast to the fittest woman in the world. She discusses the pivotal moment of missing the Games in 2014, which fueled her determination and growth. Katrín emphasizes that hard work trumps natural talent and details her intense training routines and recovery strategies. She also delves into the importance of purpose, mental resilience, and uplifting others through her story, reminding listeners to embrace their own greatness.

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ANECDOTE

Turning Failure Into Fuel

Katrín failed to qualify for the 2014 CrossFit Games after panic over a legless rope-climb event led to repeated failed attempts.
That failure forced her to re-evaluate, rest, and ultimately fueled her comeback to become champion in 2015 and 2016.

INSIGHT

The Professional Athlete Bubble

Katrín discovered the difference between working hard and truly professional training after living with coach Ben Bergeron's team in Boston.
The structured environment taught her recovery, focus, and what elite daily standards look like.

ADVICE

Prioritize Your Craft Deliberately

If you want to be the best, prioritize your craft and accept limited balance during peak pursuit periods.
Schedule breaks intentionally only after you have completed necessary training, sleep, and recovery obligations.

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There’s hard work, and then there’s HARD WORK.
Some people may be smarter than you.
They may have more resources at their disposal.
They might even have more natural talent.
But the one thing you can do is WORK HARD.
You can only control a certain number of factors. As long as you focus on those, you will become the best version of yourself.
When you get to the end, you need to know that you did everything you could to accomplish your goal.
On today’s episode of The School of Greatness, I talk with an athlete who works tirelessly to be the fittest woman in the world: Katrín Davíðsdóttir.
Katrín Tanja Davíðsdóttir is an Icelandic CrossFit athlete known for her four appearances at the CrossFit Games. She is the women's champion of the 2015 and 2016 CrossFit Games, becoming the second woman to win twice.
Katrin didn’t become Olympic gymnast like she originally wanted. But she went on to become a world-renowned CrossFit champion.
You can’t always be anything you want, but you can be all that you are.
So get ready to learn all about what goes into becoming the Fittest Woman on Earth on Episode 733.
Some Questions I Ask:
Where do you think you’d be if you had qualified for the games in 2014? (22:00)
What does it take to be the best in the world? (23:15)
Do you ever take a day off? (24:00)
What’s your biggest physical weakness right now? (25:00)
What about your mindset do you think still needs work? (43:00)
Do you think intimate partnerships support someone’s drive to be the best in the world or could it hold you back? (48:30)
What are your thoughts on body image and femininity? (51:30)
What’s the biggest lesson your grandmother taught you (55:00)
In This Episode You Will Learn:
Why not qualifying for the CrossFit Games was the best thing to happen to Katrin (6:00)
What Katrin would do if she wasn’t an athlete (23:00)
About the concept of balance when pursuing your goals (24:00)
Katrin’s hardest workout (42:00)
The three lessons Katrin’s coach has taught her (56:30)
Katrin’s greatest fear (59:00)
What caused Katrin to be someone who works hard (1:04:30)

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