Join Olympic champion Greg Louganis, a trailblazer as the first openly gay diver and an advocate for the HIV community. He shares his journey of overcoming childhood struggles, emphasizing the importance of self-worth beyond achievements. Discussing the emotional impact of the 1980 Olympic boycott, Greg reflects on resilience and personal growth. He highlights the transformative power of vulnerability, community support, and visualization techniques that helped him succeed. With a playful spirit, he shows how authenticity fuels joy and confidence.
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1980 Olympics Boycott
Greg Louganis, a team captain, proposed a unique protest for the 1980 Olympics boycott.
He suggested athletes attend opening/closing ceremonies but stay back in protest and still compete.
insights INSIGHT
A Blessing in Disguise?
Greg Louganis discusses how missing the 1980 Olympics might have been a blessing in disguise.
He was pursuing theater and dance, potentially leaving diving if he'd won.
question_answer ANECDOTE
The 700 Game
Greg Louganis describes a training game called "the 700 game" to improve his diving consistency.
His coach challenged him to dive in gale-force winds and rain, emphasizing the importance of diverse training conditions.
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Greg Louganis's autobiography, "Breaking the Surface," offers an intimate look into the life of one of the greatest Olympic divers of all time. The book details his journey from a troubled childhood to Olympic glory, including his struggles with adoption, sexual identity, and the challenges of living with HIV. Louganis shares his experiences with bullying, abuse, and the immense pressure of competing at the highest level. He also reveals his personal triumphs and resilience, inspiring readers with his story of overcoming adversity. The book's honesty and vulnerability have resonated with many, making it a powerful and moving read.
VALIDATION IS REDUNDANT.
As many of you know, I didn’t have friends growing up. I couldn’t read and write until late high school. I was goofy and gangly. I got made fun of all the time.
Sports was something I could finally understand.
I was able to prove myself by what I could accomplish on the field.
But then I placed my self worth in what I could achieve in football. If I lost a game, I felt terrible. If I won, I felt great.
It was so unhealthy.
We need to be careful where we get our self-worth.
Instead of earning it through outside validation, we should get it from the kindness in our heart, the positivity that we bring, and who you are.
Learn to have unconditional love for yourself.
On today’s episode of The School of Greatness, I talk about self with the greatest diver in history who is also a great person and advocate: Greg Louganis.
Greg Louganis is simply the greatest diver in history. Today, as a speaker, author, actor, activist, humanitarian and designer, he continues his tradition of excellence.
Greg was the first openly gay diver in history. He is also HIV positive. He now uses his story to empower others.
So get ready to learn about the mindset of an Olympic champion on Episode 767.
Some Questions I Ask:
What was the greatest lesson you learned during the Olympic boycott? (8:00)
How would you approach your dives at The Olympics vs. practice? (12:00)
What was your first Olympic dive like? (16:00)
Were you driven to achieve because you were adopted? (20:00)
How do you cope with something like an HIV diagnosis? (40:00)
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced in your life? (48:00)
In This Episode You Will Learn:
Why Greg thinks the Olympic boycott may have been a blessing (4:00)
Why obstacles in training are important (9:00)
How to tap into inspiration as opposed to fear (17:00)
About Greg’s experience being HIV positive (35:00)
How imagination and visualization can help you succeed despite all odds (39:00)
The method Greg uses to teach visualization (1:00:00)
Follow me on:
Instagram: @lewishowes
Twitter: @LewisHowes
The School of Greatness