Why success alone doesn’t bring happiness but truly embracing the now can be transformative. This is a fascinating conversation with one of my favourite tennis players of the last few decades – Dominic Thiem, who is retiring this week in Vienna.

Dominic explains what it’s like to reach the pinnacle of success, and then realise… it didn’t bring the fulfilment it promised. After winning the US Open in 2020, he found himself grappling with a sense of emptiness, which prompted a period of deep introspection and growth.

We talk about the myth of perpetual positivity, dealing with the critical voice in the head and the importance of finding flow—not just in sport but in life. Dominic also shares his insights into mindfulness, meditation, and why smartphones and social media may have hobbled elite athletes born in the 1990s.

We also discuss:

Challenges of competing against the "Big Three" of Federer, Nadal and Djokovic
Importance of stress management as an elite athlete
Thiem's journey of finding flow states and the joy of playing, beyond just chasing results
The profound impact of winning the 2020 US Open and the subsequent period of readjustment
Being impacted by Eckhart Tolle's 'The Power of Now'
Discovering the power of mindfulness, meditation and a philosophical perspective on life
Concerns about the influence of technology and social media on the next generation of athletes
Insights on finding meaning, balance and fulfillment beyond external success

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359: Year in Review 2019