#78 - Sasha Cohen: The price of achievement, and redefining success

Nov 4, 2019

Sasha Cohen, a former US Olympic figure skater and silver medalist from the 2006 Olympics, opens up about the intense pressures of elite athletics. She highlights the challenges of identity loss post-career and the emotional toll of striving for perfection. Sasha discusses her unforgettable Olympic experience and the uncomfortable truth about the hollowness of achievement. She advocates for redefining success, emphasizing fulfillment over accolades. Their candid conversation sheds light on mental health struggles and the need for a supportive community for athletes.

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ANECDOTE

2006 Olympics Pressure

Sasha Cohen, favored in the 2006 Olympics, faced immense pressure.
Injuries and equipment problems made her feel unprepared, like "walking a pirate's plank."

INSIGHT

Control Illusion

Athletes often believe they can control every aspect of their training.
Cohen later learned the important lesson of accepting that some things are beyond our control.

ANECDOTE

Skipped Practice

After the short program, Cohen strained her leg.
To recover, she skipped practice, a surprising move that confused many.

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In this episode, Sasha Cohen, former US Olympic figure skater, discusses the most challenging things about life as an Olympian—the pressures, the expectations, years of sacrifice, but worst of all a loss of identity post-career resulting in many former Olympians suffering from depression. We begin by talking about everything that led up to her unforgettable moment from the 2006 Olympics, and how she handled herself so beautifully in the face of disaster. Most importantly, we talk about post-skating life when she shares many insights such as the downside of constantly striving for a moment, the hollowness of achievement, and the importance of redefining our definition of success.

We discuss:

Sasha’s mindset going into the 2006 Olympics as the favorite [6:30];
Figure skating basics, scoring, short program vs. long program, etc. [13:40];
Sasha’s unforgettable performance at the 2006 Olympics [18:10];
Win, lose, or draw, why many Olympians suffer from a loss of identity [32:30];
Dealing with the disappointment of “losing the gold” [40:30];
The tiny window of opportunity for Olympians, and the overwhelming pressure to meet expectations [49:30];
Sasha’s unique childhood, finding figure skating, and channeling her hyperactive personality into becoming an amazing skater [1:01:30];
The consequences of extreme training at a young age, and trying to control the uncontrollable [1:10:00];
What is driving extreme athletes and Olympians to be the best? [1:18:30];
Why many former Olympians and athletes struggle with depression [1:25:00];
Refining success—How Sasha overcame her own loss of identity [1:32:30];
What advice would Sasha give her 15-year-old self? [1:40:45];
Lessons we can learn from watching the rapid downfall of many former Olympians [1:45:00];
Advice for people who are tying their identity to being “successful” or striving to be “the best” [1:56:00];
Life lessons Sasha wants to apply to being a mother to her baby boy she is expecting [2:05:00]; and
More.

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