Chosen Suffering: The Path to Elite Performance with Coach Tom Ryan

Jul 8, 2025

01:00:16

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Coach Tom Ryan is the head wrestling coach at The Ohio State University, where he led the Buckeyes to their first-ever NCAA team championship in 2015 and has consistently kept the program among the nation's elite. A two-time NCAA Coach of the Year and National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, Ryan has coached dozens of All-Americans and Olympians while building a culture rooted in toughness, character, and purpose. He’s also the author of Chosen Suffering, a powerful book that explores faith, leadership, and finding meaning through adversity. His leadership and resilience—shaped in part by personal tragedy—have made him one of the most respected voices in collegiate athletics for the past 30 years.

Journaling Reflection Questions

1. How do you currently choose to suffer in your own life, and what message does this send to those you lead?

2. When you experience setbacks or losses, what stories do you tell yourself, and how do these narratives either empower or limit your leadership?

3. What does your current ratio of positive to corrective feedback look like, and how might adjusting this balance strengthen your relationships with those you coach?

4. How do you help the people you lead separate their identity from their performance, especially during challenging times?

5. In what ways do you invest in relationships that extend beyond the immediate goals or outcomes of your program?

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