Chris Waddell

Learning is painful and hard

2 diametrically opposed desires: security and growth
Stop growing learning and dreaming we’re essentially dead
No choice. Change or perish
Our greatest moments, when we look back, are when we changed for the better
Opportunities to learn from each other. What happened? What did you do?
Eliminate emotional part: Change doesn’t mean failure.
Change before change finds you
Culture of change: pursuing a direction, accepting that there will be specific diversions along the way and opportunities to revisit the strategy

How often do we say that something is impossible and it’s entirely true until someone does it? Why not us?
Depression after competing. Didn’t want to be passionate. Cut myself off from optimism, the trigger to my greatest power.
Dream, imagine, make it personal
Achieving goals=growing as a person—confronting fears, improving skills, growing confidence
Confidence not what we can do—it’s knowing we can handle whatever comes our way
Goal bigger than ourselves. Make a difference and tap into greater power
Learn triggers to best self. How were you at your best?
Run toward fear
Eliminate obstacles

No matter how smart, rich, strong, educated we are we will struggle. Death of loved ones, divorce, bankruptcy, disease, addiction or many other things will have the power to force us to question everything we believe about ourselves and every decision we’ve ever made.
I know struggle of traumatic injury but more damaging the struggle of complacency, indecision, and insecurity
When I look back I miss the struggle (the two a day training sessions, the times that I was so sore it felt like someone had hit across the top of my back with a baseball bat) more than I miss the medals. The daily struggle was the part. It was my connection to my world and friends and colleagues
Struggle was belonging
We have the ability to determine how we react
Be the underdog
Don’t take yourself too seriously
Talent abandons us when it’s most needed
Grind
Little things matter, daily routine, showing up everyday makes change
What does winning look like
Find strategies (those are yours. You made a difference)
All guaranteed is struggle and journey
Struggling is a game we can win either by emerging from struggle or turning struggle into something we can enjoy