From Athlete To Entrepreneur: Ryan Murphy, 6-time Olympic Medalist and World Champion Swimmer On The 5 Work Ethic Lessons We Can Learn From Athletes

An Interview With Maria Angelova

Your peers will raise your level. I have had some incredible training partners. Out of 4 individual Olympic finals I have competed in, I had a training partner in 3 of them. I would not have enjoyed the success I have had training alone. My teammates push me to my limits, and make the grind more tolerable.

As a part of our series about the work ethic lessons we can learn from professional athletes,I had the pleasure of interviewing Ryan Murphy.

Ryan Murphy is a 6-time Olympic medalist, including 4 gold medals, a silver, and bronze. He is a world record holder, a world champion in various backstroke events, and he is currently training for the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Ryan graduated with a B.S. from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business in 2017, and is an advisor to the venture capital investor, The House Fund. Ryan believes that a consistent work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and sustained competitiveness have remained the keys to his success.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! It is a great honor. Our readers would love to learn more about your personal background. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I grew up in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. My parents enrolled my siblings and me in every sport. I came to love competition, the pursuit of improvement, and, of course, the water. I wanted to be the best at everything, from classroom tests to swim competitions. At The Bolles School, I swam as one part of one of the most legendary teams ever. Between my class and the one below, we collectively earned 15 Olympic Medals. As a student at the University of California, Berkeley, I continued to develop my confidence and sharpen my talent, alongside some of the world’s best swimmers and brightest minds. Cal won the NCAA title my freshman year, and I won the 100 and 200-yard backstroke events at the NCAA Championships each of my four years in competition. Between my junior and senior year, I made my Olympic debut at the 2016 Rio Olympics. My Olympic journey continues today.

What or who inspired you to pursue your career as a high-level professional athlete?

At heart, I am a competitor. At a young age, I knew I had a talent for swimming, but lacked the belief that I could make an Olympic team. My confidence developed at the 2012 Olympic Trials, when at age 16, I placed 4th in the 200 back and 6th in the 100 Back. After the 100 Back, Matt Grevers (the eventual 2012 Olympic Champion) tapped me on the shoulder and said, “You’re next, kid.” His belief in me helped me realize that I could be great.

None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to be who you are today? Can you share a story about that?

My brother, Patrick, has always been a rock for me. Patrick was two years ahead of me in school, and swam at Notre Dame. Growing up, we competed on the same teams, had the same friends, and were largely interested in the same things. Throughout childhood and college, Patrick was always expressive about his belief in me. He’s the first person I call if I need to talk, vent, brag, or talk sports.

Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your sports career? What lesson or takeaway did you learn from that?

My first NCAA final ever was the 200 Free Relay. Cal was seeded 8th, meaning a long shot to win. We won the relay out of lane 8, and we celebrated like maniacs. Flexing, yelling, fist pumping — you get the idea. 30 minutes after the win, I had my first individual NCAA final. I swam horribly! I was exhausted from having celebrated the win earlier in the night. At high pressure meets, keeping my emotions in check is always a challenge. However, I know that I can’t get too high or too low, and try to conserve all of my energy for the racing.

OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the core focus of our interview. As an athlete, you often face high-stakes situations that involve a lot of pressure. Most of us tend to wither in the face of such pressure and stress. Can you share with our readers 3 or 4 strategies that you use to optimize your mind for peak performance before high-pressure, high-stress situations?

1. Write down everything you need to do. You will forget things when feeling extreme nerves. At the Olympics, for each day in attendance, I have my schedule blocked in 15 minute increments.
2. In the months leading up to a race, practice feeling pressure. In order to be good at anything, people need reps. I want to be great at dealing with pressure, so I find time to rehearse those feelings.
3. In the hours leading up to the high-pressure moment, find healthy distractions. This ritual will be different for everyone. I like to watch funny movies or shows to keep my mind distracted.
4. In the minutes before a race, I listen to music. I believe music is the easiest way to influence emotions #deephouse

Can you tell us the story of your transition from a professional athlete to a successful business person?

I am working toward becoming a successful business person outside of the pool. I believe that a professional athlete runs their own business- branding, social media, public speaking, managing training expenses, and competing. The discipline extends beyond the pool: I am continually meeting new people, discussing their careers and companies, acquiring the skills they use every day. I hope to find immense business success; and that goal will require the same mindset, work ethic, and commitment I have needed to become an Olympic Champion.

What are some of the most interesting or exciting new projects you are working on now?

I am an advisor to The House Fund, a venture capital fund in the Bay Area. They invest in companies with a UC Berkeley co-founder. I am a sponge when working with them. I am enjoying learning how they raise funds, source, select, and win deals, support portfolio companies, and adjust strategy based upon market conditions.

Do you think your experience as a professional athlete gave you skills that make you a better entrepreneur? Can you give a story or example about what you mean?

In my experiences, I believe there are synergies between professional athletes and entrepreneurs. A few:

• Learning to win as a team: winning an NCAA Championship demands commitment, and team culture is the biggest driver of success. I want teammates who are excited and motivated to make improvements, while remaining aware of team goals. Our struggle is a collective one, embracing a love for the biggest moments in life, worthy of sacrifice.
• Understanding your tendencies when pressure hits: my brain speeds when I’m nervous. Because of that propensity, I need to have multiple plans for different scenarios.
• Leaving no stone unturned. I am trying to optimize everything related to performance. Obviously, this includes stroke technique, fitness, and race prep in the pool and weight room. It also includes nutrition, sleep optimization, massage, physical therapy, mental therapy, and an understanding the physiology of the body. I adjust everything regularly, based upon feedback my body gives me.
• Acquiring new skills on the job. After the 2016 Olympics, I was asked to give speeches. I hated giving speeches, and would survive, despite being incredibly nervous. With reps, I became comfortable with the ritual, and today, I consider it a relative strength.
• Setting long term goals: today, everything is geared toward World Championships and the Olympics. Those events happen each summer. I train the entire year knowing the day of my next big race is months away. “Don’t sacrifice the future for the now.”
• Celebrating the wins. It’s so easy to frictionlessly move on to the next goal. Take a moment to enjoy your wins. You deserve to feel proud of the work and time you dedicated to your goal.

Ok. Here is the main question of our interview. Entrepreneurs and professional athletes share a common “hustle culture”. Can you share your “5 Work Ethic Lessons That Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Athletes”? Please share a story or an example for each.

• Start your day with your most important task. Every day, I swim in the morning. I feel great knowing that the hardest part of my day is completed early.
• “Have a good sh**ty day.” Our team psychologist at Cal, Ken Ravizza championed this notion. Make the most of every situation.
• Everything matters. At the highest level of competition, there is little margin for error. You truly have to engage in a lifestyle of perfection to compete for Olympic medals.
• Understand your limits. Consistency is the most important factor in success. Every season, we have periods where our training goal is to overreach, and test the limits of the body. Sometimes, I slip into overtraining, which impacts mood, motivation, sleep quality, eating habits, and hurts performance. When that happens, I need to take a step back, and allow myself time to recover. Pushing through the pain without listening to my body, only creates more problems down the line.
• Your peers will raise your level. I have had some incredible training partners. Out of 4 individual Olympic finals I have competed in, I had a training partner in 3 of them. I would not have enjoyed the success I have had training alone. My teammates push me to my limits, and make the grind more tolerable.

What would you advise a young person who aspires to follow in your footsteps and emulate your career? What advice would you give?

Invest in your teammates. Your teammates are with you every day — they will help you enjoy life more fully, as you collectively push harder.

You are by all accounts a very successful person. How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

One of my goals is to encourage young children to learn to swim and to serve as a role model for young swimmers. The gift of swimming can be a lifesaving skill and it is essential for everyone, no matter their age, to learn how to swim. I am a proud partner of Goldfish Swim School, whose mission is to teach water safety and create a love for swimming from a young age. By encouraging young children to learn to swim and love the water, we can save lives every day.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

I’d love to inspire health awareness and physical activity. I have noticed incredible benefits from healthy eating, consistent sleep schedule, and stress management. This discipline allows me to be more productive throughout my day and recover faster from workouts and life’s challenges.

Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why does that resonate with you so much?

No stone unturned. This is my approach to life. I take this phrase to mean that I am relentless in my pursuit of improvement, able to analyze challenges from multiple perspectives, and remain excited and positive. I like the planning at granular levels, so when I find myself in times of stress, I have already planned my activities.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them :-)

Currently, it is my job to be near-perfect physically, mentally, and emotionally. I’ve learned a lot following Stanford neuroscientist, Andrew Huberman. Long term, I am interested in private capital investing. I am a fan of the All-In podcast. I listen to the show every Friday and enjoy their diversity of opinion. I’d love to meet any of the 4 hosts.

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.

Thank you for the amazing opportunity!

About The Interviewer: Maria Angelova, MBA is a disruptor, author, motivational speaker, body-mind expert, Pilates teacher and founder and CEO of Rebellious Intl. As a disruptor, Maria is on a mission to change the face of the wellness industry by shifting the self-care mindset for consumers and providers alike. As a mind-body coach, Maria’s superpower is alignment which helps clients create a strong body and a calm mind so they can live a life of freedom, happiness and fulfillment. Prior to founding Rebellious Intl, Maria was a Finance Director and a professional with 17+ years of progressive corporate experience in the Telecommunications, Finance, and Insurance industries. Born in Bulgaria, Maria moved to the United States in 1992. She graduated summa cum laude from both Georgia State University (MBA, Finance) and the University of Georgia (BBA, Finance). Maria’s favorite job is being a mom. Maria enjoys learning, coaching, creating authentic connections, working out, Latin dancing, traveling, and spending time with her tribe. To contact Maria, email her at angelova@rebellious-intl.com. To schedule a free consultation, click here.