Stephanie Dixon

If you’re profiling amazing women who are leaders, Stephanie Dixon’s resume certainly speaks for itself: Canada’s most decorated Paralympian with 19 medals, 12 world records and an induction into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. She was just named a member of the Order of Canada.

But I didn’t meet Stephanie until after she had retired from competition. It hasn’t been her athletic ability that has inspired me. Rather, I have been blown away by her commitment to personal leadership: a refusal to allow the external accolades that come with outperforming others physically to define who she is as a person.

It would have been easy for someone as decorated as she to rest on the high-profile success that had come her way. But great leaders develop (some would say are cursed with) a profound sense of self-awareness: a commitment to continually examining how they think and feel, and how that impacts their lives and the lives of those around them. That self-awareness drove Stephanie to acknowledge the fact that while she was a champion in her career, outside of the pool she didn’t feel like she was enough. She didn’t feel strong, confident, and secure as a person.

She didn’t love herself.

And she has thrown more energy and commitment into winning the fight to love and accept herself than she did into one of the world’s most successful swimming careers. Ask her and she’ll tell you that fight is far more difficult than setting any world record. In fact, you probably won’t have to ask her — she’s just going to tell you. She’s dedicated her life to helping others know they’re not alone in their fears and insecurity, and providing tools to overcome them.

Stephanie was the guest on one of my last podcasts (it has been on hiatus for over a year, but will return soon). Our conversation is one to which I’ve listened at least once a month since January of 2017, and I cannot encourage you enough to take the time to listen to her episode. I knew it was powerful when we recorded it, but its themes of strength, acceptance and self-compassion were invaluable to me over the past year or so. I think they’ll be the same for you.

You can listen to Steph’s remarkable insights on life and leadership on the pod: Talent is nothing to be proud of.