3 Lessons I Learned From The Olympic Champion
Applying experiences from sport to everyday endeavors
For many years, I taught high school choir students, private piano students, and my own two daughters. I offered lessons on music, creativity, life, food, and health. Always, I learned more from them than they did from me.
When my younger daughter Gwen went in search of Olympic gold, she looked to other teachers—coaches, nutritionists, and therapists—who guided her. She listened, learned, practiced, and she achieved her goal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in triathlon.
On her journey to the ultimate athletic prize, Gwen taught me lessons that are applicable to anyone, whether athlete or musician; student or teacher; a young person or adult.
Reject fear of failure
First try
Gwen’s path was not a straight one. It started with swimming and ended three sports later. From the moment she was born, Gwen loved the water. At six months old, she dunked her head underwater, by three she jumped from the diving board, and at seven, she swam with the local swim club.
From the start, Gwen wanted to be her best. She excelled at age-group swimming and earned MVP on her high school team. Then, lacking a college scholarship offer, she walked on at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Unafraid to swim in the recruited-athlete lane, she believed being around talented people would make her better.
Gwen swam on the feet of athletes who made the Olympic team. But she never competed beyond the Big Ten Conference. Finally, after three years, her coach said she reached her potential.
Second try
Although absent from the track for three years, Gwen ran a time trial for the UW-Madison team. The coach took her as a walk-on, once again at the bottom of a university squad. This time she experienced success, breaking school records in cross country and track. But her dream to become an Olympian was quashed here too, her times not competitive for the professional circuit.
Third try
Noticing Gwen’s swim and run efforts, USA Triathlon recruited her for training. On the swim/bike/run equation, she was missing one-third of the answer—she couldn’t ride a bike. Once again, she took up a sport at the lowest rung.
Several times, Gwen experienced disappointment. Her swimming stalled in college. Her running didn’t yield competitive professional times. And in triathlon, she crashed, placed dead last, and DNFed.
Failures were part of the journey. What did she do?
- She tried a new approach.
- She sought inspiration in better athletes.
- She pivoted to a new endeavor.
- She renewed her dedication.
She achieved success by rejecting the fear of failure.
Build your own bubble
When Gwen pursued triathlon, she made training more than a full-time job. She created a life where she devoted every minute of every day to her goal. Each decision was measured against her pursuit. She considered the foods she ate, the hours she slept, the training she maintained, and most importantly, the people she kept close.
Coaches
Gwen interviewed and analyzed coaches. Her ideal: Someone who inspired through inspiration rather than intimidation.
Sponsors
In securing sponsorship, she only accepted support from companies and products she used and personally endorsed.
A partner
Early on, when Gwen’s Olympic potential became apparent, her now-husband Patrick gave up his professional cycling career to be her chef, bike coach, bike mechanic, adviser, and assistant. A huge part of Patrick’s contribution was the nutrition he prepared for her. (I wrote this about their meals when I visited them one week.)
His dedication to her career was unique in the sport and an advantage that Gwen maintains propelled her to Olympic gold.
From coaches to sponsors to her life partner, Gwen surrounded herself with ethical, knowledgeable, compassionate people. They were key to her success.
Pledge to the process
When Gwen found a coach and daily training environment, she pursued her Olympic dream with passion. And although her overall aim was to win gold in Rio 2016, her daily approach was more specific. To achieve the big dream, she targeted much smaller outcome-based goals.
On a Monday morning, she didn’t get up and say her goal was to win gold. She concentrated on keeping her elbow high in the water. On a Tuesday, she might practice 180-degree bike turns. Another day, a run technique.
Gwen trusted that with consistent daily work, and incremental improvement, she need not worry about results. They would be a natural consequence.
Life Applications
Although I raised Gwen, I don’t take credit for her Olympic gold. I talk more about our parenting here.
She did the work, made the choices, suppressed the fear. And now, I’m learning from her.
I find myself analyzing my own life. Retired now, I write, work as a collaborative pianist, and pursue hobbies of cooking, baking, reading, textiles, and fitness.
I’m not as disciplined as Gwen is with sport. But at the piano, I know focused practice day by day produces the best recital. In the kitchen, a baguette recipe, perfected week by week, produces a superior loaf. Morning workouts and afternoon walks, slowly increased in volume or speed, lead to best returns. When something looks challenging, I try it anyway. And I spend as much time as possible with my family, which includes Gwen, her sister Elizabeth, and my husband Joel. It’s never to late to learn from the best.
Nancy Jorgensen’s 2019 memoir, “Go, Gwen, Go: A Family’s Journey to Olympic Gold,” is co-written with daughter Elizabeth Jorgensen and published by Meyer & Meyer Sport. Gwen can be found @gwenjorgensen on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
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