S1E53 - Coming Back Stronger with Diving Olympic Bronze Medalist Krysta Palmer

09/14/21 • 81 min

1 Listener

Today’s guest made history in Tokyo this summer, becoming the first woman to medal in springboard diving at the Olympics since Kelly McCormick won Bronze 33 years ago in Seoul, Korea in 1988. Krysta Palmer made her first Olympic team this summer at the age of 29. Watching her smile and giggle at the podium with her Bronze Medal proudly hanging around her neck warmed hearts all over the country. Krysta’s positivity is infectious and her perseverance throughout her journey to get to the Olympic podium is absolutely inspiring. Today she opens up about the injuries that took her out of contention in the sport of trampoline, what it was like to start a brand new sport at the age of 20, and she walks us through her extraordinary adventure in Tokyo, from a close call in the preliminary round to the very moment she realized she had medaled. Krysta offers mindset tips all along the journey, and she shares with us her favorite way to process both the good and the bad so that she can keep coming back stronger.

Krysta begins with her unique journey in sports, and reflects on coming back stronger from her recurring injuries, as well as how she ultimately found diving at the age of 20. She talks about transitioning her skills from trampoline to diving, working with her coach, Jianli You, to change certain habits, and entering the 2016 Olympic Team Trials following her graduation from the University of Nevada. Krysta tells Laura about a training trip to China that served as a turning point in her path to becoming an Olympian, as well as how her own experience as a coach has helped her as an athlete, and what she learned from competing in the 2017 and 2019 World Championships (her first international meet). She explains how her mindset to learn and grow from setbacks has helped her through the pandemic, and shares the moving story of receiving her Olympic ring from Laura. You’ll hear about Krysta’s memorable experience at the Tokyo Olympics, how her faith keeps her grounded, and the surreal and exciting moment she realized she had medaled in Tokyo.

Krysta’s honesty and perseverance throughout today’s conversation are sure to motivate and inspire as she shares her incredible journey, and everything she has overcome to be able to do what she loves to do.

Episode Highlights:

Krysta’s journey in sports, beginning with gymnastics and trampoline at a young age
Coming back stronger from her heartbreaking injuries and finding diving at the age of 20
Transitioning her skills from trampoline to diving, changing certain habits, learning new dives on the fast track
Entering the 2016 Olympic Team Trials following her graduation from the University of Nevada
Her training trip to China in 2016, and how it brought her closer to becoming an Olympian
The difference between platform and springboard diving, and Krysta’s transition from platform to springboard
Supporting her athletic training after college through coaching, and how this has helped her become a better athlete
Her experience at the World Championships in 2017 and 2019
Learning and growing the most from disappointments or poor competitions
How this mentality helped her make the most of trials and tribulations brought on by the pandemic
Training through injuries and her family’s support throughout her career
Krysta’s very special memory of receiving her Olympic ring from Laura
Her unique experience at the Tokyo Olympics
The importance of Krysta’s faith
The surreal and exciting experience of realizing she had medaled in Tokyo
How Krysta continues to process her accomplishment and what the next season of her life looks like
Continuing her education and studying toward an MBA

Quotes:

“At the age of five, when I was young, I really really had this lifelong dream of being an Olympian one day.”
“You're always having to use your visual awareness to spot where you are. And make changes based on where you are. So I learned that through trampoline, and that actually really progressed well into my diving career.”
“I've had two big struggles in learning how to make a proper entry. And also learning how to get the rhythm and the timing with the springboard, because also trampoline is very quick - quick twitch muscle work.”
“I competed platform in the 2016 Olympic Trials because we weren't quite there yet with springboard. And my coach had always said, Give it time. Because springboard diving...you need time to develop the skill of it.”
“I came into the team mid-semester, so in January. And I had to learn all my springboard dives for 1-meter/3-meter before Conference in February.”
“I think the biggest thing was just trusting my coach [Jianli You], because I knew that she has the knowledge and the skill to teach me, whatever it is. I'm learn...

Episode Highlights:

Krysta’s journey in sports, beginning with gymnastics and trampoline at a young age
Coming back stronger from her heartbreaking injuries and finding diving at the age of 20
Transitioning her skills from trampoline to diving, changing certain habits, learning new dives on the fast track
Entering the 2016 Olympic Team Trials following her graduation from the University of Nevada
Her training trip to China in 2016, and how it brought her closer to becoming an Olympian
The difference between platform and springboard diving, and Krysta’s transition from platform to springboard
Supporting her athletic training after college through coaching, and how this has helped her become a better athlete
Her experience at the World Championships in 2017 and 2019
Learning and growing the most from disappointments or poor competitions
How this mentality helped her make the most of trials and tribulations brought on by the pandemic
Training through injuries and her family’s support throughout her career
Krysta’s very special memory of receiving her Olympic ring from Laura
Her unique experience at the Tokyo Olympics
The importance of Krysta’s faith
The surreal and exciting experience of realizing she had medaled in Tokyo
How Krysta continues to process her accomplishment and what the next season of her life looks like
Continuing her education and studying toward an MBA

Quotes:

“At the age of five, when I was young, I really really had this lifelong dream of being an Olympian one day.”
“You're always having to use your visual awareness to spot where you are. And make changes based on where you are. So I learned that through trampoline, and that actually really progressed well into my diving career.”
“I've had two big struggles in learning how to make a proper entry. And also learning how to get the rhythm and the timing with the springboard, because also trampoline is very quick - quick twitch muscle work.”
“I competed platform in the 2016 Olympic Trials because we weren't quite there yet with springboard. And my coach had always said, Give it time. Because springboard diving...you need time to develop the skill of it.”
“I came into the team mid-semester, so in January. And I had to learn all my springboard dives for 1-meter/3-meter before Conference in February.”
“I think the biggest thing was just trusting my coach [Jianli You], because I knew that she has the knowledge and the skill to teach me, whatever it is. I'm learn...

Previous Episode

S1E52 - Unwavering Belief with 2-Time Super Bowl Champ Tory James

With the start of the new football season upon us, the timing is perfect for 2-time Super Bowl champ, Tory James, to join Laura on the podcast. During his 11 season career in the NFL, Tory enjoyed great success with a few different teams, especially the Denver Broncos, and even earned a spot in the 2004 Pro Bowl. Tory’s resilience throughout this extensive career is very much a function of the influence his family had upon him, and, especially, the unwavering belief that he had in himself, and he discusses these factors and so much more here today.

He begins by sharing his early involvement in sports, his shift into football, his mom’s perspective on it, and both those who doubted and believed in his potential. He then goes on to summarize his playing career from high school to college to the NFL, the pivotal injury he suffered and his recovery from it, his ability to use fear to help him, and the source of his impressive longevity in the NFL. He finishes up by sharing the hardest and greatest moments in his career and what he does these days in retirement. Throughout this fascinating conversation, Tory highlights the role that family, gratitude, love of the game, and his unwavering belief played in his success, and his story as told here today will undoubtedly move and inspire all who listen.

Episode Highlights:

How Tory became involved in sports and football in particular
Listening to the one coach who believed in him
His feeling of unwavering belief
His Mom’s perspective on his playing football
Tory’s impact on those who doubted him
His transition for high school to college football
Getting to the NFL
The difference between the NFL and college football
His knee injury and recovery
Using your fear to help you
His return from the knee injury
What makes the NFL so tough
The source of his longevity in the NFL
Loving to play
The important role family plays
The hardest and greatest moments of his career
What Tory does in retirement

Quotes:

‘‘It hurts so bad. It hurts still to this day, because I still like basketball over football. But I was always good at football, so I took his advice and I started playing football.”
“So when I'm helping little kids, I tell them, ‘See it in your mind, you do it perfect in your mind over and over again until it becomes you and it becomes natural.’”
“For whatever reason, people put their fears on you, and I just never let it affect me.”
“I think you probably changed their entire outlook on how they saw the world, and I think that's huge.”
“That's, like, the joy when I think about playing football - how it made people feel.”
“The power of just having one person believe in you like that one coach when everybody else is saying ‘No’, it makes a huge difference.”
“It was really hard to mess up in Denver, they just had it down. That's probably one of the most professional teams I've ever played for, and it showed by us winning and everybody loved each other, and everybody helped each other. It was amazing.”
“We're all going to go through stuff, and it's how you handle it that's going to grow you as a person and your character and who you are the rest of your life beyond your sport, too.”
“Fear is feeling excited and ready.”
“Now today, what I do is I'm thankful for everything that happens.”
“Hard work, dedication, drive, and just willing to do what you have to do and just not ever giving up on your goal.”
“I hope everybody else that I'm playing with feels like they're the best because that's the type of players I want to play with.”
“You tell me I can't do it, I'm going to find a way to prove you wrong.”
“You made this choice to enjoy it and to have fun and playing the game the whole time.”
“The reason I'm playing is for family.”
“I learned discipline, hard work, to be honest, from my mom.”
“It turned out to be the best thing that happened to me because I think if I wouldn't have gotten hurt early on, I don't think my body would have held up as long as it did.”
“They always kept me grounded and humble, like, you know, and I kept that with me my whole football career.”
“I wanted to get 10 years and I felt like if I got 10 years and that's like my goal, that's like my gold medal.”
“I love your mental mindset. I love your passion, your gratitude, you're always so thankful for every opportunity, good and bad. I love that you showed us your purpose that's beyond yourself, your unwavering belief in your dreams.”

Show Links The Pursuit of Gold Homepage

Next Episode

S1E54 - Always be Ready to Pivot with Olympic Silver Medalist Lauren Gibbs

With the Winter Olympic Games upon us, it's perfectly fitting to bring Lauren Gibbs back on the show. If you haven't already heard Lauren's incredible journey from the corporate world to the Olympic podium in just three years while in her 30s, all you need to do is go back to Episode 6 - 'You're Never Too Old To Dream Big with Olympic Medalist' - and listen to her hilarious and wild journey into the world of bobsled. Throughout her career, she has made eight national teams, competed in 44 World Cups, and has won 17 World Cup medals, two World Championship medals, one of which was gold in 2020, and an Olympic medal in 2018. Today, Lauren provides an update on her incredible story.

She picks up the story at the point where the pandemic began to derail training and sponsorships, and goes on to describe the mindset shift she went through and the value of always being ready to pivot. As always, Lauren is open, candid, and vulnerable, as she discusses not being chosen for the Olympic team a second time, the struggle of keeping a certain weight to compete, and how she became friends with her competitors. She also offers some great advice about learning how to tell your story to attract sponsors and supporters, and about different apps to help athletes on various stages of their journey. Lauren finishes up by giving us a rundown of athletes to keep an eye out for at the Winter Games, and an update on what she is up to these days, especially her work with Heroic. A remarkable woman with an equally remarkable story to share, Lauren Gibbs demonstrates once again here today that she is a talented, resilient, and inspiring individual from whom we can all learn so very much about both sport and life in general.

Episode Highlights:

Lauren Gibb's astonishing career from age 30
How she was affected by the pandemic
Lauren's work with Kara Winger on Parity
How she pivoted and supported herself with COVID and the Tokyo games being postponed
Lauren's physical, emotional, and mental state
Her advice and insight for aspiring athletes
The value of sharing your story in your athletic career
Her transformation from high school and college to now
The difference between quitting and knowing when it's time to move on
The uniqueness of bobsled and how Lauren navigated its complexity
The adrenaline letdown after success
Lauren's friendship and connection with Kaillee Humphries and Elana Meyers Taylor
The competitive dynamics among women in the same team in sports
The challenges women face in sports, particularly Olympics
Insights on the upcoming Winter Sports and exciting newcomers
Update on what Lauren is currently doing
Details about Heroic and her work there

Quotes:

"It's been tough to see people struggle. I've been very fortunate, but I enjoy life with other people. And so, to see people around you and people you don't know struggling is always hard. My heart goes out to anybody that's been adversely affected by the pandemic. That's a lot of people."
"Then, when the pandemic hit, everything went away. And it was a quick lesson to me on how quickly life can change and how you have to prepare for a pivot. So you always have to be ready for a pivot."
"Olympics was never my end goal when I started bobsled, which I think sounds probably crazy to most people."
"You have to figure out what your story is because everybody has a story that people can learn and grow from."
"People just want to know about real people. They want to know about your struggles, successes, and the weird things you do in your sport that people would never think of. So share as much as yourself as feels comfortable, but also remember, once you share it, you can't take it back. So really show up as yourself."
"Don't try and be this person you think everybody wants to see or hear from because no matter who you are, there's enough people in this world that your story will click with - the people that it needs to click with."
"As someone who's on the other side, I can't wait to help athletes that need help in their journey because people help me. So I think just realize that more people out there want to help you than you think. So you’ve got to share your story and figure out what you're all about."
"I was one of those people who were fairly good at a lot of things. And so, when things got difficult, I would just quit. And I've realized that quitting feels worse than failing. And I was always more afraid of failure than I was excited for success, that I would quit before I got there. I've learned that that's more dissatisfying because you don't really learn anything from just quitting."
"That conversation with my dad was such a gift. He wasn't telling me that the Olympics weren't worth my time or w...