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The Lonely Price of Olympic Gold | Lindsey Vonn

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Feb 6, 2026

Guest

Lindsey Vonn

Lindsey Vonn, former World Cup alpine ski racer and Olympic gold medalist, shares her journey from record-chasing champion to rebuilding life after retirement. She talks about crashes and comebacks, the loneliness and depression behind success, daily journaling and brainspotting as healing tools, and learning to stop people-pleasing while rediscovering joy off the slopes.

55:48

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ANECDOTE

Framing Medals To Process Closure

After retiring Vonn framed her Olympic and world championship medals to acknowledge what she did. Framing them helped her accept that those achievements are past, not her current identity.

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ADVICE

Process Trauma With Focused Brainspotting

Vonn worked with a psychologist using brain spotting to process stored emotions and reduce triggers. She visualizes the painful event until it becomes less triggering and then lets it go.

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ADVICE

Choose A Small, Loyal Inner Circle

Surround yourself with a small, loyal circle that knows and accepts you. Vonn keeps a tight group of lifelong friends and family to avoid judgmental energy.

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Meeting Her Skiing Idol and Early Inspiration

01:33 • 53sec

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Finding the Fall Line: Early Technique Lessons

02:26 • 2min

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The Drive to Improve and Competitive Mindset

04:23 • 52sec

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Doubts, Demotion and Doubling Down

05:15 • 1min

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Crashes, Limits, and Short-Term Memory

06:27 • 1min

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Recovering from Long Injuries

07:53 • 1min

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Pre-Race Routine and Mental Automaticity

08:53 • 2min

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Advice to Younger Self and Enjoying the Ride

10:24 • 53sec

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Transitioning Out of Sport and COVID Reflection

11:18 • 2min

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Racing Through Injury in Her Last Years

13:07 • 2min

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Mindset for a Final Performance

14:40 • 31sec

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Training Decades for Seconds and Bouncing Back

15:11 • 1min

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Journaling as a Performance Tool

16:36 • 2min

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Belief, Purpose, and Returning to Why

18:35 • 1min

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Loneliness, Depression, and the Road

Success ≠ Happiness and Finding Joy Post-Career

23:29 • 2min

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Commentating, Grief of Retirement, and Closure

25:12 • 3min

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Mental Health Work After Retirement

28:12 • 2min

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Brainspotting Explained and Processing Trauma

30:24 • 1min

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Support Circle and Quality Friendships

31:46 • 55sec

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Confidence in Competition vs. Everyday Life

32:41 • 1min

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Daily Exercise to Build Confidence

33:55 • 1min

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Non-Negotiables: Work Ethic, Rituals, Team

35:13 • 2min

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The Role of Team Behind Individual Success

37:34 • 1min

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Stay True to Your Natural Strengths

38:50 • 53sec

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Dealing with Negative Thoughts and Social Media

39:43 • 2min

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Planning Less and Embracing Uncertainty

41:16 • 4min

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What Brings Her Joy: Dogs and New Experiences

44:57 • 4min

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Three Truths to Leave Behind

48:50 • 1min

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Learning Not to People-Please

50:12 • 4min

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Biggest Emotional Challenge: People-Pleasing

Trust, Family Values, and Staying Grounded

56:54 • 10sec

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Final Reflections and Book Announcement

57:04 • 2min

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Definition of Greatness: Overcoming Obstacles

In Rise: My Story, Lindsey Vonn shares never-before-told stories of her record-breaking skiing career, her struggles with depression and self-confidence, and the bold decisions that helped her break barriers on and off the slopes. She details her relentless pursuit of excellence, battling severe injuries, and clawing her way back through hard work, pushing boundaries, and speaking her mind, offering an empowering and raw look at the costs of victory.

#33979

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

Strong is the new beautiful

Lindsey Vonn

In 'Strong Is the New Beautiful', Lindsey Vonn shares her journey as a world-class skier, emphasizing the importance of strength over thinness. The book combines memoir elements with practical advice on diet and exercise, encouraging readers to focus on their body's capabilities rather than appearance. It includes training routines and personal stories of overcoming challenges like injuries and depression.

#18

• Mentioned in 409 episodes

The Body Keeps the Score

Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

Bessel van der Kolk

In this book, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk uses recent scientific advances to show how trauma reshapes both the body and brain, compromising sufferers’ capacities for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust. He explores various treatments, including neurofeedback, meditation, sports, drama, and yoga, which activate the brain’s natural neuroplasticity to aid in recovery. The book emphasizes the power of relationships in both causing and healing trauma and offers hope through descriptions of novel approaches to treatment. It is based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists in the field.

Lindsey Vonn reveals the hidden cost of becoming the greatest downhill skier of all time: devastating loneliness, crippling depression, and an exhausting pattern of people-pleasing that nearly broke her.

You've probably felt that same pressure to make everyone else happy while your own needs get pushed aside, or wondered how to come back after life knocks you down repeatedly. She shares the exact mental shifts that helped her process trauma without storing it in her body, the journaling practice that kept her grounded through 20 years of crashes and comebacks, and why working on yourself isn't selfish.

You'll learn how to stop abandoning yourself in relationships and career decisions, and discover that your greatest moments come not from perfect performances, but from pushing past your absolute limits when everything seems impossible.

Lindsey’s books:

Strong is the New Beautiful
Rise: My Story

In this episode you will:

Discover how to turn every crash and failure into fuel for your next breakthrough instead of emotional baggage
Learn the brain spotting technique that releases years of stored trauma in a single session
Break through the exhausting pattern of people-pleasing that drains your energy and authenticity
Master the art of staying completely present under extreme pressure without fear taking over
Unlock the daily journaling practice that builds unshakeable confidence and helps you find your way back when you're lost

For more information go to https://lewishowes.com/1886

For more Greatness text PODCAST to +1 (614) 350-3960

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