Growth Mindset Psychology: The Science of Self-Improvement

How to Stay MOTIVATED When You Keep LOSING - w/ Gold Medal Olympian Sir Ben Hunt-Davis

Aug 15, 2025
Ben Hunt-Davis, an Olympic gold medalist in rowing and performance coach, shares his journey of overcoming continuous setbacks. He reveals the transformative question that led him to victory: "Will it make the boat go faster?" The discussion highlights the messy reality of pursuing dreams, the importance of resilience, and learning from failures. Ben encourages listeners to treat setbacks as data and celebrates successes consciously to improve. Tune in for actionable insights that redefine perseverance and motivation in both sports and life.
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ANECDOTE

Relentless Training And Massive Eating

  • Ben described a brutal training schedule with up to 21 sessions a week and mostly full training days.
  • He said he consumed about 7,000 calories daily to meet the energy demands of rowing.
INSIGHT

Learning Beats Grinding

  • Ben realized learning faster beat just working harder after years of grinding.
  • He said deliberate review and purposeful practice transformed their results in the final years.
ADVICE

Review Sessions Starting With Strengths

  • Review every session by asking what worked and what didn't and start by highlighting strengths.
  • Repeat successful behaviours deliberately and then decide whether to develop strengths or fix weaknesses.
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