My Story
If you don’t control your mindset, it will control you. I have lived my life both ways, and I can tell you it’s a gamechanger to choose thought patterns that are empowering versus defeating.
I was born an overachieving, perfectionist with an insatiable drive. It served me well in so many ways, but being my harshest critic set me back. In my early days as an athlete, I set unreasonable expectations for myself and obsessed after games about how I needed to be better. Yes, it drove me to put in extra work which paid off. However, I created unnecessary anxiety for myself and over time that thought pattern changed my view of what my potential really was.
I had a transformational moment when I was in high school. I was a highly recruited D1 athlete. Truthfully, I was living the life of my dreams – phenomenal teammates, amazing coaches, and we knew how to execute, winning one state title and two national championships. At 16 years old, I tore my ACL. It felt like a small setback. My mom drove me 60 miles each way a couple times a week to be part of an accelerated physical therapy program. I stepped back on the court three months later ready to run after our second state championship. In preseason, I reinjured my ACL. This time I was forced to sit out for nine months. In the moment it was devasting, but in hindsight it was a gift.
I learned so much from that experience, and it shaped my future. The most important lesson was that you must reframe adversity as opportunity. The second lesson, have unwavering belief in yourself. While my scholarship offers plummeted, many coaches tried to convince me to walk on for a year to prove I was healthy. Fair concern, but I wasn’t going to commit my future to a coach that did not believe in me.
I bet on myself in a big way.
I turned down offers to schools that were previously at the top of my list, and I worked hard to come back full strength.
I had to tightly manage my mindset to endure the uncertainty and stay committed to fighting for my dream. It was hard because, deep down, playing felt different. I had to silence the fear of reinjuring myself.
During my nine-month recovery, I realized sports were not my identity. While I wanted to play at a top school, I needed a great education to set myself up for success after sports. In January of 2000, I got a call from the Assistant Coach from the University of Virginia (UVA). They thought I verbally committed to another school, but a scholarship came available and they wanted to see if I would still consider UVA. Fast forward, I committed on my official visit and had a tremendous four-year career while getting a world class education. The people I met and the experiences I had transformed me as a person.
That was the start of realizing I could never compromise my belief in myself, and I needed to work on more effectively managing my mindset daily. Truth be told, it was a 12-year journey of slowly evolving from mentally beating myself up to managing my thoughts to having a rock-solid mindset. It drove me to become a coach, leader, and start my own company. Life is too short to be your own worst enemy. It impacts everything about your life – your potential, your fulfillment, your relationships, and your choices. It has become my life’s work to help people become the best versions of themselves, unlocking potential they never knew existed. And to enjoy life because they write their narrative!