๐๐ป STIMIES,
Is it just me or is everyone obsessing over those cardboard beds & AC-less rooms in Paris right now? ๐
The Olympic Opening Ceremony is starting in a couple hours so it's only right to talk about the Olympics but since this is the STIMY Newsletter, we'll talk about it from a personal brand angle!
ICYMI: Many Olympians are sharing snippets of their life online & it's been fascinating. I've learned about:
You can feel their joy and excitement, and also the interesting disparity in terms of content between different nations. Some countries like the USA, GB, Canada and Australia have a huge social media presence - some have clearly brought their publicity team along!! - and some have far less.
And that's important because social media has made these athletes so much more approachable than before.
It matters for their careers.
These athletes only have so many years to 'make it' after giving everything up for this life. They need to start planning for life after sports right now.
(Ex-Olympians like Apolo Ohno - the most decorated US Winter Olympian & past STIMY guest - call this transition the Great Divorce).
It's tough to figure out what their Second Act is and to build something meaningful thereafter. Very few succeed!
But with the advent of social media, their chances of building something now for their future - alongside their sports career - increases exponentially.
Because now, they have a chance for the general public to get to know them. To root for them, care about what they're up to and support them even after their sporting life ends.
A personal brand is something that you'll carry with you for life; everything else, you probably can't.
It doesn't mean that you have to figure out what you want to do in your Second and Third Act now (most don't), but that shouldn't stop you from taking action now.
This principle applies to all of us non-athletes too.
So what if you've the top of your industry/company for the past 30 years?
Once you leave, that's it.
You leave with nothing but yourself.
And your personal brand / reputation / network.
So stop sleeping on the greatest investment of all - Yourself.
Go out and build your Tribe! ๐
That said, in case you want to follow some Olympians to gain an insight into their lives, you could start with these:
Special Feature: Annice Lyn from the Olympic Village!
Next week, we'll have a short interview with Annice Lyn - a photojournalist who transitioned from being a national figure skater to becoming the first Malaysian female photographer accredited for the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang 2018.
She's currently in Paris with ANOC (Association of National Olympic Committees), which represents all National Olympic Committees ("NOCs").
Her role is to provide studio access & good quality photography for the NOCs e.g. Botswana & Tunisia with 5-8 athletes and no resources to good photos or no press coverage whatsoever.
She's busy prepping for the Opening Ceremony right now but will be sharing her experience over the next few days for STIMY newsletter subscribers.
So keep your eyes peeled!
P/S: Do you know any parents of competing Olympians? I'd love to do a small feature on the sacrifices & journeys that the family of the world's best athletes have gone through to get to this stage!
If you do or have suggestions on who to approach, just REPLY to this email.
Throwback: Apolo Ohno
STIMY has covered some Olympians in past STIMY episodes, including Apolo Ohno - one of the most well-recognised faces in the world. He won 8 Olympic medals & 21 World Championship medal and at one point, graced the cover of every Wheaties cereal box being sold!
Background: Apolo was always athletically gifted and a shoo-in for the 1998 Winter Olympics.
But he grew complacent.
Sabotaged himself and ended up finishing last in the Olympic trials.
His father was upset and sent him to an isolated cabin at Copalis Beach with these words:
Youโll stay here for as long as it takes for you to figure out what you want to do with your life!
Apolo was 16 years old.
Thereafter, Apolo decided to give short speed skating a real shot. He became known for his psychotic obsession. In the 4 years leading up to his final Olympics, he ate the exact same meal every day and had the exact same training schedule too.
Because he lived only for the Olympics.
As you can imagine, we talked about the nature of psychotic obsession, getting into the FLOW, how he went through the Great Divorce and what he's up to now.
Want to hear his story? Check out the YouTube interview with him:
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