Life After Sport with John Coyle

In this podcast episode, Greg Glynn, founder & CEO of Pliable and John Coyle, founder & CEO of the Art of Really Living discussed John's extensive background in sports, academia, and media. John shared his journey from Olympic athlete to motivational speaker and author, discussing his experiences in cycling, speed skating, and his work in innovation and design thinking. The conversation concluded with discussions about John's upcoming role as an Olympic analyst, his approach to handling stress and performance.

Olympic Athlete's Career Transition Journey

John shared his journey from a young athlete to an Olympic silver medalist and his subsequent career transition. He discussed his early love for cycling and speed skating, his struggles and eventual success in the Olympics, and how he reinvented himself after retiring from competitive sports. John emphasized the importance of focusing on one's strengths and highlighted a pivotal moment when he realized his impact on a young skater, which led to a significant shift in his identity and career path. He now works as an analyst for NBC during the Olympics and is a motivational speaker, sharing his story to inspire others.

From Athlete to Inspirational Speaker

John shared his journey from being an Olympic athlete to becoming a successful public speaker and author. He discussed how a colleague encouraged him to give a TED Talk, which led to numerous speaking opportunities and the development of his personal brand. John emphasized the importance of storytelling and the impact of his talks, highlighting that he never knew who he would reach or inspire with his words.

Design Thinking and Innovation Insights

John discussed his career in innovation and design thinking, highlighting his experience studying under David Kelly at Stanford and his work with IDEO. He emphasized the importance of design thinking, a creative problem-solving methodology, and shared that his talks focus on reframing problems to achieve better outcomes. John explained his approach of designing for strengths rather than fixing weaknesses and helping athletes manage stress to perform better.

Stress Management Through Athlete's Mindset

John discussed his approach to handling stress by adopting an athlete's mindset, emphasizing the importance of gamifying challenges to alter neurochemical balance and improve performance. He also explored the concept of slowing down the perception of time, drawing from his upcoming book "Counterclockwise," and shared his previous works, including "The Time Manifesto" and "Design for Strengths." Greg appreciated John's positive approach and suggested ways to share this information with a broader audience.

Embracing Challenges for Growth

John shared his journey of pursuing adventures and writing about them for the past decade, emphasizing the importance of investing time in high-risk, high-reward opportunities. Greg discussed his plans to launch an online course to help athletes and parents understand NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) opportunities, acknowledging the rapidly changing landscape of sports and the need to leverage his strengths as a broadcaster. Both agreed on the value of using one's unique skills and embracing challenges to achieve personal and professional growth.

Remote Olympics Analyst Role Discussion

John and Greg discussed John's upcoming role as an analyst for the Olympics, which will be held remotely from Stanford, Connecticut, due to budget constraints. John expressed his disappointment at not being on-site, as he values the in-person experience and real-time communication with coaches and team members. Greg shared his own experience of remote broadcasting during COVID-19 and acknowledged the challenges of not being physically present at the event. They agreed to stay in touch and potentially collaborate in the future, with John offering his services as a keynote speaker for Greg's athletes transitioning out of sports.

Links:

johnkcoyle.com

PliableMarketing.com

How to connect with John:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnkcoyle1/

https://www.instagram.com/coylejohnk/

https://www.facebook.com/johnkcoyle/

https://www.youtube.com/@JohnKCoyle1

Email: [e-mail]