Through sport, we have the power to change lives

Early last year, we started a podcast to share stories from people shaping the sports industry with those of us who want to know what really makes someone successful. We decided to call the show Extraordinary Happens because when you hear these stories, you realize these are just normal people doing extraordinary things.

What I take away from the first year of the podcast is that extraordinary things really do happen. They’re not by accident and they’re not without setbacks. It’s not always a clear path. You have to be prepared to sacrifice and you have to really love the journey. You have to like the process of trying to get better and trying to do something extraordinary. It’s not something that happens easily, but it’s something that’s out there for all of us.

In the newest podcast episode, I reflect back on 2016 and the guests we had on the show. We heard from athletes like Aaron Rodgers, Candace Parker, Kris Bryant, Tori Bowie and Brandon Ingram. We heard from women breaking into the sports broadcasting industry like Erin Andrews and Pam Oliver. Coaches like Dan Mullen, Bill Self and maybe the greatest coach of all Snoop Dogg shared their lessons with us.

All of these people are unique in their own way, but there’s a common thread among extraordinary people. They all value the journey to success. They know how to deal with the pressure and expectations others set for them. They understand the importance of confidence.

The lessons on the podcast last year weren’t really about sport – they were about life. Through sport, we can change lives, we can change our own lives and we can give ourselves the best opportunity to have a really great life.

You can listen to all the episodes of Extraordinary Happens here.