Episode 27
Now to Next with Nick Nanton Feat. Laura Penhaul
Tennis champ Naomi Osaka, long-distance cyclist Mark Beaumont, and the British Paralympic team all have one thing in common. The mental and physical preparation of these athletes was overseen by Laura Penhaul.
Laura is skilled at understanding the mentality of athletes and the challenges they face because she has truly put herself in their shoes. In 2015, Laura was the team-leader of the first all- female crew to row the Pacific Ocean, an incredible feat that is captured in the documentary, ‘Losing Sight of Shore’ and that earned her two world records. Laura embarked on this journey in hopes of gaining insight into what her athletes go through when faced with the question of wanting to give up.
Since accomplishing the cross-ocean row, Laura has founded a company, Adaptive Performance, that provides Performance Management support to optimize people's abilities and help them reach their potential. Laura’s specialty is her focus on human-centered performance, and she thrives on helping people find the drive within themselves to overcome any challenges or obstacles in their way, even outside of the elite sporting world.
Timestamps:
- 1:33: Nick gives a short bio on Laura's life and accomplishments
- 5:02: Laura talks through her personal experience of battling with 'Post Expedition Blues'
- 11:47: Laura shares her philosophy on how to process major life events
- 17:27: Laura explains how mindset can influence one's ability to overcome physical/emotional obstacles
- 21:56: Nick and Laura discuss how to pass on healthy mindsets when raising children
- 28:46: Laurel details her experience working with Paralympians
- 36:14: Laura explains how in certain sports athletes who lead more balanced lives tend to perform better and are more likely to overcome physical/emotional setbacks
- 41:10: Laura discusses what lead to her wanting to row the Pacific Ocean
- 46:42: Laura shares how to navigate surrounding yourself with the right people to help achieve your goals
- 50:23: Laura explains how she helps her athletes become more adaptable
- 55:42: Laura talks expectation vs. reality in relation to the challenges she faced preparing for her row
