Hope Sports Founder Guy East: Breaking Free from the Performance Culture [Episode 17]

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On the show this week Laura talks with Hope Sports founder Guy East. As a kid Guy dreamed of becoming a professional cyclist and was inspired by Lance Armstrong and other elite athletes. In an effort to escape bullying, prove himself to his critics, and show the world his worth, he fully committed himself to being the best cyclist that he could be. He successfully rose in the rankings and was invited to train with the US National Team and eventually raced professionally around the world. At this elite level he experienced an immense pressure to perform and it was reiterated to him that the only road to validation, acceptance, and purpose was through winning.

While racing in Mexico City he was faced with immense poverty and started to question what he was doing as an athlete. Despite his fear of being rejected, the following year Guy quit professional cycling, sold everything he owned, and began serving the poor and traveling throughout Central America. After two years and with a radical shift in his worldview and renewed sense of purpose, he returned to professional cycling to share what he learned: that athletes can perform at the highest level and still find meaning in their lives outside of sports. He founded Hope Sports in an effort to give athletes an opportunity to experience service, team work, and purpose in a unique way and to remind them that their identity and worth is not in the medals they win or the scores they post.

For more about this episode visit: http://www.hopesports.org/hope-sports-founder-guy-east

Learn about trips with Hope Sports visit www.hopesports.org.

For more about our host visit www.laurawilkinson.com and follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

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Produced by Simpler Media