Most people watch the Olympics and see the result. Chari Hawkins lived two and a half decades of work to get there, and almost didn't make it. I sit down with US Olympian and world-class heptathlete Chari Hawkins for a wide-ranging conversation about what it actually takes to build mental toughness from scratch, compete at the highest level with a broken heart, and figure out who you are when the sport is no longer the whole answer.
This is not a highlight reel conversation. Chari is honest about the panic attacks, the identity crises, the years of therapy, the breakdowns under a tent at track meets, and the visualization breakthrough that got her to the 2024 Paris Olympics. She's also sharp, curious, and deeply thoughtful about what sport teaches you about life, not the other way around. If you've ever had to do hard things while scared, this one is for you.
What we explore:Why tying your identity to a single role, athlete, title, achievement, sets you up for a crisis the moment it ends.How Chari used a three-word visualization framework to silence the fear before the race that got her to Paris.Why mental toughness is not a personality trait, and what the actual work of building it looks like under pressure.What not winning a World Championship medal gave her that a podium finish never could have.How competition-day nutrition, breathwork, and sleep tools function as a performance system, and what happens when you get them wrong.Chapter:
00:00 Intro
01:35 Why Competing Can Disconnect You From Yourself
10:56 Why She Chose the Heptathlon
16:49 How to Learn New Skills Faster Than Everyone Else
21:31 Sports Psychology Tools That Actually Work
36:28 How to Support Someone After Failure
49:25 The “See, Feel, Trust” Performance Technique
01:00:10 Parenting, Discipline, and Mental Strength
01:12:41 Peak Performance and Age in the Olympics
01:24:05 Bouncing Back After a Devastating Moment
01:34:46 What Losing Teaches You That Winning Can’t
01:36:54 What Athletes Eat on Competition Day
01:47:08 Balancing Training, Recovery, and Performance
01:51:05 A 30-Day Plan to Build Mental Strength
02:00:22 Sprint Training Mindset and Workouts
02:11:17 Overcoming Injury Fear and Recovery
02:17:33 Sleep, Travel, and Mental Recovery Tools
02:28:46 Future Goals and Final Lessons
About Chari Hawkins
Chari Hawkins is a US Olympic heptathlete who competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics. One of the most mentally transparent athletes in track and field, she has spent over 20 years competing at the world-class level across seven events, from the 100 hurdles to the 800m, and has become as well known for her openness about the mental side of sport as she has for her performance. She is based in Utah and trains alongside her husband CJ, who serves as both her training partner and one of her closest sources of perspective.
Connect with Chari Hawkins
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_charihawkins/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@_charihawkins
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@_charihawkins
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChariTrack
X: https://x.com/_charihawkins
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