🎙️ Ep. 251: Olympic Silver Medalist: Finding Your Next Big Career Move with Kate Johnson

What happens when a Silver Medalist, Olympic athlete, F100 leader, women's sports advocate, and cancer survivor shares the lessons she's learned about performance, purpose, and trusting yourself through life's biggest transitions?In this inspiring conversation, I sit down with Kate Johnson, a 2004 Olympic rower, trailblazing sports marketing leader at Google, TED speaker, and breast cancer survivor. Kate's story is a masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and listening to your inner wisdom when the path ahead feels uncertain.For high-achieving tech leaders who are questioning what's next, feeling stuck in the grind, or wondering whether they're still aligned with the work they're doing, this episode offers a refreshing reminder: success isn't just about pushing harder. Sometimes the breakthrough comes from reconnecting to joy, trusting your intuition, and creating space to hear yourself think. ⏱️ Quote Worth Remembering"The 1st and 2nd thoughts are usually based in fear. The 3rd thought is where the truth lives." - Kate Johnson, 2004 Olympic Sliver Medalist, US Rowing W8+In this episode, we explore:✨ How Kate wrote "Olympian" as a goal after only six weeks of rowing and made it a reality(!)✨ The surprising parallels between elite athletics and executive leadership✨ What it was like building Google's sports marketing practice from the ground up and convincing others to believe in a vision before they could see it✨ Why finding joy again helped her overcome one of the toughest periods of her Olympic journey✨ The life-changing lessons she learned during her battle with Stage 3 breast cancer✨ How a six-month leave of absence transformed her priorities, career, and life✨ The powerful "third thought" practice that helps quiet fear and reconnect with truth✨ Why being fully committed matters when deciding whether to stay, leave, or pursue your next big opportunityMoments worth pausing for:🏅 04:00 — Writing down an Olympic dream after just six weeks of rowing🚀 18:30 — Building something new at Google and navigating resistance as a trailblazer💛 28:00 — Returning to joy when hard work alone wasn't producing results🎗️ 36:00 — The breast cancer diagnosis that changed everything🌲 41:00 — Why stepping away created clarity, healing, and a new vision for life✨ 48:00 — The "third thought" technique for making aligned career decisions🎯 58:00 — How to know when it's time to move on from a roleIf you've been wondering whether you're playing small, questioning your next move, or feeling disconnected from the work that once energized you, this conversation is a powerful invitation to pause, listen inward, and trust what you already know. 💙Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMfDf8x930c#Pausecast #OlympianMindset #Leadership #CareerGrowth #WomenInLeadership #Resilience #PowerOfPause #ExecutiveCoaching #TechLeadership #CareerTransitions #WomensSports #BreastCancerSurvivor #HighPerformanceLeadership