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Olympic medalist Paul Kingsman is a sought-after expert on how to be Distraction-Proof
24 Plays1 year ago
Today I’m releasing my 7th Russell Jones Speaks Podcast to the world!
With the 2024 Summer Olympics almost here,we have an Olympic medalist, speaker, author, & executive coach. Paul Kingsman is a sought-after expert on how to be Distraction-Proof.
Paul knows the importance of keeping focused in life’s split seconds first hand: he trained for 13 years, to swim a 2 minute backstroke race at the Olympics, and won a medal by only four one-hundredths of a second!
Parents of athletes will want to hear this one especially as Paul gives his wise perspectives on competition as well as coaches.
And we get a behind the scenes look at life in the Olympic village.
There is something for everyone here for sure.
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Transcript
Introduction to Podcast and Guests
00:00:37
Speaker
Welcome to Russell Jones Speaks, where we explore big issues that matter to parents, grandparents, and kids. We tackle intergenerational issues. Everything that affects parents, grands, and children is on the table. That includes health and fitness, relationships, attitude, family unity, vision, adversity, God, and anything else that might arise. The goal is for you to take away something that you can use in your life immediately. Speaker, author, executive coach, and Olympic medalist, Paul Kingsman is a sought-after expert on how to be distraction proof. He teaches financial services, professionals, the repeatable systems, processes, and verbiage required to successfully grow their businesses and achieve outstanding long-term results.
00:01:24
Speaker
Paul knows the importance of keeping focused in life's split seconds firsthand. He trained for 13 years to swim a two-minute backstroke race at the Olympics and won a medal by only four one-hundredths of a second. As an Olympic medalist, Paul knows the principles and mindset needed to succeed in a highly competitive environment. His experience enables him to equip people with practical solutions to overcome distractions and pursue their priorities.
Paul Kingsman's Career Transition
00:01:52
Speaker
After completing his studies at UC Berkeley and retiring from competitive swimming, Paul applied the same success habits he had developed in the sport to business, going on to achieve big results with companies such as Speedo and Morgan Stanley, both in his native country of New Zealand and in the US.
00:02:10
Speaker
His book, The Distraction, Proof Advisor, Gain Control, Work Smarter, Succeed Sooner, is available from amazon dot.com. Paul has a Master's of Theological Studies and was a jail chaplain in California for 16 years before he and his wife made a 2018 cross-country move to the upstate of South Carolina. So welcome, Paul. Thank you, Russell. Pleasure being here and spending time with you. Yeah. So this is going to be good. I'm going to probably pick up on your accent a little bit. I don't know why. I kind of have a chameleon type thing. I'm talking to people from different parts of the country, right it' ah which is a blessing because if I kept my original Seacockers, New Jersey accent, it would ah people would be a little disturbed.
00:02:54
Speaker
so but as long as you don't As long as you don't mix it up with an Australian accent, we're all we're all good. Oh, yeah, forget it. So anyway, so yeah, let's start at the beginning.
Paul's Early Life and Family
00:03:05
Speaker
For me, okay, New Zealand, I mean, other than Lord of the Rings and Kiwis, I don't know too much. um And Kiwis are referred to the people. um I gotta be honest with you, Paul, I always thought it was a fruit. So maybe you can clarify just briefly.
00:03:26
Speaker
Yeah, so the kiwi is the bird. It's a national bird only found in New Zealand. and It's a nocturnal animal. And it's a it's a fat flightless bird, super cute. and But as my college roommates used to tease me, like, why would you want to be named after like a fat flightless bird? Several things, not not going right with that. So but it's up to the animal and not the fruit. Oh, okay. All right. So, but then they, but then folks from New Zealand, they're referred to as Kiwis as well, right? I mean, that's absolutely. Yep. We're all, all Kiwis proud to be proud to be labeled that. Okay. And, um, okay. So growing up in New Zealand, um, now you have siblings. I do. I have a sister who is two years younger than me and she's married with the two young boys. Okay. And you have, and you have a son as well, right?
00:04:22
Speaker
We have a 29-year-old son yeah who just moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Seattle, Washington. All right, well, we'll pray for him. ah No, I'm just saying the stuff you hear out of, I mean, you can't trust the news, but you hear just wonky stuff coming out of the great Northwest. but um So let me ask this, because I had this like this vision the other day anticipating our conversation. and So in my mind, every child should learn to swim. So um I was fortunate ah in that sense, I mean, from kiddie pools and everything else like that. but
00:05:01
Speaker
did Did life start out like swimming for you or was it just kind of an activity that you you participated in?
Swimming Journey and Achievements
00:05:11
Speaker
Say the water always was was something I was drawn to when I was super young. So whenever we went to the beach, we always went, so remembering seasons are reversed here. So our our Christmas vacation time was over summer. And so basically New Zealand shuts down for the end part of December and most of January.
00:05:32
Speaker
And so my parents would always go to the beach with with other family relatives. And even when I was four or five, as soon as I saw the water, I just I had to be in it. I would float. I would go. i would I'd run into it. This is what my parents had told me. I would run into it and I would just float on my back. And once there, this is like heaven on earth for me. This is peaceful. And so very quickly, my my parents realized, we're going to teach this, get out and swim. And so, yes, so when I was about eight years old, I went along, they took me along to the local swimming coach and local swimming pool. And um he he said, if you can, you know, if you can get in and swim a lap, which at that stage, it was 25 meters.
00:06:21
Speaker
He said, if you can get in and swim a lap, I'll take you. He said, I'm full up. So you've got to be able to swim a lap. Well, I got in, and of course to me, and we may touch on this a little later, I'm a great, I have pictures in my mind as far as I'm concerned, that's that's the mountain we're gonna take. And so I said, of course I can swim a lap. Got to halfway, stood up, and he he took me. he He always says that it was out of the goodness of his heart. And I always say that he needed the money. and We'll still go back and forth on that one. yeah But we can see God's God's plan on the whole thing. And but yeah, I just always loved being in the water. Yeah, yeah. It's, you know, love being in the water. But I just it seems like over the years, I've run into so many kids and young people even
00:07:12
Speaker
and young adults and adults who are afraid of the water, never learned how to swim. And, um you know, I mean, I was no, ah you know, Olympic, I wasn't any Olympic, oh although I do have to note that in 19, well, it was 60 years ago. I won't say like 1966 at Camp Tawadina in ah New Jersey, Boy Scout Camp. I did win the backstroke. It was actually the backstroke title for that year. So, i you know, I am speaking from some experience when i'm when I'm talking to you. But, but I think it's, it's, it's kind of disheartening. It should be like on the the list of like,
00:07:55
Speaker
Okay, even if your kid's not going to be a competitive swimmer, I think they should learn to swim. I mean, it's just such a, ah you never know what kind of situations are going to come up. And like you said, it's such a pleasurable experience once you to start doing it. Yeah. so's So a couple of things on that, Russell. I totally agree with you. You know, we used to own a swim school in New Zealand. And I agree with you for a number of of reasons and well done on your backstroke. ah when I mean, that's the only stroke that really counts as far as I'm concerned, um having won my medal in that. but But one of the things that and we used to own a swim school
00:08:34
Speaker
And one of the things that we saw when children started getting a handle on swimming was an incredible confidence. And it and it teaches you you know mechanics, it teaches you rhythm, and it's the only sport where you simply can't breathe when you want to. So it teaches your your body and your mind all about self-control. all about taking a breath and not so much holding it. but relaxing as you breathe out under the water to to keep in that rhythm. And so definitely agree with you regarding learning to swim from a safety angle, yes. It blew me away when we had our swim school. How many parents would bring their children in and say, yeah, we want we want them to learn how to swim. We own a boat. And so they obviously need to know how to swim. It never occurred to me until a couple of months later to ask the parents,
00:09:31
Speaker
Do you know how to swim? And they would say, well, no, but we've got to you know we we know how to get to the side of the book. And it amazed me how people's perceptions of the water and how quickly you can get into strife. Yeah. Just how mislead they were. yeah Yes, I'm a huge, huge fan for learning how to swim. And the the rhythm that it teaches you would then move over to other sports that we would see these children get involved in. So speaking of which, did you play any other sports or no? Not once I got to a certain level of swimming, I used to play rugby. Every kid in New Zealand plays rugby. And if you don't, they used to move you out of the country just about. um but But every kid learned how to play rugby. It's a very physical game. And once once I was getting to a certain level in swimming, I couldn't afford the risk of of being injured, of getting hurt. And so I wound that down to focus just on swimming. Swimming. Yeah, that's good.
00:10:29
Speaker
no Now your folks, what were they athletes? like had what Give me a little bio on your folks.
Parental Influence and Coaching
00:10:35
Speaker
Yeah, so they're they're competitive in their own ways. Dad used to play, he's just about 92 and he was still playing table tennis four days a week up until several months back. um He used to play competitive tennis. My mum used to run track. So they were very confident, I'd say, very comfortable around sports. No swimming in the family at all. um But they were incredibly supportive. And so was my sister.
00:11:03
Speaker
of of everything that I was doing. I was hugely blessed to have ah an entire team around me, relative to parents, my sister, my coach, and what have you, who were very supportive of me, but from, you know, inheriting anything, um nothing relative to swimming. No, like, five, six toes with webs or anything like that. No, no, our son is six foot five. He's got size 15 feet. And I would have I would have given anything for that when I was swimming. But and where he got them from, we, you know, we don't know, but he's he's got, you know, both of their height. and But no, imported. That's good. So okay. So, um, yeah, use sports. Um,
00:11:53
Speaker
can be really good, really bad. ah I can, just one experience, I wanted to ask you about your coaches. I remember my oldest daughter, she went from, she started playing basketball in fifth grade and went all through college playing ball, but there was like three seasons every year. So there was different coaches. There was a school season and there was the, different seasons of of playing and those leagues and whatever. So she had a lot of coaches over the years. And I remember after she graduated, and whatever one of those look back moments and just say, hey, you know, how many, how many coaches would you ever, you know, want to go back and play for?
00:12:36
Speaker
And ah I was really shocked. She said one. And and i you know I asked why and and whatever, but I was just curious, you know I'm sure you've had a lot of coaches or maybe not. Did you have a lot of coaches or did somebody stay with you? No, no I was on the other so the other end of that spectrum. And and it's interesting that you just chose one from that because if these people have a, they can have a dramatic impact um either way, positively or negatively. I was blessed to, the coach were who I started with, Hilton Brown, when I was eight, we stayed together my entire career. The only time that changed was when I was swimming at UC Berkeley when I started my swimming scholarship in 1986.
00:13:21
Speaker
and And even then, we kept connected. Now, he was it was two very different coaches, coaching styles. ah When I came across to the US, I had to get used to Norton's style of coaching, and coming from Hilton, who was a little more demonstrative, a little more vocal, and I and i enjoyed that. Whereas Norton was very laid back. Once he saw you wanted to learn, he was open to you know answering anything and giving you feedback. But i was I was blessed to have two coaches who totally got me. um and And a great coach has to understand how you tick, how you work. um my My coach back in New Zealand, he knew how to motivate me.
00:14:09
Speaker
when I was younger and we were training in um and a squad together with maybe 20 kids in the same program. you know He could say to 19 of those 20 kids, get your head down, get your feet up and get moving on the top, going on the 60. To me, he'd come along and say, this is going to push you. I don't know if we're going to be able to get through this set because it's going to really... And to me, that was just like, weirdre let's go. and And so he knew how to motivate. He was there the night I won my Olympic medal in Seoul. And yeah, just just one of those moments where you knew, like, 13 years to come true. Were there um whether different places that you got
Olympic Experience and Challenges
00:14:56
Speaker
inspired? I mean, you know, obviously, you know, whoever the, there was great swimmers. but
00:15:01
Speaker
Just in terms of like keeping that daily grind, even as a kid growing up, like what fed that? Was it was it just from the coach? Was it from your folks? Was it from a teacher? Where where was your motivation coming from at the time? So all of the above, my coach, my my parents, and but when I was young, I used to get, when you subscribe to US Swimming Magazine, it was called Swimming World, and it's still around today, obviously online now. And every month or two, and because being down in New Zealand, the thing came like six weeks later. and So. Three world record to go. Exactly. Yeah. World record could have gone three times by that stage. But um i when I was 10, 11, 12, I wasn't so much interested in the articles. I flipped to the back where it always had the meets, the international swimming meets and age group results.
00:16:02
Speaker
and I'd start tracking what the 12-year-old Russians were doing, what the 12-year-old Germans were doing, what the 12-year-old Americans were doing. And when I was 11, and so I'd be looking at these kids' times thinking, that kid's 12, I've still got a year to go to get that time. And so that never, it never daunted me. it In fact, it and it inspired me, it enthused me. In New Zealand, because we were so remote, to do something you know on ah on an Olympic scale, you've got to be thinking globally. and And so from very young, I used to enjoy tracking these swimmers. And then when I went to Australia as an age group swimmer, that was my first big meet outside New Zealand, outside the New Zealand age groups.
00:16:52
Speaker
I won an the age group title there and then won the Open Men's title when I was 14. And that for me was, ah now we're talking and international, although it's only two hours, three hours away. um Where do we go next? And that's how that whole process started. And Australia's always had a You know, they're always well represented, right? in a Huge, internet huge of them yeah yeah huge aquatic program. and Looking at their Olympic qualifying times coming into the Paris Olympics this year, they're going to have a super strong team. They went through a problem two Olympics ago and they bit the bullet and ironed the issues out with the coaching staff.
00:17:35
Speaker
and got rid of several who needed to go. And the team since then, the the last Olympics in this one, it's they're going to be super fun to watch, as is the U.S. team for sure. Hold off on the previews. We want to get through. yeah I have my in my mind. OK, we're going to hold off on that because I want to definitely dig into that. But all right, so. ah I looked at OK, so you, Trent, you you win. Um, the first medal to, uh, that anybody, uh, any man ah or woman, I think, and he's first swimming medal for your country in history. Right. Yeah. For, for men. Yes. Yeah. There'd been a lady one, uh, one, one back in 64, 66. Yeah. And then I watched the video yeah of, okay. So you've come this whole route.
00:18:36
Speaker
support team, sister, mom, dad, coaches, teachers, from teammates, your country, everybody that went into this whole thing. And now it's that moment that, you know, we all love to watch the podium moment, right? Yeah. And the introduction comes for the bronze medalist. Tell us that story real quick. Cause I was like, Oh my goodness. Right. What? Yeah, exactly. Yeah, it was it was funny. and So we knew the announcer. I mean, I didn't know him personally, but he did a lot of the announcing for NZ2A swimming for US swimming. Wonderful guy. and And the guy who came forth to me in the in the race ah was only four 100s of a second behind.
00:19:28
Speaker
And so whether it was just not noticing or, um you know, what the what the story was, yes, when he when he announced ah my name or he didn't announce my name, when he announced third place, he announced another swimmer instead and who was the fourth place. yeah And the crowd knew and and started not booing, but whistling and hissing a little bit and and you know, I didn't want to get up on the podium. and the The Korean lady who was ushering us up, she didn't quite understand what was going on. um One of the ah ironic things about that medal presentation, Russell, there was a New Zealand, Artie Shore, who presented the medals, was one of the two ah people presenting the medals. He was a New Zealander, he was a Kiwi. And he was he was the vice president of FINA,
00:20:25
Speaker
And so he was asked before the swimming started, ah you can present medals to any event, one event that you want. And so he said, I want the men's 200 meters backstroke. He was actually a representative from my home club in New Zealand. And right before I went on to the pool deck to race, Artie came up to me and he said, I just wanted to tell you, I've requested to present the medals to your event. And then he started walking off and then he then he turned back and he put his hand on my shoulder and he said, I'll see you in five minutes. And it was one of those things that, yeah, it was just an amazing moment. um But then when they messed up on the middle presentation, he was waiting as well. And yeah, when he when he presented me but the the gift there, he was like, yeah, we we knew they'd get it right eventually. Oh my goodness.
00:21:24
Speaker
yeah Yes, that was anybody yeah that wants to hear that, see that unfold, you can go to paulkingsman dot.com and dig around and you'll find that that clip. That was i was amazing. And then, all right, so okay, yeah ah you've talked about, ah you win the gold, I mean, sorry, the bronze. ah you you Now you have to carve out a career. and yeah how did How did that transition?
Life After Olympics: Humility and Faith
00:21:59
Speaker
like How did that come about? i mean um you know From swimming to a career in a real niche area i mean of yeah like super intense movers and shakers in the world of business.
00:22:15
Speaker
Yeah, that's a good that's a good point. And and that also, to to explain that more fully, I've got to come back to my parents. ah Mum and Dad had had always impressed upon me just through the way they lived and and their their character, the the issue around humility and the the understanding that, OK, I mean, they they were excited for me. We were all excited. But an understanding that, hey, this is a God-given talent, God-given ability. um life you know you Life moves on. You're still two arms, two legs. ah you You breathe just like everyone else. And the next day, you move forward. And whether whether there was a total failure, not and when I say failure, whether there was a total missing the goal or whether you were top in the world, ah you don't change as a person.
00:23:09
Speaker
And my dad was very, very big on that. And and so, and you know, I always remember actually after that night, after the swim in the Olympics, you do wake up the next morning thinking, I feel the same. I'm, yes, I've got to eat. I'm a little hungry. I'm really sore. But then you realize, OK, On that particular day, I was still in the world. You know, we could race it again today. I might come seventh. We could race it again today. I might win. Who cares? It's a moot point. It's like that was September the 22nd, 1988. To your point, life moves on. And so.
00:23:48
Speaker
Definitely using that experience um to, you know, and and I was again blessed with the people I trained with. My coaches, ah for instance, my college coach, when we would have recruits come in and visit our team program, they might have been the best swimmers in the on paper in the US then and there, because we attracted a lot of top swimmers. As a team captain, our coach, after we had met with the swimmer for two days, They'd visited Cal, they've looked around Berkeley, and and if they weren't frightened off by what they saw around Berkeley, he would sit down with us and he'd hit say, so what do you think?
00:24:28
Speaker
and And he would tell us, I don't want rankings to factor into this. Would they work in the team? Would they fit? And there were a couple of people, Russell, who anyone would have given their right arm to have. And and we said, they're just not going to gel. The egos there too much. They're not going to fit into what we need them to do. and And so moving forward in life, understanding that, again, you treat people all the same. And so moving into another career, you know leaving New Zealand to come back and live here. A lot of people in New Zealand, when they found out we were leaving New Zealand to come back to the US,
00:25:09
Speaker
they would say, well, no one knows you over there. I mean, you're a well-known here in New Zealand because it's a small country. um and And that didn't taunt me at all because of my faith firstly. But because to me, that was just like another challenge. It's like, OK, we'll go out and we'll carve our way again and you know in the US. Because a lot of people knowing me really never meant much from an ego perspective anyway. um So you you do pick up a lot of obviously confidence with with going out there to swim against the best in the world. You realize also that you have bad days, everyone does. And you you come back to especially scripture where it's just like, hey, let's just today take care of itself and do the best we can. And that's where I've where i've always come from. My father was the same. If it's if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well.
00:26:05
Speaker
So, okay, so, all right, so let's touch on that, the faith walk. was that yeah Was that from, you know, as as a child, did that, you know, when, ah how did that develop in your life? So, I had been raised in a Christian home. I was, my mum was pregnant with me when, when and she had been a believer for a long time. My father wasn't and came to the Lord ah about three, four months before I was born. That's how I got the name Paul. and He was reading through, he just consumed scripture after that. And so he was reading through the New Testament. My middle name is James. As I tell people, I'm very glad he wasn't reading through the Old Testament at that stage, because who knows what I would have been called. But I always knew, so I'd always been raised in a Christian home. I always knew I still had to make a decision myself and for myself.
00:27:05
Speaker
and And I'm not saying this is for everyone, but I also knew I had to make it public. ah But you know a public decision when I did that, it's that's not for everyone. It's definitely not necessarily how it works for a lot of people. um but i But I knew when when I was 11 years old, and surrounded by a great group of Christian friends, we'd grown up in the same youth group together from when we were eight, nine, 10, 11, 12, when I was 11 at a ah Christian youth camp, accepted Christ, and knew that this is this is finally who I am, as far as i just a full, complete. And so my faith at that point, again, my swimming became very clear, even clearer, um and I had taken
00:27:59
Speaker
that Scripture and Ecclesiastes very literally, whatever your hand finds to do, do with all your heart. And and so that to me was, there's a job to do. I need to do it diligently because first and foremost, I'm doing it for the Lord. It needs to be done to the best of my ability. And and from that, earning the right to expect success, earning the right to be able to to go to God praying for success, Nevertheless, his will be done. And that's incredibly liberating. yeah That means I can train for six hours a day, six days a week, solid days, full on days, do everything I can do, and then leave it in his hands. It also means if you're going to compete against me, I'm going to be competing hard. i have I have no desire to beat anyone. I've never wanted to beat anyone.
00:28:55
Speaker
I've never gone into a race wanting anything less than to win. They're two separate things. Swimming your race. Just swim your race. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I used to get criticized for this by some people in New Zealand where, obviously, in age group swimming, I was leading the leading the way, leading the pack. And I would be way ahead by halfway during a race. But by the halfway point in a race, I'd be body lengths out in front. But I wasn't going to slow down because I wasn't swimming to to beat them.
00:29:28
Speaker
I was swimming to swim as fast as I could because that what that's what God had gifted me to do. That was a job. And so I would would sometimes have parents say to mum and dad, he knew he'd won the race. He just kept swimming fast to make these people look, to make these other kids look stupid. Had nothing to do with that. right it was It was my job to do the best I could. Right. People always talk, especially parents at youth events. Oh, boy, do they talk. Yeah, they do. Yeah. yeah So um yeah, just just that story too about priorities. Okay. So the discipline that ah goes with it. Okay. So you have peace knowing that, you know,
00:30:21
Speaker
You're running your race, you're doing that part of your life, you're doing what you needed to do, you're doing it to the best of your ability, right? But there's a ah discipline that has to go with that, right, to to go to high levels. And so in your video ah priorities, just tell that story about ah with your mom answering the phone ah at 8.35 PM. Oh, yes. So New Zealand is a tiny country. And and back then, and we were the only kingsmen in New Zealand. and And so you could find us very easily in the phone book.
00:30:56
Speaker
I remember no cell phones back then in the 80s and, ah you know, it was phone book and and rotary phones. And so I was, you know, during and my build up for 1988, I was always in bed by 830. That was for me, that was my limit. And so you know I would often get calls but you know after eight o'clock, but before 8.30, I mean from reporters. And I would share with them, I'd answer questions, but only you know to a point. but But yeah, if anybody called after 8.30, they would always get my mum. And she was so polite.
00:31:42
Speaker
and and so sweet, but you weren't you just weren't getting past her. like She was resolute. and like You had to give all these reasons. The world record just went. We heard these times just come in from the Europeans. The Americans have just swung this fastest time. We just need a comment for tomorrow morning's news. And Mum was just like, no, give them a call tomorrow. and And sure enough, they they did. and but But what was interesting, Masol, I'd call them back the next day. And it was amazing how everybody's urgent issue, they wanted to become your issue as well. and And we just couldn't permit that. We just couldn't permit that. And so we we had what we needed to do. I had what I needed to do. And nothing and no one.
00:32:33
Speaker
was getting around that. That was how it had to be. And I know you teach that in your business and all. I was applying that to parenting because it's complicated. Life's complicated. It's busy. But there are so many distractions that can creep in. And not that you have to be, you know, and you have to have your mom there all the time to take calls. But, you know, I think there's a ah a way or at least an awareness we have to have to really protect the time that we have as a parent, right? um
00:33:18
Speaker
not only in our, you know, taking care of our own stuff, but the time with our children and everything else like that. Cause sometimes we say, gee, there's no time to do this. There's no time. But yeah when we but look back to the time that we waste and especially in this world, I mean, everybody's walking, you know, everybody's walking around like this all the time. that's right ah try I missed a ah message. i'm you know and It's like you said, I called the next morning. Well, it wasn't that important you know and whatever. and You could have been in bed two hours before you know as a parent. right yeah so um yeah I think yeah that message is ah you know resonates, i I think, across the board you know about priorities. um Then yeah the other thing too is, and maybe just to let
00:34:02
Speaker
the the little exposed story. That was hysterical. Just on that point, though, with regarding the parents and and influencing their children, someone's going to, there's no, I mean, to your point, everyone's got one of these things now. and At an alarming age, we're seeing the reports coming through now, but the the consequences and And the the cost, and just listen to two fascinating podcasts about the the health impacts on on children with these smartphones. and And so when parents, and I get it, it's fatiguing being a parent. ah You know, you go into borders and and and you see online all these books kind of having you thinking like, this is a dream, this is a cakewalk. And it's just like, ah,
00:34:54
Speaker
but But the bottom line today that we've got to understand is someone is going to influence them one way or the other. There's no void in this. So we have a choice at that point. And it's it's not easy. ah special It's just not easy to do. um the pressure to do what everybody else is doing and what everybody else is looking for. Yeah, that's ah that's exactly right. and And so, you know, I'm glad our son, like I mentioned, he's 29 years old. It would be a lot more challenging these days, even back then it was challenging, you know, challenging enough. um But yeah, the the, you know, being ah the little exposed, yeah you know, you literally, everybody sees the metal.
Training Discipline and Athlete Challenges
00:35:39
Speaker
and and And everybody, it's it's always, I joke about it when I'm speaking, because I i pull out the medal to start with, as I built up to this point in my talk, in my presentation, first first couple of minutes. And everybody understands the desire for a medal, if you're you know obviously pursuing Olympics, but even then, people have a lot of respect for it. But then when I pull out the swimsuit, as as far as being exposed, That's the majority of it. The majority of what we do, especially as competitive swimmers, um it's spent training. It's spent, again, 13 years of work. That event took me two minutes to swim. It's it's spent in an incredible, much of it, discomfort.
00:36:30
Speaker
And you get used to that. ah You train your your body, you train your mind to to tolerate that. um and And so, you know back then, an antiquated pull systems, and antiquate when I say antiquated, you know it's 40 years ago, um but an antiquated, 30 years ago, in filtration systems, our the you could never get the chlorine off your system, out of your skin, because you're in the water so much. yeah And then I vividly remember nights where you're aching, you're you're aching so much, you're just so fatigued, you can't sleep and you're and during summer you'd start to sweat a little bit and it would bring the chlorine and onto your app into your skin and yet it would just stink, it's a chemical.
00:37:17
Speaker
yeah and And you get used to that. Now, the the downside of that, as now I'm in my mid fifties, is when I've got a nagging you know shoulder through lifting weights or something, I'll just put up with it. My wife will keep telling me, we've got to get that sorted out. It's OK. Mere flesh food. Yeah, now I'm learning, though, obviously, too, in mid fifties, things don't go away as quick as what they used to. Yeah, well, if you make it as far as me, Yeah, it's even another level once you hit 70. So right, right. But yeah, I mean, you're, so you're still lifting, like you're still working out, um which is i I'm lifting myself out of the chair after time. like Yeah, but no, it's and everything, you know, the it changes. I mean, the physical part of the world, your physical world changes and stuff and all that. But you know, it's fine. i'm I'm happy to be here. A lot of people from my graduating class that are not no longer here. And right,
00:38:16
Speaker
Um, although I am looking forward to the next level, I'm looking for, uh, but, uh, all right.
Evolution of Olympic Coverage
00:38:22
Speaker
So let's go to Olympic preview 2024 with Paul Kingsman. And I want, these are some things. Okay. As, and as a kid growing up, it was, you know, ABC, why world of sports. you'd sit at night from eight to 11 p.m. and they had the highlight clips, you know, what they wanted to show you. So you didn't see everything. And I guess they had it on Saturdays and Sunday afternoon, Saturdays, and they had an extended coverage, right? And everybody, you know, I was always excited to see, you know, whatever sport it was, it didn't matter. Like, you know, people are going for their personal best. That's just, it's great.
00:39:08
Speaker
um Over the years though, now you can pick what sport you want to see and what you want to view. And and now there's, I don't know if it's money, sponsorships, I don't know. there's The Olympics got more complicated to me. The times when you can see it and not see it. Then if you click one place, you've found out that someone's 01. And even though you haven't seen it yet, because you're seeing it on delay, you never had that complication. right um
00:39:39
Speaker
but But I always wondered like, okay, you hear stories about the Olympic village. You know what? And I'm sure it's changed, but it hasn't changed probably. So give me give us like a walkthrough.
Life in the Olympic Village
00:39:55
Speaker
how many like First of all, how many days are you there before you start swimming? Like when do you arrive? I can give you two contrasting examples. One of when what I did when I was a 17 year old kid in 1984 Olympics to what I did in 1988. Typically the swimming is on from a calendar perspective of events. Typically the swimming is on pretty early and it's it's completed reasonably early. Oftentimes the track and field doesn't get going until you know five or six days into to the Olympics.
00:40:28
Speaker
and And so you usually arrive at the village anywhere up to you know eight to 16 days prior. um and And so that gives you a chance to start getting used to the pool. It gives you an opportunity to start getting used to just the village vibe and the and the village. So let's say you get in there 12 days out before the Olympics actually start. You're not really thinking about the Olympic starting it on X date. You're thinking about where am I? And and so in the Seoul Olympics, for instance, I was on the fifth day. So at that point, you know as you as you get into the village, the village might be a little empty, but you're seeing it fill up every day.
00:41:13
Speaker
More and more people, lines are getting longer, we are eating. Food is 24-7, it's open all the time. In 1984, young, dumb teenager, eight and eight and eight, over eight. when you're tapering as an athlete, you're coming off six hours a day training, touching the water for maybe 45 minutes a day, if that. So you can imagine a combination of things. And this is where discipline comes in. So you had the appetite of, of working from the hours and yet you weren't exactly. Yeah, exactly. Not only the appetite, all of this energy
00:41:53
Speaker
You're lying on your bed trying to stay off your feet, off your legs. You're getting bored out of your brain. I'm just going to walk and go and get something to eat. And before you know it, you pack on six or seven pounds. Eighty four, eighty eight. Not a hint of that. So you're you're staying disciplined. you you know More people in your home country are arriving into your area of the village. um Swimmers will start yapping. They'll start talking about other swimmers they've seen. They'll start talking about other times they watch swimmers you know warming up in during their shared pool times. You'll hear coach. so How many people in a room, like living conditions?
00:42:39
Speaker
Uh, typically two. Is it a, is it, it's a, like a dorm type of setup. Yeah, it is. It is. Yeah. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You're up to your flow, but I'm just youre laying on a bed. Yeah. And you got a roommate. Okay. Gotcha. Okay. Now that's a great point though. Russell, these, these are the things. So yeah, you, you, you might be looking to rest. or you might you might have your heat times at, let's say, 9.30. Your roommate might have their heat times a little earlier, and and they're not thinking about sleeping properly. They're not thinking about when they're going to eat. They're not thinking about, hey, if I'm if i'm racing a heat at 9.30, I've got to be getting food and fueling up at 5 o'clock in the morning. Therefore, I have to be in bed. moment but All of those things add up.
00:43:26
Speaker
ah to to a great performance. So yes, you get personality flares. ah You don't see this on wide world of sport. You don't see this on NBC coverage. ah you get You've got a lot of athletes living in close quarters, very on edge nerves wise, um looking to be confident, looking to at least look confident. and lots of Lots of issues can arise pretty quickly. well go and so You got that issue of those issues to deal with sometimes as as well. Coming and going. okay yeah
00:44:03
Speaker
um and is there um I'm guessing is there a other than where you go to eat, is there like a social life thing? Huge. Is there a place for that or is that wherever you are? No, there's ah there's a huge place for it. okay so So typically they'll have you know they'll call it some kind of theater or some kind of um you know massive hall or they'll title it something. And that'll be the entertainment spot where they'll have live bands
00:44:37
Speaker
um I mean, in 1984, there was Pat Benatar, there was the Beach Boys. There were you know a number of US s bands. Yeah, they're just coming through the village. um and And so, yes, there'll be things like that. There are movie theaters there where they'll typically have you know one or two movie theaters going. Probably not as popular now because everybody's got anything they want on their phone. yeah But those kinds of things are there. All of a sudden, you get given all of this gear. and and and And so you have new shoes, you know, sponsors are, they're sponsored everything. And so you've got brand new shoes, they look great, they feel great, until all of a sudden you've walked for two or three days in different shoes in the heat, and all of a sudden your feet are blistered, your legs are tired. That was 1984, I learned that. 1988, when I was given all the sponsors gear and two big bags, it went straight under my bed.
00:45:37
Speaker
because I had all my gear, I knew all my stuff, I'm super appreciative of the sponsor's stuff, but I don't need to be walking around in brand new shoes four days before I swim. These are all the little things you got to be thinking about. Yeah. All right. So, okay. So, um and now your coach, where did your coach say? are they Are they in the village too? or Yes, so my my New Zealand coach turned down the opportunity to be the New Zealand Olympic coach because he wanted to just work with me. So he came over to the Olympics. My parents um flew him over so we could be together. My dad was over there as well. My mum stayed back in New Zealand. My girlfriend, who I then went on to marry a couple of years later, was over staying with my coach and my dad.
00:46:29
Speaker
And so I have my team there. and The New Zealand coach for the swim team, a very political type of guy without going into too much. But but was we just, you know again, just with there were challenges there on the team and with him and other swimmers. And i just you can't get absorbed into that. So my my own coach was there. We were able to get him a pass to get down onto pool deck. And you you do go through an interesting phase because
00:47:02
Speaker
you're both realizing 13 years, it's all down to this now. So there are times when we're just sitting in silence on the you know on the pool deck and we knew what each other was thinking. And then there were times where you know he knew exactly what I needed to hear. Typically, when you go to the games village, you know you'll be weighing yourself yeah each day and then about four days out, five days out, you don't bother to do that because you don't want to get hung up on anything that you can't change anyway. And and so all these little you know points of discipline along the way, super important, but he knew what I needed to hear and
00:47:47
Speaker
and he He would just, he would always just keep telling me, and you know, you've you've done all the work, you've earned the right to expect success. These guys have got two arms, two legs, they bleed just like you. It's just like, let's let's just see what we can do here. And and I think that was our catchphrase. and That was the catchphrase we had in 1988, was no regrets. We said we wanted to get to September the 22nd with no regrets. whatever whatever happened, happened. And he knew my faith. He knew my, my yeah had a very strong belief there and he knew that and he admired that. And he said, we want to get there to on that day with with no regrets. it's yeah So, yeah, yeah it was it was good. So, OK, so ah people from all over the world um gathered in a village, does does like politics or ethnicity or does any of that ever
00:48:47
Speaker
But is there any negatives to that like that comes out in the village, like you know like political or whatever? No. No. know I think everybody there is very respectful. and It's just going to be an interesting situation this time around. But everybody in there is very respectful. I think one of the fun things ah about ah but about being at the Olympics. So I was swimming at Cal at that time. So I was on the UC Berkeley swim team. And so I was there from 86 to 90 and so obviously included the 1988 Olympics. One of the coolest things at the Olympics is that in April when i we finished NC2A's, we took our final exams and then I flew home to New Zealand to train. We had Swedes on the team. We had English guys on the team. We had Germans on the team. And so then we all head off in our own you know to our own countries.
00:49:41
Speaker
will come back into Seoul and you're seeing teammates, ah you know, the guys that you were just swimming into two ways with a couple of months back. And so, you know, you're sitting there on the pool deck having just, just swam in an Olympic medley relay final and it's just like, so, so who do you have for English 2A next month? who did Who did you land for Math 6B? And then and two weeks later, you're back at college together. So it's a fun, fun experience.
Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sports
00:50:10
Speaker
So the ah the next question is about the ah performance enhancing drugs.
00:50:20
Speaker
um you know from a I was just naive to that as a kid. I didn't i didn't start training with weights or anything until I was 21. And I went to a gym in Jersey City, New Jersey. and there with guys there that were just monstrous. And I just, I couldn't, I couldn't ever see myself, nevermind their size, but what the the weights there are moving. and And I remember going into the bathroom and not just thinking, oh, they just had a bloody nose or something, seeing like bloody, yeah you know, tissues and whatever everywhere. And I was like, yeah yeah, that's kind of strange. And no clue about what people were injecting into themselves. and Yeah.
00:51:05
Speaker
And I'm thankful that I didn't, because I probably would have been stupid enough to try it myself. but But then, but at the Olympic level, though, or, you know, international competition, you always hear about, you know, all the levels that they have to raise up the testing to, you know, they keep samples for a period of time, there's all these masking agents that they use on these things. I mean, what, you know, did that ever, you know, did that ever come into your conversation or um
00:51:37
Speaker
Teammates did you ever up close to seeing that or is it you know? but Never came into the conversation. And then this was 88. So things were really about to to blow wide open shortly after those Olympics. It does make you a little paranoid in what you take. and you know when When you get into the games village, you meet with the team doctors pretty much on day one. And and there's ah there's a book like that thick.
00:52:08
Speaker
of of what you, you know, of all the drugs that you can get tested for. And it's just like, well, and what do we eat? and Because these things can, you know, some of the things can can show up. But I think, Russell, one of the, I get asked this will a fair bit, and they're never going to, particularly an Olympic level, in my opinion, they're never going to eradicate the problem unless they bring in a lifetime ban. Because until they bring in a lifetime ban, what they're in fact saying to all of the other athletes is, we're prepared to mess around with your careers for the one or two people who do this. And it's not one or two now, it's it's ah everywhere. ah Just listen to ah a podcast by a lady who used to run for a significant shoe company. And you know some of the things she was saying about the athletic situation in general, like it was just like it's just assumed.
00:53:06
Speaker
And and other. Wow. You know, I was never aware of it and swimming at that at that point. Right. But I remember with the ah East Germans when what you were with the East Germans. So the war comes down in 87 and then Germany. So 88, they're still competing as two different ah bodies. And then because Kristin Otto, brilliant East German swimmer won eight Olympic medals, eight Olympic golds, I think seven or eight at at Seoul. It may have been six. I'm blanking on that. It could have been six. um And then after that, when some of the some of the systematic doping allegations came out and some of the proof came out, um yeah, it was it was pretty amazing. There's a lady, ah a good friend of mine, Wendy Bolio,
00:53:54
Speaker
There's a movie that they did with her and the US women's relating swimming team re ah regarding the 1976 Olympics. It's called The Last Gold. And it is one of the most phenomenal moving sports movies. It's a documentary ah covering the East German drug issue and how the US women's team won that gold medal. And it's it's fascinating. It's sad at the same time as Had you in tears. It's just an amazing story. But yeah,
00:54:32
Speaker
They're never going to take care of it now and you've got the the unless they bring in those bands. You've got the systematic doping that is now known in other countries where even several weeks back, they've just been the the world anti-doping association. WADA has basically just turned its turned a blind eye to some of the issues going on. And yeah it just makes a mockery of of the athletes trying to do it legitimately. I think, you know, it's, cheating. Yeah, not wanting to put the work in shortcuts. That, you know, that mentality is always going to be what can I get away with? It's it's human nature. yeah give Give me the fastest way to the top. Yeah. And, and I think, you know, that's one of my concerns even just in
00:55:27
Speaker
in sports, but in fitness even, you know, um, people say, well, you know, I got to get to the gym and whatever. And you know, I i just relate back to my gym experience. I mean, I was, I was blessed not to get involved in stuff, but you know that somebody's going to mention it to a a young, especially a young person in a gym. Oh, you take this and this herb or whatever it is. I'm not saying herbs are great, but yeah then you move into some other areas and, uh, And I, you know, I think it's just, you know, it's the human condition. And like you said, it's always going to be there. Everybody's going to you know try to find ah an angle to win. And yeah because it's not running your own race, right? It's not that, you know, that perspective that you're you're given the best you can in that moment or are leading up to that moment.
00:56:19
Speaker
And, uh, and the reward will be the reward, you know, it's right it'll be in and of itself, you know, so, uh, yeah, sports, it's a, yeah, it's a complicated thing. it's thing and um Anyway. So, uh, do you have any, uh, so just, yeah, we we're running here. What. what uh you got any olympic picks or anything i have absolutely i don't follow it i've ever since uh i well you say some names i would remember some names but uh it just got like you said watching so much back in the day it was the swimmers were the first week so you got to know all the swimmers all right right second week was track and field and you know uh
00:56:58
Speaker
you know, during the summer Olympics and you always kind of knew all the athletes. Now you see this, this, this, this event, whatever. So who are you looking at? I mean, team wise, any individuals that we should be focusing on or. so I'm going to write this down. nice yeah With the US swimming trials, and here's the thing with the US trials, ah yeah the US swimming trials ah take place in the next next couple of weeks and you you just never know who's actually going to be on the team.
00:57:29
Speaker
I mean, it's it's one of the things that you'll often see in the U.S. Olympic trials. World records will get broken in the morning. Doesn't mean a thing. Because if you're not one or two back at night, if you're not first or second, you ain't going. yeah and And so, you know, relative to um projections on the U.S. team, and Ryan Murphy is always a favorite of mine because he's a backstroker. Simone Biles from gymnastics, if she ah Again, she's coming she's she's on way back. and you know She had a ah a real tough challenge ah four years ago. and you know I love watching gymnastics. it's like It's one of the reasons I probably enjoy the Winter Olympics more than the Summer Olympics, because these people, a lot of them, the courage they have to do what they do in training every day, gymnastics being one of them.
00:58:25
Speaker
I just would not have the courage to go on a beam, you know, several inches wide and somersault and vault. I mean, the worst thing that ever happened to me is like you, you know, you break your finger getting caught in the lane line, but you don't break your neck or you don't break a leg or something. That's crazy. Did you hit your head on the wall? No? Oh, sometimes that happened. I mean, people often ask me like, how many times? They just assume that happened a lot of times after they've spoken with me. Right, right. But I really hope for Paris that um that it that it goes without, you know, without a hitch. It's it's sad that, you know, the Olympics and and big international events like that now also become big international targets for issues. And for Paris's sake, I just hope it goes without a hitch. Yeah. So all right.
00:59:17
Speaker
Well, good. I think, um, I think we got some good stuff for, uh, for parents to think about in terms of sports.
Episode Conclusion
00:59:27
Speaker
I think for everybody, um, you know, just your perspective, you know, reaching the higher levels, um, kind of, you know, lets everybody in on the, uh, it ain't easy. yeah yeah yeah you know and ah and And family, support, all these things in in a normal person's life. It's all there, right? And you know and and it's and are you being supported or are you being pushed, right? I mean, it's gotta be, you're the athlete, it's gotta be your dream, it's gotta be your vision, right? But yeah, we're here to come alongside in all different ways. We're come you know're we're gonna help you with it. you know so ah
01:00:10
Speaker
So yeah, on that level, it's a beautiful thing and and your story is awesome. so ah Thank you. All right, so let's a wrap. I hope everyone enjoyed today's episode and you get some takeaways that you can use. You can connect with Paul at paulkingsman dot.com as well as on LinkedIn. Please share this with your friends and don't forget all my stuff at topseekersofsuccess.com and russelljonespeaks dot.com. If you're a parent or a grandparent or mentor to a 10 to 13-year-old, check out our 60-day Transformational Interactive Video Series, Top Secrets of Success for Kids and Parents. It's amazing. It will equip and encourage parents and kids. Yes, topseekersofsuccess.com. Get on our email list. And in the words of the inimitable Hulk Hogan, say your prayers, take your vitamins, and you will never go wrong. Then you can all go and make it a great day. Bye for now.