Sylvia Hoffman: Becoming Great At Something New

Sylvia Hoffman started bobsledding in 2018 with no previous experience in the sport. In just 2 years, Sylvia became the top brakewoman for USA Bobsled. She’s now a 5x World Cup Medalist, 3x National Champion, and an international record holder.  Today, Sylvia is hard at work training with hopes of competing in her first Olympics in Beijing this February. In this conversation, Andrew sits down with Sylvia to learn more about how she became one of the world’s most elite bobsledders in just a few short years—and what we can all learn from her experience.  If you are starting down a new path or developing a new skill then this conversation is for you. 

Show highlights:
1:51 - Becoming elite at something new
2:53 - Leveraging relatable skills
4:53 - Taking risks and betting on yourself
6:38 - Committing to you and those around you
7:44 - Biggest surprises when learning to bobsled
9:01 - Why bobsledders are tarp pullers
10:55 - Training for a winter sport and how to use time efficiently
12:57 - Role of technology, video, and data in bobsledding
15:27 - Setting goals and how to personalize goals for you 
18:12 - Mental skills and role of sports psychology
21:05 - Training schedule and Olympic preparation
24:16 - Role of sleep in recovery
25:53  - Being so close to a dream and navigating pressure
27:30 - Surrounding yourself with people who have achieved your goals
28:30 - How to "protect your energy" and stay positive

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