Episode 27 - How to overcome your inner critic and share stories that matter with Chandra Crawford

Chandra Crawford is a high-energy seasoned speaker, an Olympic Gold Medalist and 3 x Olympian in Cross Country Skiing born and raised in Canmore, Alberta, Canada. 

After retiring from ski racing in 2014, Chandra completed her MBA at the University of Calgary, got married, continued to lead the national charity she founded in 2005 ("Fast and Female") and had 4 kids.

Chandra’s purpose is to share her high-vibe energy and growth mindset to help people turn their challenges into opportunities. Her speaking topics include Beating Burnout, Excellence, Resiliency, Positive Rivalries and Mental Health as well as custom topics. 

With great vulnerability and humility, Chandra shares not only stories of her Olympic win in 2006 but also the lows of her life such as the loss of her younger brother to addictions and her own struggles with eating disorders – all in service of connecting with her audience.

In this episode, we explore what it really takes to overcome your inner critic, embrace vulnerability, and show the real you. (And why it’s absolutely worth doing.) 

Topics we cover:

→ How to handle your inner critic – Chandra shares the challenges she’s faced with her inner critic throughout her life, walks us through the mental performance strategies she used to outwit her inner critic while training for the Olympics, AND explains how she deals with her inner critic throughout the course of her daily life. 

→ How self-compassion changed Chandra’s life, why it’s ideal for high-achievers, and why she really wants you to give it a try. (Plus, a super simple way to practice it.)

→ How Chandra learned to “take it easy on the gold medal stories” and lean into the relatable details of her life that make a bigger impact with audiences. 

→ How challenging it can feel to “put yourself out there” and give keynotes, create courses, or share your story – but why it’s totally worth it. (Plus: how Chandra once “chickened out” but ultimately overcame her fear of telling her most difficult stories.)

Towards the end of the interview (46:57) Chandra turns the tables on Camille and seeks her advice on storytelling and speechwriting. We cover:

- How to make the audience the hero of your story

- The narrative arc and why your audience is going on a journey with you

- Why you shouldn’t get too worried about doing things “right” and should embrace the process instead.