If you have ever wondered:
“Why do I still get so nervous when I have done this a thousand times?”
“How do I stop one bad result from deciding who I am?”
“What should I actually be thinking about when the pressure is on?”
- this episode is for you.
This week Layne and Tess sit down with Olympic diver Sam Fricker: Tokyo Olympian, Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, founder of Sam’s Straws and one of Australia’s biggest athlete creators, with more than nine million people following along. He has come straight from training, and he brings the same energy to the couch that he brings to the platform.
Sam talks about the lockdown slump his coach called out in one honest conversation, the two keywords he thinks on the board while the judges are watching, and what it was like to win Australia a quota spot for Paris and then miss the team by a single place. Layne catches him on one word he keeps using and hands him a reframe he leaves the studio with. Tess shows how a diver’s process translates to bath time with a toddler.
Underneath it is a bigger idea we come back to a lot at Awake: pressure does not fade with experience, so the work is learning to point that energy somewhere useful, keeping your self-worth separate from yesterday’s result, and always asking what the next best move is.
You will hear about:
- The honest conversation from his coach that ended a lockdown slump, and the three changes that brought Sam’s energy back
- Why nervous excited and nervous overwhelmed feel different, and how Sam tells them apart on the day
- Reach and bang: the two keywords Sam uses on the board, and Layne’s three things on a 50-foot wave
- The word Layne banned mid-interview, and why trusting the work beats straining for the outcome
- How coming dead last as a kid gave Sam the tools to miss Paris by one place without an identity crisis
- Sam’s three guardrails for a positive life: sleep, the people around you, and a dream worth getting up for
Links text
Follow Sam Fricker on Instagram and TikTok @sam.fricker and listen to his podcast Diving Deep.
Join the Awake Collective Community for monthly masterclasses https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/awake-collective-sales
Get Awake’s transformative book: Know Yourself Grow Yourself to live a happier more purposeful life. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/awake-academy-9781761345869
Follow Layne on Instagram @Laynebeachley
Follow Tess on Instagram @tesscbrouwer
Follow AWAKE on Instagram @awake_academy
Awakes TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@awakeacademy_
Sponsor our podcast https://www.awakeacademy.com.au/contact
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Disclaimer
The A Wake Up Call podcast is created for general informational, educational, and inspirational purposes only. The stories, tools, and insights shared are designed to support your wellbeing journey - not to replace professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice. In fact, we believe therapy is non-negotiable in life.
If you're experiencing a medical or mental health condition, please seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional. Never ignore or delay seeking professional advice because of something you've heard on this podcast.
Your wellbeing matters. Take care of yourself, stay curious, and remember the real wake-up call is listening to what your body and mind are telling you.
If you need support now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 (Australia).
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