Redefining Success with World Champion Wrestler Lee Kemp
“Your greatest hopes and greatest fears are seldom realized.”
ON REDEFINING SUCCESS:
Quitting shouldn't be a dirty word. In fact, knowing when to (quite literally) quit while you're ahead is one of the best weapons to have in your resilience arsenal. I'm sure you've heard the phrase "you either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain."
This isn't that dramatic, but the general idea is the same; You either bow out a success, or stay at the pinnacle long enough to experience failure. Being willing to throw in the towel on an idea that just isn't working or choosing to redefine success doesn't mean you are scared; it means you are strategic.
This week's Flourish or Fold guest World Champion Wrestler Lee Kemp shared this hard-won wisdom with us using his own journey to illustrate. Lee has experienced success, failure, and everything in between as a professional athlete, but most importantly, as a person. What got him through it? RESILIENCE.
I truly think every single person out there could benefit from hearing Lee's story. Enjoy ⇣
On the episode, we talk about:
How Lee has found himself at this point in life’s journey (2:30)
How he relates to those with nothing, the homeless near his apartment (12:40)
How the challenges of training to be an Olympic champion shaped who he is today (18:25)
How the challenge of the 1980 Olympic boycott taught him acceptance (31:59)
How “god moments” changed he and his kids’ lives (46:30)
About Lee Kemp
Lee Kemp known as one of the greatest wrestlers in United States history, was a three-time Gold Medalist in the World Championships, a four-time Gold Medalist in the World Cup of Wrestling, a two-time Gold Medalist in the Pan American Games, a seven-time national champion, and was named the United States Wrestling Federation “Man of the Year” in 1978. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1989.
28 years after the 1980 Boycott where Lee was a favorite to win the Gold he got a chance to fulfill Olympic dreams by being selected to coach the 2008 Olympic Wrestling Team.
Lee Kemp was among seven wrestling legends inducted into the United World Wrestling (UWW) International Wrestling Hall of Fame – one of only six Americans inducted to date – in a ceremony during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
He has been featured three times in Sports Illustrated Magazine (February 1977, April 1982, May 1982). Life Magazine featured Kemp in their “1984 Olympic Preview” issue along with Michael Jordan, Carl Lewis, Edwin Moses, and Greg Louganis.
Lee Kemp was born and spent his early youth in Cleveland, Ohio, and later moved to Chardon, a farming community 30 miles northeast of Cleveland, where he was a 2-time Ohio state champion finishing his junior and senior years with an undefeated record of 55-0-0, with 24 pins.
Kemp attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison on a full athletic scholarship winning three NCAA titles at 158 pounds and placing 2nd as a true freshman losing on a split referee’s decision in overtime. After his freshman year, Lee Kemp didn’t lose another collegiate bout posting 108 victories and one draw against collegiate competition that included a win over the legendary Dan Gable. Kemp earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing from Wisconsin in 1979, and an M.B.A. in 1983. Kemp was inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991.
Additionally, following his lifelong dedication to nutrition, health & wellness, Lee has earned a Nutritional Consultant Certification from the Global College of Natural Medicine in November 2009 and consults both athletes and non-athletes on a diet, weight loss, nutrition, and other health-related issues and concerns.
Lee Kemp, is the Founder of Hire The Winners, one of the fastest-growing hiring and recruiting companies in the US and following his passion for health and nutrition was the co-founder of FORZA by Kemp, a nutritional company, to address the nutritional needs of wrestlers and athletes. For several years FORZA by Kemp was the official nutritional partner of USA Wrestling and its national teams. Lee continues his nutrition endeavors with ONNIT Pro Team.
Links & Resources referenced in this podcast episode:
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