144: Greg Philips - Your Attitude Decides Your Altitude – The Relentless Mindset of a Champion Swimmer
Career Clarity with Athletes: A 2ndwind Podcast with Ryan Gonsalves
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Greg's journey isn't your typical athlete-to-executive story. This is about what happens when you walk away from elite sport cold turkey (for 10 years), then suddenly find yourself pulled back in – while building a career, starting a family, and even stepping into a boxing ring.
In this episode, we get raw about:
- That moment a 24-hour bus ride revealed his untapped swimming potential
- Why he took a demolition job after retiring from international competition
- The $35,000 mindset shift he wished he'd had earlier
- How getting knocked out in business (figuratively) prepared him for getting in the ring (literally)
- Why "perfect practice makes perfect" applies to spreadsheets just as much as sprints
Key Moments You Can't Miss:
1. The Unconventional Comeback
- Why returning to elite swimming at 35 with three kids was harder (and more rewarding) than his first career
- How shaving 0.6 seconds became an obsession – and what that teaches us about incremental business growth
2. Career Transition Truth Bombs
- "I didn't want to be 28 trying to start a career" – the harsh reality of post-sport timing
- His biggest regret? Not leveraging his athletic network sooner (and how to avoid this mistake)
3. The Anchor Words That Changed Everything
Discover the 3-word performance framework Greg uses for:
- Racing 100m butterfly
- Leading multi-million dollar deals
- Parenting three kids under 10
4. When the Goggles Come Off For Good
Why COVID wasn't actually what ended his second swimming career – it was something far more relatable
Why This Hits Different:
This isn't another "transferable skills" lecture. It's the unfiltered story of an athlete who:
➜ Walked away completely (twice)
➜ Found success in finance without playing the "former swimmer" card
➜ Proves high performance isn't about constant grind – it's about strategic comebacks
"The pool taught me that failure isn't falling short – it's not showing up prepared. That lesson alone built my entire career."
Listen Now If:
- You've ever felt "too old" to pivot
- You're struggling to translate competitive fire into career fuel
- You want proof that work-life balance IS possible for type-A personalities
Ready to explore your own second act after sport? Connect with Ryan Gonsalves and the 2NDWind Academy to discover how your athletic experience can become your professional advantage here: www.2ndwind.io
Tag us @2ndwind.academy with your biggest takeaway!
Chapters
1. Swimming Early Years and Family Influence (00:00:00)
2. The Epiphany Moment: Taking Swimming Seriously (00:10:52)
3. Breaking Down Race Components for Success (00:21:33)
4. Transitioning Out of Elite Swimming (00:32:56)
5. Return to Competition After a Decade (00:43:41)
6. Balancing Career and Elite Swimming (00:54:07)
7. Leadership Principles from Athletic Experience (01:04:24)
155 episodes