We live in a world that glorifies hustle, high performance, and constant doing. We rarely pause to ask what truly drives us or what it might cost to keep going without pause. Success demands work, but what if it's not always about pushing harder? While it might not sound like it, slowing down, looking inward, and rediscovering your purpose can redefine your performance and growth.

In this powerful episode of The Happiness Squad Podcast, Ashish Kothari sits down with Alison Tetrick to explore what it really means to find joy, purpose, and performance—on and off the bike.

Alison Tetrick is the President and Co-Founder of Saga Ventures, an entrepreneur and former professional cyclist and World Championship medalist known for her bold leadership and storytelling. With a background in science and a master’s in psychology, she brings a unique blend of athletic grit, strategic thinking, and purpose-driven advocacy to everything she does.

From her beginnings on a California cattle ranch to racing at the highest levels of sport, Alison opens up about how she navigated identity shifts, rediscovered joy through gravel racing, and now helps others—especially women—find their footing through grit, grace, and community.

Here are the things you will learn in this episode:

• Redefining peak performance as alignment of mind, body, and spirit—not just output.

• Creating space for curiosity as a nonjudgmental leadership superpower.

• Knowing when to push and when to pause: the real power of grit and grace.

• Shifting focus from results to effort to build resilient, motivated teams.

With stories that span from Olympic training centers to launching bandana-funded scholarships for girls in sport, Alison reminds us that success isn’t always about pushing harder. Sometimes, it’s about pulling back, staying grounded, and listening to what makes your heart flutter.

Get ready to feel inspired! Tune into this powerful episode now.

Resources:

• Alison Tetrick’s website: https://www.alisontetrick.com/

• National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA): https://nationalmtb.org/

• NICA’s GRIT Program: https://nationalmtb.org/grit

• The Move: A Cycling Podcast: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVxvkgh82tFopMoCcV4AgNqvgeBj2JfPq&si=HKvYgn_Jb0d-e82j

• The Happiness Project: https://www.thehappinessproject.global/home.html

• The Cycling Independent article featuring Alison Tetrick: https://cyclingindependent.com/bandanas-for-bikes-with-saga-ventures-alison-tetrick-is-giving-back/

• Alison Tetrick on the Cheeseboard Snacking Bar: https://www.cheeseboardsnacking.com/about

• Alison Tetrick, Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame: https://www.gravelcyclinghof.com/hall-of-famers-2023/alison-tetrick

• Saga Ventures: https://saga-ventures.myshopify.com

• Alison Tetrick at LoveYourBrain.com : https://www.loveyourbrain.com/alison-tetrick-bio

Books:

• Book mentioned in the episode: "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho”: https://a.co/d/6hQduBj

• Hardwired for Happiness by Ashish Kothari: https://a.co/d/eADyDuv