Three Young Athletes That Changed My Mindset

Lessons on Success, Goals & Community

I am sure you have seen those 30 under 30 lists from Forbes that showcase the brightest minds, leaders of the hottest gadgets, etc. They grab your attention because they make you think that if they can do it, so can you. My 30 under 30 list is going to do the same. The difference is that these people are going to influence you to think differently, change your mindset as well as learn from somebody younger. As a 52 year old, the concept of teaching an old dog new tricks seemed accurate. That was until I met Becky Croft who left a profound impact on me when she asked what seemed to be a simple question:

Who Are You Following?

Simple question, simple answer. Right? Yes, but what was lying underneath that simple question was an invitation to explore who was influencing me. I took her question to heart which led me to following accounts that were different from my current lineup. It wasn’t easy to do because I was ratting my own cage. Shaking myself to recognize the holes in my world. What I found was this amazing world that just a day prior was invisible. An entire world that didn’t exist was opened up. That question has led me to having 3 people under the age of 30 make a profound impact on me. Becky didn’t introduce me to each of these 3 people but she opened the door to allow my mind to seek them out, in a round about way. It reminds me of the Ripple Effect that I wrote about previously.

Mariah Zavala – Lessons Of Taking Care Of You Today

I have talked about Mariah as well as shared her story on our platform before. She has been a guest on our Fireside Chat as well as our Food Fight Friday so her appearance here should not come as a surprise. What may surprise you is why she made my 30 Under 30 That Influence Me List. I have recently been asking people if they wanted to just chat. Not record a podcast or develop content in a collaboration. Literally, just talking. That request was met by a lot of people, with Mariah being one of them. During our conversation, I asked her about her running goals for 2026. What was she looking to accomplish? The answer took me by surprise but taught me a lesson at the same time. Mariah mentioned that she had run 8-10 races in 2025. That felt like a lot to her. The training, traveling, prepping…..all of it created a sense of stress as well as anxiety when it should be bringing her joy.  For 2026, the number of races was trimmed to 2-4 for the year with nothing set in stone, as of yet. She wanted to focus on her community, being present for them, helping lift others. That pivot was refreshing but also a little shocking. As a person under 30, my goal was more. I earned a certain amount of money one year then the next year I wanted more. I had a title in one year, the next year I wanted more responsibility and a bigger title. One year, I finished Ironman then the next I wanted to finish two. You get the point.

The Lesson:

More isn’t always better. Doing things that fill your heart is better. We tend to focus on the things that will make us look better to others instead of helping ourselves out. Mariah could run another 8 races in 2026 but that wasn’t going to fill her heart. Helping others is going to do that. Lesson learned.

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Victor Zeitoune – Lessons Of Bigger Isn’t Always Better

Victor entered my life thanks to Evan Birch and our show, Enduring Minds (episode drops on April 1st.) The conversations, like all of them on that show, are open, raw, honest searches of who we are as a person. Vic shared a lot of poignant moments with us. One that stood out to me which wasn’t on purpose was this idea that you don’t have to do things the way others are doing them. You can do things that are different, define your own success, create the scenario that brings you the most joy without concerning yourself with what others are doing or thinking. The conversation centered on the $1 Ultra. I had not heard of this event but it was clearly different from other backyard ultras. First off, it takes place in New York City. Secondly, there is no entry fee other than depositing $1 into the bucket before each lap starts. The winner takes all. It was a resounding success that first year which means you automatically do it again right? Make it bigger. Find sponsors. Add additional prize money. Shout it from the rooftops.  If that was what you’re thinking then you would be like me. That isn’t Vic’s thinking though. They are bringing it back except it doesn’t have all of the fanfare I just wrote about. There will be more participants but it doesn’t mean that Vic and his friends have already built out a 5 year plan for this event. They aren’t sure if it goes past this year. That is refreshing.

The Lesson:

Not everything has to grow to be defined as a success. In addition to that, what you do today doesn’t have to be done tomorrow even if it is a success. Success isn’t defined by money generated or the popularity on social media. Success is defined by you. What is making you feel like you’ve done something special? Is there something that you are defining as success? Have you met that definition? Continuing to do the thing because others expect you to is not a definition of success. That is doing what others want you to do versus you doing them for yourself.

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Badia Weeks – Lessons Of Setting Lofty Goals

Social media isn’t always a cesspool of hot garbage. We don’t have to open social media just to doomscrool. There is actually an opportunity to find people on social media that lift us up, give us inspiration while motivating us to chase our lofty goals and dreams. Badia Weeks is one of those people. I remember her post on Threads that made me open my eyes, click the follow button and lean into what she was sharing. The post that caught my attention simply stated: Training to be 1st Black @hyroxworld World Champion. When I read that, I immediately commented to cheer for her because she was planting a flag. She was saying: this is what I want. There was no confusion about her goal. It was clear and succinct. We exchanged comments until we decided to have a chat. I learned a lot about Badia in that conversation. One of the biggest lessons was that despite whatever happened in her past, she was not going to allow that to define her path forward. Badia made it clear that she was intent on making this happen but not at the expense of her life. She knows there will be sacrifice but those cuts will be from things not bringing her joy. The people, as well as ideas, that make her smile, she will lean into them because they are going to be there for her regardless of success or missed opportunities. There is no playing small for Badia.

The Lesson:

Too often, we set goals for ourselves that are achievable yet they don’t bring us joy. We know that we can accomplish those things so why not put them down on paper. When we do reach that milestone we feel like we’ve accomplished something. Reality is that achievement feels somewhat hollow. There wasn’t much to work for. The goal was almost predetermined to be achieved. Set that lofty goal then celebrate the steps along the way. Our tagline is that we are the premiere voice of the Everyday Athlete. This isn’t aspirational. I mean it. There is no other platform that is going to share the stories of everyday athletes the way that we do. No other business, or podcast network, is going to shine a light on the everyday athlete that is on a sobriety journey, coming back from postpartum depression or just getting started. WE are and WE do. We talk a lot about influencers but in a way that discusses what products they are selling. Which of the latest protein powders or supplements is being talked about on their platform? The reality is that we should be influenced by people who are making us better people. The stereotypes need to be destroyed. Sure, us older people are wiser but that doesn’t mean that we cannot learn from those that are younger than us. Mariah, Vic and Badia have taught me lessons that I will apply to my life. Best part? You just read these lessons too which will now impact how you think, how you move about life as well as how you evaluate success. What 30 Under 30 Everyday Athletes have influenced you? Drop their names in the comments. Let’s share the inspiration to do the things that bring us the most joy.