Champions Mojo for Masters Swimmers

Most people would never consider a dive into the black, icy waters of the Antarctic, but Lewis Pugh is driven by a purpose that is bigger than himself and his own comfort. The endurance swimmer is on a mission to bring awareness to and save the oceans of the world. In Part II of his exclusive interview with Kelly Palace and Maria Parker, Pugh shares some of his successes so far and overcoming low points on the journey. 

You can listen to Part I of the interview here. 

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on  YouTube. Leave us a review, too! If you subscribe on YouTube you could win one of our monthly prizes. Champion's Mojo is also on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify and  Google Play.

More About Lewis Pugh

Lewis Pugh is an endurance, ice water swimmer and the United Nations Patron of the Oceans. Pugh is the only person to have completed a long distance swim in every ocean of the world. Over 7 million people have viewed Lewis Pugh’s TED Talks and videos and countless others have followed his journeys on BBC, Good Morning America, CNN, Jon Stewart, National Geographic, Sky News and more. His autobiography Achieving the Impossible is a bestseller and was chosen for Oprah’s Exclusive Book List.

Episode Topics and Mentions

#Antarctica2020

Emperor penguins

King penguins

Ross Sea

Slava Fetisov

Admiral Bellinghausen

Russia

Moscow, Russia

China

Japan

South Africa

United Kingdom

Michael Gove, British Secretary of State for Environment

Ascension Island

Net zero by 2050

Yellowstone National Park

Yosemite National Park

Anticipatory thermogenesis

Rap music

Mohammed Ali

Apartheid

Nelson Mandela

Desmond Tutu

Molly Blackburn

Brian Button

Kayaking

Beijing Olympics

Budapest

Danube River

Plastic pollution

Elton John

Maldives

Indian Ocean

Shuhari - Japanese martial art concept

LewisPugh.com

Takeaways from Kelly and Maria:

• Drill down to find your purpose - keep going and don’t give up. Keep mining for gold. 
• Stack your confidence, through encouragement from others and tap your experiences.
• Dive in.

Quote of the Week

“In finding your purpose, it's like mining. When you hit that strata you know it. You know that you found what really is your purpose and then you just need to mine right the way along that line. Most people never dig deep enough or long enough.”.- Lewis Pugh

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected] 

Keep up with the show by visiting YouTube, ChampionsMojo.com and visiting the Facebook page, Instagram page, and Twitter page. 

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

How does Lewis Pugh dive in at such places as the North Pole and complete endurance swims in below-freezing water temperatures? He says he is motivated by his "driving purpose,” which is saving our oceans. His interview with Kelly Palace and Maria Parker is guaranteed to inspire you to get out of your comfort zone and find your own purpose. Tune in to part one of this two-part exclusive interview with Lewis Pugh.

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on  YouTube. Leave us a review, too! If you subscribe on YouTube you could win one of our monthly prizes. Champion's Mojo is also on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify and  Google Play.

More About Lewis Pugh

Lewis Pugh is an endurance, ice water swimmer and the United Nations Patron of the Oceans. Pugh is the only person to have completed a long distance swim in every ocean of the world. Over 7 million people have viewed Lewis Pugh’s TED Talks and videos and countless others have followed his journeys on BBC, Good Morning America, CNN, Jon Stewart, National Geographic, Sky News and more. His autobiography Achieving the Impossible is a bestseller and was chosen for Oprah’s Exclusive Book List.

Episode Topics and Mentions

North Pole

South Pole

English Channel

The Long Swim

Mount Everest

Capetown, South Africa

Norway

Boston

Cold water swimming

Open water swimming

Indian Ocean

TED Talks

Anticipatory thermogenesis

Ross Sea, Antarctica 

Zodiac

Shuhari - Japanese martial art concept

British Special Service

China

United Kingdom

Russia

Slava Fetisov

Kremlin

Achieving the Impossible 

Driving through Tunnels

Takeaways from Kelly and Maria

Kelly - 1) When we have a driving purpose we can accomplish superhuman feats. 2) Martial arts concept of Shu Ha Ri, Obey the law, break the law, make the law. This is a great road map for achieving extraordinary things.

Maria - 1) Courage is a muscle and it can get flabby. We need to do things that build our courage muscle. 2) We all need a team. Surround yourself with a brave, courageous team. 

Quote of the Week

“Courage is contagious and equally, fear is contagious. I try to surround myself with courageous people." -- Lewis Pugh

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected] 

Keep up with the show by visiting YouTube, ChampionsMojo.com and visiting the Facebook page, Instagram page, and Twitter page.

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Learn from legendary swim coach Jack Bauerle how relationships can be key to success. Bauerle has been the head men’s and women’s swim coach at the University of Georgia for 40+ years and is known for being a "nice guy." In this interview, Bauerle talks about how friendships in his life have led to his success and shares some surprising passions and the importance of family.

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on  YouTube. Leave us a review, too! If you subscribe on YouTube you could win one of our monthly prizes. Champion's Mojo is also on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify and  Google Play.

More About Jack Bauerle

Jack Bauerle is in his 41st year of coaching at the University of Georgia, making him the longest tenured head coach in Georgia history. This fall he was nominated for the prestigious 2019 Golden Goggles Awards for National Coach of the Year. Bauerle reached the pinnacle of success when he was selected as the USA’s Olympic head women’s swimming coach in 2008 and assistant coach in the last two Olympics. His teams have also won seven NCAA team titles (as recent as 2016), and he’s coached an impressive number of Olympians, All-Americans and SEC champions. 

Episode Topics and Mentions

Leigh Ann Barnes Handbags and Accessories

Athens, GA

Chris Davis - Swim Atlanta coach

Tom Tuggle (His English teacher)

Vince Dooley

Dan McGill 

Jim Donnan 

Hayley Filsinger

Kara Lynn Joyce

Gunnar Bentz

Mary DeScenza

Melanie Margalis

Jon Urbancheck

Dick Shoulberg- Germantown Academy

Bob Bowman

Courtney Sheely 

Christy Cowell 

Dan Laak, USA Diving

Harvey Humphries

Carol Capitani 

Brian Schrader

Carol Beck

Action Items From the Hosts 

Kelly - Be more playful in life, and not so serious. Say things in a nice way, even when I'm stressed. 

Maria - Write a handwritten note to someone each day and embrace the motivation of the fear of failure. 

Quote of the Week

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -- Maya Angelou

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected] 

Keep up with the show by visiting YouTube, ChampionsMojo.com and visiting the Facebook page, Instagram page, and Twitter page. 

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

What is the best way to deal with day to day stress? In this episode, NBC Political Reporter Leigh Ann Caldwell talks about dealing with stress and gives other valuable tools for success. Leigh Ann deals with adrenaline filled days often. As an NBC Capitol Correspondent who has millions of people watching, tight deadlines and is the mother of two young children, she knows a thing or two about stress.  

Achieving the position of a television correspondent on Capitol Hill is one of the highest levels a journalist can attain. But it didn’t come easily for Leigh Ann and in this episode she shares some of the lessons she learned as a Division 1 scholarship distance swimmer that have helped lead to success today. You'll hear some great stories and get some great tools for dealing with your own stress.

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on  YouTube. Leave us a review, too! If you subscribe on YouTube you could win one of our monthly prizes. Champion on's Mojo is also on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify and  Google Play.

More about Leigh Ann Caldwell

 Leigh Ann Caldwell was a scholarship distance swimmer at NC State University while earning her degree in Communications and Political Science. In 2000, she moved to New York City to pursue her dream of being a journalist and started by waiting tables and doing freelance radio. In 2004, she launched a radio show and directed it until 2012. It was then that she went to work for CBS as a political writer and also worked at CNN as a political writer and producer. 

In 2014, Caldwell landed her Capitol Hill assignment for NBC. Leigh Ann has also won awards for her reporting on news such as rebuilding New York City after the 9-11 attacks, Hurricane Katrina coverage and she was the first journalist to interview ex-presidential candidate John Edwards after his cheating scandal. 

Episode Topics and Mentions

NBC News

NC State University

U.S. Capitol

Swimming

Cycling

Yoga

Orangetheory

Naturopath

Adrenal problems

Meditation 

Increasing gratitude

Shalane Flanagan Effect

NC State Women’s Leadership Weekend

Sheryl Sandberg’s book Lean In

Action Items From the Hosts 

Kelly - To gain control of her mindset to visualize the most positive outcome for every situation, particularly as it relates to an upcoming mammogram.

Maria - To take some time off from hard exercise to allow her body/knee to heal, knowing that she can get back to higher levels of physical activity again soon.

Quote of the Week

"It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it." -- Lou Holtz

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected] 

Keep up with the show by visiting YouTube, ChampionsMojo.com and visiting the Facebook page, Instagram page, and Twitter page. 

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

World Champion swimmer and U.S. National Team member, Margo Geer, joins the podcast and talks about lessons learned on the comeback trail. Geer speaks about her decision to spend a year out of the pool and how it helped her reconnect with her love of swimming. Geer also shares tips for using positive self-talk to reach goals. 

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on  YouTube. Leave us a review, too! If you subscribe on YouTube you could win one of our monthly prizes. Champion on's Mojo is also on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify and  Google Play.

More about Margo Geer

 Margo Geer is currently one of the USA’s top sprint freestylers and a professional swimmer, sponsored by TYR. She is a member of the LA Current Professional Swim Team.  After finishing a stellar NCAA career at the University of Arizona, where Margo was one of the first women EVER to break 47 seconds in the 100 yard freestyle, she went on to win a gold medal for the US at the 2015 World Championships as part of the 400 mixed free relay. Then 2016 and 2017 were years of transition for Margo. At the 2016 Olympic Trials she failed to make the Olympic Team, then that same year had shoulder surgery and spent a year completely out of the water while helping coach The Ohio State University Swim Team in the 2016-17 season. Margo returned to the pool in mid 2017. 

That break has led Margo to her best performances ever, culminating in making this year’s 2019 World Championships Team, where she won a relay silver medal and an individual gold in the 100 free at this summer’s Pan American Games Championships.  

Episode Topics and Mentions

University of Alabama

The Ohio State University

University of Dennison

University of Michigan

Hematology

Bill Dorenkott

Cody Miller

David Marsh

 Ryan Held

Coley Stickels

Brother: Marcus Geer

Parents: Mark and Linda Geer

Mark Bernadino

Bloomington, Indiana

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

LA Current

Self talk

100 meter freestyle

Olympic Trials

International Swim League, ISL

Action Items From the Hosts 

Kelly - To remember that it is never too late to course correct. If I see something that I want to go back and do, it’s okay to do that. 

Maria - Think clearly about the things I really love and to follow those things with action. Quote of the Week 

“Every setback is an opportunity for a comeback.” -- Unknown

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected] 

Keep up with the show by visiting YouTube, ChampionsMojo.com and visiting the Facebook page, Instagram page, and Twitter page. 

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Procrastination is a challenge we’ve all faced at one point or another. Who hasn’t struggled with delaying, avoiding, and procrastinating on issues that are important? Why do we procrastinate?  How can we stop procrastinating? How can we kick this bad habit for good? Kelly Palace and Maria Parker answer these questions, and dig into the science of procrastination, to give listeners tools to help defeat procrastination. 

Kelly and Maria discuss several tools for defeating procrastination which you’ll be able to use today! Below is just one of the ideas to help you defeat procrastination:

A Look at Temptation Bundling

Temptation Bundling is a concept that Katy Milkman at The University of  Pennsylvania developed. Simply put, the strategy suggests that you bundle a behavior that is good for you in the long-run with a behavior that feels good in the short-run.

Here are a few common examples of temptation bundling:

• Only listen to audiobooks or podcasts you love while exercising.
• Only get a pedicure while processing overdue work emails.
• Only watch your favorite show while ironing or doing household chores.
• Only eat at your favorite restaurant when conducting your monthly meeting with a difficult colleague.

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on YouTube. Leave us a review, too! If you subscribe on YouTube you could win one of our monthly prizes. Champion's Mojo is also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Episode Topics and Mentions

Procrastination

Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Present Self versus Future Self

Breast cancer

Mammogram

Temptation bundling

Katy Milkman at The University of  Pennsylvania

Distraction

Visualization

Mindfulness

Seinfeld Strategy

Procrastinus.com

Commitment contract

Stickk.com

Action Items From the Hosts 

Kelly - Think about my future self when it comes to things like vitamins, eating right or exercising. What can I do in the present to make the future better?

Maria - Take the time to be intentional about what I am doing. Get a wall calendar and mark a red “X” for the days I complete a new eating habit or string together an action that will help me reach my goal.

Quote of the Week

“You may delay, but time will not, and lost time is never found again.” --  Benjamin Franklin

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Keep up with the show by visiting YouTube, ChampionsMojo.com and visiting the Facebook page, Instagram page, and Twitter page. 

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

They say patience is a virtue and life likes to test it. This episode highlights the extreme patience practiced by Ella Eastin, one of the USA’s toughest swim stars and member of the National Team. Ella Eastin discusses a couple of major setbacks that delayed her Olympic swimming dreams and how she is patiently waiting to make her mark on the international long course scene with hosts Kelly Palace and Maria Parker.

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on  YouTube. Leave us a review, too! If you subscribe on YouTube you could win one of our monthly prizes. Champion on's Mojo is also on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify and  Google Play.

More about Ella Eastin

Ella Eastin has earned 12 NCAA Titles and in is the first woman to four-peat by winning the grueling 400 IM all of her college years at Stanford University, while helping Stanford win the NCAA overall title for the last three years of her career. Now, Ella Eastin is a professional swimmer, sponsored by Arena, and a member of the LA Current professional swim team.

In 2017, in what could be deemed as her breakout long course swim, which qualified her for the World Championship Team, later turned into a disqualification for something known as the “Lochte Rule.” Then in 2018 again when it was time to earn a spot on the 2019 World Championship team, Ella fell ill with Mono and had a sub-par performance at the World Team Trials. But now Ella is healthy and has patiently been waiting to make her first Olympic Team. 

Episode Topics and Mentions

Stanford University

Arena

LA Current

NCAA

Degree in Human Biology

Nursing

 Lochte Rule

World University Games

Delayed gratification

Katie Ledecky

Simone Manuel

Elizabeth Beisel

Leah Smith

Melanie Margalis

Madisyn Cox

Steve Furniss

Greg Meehan

Action Items From the Hosts 

Kelly - To remember that the goals that I have may not turn out exactly as I want, but I know that some moments will come out of the hard work.

Maria - To think, persevere and be patient and know that something good will come if I put good intentions and heart into it. Quote of the Week 

"Know that what you do today may not show results right away, but in the long run it is going to pay off " - Ella Eastin

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Keep up with the show by visiting YouTube, ChampionsMojo.com and visiting the Facebook page, Instagram page, and Twitter page. 

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

What does the word “responsibility” mean to you? The topic of responsibility is important if you want to win in sports or life but it is an underrated topic. Merriam-Websters Dictionary’s various definitions center on responsibility consisting of “having a duty,” “being accountable” and “making decisions without another’s authority.” Responsibility, however, has a lot to do with ownership. Hosts Kelly Palace and Maria Parker share their own experiences with taking responsibility for things that have happened in their lives and how they use the word “ownership” as a synonym for “responsibility.”

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on YouTube. Leave us a review, too! If you subscribe on YouTube you could win one of our monthly prizes. Champion on's Mojo is also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

Tips for Taking Responsibility for Your Thoughts, Feelings, Words & Actions

1. Stop blaming and making excuses.
2. Stop complaining.
3. Manage your duties.
4. Keep a schedule.
5. Avoid procrastination. 

Episode Topics and Mentions

Ownership

Jocko Willink 

Leif Babin 

Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win

David Goggins

Victim mentality

Entrepreneurship

Side hustles

Joelle Casteix’s Ted Talk 

Red Skin Syndrome

Topical steroids

Cognitive behavioral therapy

Action Items From the Hosts 

Kelly: Avoid procrastination and own what you need to do.

Maria: To avoid “kicking and screaming” and to remind yourself that you are an adult and responsible for your thoughts. 

“Being responsible is an enormous privilege.... It's what marks anyone a fully grown human.” - Barack Obama

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Keep up with the show by visiting YouTube, ChampionsMojo.com and visiting the Facebook page, Instagram page, and Twitter page. 

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

How can you make culture adjustments that positively impact your surroundings -- at work, at home, in sports and in life? This episode features an exclusive interview with Team Elite swim coach David Marsh who talks about changing the culture of a team, what it takes to be successful and some of his future plans. 

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on  YouTube. Leave us a review, too! If you subscribe on YouTube you could win one of our monthly prizes. Champion's Mojo is also on  Apple Podcasts,  Spotify and  Google Play.

More About David Marsh

David Marsh is the head coach of Team Elite in San Diego, Calif. Prior to founding Team Elite, he was the men's and women's swimming coach at Auburn University. After becoming head coach of Auburn in 1990, Marsh led the men's team to seven NCAA national championships and the women's team to five national championships. He finished his coaching career at Auburn in 2007 and has been working with elite swimmers ever since. Coach Marsh is well known internationally, having coached 49 Olympians from 19 different countries. In December 2016, Marsh was named the Professional Adviser of the Israel Swimming Association, with a goal of preparing the country's swimmers for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.  

Episode Topics and Mentions

Auburn University

Auburn Swimming

Charlotte, North Carolina

Team USA Swimming

US National Team

Southern California

Israel Swimming Association

Jeff Gaeckle

Michael Chadwick

Kathleen Baker

Marko Djordjevic

Kristin Marsh

Rowdy Gaines

Bob Groseth

Pat Calhoun

Josh Davis

Mark Spitz

Daniel Coyle

Nick Shackell

Mark Gangloff

Cullen Jones

John Wooden

Yoav Bruck

Jim Sheridan

Dean Hutchinson

Bill Pilczuk

Ralph Crocker

Adrian Bender

Hayley Piersol

Mike Bottom

Dave Bottom

Adam Schmitt

Dave Durden

John Maxwell

Rick Dumont

Marius Kusch

Alyssa Marsh

Pam Swander

Summer Sanders

Michael Andrew

Richard Quick

Jimi Flowers

Dorsey Tierney-Walker

Kim Brackin

Bo Jackson

John Hargis

Dave Denniston

Jack Johnson

Action Items From the Hosts 

Kelly: To take some quiet moments and think about what I can do to be better.

Maria: Be open to bringing people in to help grow my business and infuse it with new project ideas. 

 Quote of the Week 

"The Culture is the centerpiece. You'd rather have a good culture than a good immediate result because culture will cause the result to repeat". --David Marsh

 Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com

Do you feel like you never have enough time? We could all use some help with time management and that’s what this episode is all about as hosts Kelly Palace and Maria Parker share five key points that will help you be more productive and make time for more of the things you love doing. 

Subscribe to the Champion's Mojo podcast on YouTube. Leave us a review, too! If you subscribe on YouTube you could win one of our monthly prizes. Champion on's Mojo is also on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.

More About Time Management

Make the most of your time with these 5 pillars of time management:

1. Prioritize the toughest thing on your to-do list first

•  Eating the frog - Make sure you are doing what is most important first

1. Eliminate distractions in order to focus 

• Deep thinking - a skill that many are missing now
• We are 40% faster in productivity when we aren't interrupted
• TIP - Set time blocks for focused work

1. Put it on the schedule  

• Use shared calendars with those that need to know
• Put fun things on the schedule too

1. Just say no

• Know your priorities so you can focus on them

1. Delegate - It's a boss skill 

• Ask other people to handle tasks they can do for you, so you can focus on the important ones.

Episode Topics and Mentions

Time management

Deep thinking

Priorities 

Google Calendar

Scheduling

NC State

Trish Blackwell

Buffer of time

Japanese culture

Delegation

Upwork.com

Dave Jackson - The School of Podcasting

The Podcast Review Show

Action Items From the Hosts 

Maria: Figure out what to delegate - and take the time to do it.

Kelly: Say no to yourself and don’t look for things to do that are not on your priority list.

Quote of the Week:

“It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” -- Henry David Thoreau

Have something you want to share with us? Email it to [email protected].

Keep up with the show by visiting YouTube, ChampionsMojo.com and visiting the Facebook page, Instagram page, and Twitter page. 

Email us at [email protected]. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

You can learn more about the Host and Founder of Champions Mojo at www.KellyPalace.com