Carol Cho, CLU®, ChFC®, BFA™’s Post

I am excited to share something truly significant to me: Performance Reimagined: The Athlete’s Perspective, an event I’m co-hosting with my fellow Olympian, and longtime friend, Emma Jane Nedov OLY, on February 1st, 2025. This event represents over 20 years of experiences—filled with valuable lessons, overcoming challenges, and countless moments of growth through the highs and lows of gymnastics. It goes beyond the sport itself—it’s about resilience, mindset, and the holistic approach that made our Olympic dreams a reality. Emma and I are blending our expertise—me as a physiotherapist and Emma as a nutrition coach—with our lived experiences as elite athletes to create an honest and impactful space where we’ll discuss: 🤸♀️ What worked (and what didn’t) in our athletic journeys. 💡 How to approach health, recovery, and performance sustainably 🔥 Real strategies for tackling challenges in both sport and life. We’re hosting Performance Reimagined as a hybrid event, so whether you join us in person or online, we hope you’ll feel the energy and insights we’re excited to share. This event is for anyone passionate about sport—athletes, coaches, parents, or fans looking to understand what it takes to thrive and succeed at the highest level. If this resonates with you, we’d love for you to join us! 🎟️ Save your spot here. https://lnkd.in/gvdG8URF It’s such an honour to bring this vision to life alongside Emma and to share the lessons we’ve learned throughout our careers. Together, let’s reimagine what’s possible! #PerformanceReimagined #EliteAthleteJourney #HolisticPerformance #OlympianExperience

While watching the Olympics, I couldn't help but think about Kristin Neff's self-compassion work. Often those who are most highly self-critical, struggle most with learning and applying self-compassion. The belief is that any ounce of kindness towards oneself will somehow result in loss of status, achievement, accomplishment, and self-esteem, which is too high of a threat to risk. It takes courage for someone like Simone Biles to flip the script on its head and choose a different route on her path of success. We are used to seeing scenarios like these where someone doubles down, pushes themselves beyond their limits, ignores their own inner guidance system, sacrifices themselves at all costs for the sake of the outcome they desire or are expected to obtain. Instead, Simone took a completely different approach that will go down in history. She chose stepping away. She chose keeping herself safe. She chose taking a beat. She then chose returning step by step at a slow and steady pace instead of going full steam ahead. She chose building trust with herself in determining what her next course of action was going to be. This is how she changed her narrative. This is how she challenged all of the external voices. This is how she knew she could return to the sport because at the end of the day, it wasn't about solely training harder at the gym to perfect her skills, it was that she figured out how to be so kind to herself that regardless of the outcome, she had complete trust that she would have her own back. That is her success story that will model to so many women the permission to understanding that sometimes by taking your foot off the gas (even for a moment), you may just find your way back to the road with more ease, confidence, and satisfaction than you could have ever anticipated. "It's not the case that self-compassion leads to complacency or inertia. Quite the opposite. By losing our fear of failure, we became free to challenge ourselves to a far greater degree than would otherwise be possible."-Kristin Neff #simonebiles #olympics #mentalhealth #successstories #kristinneff #gymnastics #therapy

I’m so proud and excited to share something close to my heart: Performance Reimagined: The Athlete’s Perspective, an event I’m hosting with my fellow Olympian and longtime friend, Georgia-Rose Brown, on February 1st, 2025. This event is the result of countless lessons, highs, lows, and moments of growth throughout our 20+ years in gymnastics. It’s about more than just sport—it’s about the mindset, resilience, and holistic approach that made achieving our Olympic dreams possible. Georgia-Rose and I are combining our expertise as a nutrition coach and physiotherapist with our lived experience as elite athletes to create a space where we can share openly about: 🤸♀️ What worked (and what didn’t) in our athletic journeys. 💡 How to approach health, recovery, and performance sustainably. 🔥 Real strategies for overcoming challenges, both in sport and in life. We’re hosting Performance Reimagined as a hybrid event, so whether you’re attending in person or online, I hope you’ll feel connected to the energy and insights we’re bringing to the table. This event is for anyone passionate about sport—athletes, coaches, parents, or fans who want a deeper understanding of what it takes to succeed and thrive in elite performance. If this resonates with you, we’d love for you to join us! 🎟️ Save your spot here: https://lnkd.in/gvdG8URF It’s an honor to bring this opportunity to life and share what we’ve learned. Let’s continue to reimagine what’s possible together. #PerformanceReimagined #EliteAthleteJourney #HolisticPerformance #OlympianExperience

1996 was a year that changed how I viewed the Olympics forever. When Leander Paes brought home India’s first bronze medal in tennis, I was just 13. That victory wasn’t just about the medal—it was a lesson in dedication and perseverance that has stuck with me ever since. At that time, I had been selected as the youngest gymnast in my state. I was thrilled, but life threw me a curveball—my thyroid diagnosis changed everything. While I didn’t pursue gymnastics further, I learned some invaluable lessons, many of which are echoed in the Olympic Games. As I’ve grown, I’ve come to see the Olympics as more than just a spectacle of athleticism. They’re a masterclass in what it takes to achieve greatness, both on and off the field. Here’s wh at the Olympics have taught me about living a S.T.R.O.N.G.E.R. life: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦 Olympians don’t chase quick fixes. They plan for years, knowing that true success is built over time, not overnight. 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 Every day, they show up and do the work, even when it’s boring. It’s the repetition of the basics that leads to mastery. 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐓𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬 Every body type has a game to win and a story to celebrate. Your body is uniquely capable—embrace that. 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐎𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 Life can feel unfair, and sometimes the rules seem harsh. But Olympians teach us to control what we can and work through what we can’t. Giving up is never an option. 𝐍𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 Rest and recovery are essential. Proper sleep, nutrition, and mental downtime aren’t luxuries—they’re necessities for peak performance. 𝐆𝐨 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬 Setbacks and challenges are part of the journey, but they don’t stop Olympians. They push through, rise above, and keep moving forward. 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 It’s about more than winning; it’s about showing up every day as your best self. Fuel your body and mind properly, and commit to excellence in all you do. 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐭 Success isn’t about jumping from one thing to the next; it’s about continuous improvement. Stick with what works, and keep refining your approach. You don’t need to be an Olympian to apply these principles. Whether your goals are in health, career, or personal growth, embracing a 𝐒.𝐓.𝐑.𝐎.𝐍.𝐆.𝐄.𝐑. mindset will help you achieve them. So, what’s your game plan? How will you take these lessons and apply them to your life? I’d love to hear from you. Hit reply and let me know what resonated most with you or how you’re planning to implement these strategies.

The human side of Olympic athletes. Continuing my Olympic series, it is important to highlight the human side to what Simone Biles is achieving. With eight Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals, she is already possibly the greatest gymnasts of all time. In 2021, Simone famously stepped away from the Olympic Games to deal with a mental health issue, shedding light on the importance of prioritizing one's well-being. Reflecting on her decision to withdraw mid-competition, Biles told Brené Brown: "Walking out of it was my biggest win." This week, every time she walks out onto the floor in Paris to compete on her own terms feels like a victory, too. Now she is back and better than ever, completing a non-comeback comeback for the ages. My Takeaways: Prioritize Mental Health: Just as Simone Biles stepped away to take care of her mental health, leaders and employees alike should prioritize their well-being. A healthy mind leads to better performance and sustainable success. Redefine Winning: Winning isn't always about the accolades or the bottom line. Sometimes, the biggest victories come from making tough decisions that prioritize long-term well-being over short-term gains. Resilience and Reinvention: Simone's return to gymnastics on her own terms showcases the power of resilience and the importance of reinventing oneself. In business, adapting and evolving can lead to new heights of success. Let's take a page from Simone Biles' playbook and remember that true success is about more than just medals and titles—it's about being your best self, both in and out of the spotlight. #Leadership #MentalHealth #Resilience #SimoneBiles #Olympics

🌟 Exciting Year Ahead: Growing, Leading, and Celebrating with RGA! 🌟 As I step into 2025, I couldn’t be more excited about the year ahead with RGA! This year is all about growth — for our community, our members, and myself. We’re focused on leading with purpose, celebrating every success (big or small), and continuing to create a positive impact in the gymnastics industry. But it’s not just about professional growth. I’m also prioritising personal development this year by embracing a better work-life balance, taking time to travel while working will enable me to meet even more clubs but also tick off a few bucket list items personally, and truly enjoying life to the fullest. 🌍💼✈️ I believe that when we nurture both our careers and our personal passions, we become more fulfilled, energised, and ready to give our best to everything we do. 2025 will be a year of change, challenge, and celebration. I’m looking forward to working alongside our amazing RGA team to support our members, engage with new clubs, and continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in gymnastics and business. I am also looking forward to travelling with my husband and embracing a role that allows me to combine work and life. I am also looking forward to seeing my girls spread their wings and develop their adult paths as they embark on new journeys toward their career paths and establish their independent worlds (as hubby and I leave them home to manage a household while we are travelling lol). Here’s to a year of growth, leadership, and balance — in both work and life. Cheers to embracing every opportunity that comes our way! 🥂💪 Let’s make 2025 our best year yet! #RGA #WorkLifeBalance #ProfessionalGrowth #PersonalDevelopment #TravelGoals #Gymnastics #Leadership #CelebrateSuccess

2024 Goals: Wrapped 🏆 This year I set some big goals for myself, I categorised them into 3 types (obviously I’m personality type A); Career, Personal and Fitness. Here’s how I did. Out of 8 goals I achieved 6, or 75%. In my career category I achieved 2 out 3. In my personal category I achieved 4 out of 4. In my fitness goal I achieved 0 out of 1. As a bonus I also ticked off 2 bucket list goals; owning a dog and watching F1 from Paddock Club 🤯 The goal I’m most proud of is buying my first house! The goal that most surprised me was my personal emergency fund target which I achieved by mid year and should have definitely set higher. And the goals I didn’t hit? Well one of them was to pass Gold figure skating. I made it onto Silver and then my love for the sport faded and I quit altogether - WHICH IS OKAY! The career goal I’m on track to hit in 2025 - WHICH IS OKAY! The reason I set goals isn’t just for the satisfaction of putting a ‘✅’ emoji in my notes. They are there to keep me focused and driven. Sometimes its not even about achieving the thing, it’s about the experience of getting there. #2024Wrapped #Goals #Achievements

Success leaves clues While most people were watching the Olympics, I was nerding out on some Olympic history. Did you know: 110 billion people have lived on this planet since the Olympics began in 776 BCE. Only 135,000 of them have been Olympians! What made them different? And what can it teach us about our own success? Here’s 5 invaluable lessons I learned from studying the world’s most successful athletes: 1. Discipline and focus You saw American swimmer Michael Phelps win 8 gold medals in a single olympic games. What you didn’t see? • The 12,000 calories he ate each day • The 80,000 metres he swam each week • The insanely precise visualisation he did each night Behind every public success, is weeks, months, years of private discipline and focus. 2. Playing to your strengths You probably know Usain Bolt as the fastest man on earth. What you might not know is that his running style went against every textbook sprinting technique. Bolt’s long stride was his greatest asset, so instead of conforming, he created his own style and used this to dominate Educate yourself and seek inspiration. But always play to your own unique strengths. 3. Balancing success and joy You may have heard Eliud Kipchoge break the two-hour marathon barrier in 2019. What’s less well known was his monk-like lifestyle, waking at 5 am daily, precisely balancing training, recovery, and family time, and even finding moments to read and manage his tree farm. True success isn’t built on hard work alone. Hustle hard, but find time and space to enjoy the process. 4. Resilience and playing the long game You may have watched Tom Daley win his first gold medal in diving at Tokyo 2021. But did you realise he pushed his mind and body to the limits for 13 years through three Olympic games before getting the taste of that gold? Ambitious goals don’t come easy. Find a goal that drives you enough to play the long game. 5. Teamwork It was dubbed a “Miracle on Ice” when the US men's hockey team beat the Soviet Union in 1980. Why? Because US coach Herb Brooks had moulded a group of college amateurs into a single unit capable of defeating the world's most dominant team. Individual talent is powerful, but no amount of talent can beat a united team with a shared vision. What lessons have you taken away from this Olympics? #successhabits #2024olympics #personaldevelopment #motivation

In 2021, Simone Biles made a courageous and challenging decision to drop out of the Olympics. The narrative a few years ago was around the bravery it took for her to prioritize her physical and mental health, despite performing on the world's highest stage. 🇺🇸🌎 🔺Now, 3 years later we are seeing her take another courageous step..."getting back in the game." 🔉 🔹This models to athletes who have been through a tough season physically, mentally or emotionally that delaying your dreams is NOT giving up. 🏆 🔺She has modeled how courage and strength 💪 can take different forms as an athlete. 2021 required the courage for her to step aside temporarily. Now, in 2024 she has repurposed that courage into her desire and capacity to go all in ONCE again. 🔹It's an inspiring reminder that honoring yourself ❤️, needs, and aspirations is a fluid process depending on your circumstances. 🔺If we can learn to accept and care for those human and vulnerable parts of ourselves, it can produce a newfound resilience, grit, and fortitude to come back stronger than before. 🔹Every athlete and person has a 2021 and 2024 Simone Biles version of them, just not on such a public stage. 🔺What produces champions is not avoiding inevitable hurdles, but learning how to effectively manage those mental moments of setback that determines your future success and trajectory. 🧗♀️↗️ 🔹Resilience 🥊 always has a recovery process attached to it. Expecting anything less is diminishing the price of admission it takes to achieve excellence. 💯 🔺The margins related to greatness are connected to the question... ✨How are you mentally and emotionally stewarding your moments of struggle? ✨ 🔹Being the best requires nurturing the champion 🏅 inside of you EVEN when you've experienced a loss on the field or in life. Simone Biles is a glowing 🌟example who has shown us all how it's done. ✅ While I have no doubt her physical greatness 🙌 will be on display at the upcoming Olympics, witnessing her mental greatness to get to this point has been quite the feat. 🥇♥️ #sports #olympics2024 #sportcounselor #peakperformance #athletewellness #womeninsports

When the going gets tough, you’re using resilience - but not necessarily building it 🌱 While moderate adversity helps us develop resilience, extreme adversity doesn’t have the same effect. When things get really hard, like during a traumatic loss or major life crisis, it’s not about building resilience—it’s about using what we’ve already stored. 💡 In those moments, we draw on the resilience we’ve built through smaller challenges. It’s okay to just get through tough times without expecting personal growth or strength. And necessary to rest. The key is to balance building resilience with knowing when we’re depleting our reserves. Build, use, replenish. 💪 #Resilience #MentalHealth #Leadership #WorkLifeBalance #GrowthMindset