Rowing is a sport that brings the mind into play like no other. When they are maxing out their physical capacity, completely mentally drained, and have little left in the tank – how do they summon the internal resources to push through?

On day 12 of The Game Inside the Games, Nastia Liukin and Dr. Michael Gervais sit down with rowing legends – and brothers – Martin and Valent Sinkovic, who recently won their third gold medal here in Paris.  

The Sinkovic brothers discuss their thrilling gold medal race, detailing the mental and physical challenges they faced, particularly when they were behind and had to summon the strength for an incredible comeback late in the race.

They break down their perspective on pain, perseverance, trust, internal motivation, and managing pre-race emotions. 

And most importantly, they share their powerful perspective on life – that high performance and joy can co-exist, and that sometimes we all need to experience a little pain… a little discomfort… to live a more fulfilling life. 

The Sinkovic brothers are an emblem for the good life, and we all have something to learn from their experience and insight.

Episode Insights By Microsoft Copilot:

1. Pain and Perseverance: The Sinkovic brothers emphasize that pain is temporary, but the glory of victory lasts forever. They highlight the importance of pushing through discomfort to achieve long-term success.
2. Trust and Teamwork: Trust between teammates is crucial. The brothers trust each other to always give their best, which is a key component of their success.
3. Emotional Management: The emotional intensity before and during the race is significant, with feelings of anxiety, nerves, and excitement. Accepting and managing these emotions is essential for performing your best.
4. Mental Resilience in Critical Moments: During their gold medal race, the brothers faced a moment where they believed they were out of the medal contention. However, by focusing on giving their best effort regardless of the outcome, they were able to summon the strength to surge forward and win.
5. The Power of Purpose: The Sinkovics discuss how having a strong sense of purpose helps them endure the toughest moments in training and competition. When the goal is clear and meaningful, it becomes easier to push through discomfort and fatigue.

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“Sometimes you need to suffer pain to have a better life.”

Finding Your Best

If you want to dive deeper into the mental skills we discuss on these episodes, be sure to check out our Finding Your Best course where we teach the same 16 high-performance principles, mindset skills, and wellbeing practices that Dr. Mike has used to train 30+ gold medalists, Fortune 50 CEOs and more.