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How to Build Inner Strength, Stay Grounded and Keep Going Through Life’s Challenges with Sifan Hassan #584

Oct 7, 2025 1h 23m 29 insights
It’s easy to be inspired by success, but the real lessons often lie in what it took to get there. After all, true strength isn’t just physical; it’s found in how we face change, challenge and the unknown. In this episode of my Feel Better, Live More podcast, I sit down with one of the most extraordinary athletes of our time, Sifan Hassan. Sifan is a Dutch middle- and long-distance runner, celebrated for her versatility and achievements in athletics. Born in Ethiopia and raised in the Netherlands as a refugee, she is known for competing at the highest level in a wide range of distances, including the 1500m, 5000m, 10,000m, and the marathon. She is a two-time World Champion, an Olympic medallist, and holds multiple European Championship titles. Her journey from refugee to Olympic and World Champion has captivated the world, not just for what she’s achieved, but for how she approaches life. Sifan’s story is one of courage, faith, and relentless curiosity. In this wonderful conversation, we explore: How growing up in Ethiopia and later seeking asylum in the Netherlands shaped Sifan’s inner strength, perspective and deep appreciation for opportunity The role running played in navigating life in a new country, and how it offered focus, purpose and belonging Why failure, fear and self-doubt have been central to her journey, and how she’s learned to embrace them as essential parts of growth and performance How Sifan continues to find joy in running, despite the pressures of elite sport, and why staying curious matters more to her than winning What her training now looks like behind the scenes - including the shifts she’s made to prioritise recovery, longevity and mental balance Why she sees rest, sleep and routine as forms of discipline, and how simplicity keeps her grounded What she’s come to understand about identity, letting go of perfection, and finding peace with who she is, beyond the medals You don’t need to be an athlete to connect with Sifan’s story; it speaks to something deeply human in all of us. In a world that often celebrates outcomes, this conversation invites us to embrace the process of becoming, adapting, and learning. Sifan’s perspective is a beautiful example of what it means to stay rooted in who we are, even when life takes us far from where we began. I hope you enjoy listening. Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.   Thanks to our
Actionable Insights

1. Embrace Failure for Greater Success

Actively pursue more attempts and challenges, understanding that increased failures are a natural byproduct of increased effort, which ultimately leads to more successes.

2. Avoid Future Regrets

When faced with a difficult decision, consider your future self at age 55 and choose the path that will lead to fewer regrets about what you didn’t try.

3. Prioritize Curiosity Over Winning

Shift your focus from solely achieving victory to maintaining a curious mindset, as this approach can lead to more profound growth and enjoyment.

4. Redefine Success as Experience

Reframe your understanding of success to prioritize gaining experience and learning over just winning, which can make challenging endeavors feel less risky.

5. Trust Inner Determination

Cultivate a strong sense of inner belief and determination, allowing your own desires and convictions to guide your actions, regardless of external naysayers.

6. Let Go of Perfection

Actively work on releasing the pursuit of perfection to cultivate inner peace and contentment with who you are.

7. Push Beyond Safe Place

To achieve profound personal transformation, intentionally move out of your current ‘safe place’ of success or comfort and push yourself into new challenges.

8. Find a Life Framework

Actively seek a framework, such as a religion or philosophy, to provide guidance on how to live and effectively manage emotions like happiness, sadness, and anger.

9. Practice Gratitude for Success

Actively practice gratitude in your daily life, as this mindset can be a direct path to achieving greater success.

10. Reduce Attachments for Freedom

Consciously work to lessen your attachments to external labels, outcomes, or possessions, as this can lead to a greater sense of freedom and less feeling trapped.

11. Build Inner Strength

Cultivate true strength by intentionally practicing how you deal with change, manage adversity, and embrace the unknown in your life.

12. Step Out of Comfort Zone

Make a conscious effort to move out of your comfort zone regularly, embracing the possibility of failure as a part of the growth process.

13. Ask “What If” Questions

Cultivate a curious mindset by asking ‘what if’ questions to explore new possibilities and push beyond perceived limitations.

14. Take a Self-Reflection Break

When feeling overwhelmed or negative, take a deliberate break, like a solo holiday, to reflect, change your perspective, and re-engage with activities with a focus on enjoyment and personal growth.

15. Use Losses for Ambitious Goals

Leverage experiences of loss or failure as a powerful motivator to set ambitious and ‘crazy’ goals, as this often leads to significant personal breakthroughs.

16. Focus on What’s Controllable

Direct your energy and attention solely towards things you can control, as this is the only area where your efforts can make a difference.

17. Compete With Yourself

In competitive environments, focus on doing your personal best and competing against yourself, rather than getting distracted by what others are doing.

18. Use Others’ Success to Motivate

When others achieve success or break records, view it as a positive sign that greater achievements are possible, using it as motivation to push your own limits.

19. Avoid External Validation

Refrain from seeking external validation, both positive and negative, and instead focus on doing what feels right and good for you, as this leads to genuine personal greatness.

20. Travel to Broaden Mind

Actively seek travel experiences to different countries and cultures, as this exposure can make you more open-minded and help you express your natural curiosity.

21. Travel to Challenge Beliefs

Travel extensively to different cultures and places to shake yourself out of your existing belief systems and gain a broader understanding of how others live in harmony.

22. Foster Child Independence

Allow children to undertake tasks and responsibilities independently from an early age to cultivate self-reliance and personal agency.

23. Empower Women for Generations

Recognize and actively support the empowerment of women, understanding that a strong female figure, especially a mother, contributes to raising stronger children.

24. Exercise to Build Confidence

Start exercising to build physical strength, as this process is directly linked to building self-confidence and improving self-perception.

25. Embrace Rest as Discipline

Treat rest, sleep, and routine as critical forms of discipline to keep yourself grounded and maintain overall well-being.

26. Add Heavy Lifting to Running

Incorporate heavy lifting and gym work into your training routine to prevent injuries, strengthen bones, build confidence, and improve your running performance.

27. Include Speed Work and Sprints

Incorporating speed work and sprints into your running routine, in addition to long-distance runs, helps strengthen your heart and improve overall performance.

28. Diversify Training with Cross-Training

Incorporate activities like biking and swimming into your routine to diversify your training, keep your brain engaged, and improve overall enjoyment and performance.

29. Teach to Learn and Retain

To deepen your understanding and retention of new information, actively teach what you’ve learned to someone else.