CREW Charlotte May 2024 Signature Luncheon with Dominique Dawes “Success is a Journey, Not a Destination”
Submitted by Julie Pruett, Marlboro Development Team
Photo Credit: Jo Hayes
Dominique Dawes won Olympic gold, but for her, success has been about more than just medals and accolades. It’s something she worked hard to achieve every day on her journey to Olympic glory. Her career in the sport of gymnastics spanned 18 years, reaching its peak at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta as part of the “Magnificent Seven,” where the US Women’s Gymnastics team won gold for the first time in history.
Reflecting on her experience, Dawes explained that gymnastics is an individual sport, and initially, each member of the 1996 US Women’s gymnastics team came to training camp with individual mindsets. However, a shift occurred during training that brought them together as a team. This shift in mindset, Dawes emphasized, led them to adopt the motto “Together Everyone Achieves More.” As a result, team members began to genuinely support one another, setting aside their egos, which allowed them to gel as a team and ultimately win Olympic Gold.
Dawes attributes her success not only to her talent and hard work but also to her ability to shift focus away from herself and to check her ego, which is all about control. This mindset has enabled her to become a successful business owner of gymnastics training locations, the first of which was founded during the global pandemic. She stressed the importance of prioritizing the safety and happiness of the gymnasts.
Additionally, Dawes highlighted the significance of family as the most important team, emphasizing the need to check one’s ego within the family unit. She believes that getting one’s home life right, with the most important team, sets the foundation for success in all other aspects of life.
From her gymnastics career to becoming a successful business owner and prioritizing her family, Dawes overcame inevitable obstacles, challenges, and doubts on her life’s journey. She stresses that focusing not only on achievements and accolades but on what’s real and lasting is the key to a successful and happy life.
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