About the Guest
Charles Austin is an American high jump legend best remembered for his extraordinary athletic achievements. He won the gold medal in the high jump at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, setting an Olympic record and securing his place in sports history. Not only is he a world champion, but his jump is ranked as the fifth highest in recorded human history. Apart from his track and field success, Austin has successfully transitioned from sport to entrepreneurship. He owns and operates one of the country’s most prestigious athlete development centers and has founded Total Body Board, bringing innovation to fitness training.
Summary
The latest episode of Becoming UnDone® features a riveting conversation with Charles Austin, an Olympic gold medalist whose journey from a severe knee injury to the top of the podium is an inspiration to all. From his late start in high jump to clinching the Olympic gold, Austin shares how he defied expectations and overcame setbacks to emerge victorious.
Charles Austin delves into the adversities he faced, starting with his career-threatening knee injury that prompted him to self-rehabilitate using a unique process of his own creation. His determination to return stronger and win Olympic gold, despite professional advice claiming his career was over, is a testament to his resolve. Austin’s account sheds light on the mental challenges of being a high-level competitor and how he leveraged his track and field discipline into successful business ventures, including the creation of the Total Body Board fitness equipment.
Key Takeaways
Charles Austin illustrates the mental and physical hurdles he conquered to achieve Olympic gold.
He emphasizes the importance of failure and self-correction as key components of growth and success.
Austin’s post-athletic career as an entrepreneur and sports performance coach is as much a story of determination as his athletic triumphs.
Translating athletic discipline into business acumen, Austin has found success in the competitive world of entrepreneurship.
His innovative approach to training.
Notable Quotes
- “I knew in my heart and in my soul what I could accomplish. I know what God, the talent that I was blessed with that God gave me.”
- “It’s a challenge. It’s another way to compete.”
Resources
Listen to the full episode to draw inspiration from Charles Austin’s story, a narrative of unwavering commitment and constant pursuit of improvement. Don’t miss out on more episodes that unravel the tales of high achievers and how they turned their moments of breaking down into breakthroughs on Becoming Undone.
Contacts
| Timestamp | Summary |
| 0:00:00 | Charles Austin’s knee injury threatened to end his career. |
| 0:00:28 | Charles reflects on the importance of failure for personal growth. |
| 0:01:13 | Introduction to Charles Austin, Olympic gold medalist and record holder. |
| 0:02:01 | Introduction to the “Becoming Undone” podcast and its purpose. |
| 0:04:08 | Charles Austin’s childhood goal was to go to college and become an engineer. |
| 0:05:10 | Charles Austin’s upbringing as the youngest of ten siblings. |
| 0:07:17 | Charles Austin’s initial reluctance to join the track team. |
| 0:08:22 | Robert Blackman advocates for Charles Austin to be on the track team. |
| 0:09:23 | The importance of context and adversity in shaping high achievers. |
| 0:11:52 | Charles Austin’s determination to make the most of his opportunity. |
| 0:12:26 | Charles Austin shares how he impressed his high school track coach with his high jump skills. |
| 0:13:00 | Charles Austin talks about his early success in high jump and his lack of training. |
| 0:14:02 | Charles Austin attributes his early success to natural ability and not specific training. |
| 0:15:27 | Charles Austin discusses his scholarship offers in track and basketball. |
| 0:16:25 | Charles Austin talks about his low scholarship offer and how it motivated him to improve. |
| 0:18:18 | Charles Austin reflects on his rebellious attitude and lack of focus on academics. |
| 0:19:41 | Charles Austin acknowledges that his mindset was his biggest setback. |
| 0:20:00 | Charles Austin shares how he became motivated to achieve success on the world stage. |
| 0:21:20 | Charles Austin discusses his desire to compete and beat his competitors. |
| 0:24:10 | Charles Austin talks about his late start in high jump and how it influenced his competitive mentality. |
| 0:25:43 | Toby Brooks summarizes the importance of focusing on daily competition and improvement. |
| 0:26:16 | Charles Austin battles through a painful knee injury. |
| 0:27:00 | Charles Austin’s mindset shifts to winning the Olympics. |
| 0:28:10 | Charles Austin reflects on his disappointing first Olympic experience. |
| 0:31:33 | Charles Austin competes in the high jump at the 1992 Olympics. |
| 0:36:10 | Charles Austin feels like a failure after the 1992 Olympics. |
| 0:36:58 | Charles Austin is determined to get back to his potential. |
| 0:38:03 | Charles Austin’s knee injury threatens to end his career. |
| 0:39:25 | Charles Austin undergoes surgery and begins rehabilitation. |
| 0:40:02 | Charles Austin’s spontaneous decision to try resistance band training. |
| 0:40:32 | Charles Austin’s recovery from surgery and impressive high jump performance. |
| 0:41:18 | Charles Austin’s struggle with knee injury and determination to win Olympic gold. |
| 0:42:18 | Charles Austin’s mindset and training leading up to the 1996 Olympics. |
| 0:44:03 | Charles Austin’s record-breaking jump and Olympic victory. |
| 0:45:20 | Reflecting on Charles Austin’s experience competing at the 1996 Olympics. |
| 0:45:58 | Charles Austin’s disappointment with his performance and thoughts on the podium. |
| 0:49:18 | Charles Austin’s mindset and focus during the competition. |
| 0:52:26 | Charles Austin’s decision to make another run at the Olympics in 2000. |
| 0:54:39 | Training and self-coaching throughout professional career |
| 0:55:20 | Motivation to win championships and set records |
| 0:56:43 | No pressure on high jumping, enjoying the process |
| 0:57:34 | Mental and physical challenges in the 2000 Olympics |
| 0:58:11 | Overcoming struggles and performing well at the Olympic trials |
| 1:00:02 | Shoe mishap at the Olympics qualification round |
| 1:04:54 | Transitioning from athlete to entrepreneur |
| 1:06:01 | Meeting John Starks and starting sports performance training |
| 1:08:29 | Success training John Starks and becoming a coach |
| 1:09:44 | Charles Austin discusses John’s transformation and his venture into personal training. |
| 1:10:40 | Charles Austin opens his own studio and later breaks ground on his performance center. |
| 1:13:14 | Charles Austin shares how he came up with the idea for the Total Bodyboard and its success with NBA teams and universities. |
| 1:16:25 | Charles Austin reflects on the lessons he learned from setbacks and failures. |
| 1:19:24 | Charles Austin’s goal is to be more successful in his entrepreneurial life than his athletic career. |
| 1:22:14 | Charles Austin talks about his book “Head Games: Life’s Greatest Challenge.” |
| 1:23:31 | C: Coming up, I’ve got some incredible news. |
| 1:23:32 | Toby Brooks: Guests, including fitness influencer Jody Dolo, entrepreneur Jeff Horn, and elite endurance athlete turned author Patrick Holcomb. So stay tuned. |
| 1:24:06 | Toby Brooks: follow the show on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn at becoming Undone Pod and follow me at Tobyjbrooks on X Instagram and TikTok. Check out my link tree at Linktr ee backslash tobyjbrooks. Listen, subscribe and leave me a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. Till next time, everybody. Keep getting better. |