SUMMARY
BMX star Caroline Buchanan knows a thing or two about conquering adversity and rising from the ashes. She shares her strategies for starting fresh and turning failure into success.
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Undoubtedly, 2020 was a rough one for many, but 2021 is full of opportunity. To help you get the year off to a flying start, we’re presenting our “I Am Potential” series — articles designed to help you succeed, thrive and prosper in 2021.
A new year is an ideal time to set new goals and create a revised vision for your future.
For many people, 2020 was an incredibly challenging year. The good news is that 2021 offers the opportunity for a fresh start that has the potential to help you shatter old limitations and make your dreams a reality.
Now is the time to strategize for success. As you’re putting your plan together, take inspiration from the life stories of those who have beaten the odds and triumphed. Every setback and subsequent redemption that they’ve experienced holds a lesson that can help you reach your full potential and live your best life.
With that in mind, we’ve reached out to a few top athletes to hear about their plans for starting fresh in 2021. These stars are all top contenders in their respective sports. They’re also Fresh N’ Lean partners who’ve had great success integrating our meal plans into their daily regimen.
Meet Caroline Buchanan, cycling superstar
First up is Caroline Buchanan, an Australian cyclist who’s scaled the uppermost heights of her sport. She’s a three-time BMX world champion and a five-time world champion in mountain biking. She’s also an Olympian; Caroline represented Australia in the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics in the women’s BMX event.
Here’s what Caroline Buchanan had to say about her successes, inspirations and plans for the future:
1. How are you making the most of what remains of 2020 to finish the year physically and mentally strong?
My physical goals are to hit personal best numbers in the gym on squat, power clean and snatch!
Also, I want to round out the competitive BMX calendar with a win and to continue to plan positively ahead for a full BMX and Mountain Bike calendar in 2021!
2. Please share one resource (for example, a book, article, Instagram post or quote) that’s helped you become a better version of yourself in 2020.
A must-watch is The Playbook on Netflix — a show with the world’s best coaches and their rules and philosophies!
The key point that stuck with me is this: Hold fast and keep the true direction ahead through the chaos!
Another theme that remained with me from the show is this one: What’s delayed is not denied.
3. Please tell us about your morning routine.
Slay the day! I start with five things to win the day written down on my white board. It’s what I need to get done!
I also start the morning by listing three things that I am grateful for that day. Every day I say those things out loud to my partner, and every day I choose different things to be grateful for.
4. If you could choose only two words for 2021, what would they be?
I’m ready!
5. How do you reset when you feel like you need to get back on top of your game?
I go to my vision board and my check goals, weekly training layout, content, brand sponsorship collaborations and weekly tasks.
I do this to see what’s hindering or helping, and what things have possibly slipped!
Literally, it’s me going back to the drawing board.
6. What fitness-related challenges have you faced in 2020?
I needed to bring my strength capacity back up to a world-class BMX Olympic standard!
I needed to be hitting 20 watts per kilo power on a watt bike. With my training, I needed to hit 140kg with my dead lifts, 130 kg with my squats, and 80kg with my power cleans.
7. What food-related challenges have you faced in 2020? How have you overcome them?
I have been based back in Australia, stuck here due to the pandemic. Since I’m not in the U.S., I’ve been without my Fresh N’ Lean meals! This has been my challenge! I miss my Fresh N’ Lean!
8. How do you define potential?
Potential is the future best you!
9. When did you realize your potential to become a champion?
I first realized this when I stepped outside my comfort zone and competed at age 9 in Paris at the BMX World Championships. Also, I saw my potential when I began mountain-bike racing at age 15. Soon I was competing at the world’s highest level in both sports!
These defining moments early in my career proved to me that I had the potential to shine on the global stage!
10. How should the people reading this article harness their potential? And how can they become winners at what they do?
Set goals you think are unachievable and work toward them! Surprise yourself with your abilities!
11. You’ve committed a significant part of your life to your sport. What specific moments make all your sacrifices worth it?
The accomplishments that make the sacrifices worth it are my eight world titles and participation in two Olympic Games!
12. In your opinion, what has been the most pivotal moment of your career?
The most pivotal moment has been returning to the world stage after taking two years off to recover from an injury that could have ended my career!
13. What failure are you proudest of?
The failure I’m proudest of is choking at the 2012 London Olympics. Despite that setback, I returned the following year full of fire to win two 2013 world titles in BMX and mountain biking! Failure to redemption!
14. In your opinion, what makes an athlete great?
The things that make an athlete great are heart, grit and leadership!
Next steps
Use Caroline Buchanan’s success strategies as inspiration, and chart a course to uncover your own heart and grit.
You can mimic Caroline’s nutritious eating plan by subscribing to Fresh N’ Lean. We offer a choice of five meal plans for you to choose from, and our organic cuisine is conveniently delivered to your door.
