Habits and Hustle

Episode 528: My Thoughts on Lindsey Vonn’s Crash and Having an Olympian Mindset

February 13, 2026

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  • Lindsey Vonn's decision to compete at the Olympics at age 41 despite a torn ACL and subsequent broken leg exemplifies the highest form of resilience and commitment that separates high performers. 
  • True resilience and strength are often discovered only when individuals are tested by extreme, unforeseen circumstances, revealing capabilities they didn't know they possessed. 
  • Modern advancements in recovery, training technology, and understanding of body mechanics are contributing to the shifting ceiling of athletic careers, allowing older athletes to compete longer than previously thought possible. 

Segments

Sponsor Momentous Plug
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(00:00:07)
  • Key Takeaway: Momentous supplements prioritize quality, using NSF certification to guarantee label accuracy and test for contaminants, focusing on essential basics like protein and Creapure creatine.
  • Summary: Momentous is highlighted as a trusted supplement provider for high performers, backed by NSF certification for every batch. They focus on core basics, specifically protein and creatine sourced as Creapure, the purest form of creatine monohydrate. This commitment to quality is why they are trusted by 32 NFL teams.
Lindsey Vonn Resilience Deep Dive
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(00:01:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Lindsey Vonn’s recent Olympic performance, including competing at 41 with a torn ACL and suffering a subsequent unrelated leg break, serves as a powerful, real-time example of extreme resilience.
  • Summary: The episode centers on Lindsey Vonn’s inspirational comeback, noting she qualified for the Olympics at 41 despite previous major injuries, including a titanium knee replacement. She competed ten days after tearing her ACL, only to suffer a completely separate leg break early in her run after hitting a pole. This sequence of events underscores an unparalleled level of commitment and mental fortitude.
Defining Elite Mindset and Age
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(00:06:32)
  • Key Takeaway: The capacity for extreme pain tolerance and drive may stem from innate differences in some individuals, though circumstances can reveal latent strength in everyone.
  • Summary: The hosts debate whether elite performers are inherently ‘made differently’ or if relentless training shapes them, acknowledging that some individuals possess an extraordinary capacity for suffering. They agree that people often endure far more pain and hardship than they give themselves credit for until faced with intense situations.
Shifting Perceptions of Athletic Age
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(00:08:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Modern training systems, recovery methods, and body knowledge are extending the athletic prime, challenging historical age limitations seen in sports like gymnastics.
  • Summary: The view on athletic age is evolving, with older athletes like Vonn competing at levels previously considered impossible. This longevity is attributed to improved training mechanisms, better recovery protocols, and greater understanding of nutrition and body mechanics compared to past eras.
Sponsor Prolon Fasting Mimic
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(00:10:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Prolon’s patented five-day fasting-mimicking diet triggers cellular repair and renewal, offering benefits like metabolic health improvement and biological age reduction without extreme willpower battles.
  • Summary: The Prolon five-day program is presented as a sustainable method for optimizing performance by initiating deep cellular rejuvenation. It is a plant-based, patented diet developed at the USD Longevity Institute that nourishes the body while maintaining a fasting state. Benefits include fat-focused weight loss, improved energy, and reduced biological age.
Winter Olympic Sport Preferences
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(00:12:36)
  • Key Takeaway: Curling is surprisingly popular during the Olympics due to its clear strategy, low barrier to entry, and high drama/personality displays, despite being perceived as less athletic by some.
  • Summary: The hosts debate their favorite Winter Olympic sports, with skiing and ice skating being mentioned. A significant portion of the segment focuses on curling, which one host passionately defends as highly entertaining due to athlete interactions and strategy, contrasting with the other host’s perception that it is boring.