Episode 20: Chari Hawkins and The Happiness Advantage

Olympic and Utah State track athlete Chari Hawkins joins us to talk about how reading The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor changed her life. The Idaho native talks about growing up an athlete who based her value on performance and appearance. She overcame an eating disorder and tragic loss to transform her athletic career in college, but when she failed to make the Olympic team on the timeline she expected, she found herself questioning everything, including whether she wanted to continue living. A call to a suicide hotline was the beginning of her finding new ways to define her worth and her success, and she made her Olympic Dreams come true when she earned the right to represent the U.S. in the Paris Games in 2024. She had one of the most high-profile failures at the Games, but because of the transformation she’d gone through, she became a symbol of resilience, gratitude and sportsmanship. Her story is full of wisdom and the book gives a road map for how she made lasting changes in her life. Don’t miss this incredible conversation!