The KEY to Turning Your Dreams Into Reality with Louise Hazel

·1 hr 3 min·5 clips

Olympian Louise Hazel reveals why showing up as an athlete, not just exercising, is the key to real results.

Host Les Alfred opens the episode by sharing news about her podcast 'Balanced Black Girl' being nominated for a 2025 NAACP Image Award. She introduces the topic of adopting an athlete's mentality, referencing a previous popular episode, and explains why she invited elite athlete Louise Hazel for a deeper conversation. Louise Hazel is introduced as an Olympian, gold medalist in heptathlon, founder/CEO of Slay Athletic Club in Los Angeles, host of the Slay podcast, and creator of a workout app. The interview begins with Hazel sharing a timely anecdote about a client who shifted from 'exercising' to showing up as an 'athlete,' prompting a discussion on the distinction between the two. Hazel defines exercising as moving your body, while training is intentional movement with a goal, and explains that athletes show up consistently at 80% effort, saving 100% for competition. She recounts her athletic journey, starting at age 10, excelling in multiple sports, and focusing on solo sports like sprinting for control over outcomes. Hazel discusses the challenges she faced, including the loss of her father in 2008, which delayed her Olympic debut until London 2012, and financial struggles where she had to self-fund her training through jobs and sponsorships. She debunks the perception that elite athletes are wealthy, noting many are working-class and self-funded. The conversation shifts to mindset, with Hazel emphasizing the importance of 'laying claim' to goals to simplify daily decisions and build mental toughness. She relates her athletic experiences to entrepreneurship, detailing how she funded and opened Slay gym, including a discouraging meeting with a billionaire businessman. Hazel explains how she instills an athlete's mindset in her clients at Slay by reminding them of their strengths and focusing on identity-based habits. She addresses common questions about consistency and motivation, advising listeners to align habits with their identity. The discussion touches on body image, the privilege of fitness, and generational shifts in women's health knowledge, particularly around strength training for menopause. Hazel shares her 2025 goals: developing a better women's fitness app and starting a family. The episode concludes with information on how to connect with Hazel and her work.

As heard by us

A warm goal-setting episode linking athlete-minded discipline with Louise Hazel's Slay work.

Balanced Black Girl returns to Les's earlier solo theme of using an athlete's mentality for everyday goals, now shaping the idea through a conversation with Louise Hazel.

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Why you'd press play

You want an encouraging goals conversation that turns an athlete's mentality into something you can use in everyday life, with Louise Hazel's Slay world nearby.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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