How Changing Shoes Got Me Gold! Olympic Champion Denise Lewis

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Denise Lewis knows what it feels like to stand on the biggest stage in the world with everything on the line. But what makes her story remarkable isn’t just the gold medal, it’s the simple habit that helped her win it: the power of a reset.

At the Sydney Olympics, after a shaky high jump that threatened her entire heptathlon, Denise didn’t spiral or cling to the mistake. She walked back to her room, reached for a different pair of shoes, slicked her hair back, and told herself: “You’re not Denise anymore, you’re Astrid.” With that small ritual, she shifted her identity, her energy, and her belief. It wasn’t superstition, it was psychology. Long before researchers named it “enclothed cognition,” Denise was living it: what you put on the outside can transform what you feel on the inside.

In this episode, we explore how Denise turned seven events into seven fresh starts, and how the same principle can help all of us recover faster, perform under pressure and move forward after setbacks. Together, we dig into:

Why symbols and rituals help us reset after mistakes

How acceptance clears the mind and restores decision-making

The alter-ego effect and why borrowing strength works

What resilience really looks like in the moments no one sees

How transitions, at work, at home, or in sport, shape our identity

If you’ve ever struggled to let go of a bad moment, wished for a clean slate, or needed a way to step into the next chapter with confidence, Denise’s story has something powerful to teach.

Listen to the full episode with Denise Lewis: https://pod.fo/e/2c05ac

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