Chief Change Officer
#71 US Gymnast Nina Sossamon-Pogue: Rising Above an Identity Crisis – Part Two
Sun, 17 Nov 2024
Part Two. I sit down with Nina Sossamon-Pogue, a former professional gymnast who started her journey at just four years old and went on to join the U.S. Gymnastics Team. In her own words, gymnastics is a perfect example of resilience—you literally fall down and get back up, all day, every day, as you learn new skills. That mindset became part of Nina’s DNA, and it carried her through some incredible twists and turns. From the heartbreak of not making the Olympic team to leaving the sport for good after an injury, she faced one identity crisis after another. But she didn’t stop there. Nina built a successful journalism career that spanned 17 years, only to be let go, despite being a beloved news anchor. And instead of staying down, she jumped into tech—starting from scratch—and reinvented herself yet again. Yesterday, in part one of our conversation, we looked into Nina’s journey. Her training, her triumphs, and her setbacks. Then, today, in part two, we’ll explore the tools Nina has developed over the years to help others rise above their challenges. Tools like the Reverse Resume and Successful Timeline. We’re not talking about your typical resume or conventional ideas of success—we’re going beyond that. Key Highlights of Our Interview: Why the Reverse Resume Matters “When hiring, I ask, ‘What’s something you’ve overcome?’ That’s where the magic is. Those bottom-line moments define the strength you bring to every table.” The Power of Perspective: Achievements and Challenges Together” “Your resume tells one story, but your reverse resume tells the deeper truth: what you’ve overcome. Together, they define not just what you’ve done, but who you are.” “Success vs. a Successful Lifetime: Spot the Difference” “A nice car, a big house, a shiny jet—that’s success. But a successful lifetime? That’s the legacy, the relationships, the impact. The timeline reveals the whole messy, marvelous story.” Life is a Bag of Legos “Imagine dumping out a Ziploc bag full of Legos. Same colors, same shapes, same pieces. Yet, you’d build something entirely different from me. That’s your life—it’s uniquely yours to assemble.” Connect with us: Host: Vince Chan | Guest: Nina Sossamon-Pogue Chief Change Officer: Make Change Ambitiously. Experiential Human Intelligence for Growth Progressives Global Top 3% Podcast on Listen Notes World's #1 Career Podcast on Apple Top 1: US, CA, MX, IE, HU, AT, CH, FI, JP 2 Millions+ Downloads 50+ Countries --Chief Change Officer--Change Ambitiously. Outgrow Yourself.Open a World of Expansive Human Intelligencefor Transformation Gurus, Black Sheep,Unsung Visionaries & Bold Hearts.EdTech Leadership Awards 2025 Finalist.18 Million+ All-Time Downloads.80+ Countries Reached Daily.Global Top 1.5% Podcast.Top 10 US Business.Top 1 US Careers.>>>170,000+ are outgrowing. Act Today.<<<
Chapter 1: What tools has Nina developed to overcome challenges?
We often limit ourselves to what we have always done or the industry we know. But those same skills can often apply in ways we wouldn't initially expect. In my own experience, a guest on the show, an executive recruiter, once told me I would meet a great executive recruiter myself. At first, I was surprised. Recruiting wasn't something I've ever considered.
But she pointed out that my ability to support talent, connect with people, and bring the right voices onto the show demonstrated qualities that could be valuable in her industry. So, just like your own story, it's about being creative and open-minded when exploring new directions. Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to see what we are really capable of.
Absolutely. And be creative in your own head as you're thinking about what you're good at. But I really encourage people to, you might not have seen that about yourself, but she did. Same thing for me. I didn't see that in myself. Other people said, oh, you could do this. Having conversations with other people that ask them, what do you think I'm good at, is really interesting.
You really will learn a lot about yourself. It's hard when we're in our own head. One, we might not see our skills. Two, something that other people think is really valuable that we can do. For us, it may be second nature. We don't even think of it as a skill. It's just who we are. So really cool to look at it that way. She saw something in you, you might not have seen.
I had the same situation when someone saw something in me. So for your listeners, maybe get an outside opinion, figure out what else you might be good at that you don't even see.
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Chapter 2: What is the Reverse Resume and why is it important?
So you've moved into technology, built a new version of yourself, and now you're out there as a solo entrepreneur, as an author, as a speaker. It's amazing to see how your career has evolved. As we're talking about transitions and career paths, resumes often come up. Traditionally, resume is seen as an advertisement, a highlight reel of achievements.
But you introduced me to the concept of a reverse resume. Could you walk us through what that is and how it might help those who are considering a change or currently navigating a transition? I think it could be a powerful tool to help open up minds and see new possibilities.
Chapter 3: How can a Reverse Resume help during career transitions?
Chapter 4: What does a Successful Lifetime look like?
Absolutely. And be creative in your own head as you're thinking about what you're good at. But I really encourage people to, you might not have seen that about yourself, but she did. Same thing for me. I didn't see that in myself. Other people said, oh, you could do this. Having conversations with other people that ask them, what do you think I'm good at, is really interesting.
Chapter 5: How can we identify our hidden skills?
Chapter 6: Why is resilience crucial in personal development?
Hi, everyone. Welcome to our show, Chief Change Officer. I'm Vince Chan, your ambitious human host. Our show is a modernist community for change progressives in organizational and human transformation from around the world. These days, we talk a lot about resilience. We can discuss the psychology of it all day long. But who actually walks the walk and talks the talk when it comes to resilience?
Professional athletes. Today, I'm sitting down with Nina Sossaman Polk, a former professional gymnast, who started her journey at about four years old and went on to join the US gymnastic team. In her own words, gymnastics is a perfect example of resilience. You literally fall down and get back up all day, every day, as you learn new skills. That mindset became part of Nina's DNA.
and it carried her through some incredible twists and turns. From the heartbreak of not making the Olympic team to leaving the sport for good after an injury, she faced one identity crisis after another. But she didn't stop there. Nina built a successful journalism career that spent 17 years only to be let go, despite being a beloved news anchor.
And instead of staying down, she jumped into technology, starting from scratch, and reinvented herself yet again. Yesterday, in part one of our conversation, we explored Nina's journey, her training, her tryouts, and her setbacks. Then today in part two, we'll explore the tools Nina has developed over the years to help others rise above their challenges.
Tools like the reverse resume and successful timeline. We are not talking about your typical resume or conventional ideas of success. We are going beyond that. So let's begin this incredible journey with Nina. Absolutely. And I think that's a great point. For anyone listening, the takeaway here is to think outside the box when it comes to your skills and spirits.
We often limit ourselves to what we have always done or the industry we know. But those same skills can often apply in ways we wouldn't initially expect. In my own experience, a guest on the show, an executive recruiter, once told me I would meet a great executive recruiter myself. At first, I was surprised. Recruiting wasn't something I've ever considered.
But she pointed out that my ability to support talent, connect with people, and bring the right voices onto the show demonstrated qualities that could be valuable in her industry. So, just like your own story, it's about being creative and open-minded when exploring new directions. Sometimes it takes an outside perspective to see what we are really capable of.
Absolutely. And be creative in your own head as you're thinking about what you're good at. But I really encourage people to, you might not have seen that about yourself, but she did. Same thing for me. I didn't see that in myself. Other people said, oh, you could do this. Having conversations with other people that ask them, what do you think I'm good at, is really interesting.
You really will learn a lot about yourself. It's hard when we're in our own head. One, we might not see our skills. Two, something that other people think is really valuable that we can do. For us, it may be second nature. We don't even think of it as a skill. It's just who we are. So really cool to look at it that way. She saw something in you, you might not have seen.
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