Ep. 17 - Failing Forward: Mia Hamm's Growth Mindset

Natural talent alone will never sustain a career at the elite level of competition. As the landscape of professional sports evolves with new investments and structural shifts, understanding how to navigate personal doubt is crucial right now. We sit down with former professional women's American soccer player and Olympic gold medalist Mia Hamm to explore the mindset required to turn setbacks into long term success.

We get into the tactical side of personal development and what it really means to build a resilient team. The conversation covers navigating the emotional weight of international competition, addressing food insecurity through global experiences, and the growing financial valuation of professional franchises. A key realization emerges when Mia explains that true work ethic is defined by maintaining your standard of excellence even when no one is taking notes or checking the clock.

The reality of reaching the top of the podium involves deep disappointment and personal doubt. Transitioning from a local standout to a benched national team player requires a complete recalibration of ego and a willingness to face the heavy reality of your own limitations. You will walk away from this episode with a practical framework for processing failure, understanding the mental cost of elite performance, and recognizing that simply showing up is only the very first step in the process.

If you care about youth development, building resilient teams, and the business of professional sports, you will get a lot from this. Please make sure to subscribe to the channel and share this episode with someone who needs a shift in their leadership perspective. What is a specific personal failure you have experienced that ultimately made you a stronger teammate?

Join teen host Holden on the 4th and 18th of every month for new episodes of Youth Unmuted, proudly presented by the Boys & Girls Club of Benton County. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome back, everyone. My name is Holden, and I'm your host for the Youth Unmuted Podcast. This is a team-led podcast with the Boys and Girls Cope of Biton County, where we share unique stories that relate to today's youth. Let's get started.

SPEAKER_00 0:14

Welcome back, guys, to part two of our episode with Mia Ham. I'm so thankful that you guys are all here listening to Youth Unmuted. And welcome back, Mia Ham.

SPEAKER_02 0:24

Thanks, Holden. It's great to be here.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

Absolutely. I'm glad to hear that. Let's get right back into it with another question. And if you guys listened to part one, you might know the answer to this because I think that I do too, based off of what I got to hear you say. But if you had to relive one World Cup, which could it be and why?

SPEAKER_02 0:44

The 99 World Cup for sure. Uh just because I it changed women's sports and it was an experience like for me, like no other. Um being able to play the World Cup in your home country and in the most iconic venues in our country, you know, culminating in the final being the Rose Bowl with 90 plus thousand people. Um it changed all of our lives forever. So uh yeah, the 99 World Cup for sure.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

Yeah, I can't imagine there being anything else in the world that would be able to top that. So I definitely think that I can understand why. What is the coolest place or like the most memorable uh area that you've ever got to travel for soccer?

SPEAKER_02 1:34

I, you know, we've been able to see some incredible places. Um, you know, I remember we were in Haiti in 1991, and there was a lot going there, going on there. Um, I was a young student at North Carolina, and um just politically, I think they had a coup like four months after we left, but just just to see the the just the energy and the the hope of the people there um was you know considering what they were going through and just just this sheer will to help their neighbor out was incredibly inspiring. Um, just a quick story a young boy followed us like two miles from downtown to our hotel, you know, no shoes, um and was asking for food. And we had a bunch of snacks back at the hotel. And we gave gave them a bunch of snacks, him and this other like mother, and just to see them go and distribute the food to everyone, they didn't just take it for themselves, but they looked at their neighbors and said, you know, it's it's our duty to help one another. And um as a young person, it was a very important lesson. It's not just about me and my survival, it's about making sure I do what I can to help all those people around me. So just the emotional um experience that I had at that tournament um was really important in my growth as a person. And um yeah, it was a a tremendous education in humanity and how to treat others.

SPEAKER_00 3:40

Yeah, I mean, I don't think that story could have hit closer to home. So much work with what I do through the Boys and Girls Club is being a food insecurity advocate. And just there has been times through research or even just like firsthand experience of volunteering, seeing how crucial that need can be for food. Um, you said like he was a young boy, I don't know of his age, but just that perseverance that he knew that he needed to follow you guys, like all the way to your hotel and all the way back, just shows that dire need that he had for food. And just like, even though he was suffering so bad, and him and his family were suffering, they took that and they distributed it because they knew that other people were suffering as well. And that shows you how tight community can be. Even when you said they were going through a time of crisis and there was so much uncertainty going on in that world, and they were having issues of their own, you know, worrying where their next meal would come from. They had that community and they had those relationships that were so strong that he decided to, you know, I'm gonna do what I can. I've been blessed with this opportunity to share what I've been given with others, and so that is really inspiring. And something else that um just turning that I want to talk about is kind of just your success at such a young age, I feel like is not something that is very common. And so I just want to know was it ever hard, you know, like did you ever feel like people were doubting you because of how young you were? Because I think with all the work that is also done through Youth of the Year and like other programs that the Boys and Girls Club offers, you are put in such a power, um, like an area of leadership, and you have power because they do enable you with that trust. And a lot of times, like when you're going out to the community or you're going to speak to the sponsor, like there can be that, you know, maybe that doubt in their minds just because of how young you are. Like I'm just 18 years old, but yet I'm hosting a podcast, and like we have like the most profound women's soccer legend like there has ever been. And like it's just so amazing to me that I'm able to do that at my young age. And I have people that support me, but there has also been those times of doubt. So just growing up like in your career, starting at a young age, did you ever feel that doubt? And how did you handle that, if so?

SPEAKER_02 6:10

I definitely felt doubt. I will say it's it's a different era now with social media. Like, um, you know, we grew up with uh notes in class. We didn't have, you know, all these social platforms where peak people could post their likes or dislikes of something you did or didn't do. Um I think that pressure for for young people um is really difficult. And um, but for me, it wasn't it wasn't so much doubt, like it was personal doubt, like am I, am I doing this right? Like, um, are they gonna figure me out? And but more so it was it was dealing with failure. I think when I was younger, and whether it be my town or my state or my own age group, um, I was always one of the better kids. And, you know, in relative terms, didn't have a lot of failure. You know, sure I missed goals or my team didn't win a tournament. But when I first joined the national team, I wasn't a starter. Like I had started my whole life. I was the star player. Like people wouldn't, when they needed a goal scorer, they turned to me. Um, and now I wasn't even seeing the field. So it was kind of one of those things that I had to I had to learn um to be better at my craft. Like my talent wasn't going to carry me alone. I had to be a better soccer player. I had to figure out um how to grow physically, technically, tactically. And what was really great was my coach gave me that choice. He's like, you know, you you could be so much better, but you have to choose to be better. And if you want to be better, we'll create environments to help you do that. But I'm not gonna force you to do this. Like, um, you know, it's got to be your joy and it has to be your passion. And so I think for me, it was learning to deal with with failure and disappointment. Um, and also having to tell my family, like who are so used to seeing me succeed or starting, or um, yeah, that hey, I might, I might not play a lot in this small tournament I'm going to, but I hope you still come and cheer on our team. Um, but I it made me it made me a better teammate. It made me a better player. Um, I had to learn to commit to the game and myself every single day. You know, you talk about what you do, whether it's it's in your podcast or um, you know, as a student, as a basketball player, like you just don't show up to the gym and you're a great shooter. You practice it. Um, you figure out and you don't just shoot, you know, with no pressure. Like that doesn't help you for a game. You got to shoot with someone in your face. Um, you got to shoot coming around off a screen, like all these things make you better. And and that for me was really important was was learning how to deal and accept that failure is part of growth and it's part of what we do. Like, um, and that it's not perfection you're seeking, you know, both on and off the field. It's it's the growth and the joy that comes with seeing you improve little by little each and every day.

SPEAKER_00 10:04

Yeah, I love that. And that motivation, it sounds like is what is key is like when you have failed, or maybe when you think you've made it, but there's still more to go, you just you gotta keep pushing yourself over and over. And I I can relate to that in a very, very, very much smaller scale. Um, my junior year playing basketball, it was my first year starting on varsity. And the season it went good, but when they started to do like all conference and all state, it was like all five of us, um, four of my teammates got all conference. I was the only one in the starting five that did not. And so it was like all years, like, yes, you know, like I'm the starter, like I made it. And then it was like, well, there's obviously more that can be done. And I didn't just take that as like, okay, well, you know, like it's that's unfortunate. Like, what can you do? You know, I feel like it really motivated me to be better, you know, when there were seniors graduating the team, you know, like I knew that I was gonna be the senior that needed to step up. I have the varsity experience this season. Um, my personal season might not have been the best, but I had that opportunity and I have that motivation. I have that failure that I think set me apart to like push me to work hard, you know, get in the gym extra, even in the summer, you know, go to camps and work hard, really prioritize basketball. And I'm so glad that I did because the season, like my personal growth was just tremendous. The season was better. Um, I ended up being all state, all defense. Like it was so awesome to get to see my growth, and that all stemmed from like that failure, like quote unquote, that I had. Um, that really like allowed me to grow. So I feel like people can always be scared of failure, be disappointed. But if you are able to be able to turn around and use it as a place to grow, I think it just like makes your limit go so much higher on what you could achieve, and you just don't even understand your potential. So that's awesome.

SPEAKER_02 12:06

I agree.

SPEAKER_00 12:07

Yeah, um, all right. I always like to play a game in uh every podcast that we have, and so I'd love to take the opportunity to do that. But since we do have a legend as yourself, this game is just gonna be more opportunities for us to get to hear a little bit about yourself and your story. So for this game, um, I'm gonna give you three words, um, one at a time, and just with that word, just kind of give us like a story, like maybe about your life or your career that you think that relates to that word, or just like mentions that word, just whatever comes to mind first. So the first word that I have for you is metal. Like the physical M-E-D-A-L or No, yeah, M-E-D-A-L, like a gold medal. Sorry, sorry, I said that I made that clear.

SPEAKER_02 12:55

No, I I think about the Olympic gold medal, like standing on the podium. Um, I mean, you you see the smile on my face, just uh the journey to get there was so enjoyable. And I say that through some of you know, remembering some of the artist fitness, but it was it was so much fun going to practice every single day with that group. Um, there was an intensity and a joy um to make each other better. And there was uh an environment that was so powerful and inclusive of everyone, like from starter to reserve, but also equipment manager to um general manager on our team. Everyone, every single person was bought into um you know reaching that that the top step of the podium. And um yeah, uh the gold medal. And it's not just the physical medal, but it what it's what it represents to all of us, all our family and friends, but every single person a part of that team.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

Yeah, that's awesome. All right, the next word I have for you is team.

SPEAKER_02 14:25

Team. Um it it it embodies your the strongest part of you as an individual and as a team, and it also can um show the weakest part in in terms of your journey as a team. And I think um you know the team can be who the members and the leadership want it to be. And I think um it it has to be a commitment to making it better, to committing to it. Um, in in terms of there are times when you have to carry the team, and there's gonna be times when the team carries you. And you both have to be strong enough and malleable enough to understand when that has to happen. Um and when when it does, it's such an awesome experience. Like when your team is clicking and everyone is moving in the same direction, um just just how wonderful that can be. And and I know, I know we talked a little bit about um the program with with the body confidence sport in terms of dub, but it's one of the reasons I love being a part of this team because I love for young girls to experience that power team, to see where they fit in. Because it's not just about participating in a sport, it's about kind of how, you know, your team could be your classroom, your team could be your family, your team could be um, you know, the office that you work with both now and in the future. It's like how how do I maintain who I am and make them better? And how do they how do they impact my life? Like you want to be in this environment where people are pushing you to excel, but they do so because they care about you. Um and the the teams that were successful, like we cared about each other both on and off the field.

SPEAKER_00 16:58

Yeah, I love that. I love that. The last one I have for you is work ethic.

SPEAKER_02 17:05

Work ethic. Um it's a consistent commitment. Like I think a lot of the times people people think you show up um or you you say to yourself, I'm gonna be the best player I can be, and that's all it takes. Like worth ac work ethic to me is about that consistent commitment to being better. And even when there's no guarantee, even when no one's like taking notes or watching you do the work, like do you still maintain the same standards, whether your coach is is there taking inventory or not? Um I think anyone can just show up and and shoot. Anyone can just go and you know run a mile, but do you do you stay commit committed to the standards? Do you honor the clock? Do you do you honor the technique and the effort you put into it? And if you do, um, you honor yourself and your teammates in the process.

SPEAKER_00 18:28

Yeah. All right. Well, thank you so much for playing. It was good to get to hear a little more about a little more about you. There's one thing I do want to point out is out of those three words, um, the gold, the gold medal is what you mentioned when I said medal, which is like, of course, something uh that you would think of. Um, but I do want to say that that gold medal is kind of like the greatest accomplishment that an athlete can achieve. You know, like that, I feel like is the goal that every athlete wants to have in their lives. And when you talked about those three stories, you talked more about having a team and creating that work ethic than you did about that gold medal. And to me, like I just think that shows what kind of person you are and how it is truly about so much more than the game and the accomplishments for you and what you can really cultivate as a team and those relationships. And so that's just something that I noticed and wanted to point out, not only like for yourself, but for the viewers, to just kind of show like who you truly are, and that is just just a great job uh for everything, all your accomplishments come off the court or off the field, sorry, used to basketball terms. Yeah, um, but yeah, thank you so much for playing that game. Um, and your answers were amazing.

SPEAKER_02 19:45

Thanks, Holy.

SPEAKER_00 19:46

Of course. The next thing that I have for you is uh so many people looked up to you growing up, especially so many young women. Um, but for you growing up, who was someone that you look up to?

SPEAKER_02 19:58

When I was growing up, it was my older brother. He was kind of he was definitely the best athlete in the family. Um, but so my brother was adopted, he was about seven and a half, almost eight. I was four and a half, almost five when he came into our family. And like I said, I was this, you know, some people would say uh a little tomboy just I love sports. I was physically active. Um and he just let me hang out with him and his buddies. And so whatever they were playing in the neighborhood, I would come and be a part of it. And he would pick me on his team. And uh we'd went a lot in the neighborhood. Um, but I just, you know, he could have easily said, hey, you know, go find your own friends or or I don't really want my little sister hanging out with me. Um, but he didn't do that. He welcomed me. And um, you know, it's I attribute a lot of my success to him in terms of I was playing up my entire life with him and his his buddies. Um, but he never made me feel like me wanting to compete or be successful uh was bad or strange in any way. Um and I just I don't know, he he just really helped me like love sports. And I'd watch a lot of it with him. You know, he loved, he was loved baseball. So I would sit and watch baseball with them. And um, he was a really good basketball player too, good soccer player, like all these things. I got into these sports because my brother played.

SPEAKER_00 21:48

Yeah, that's really inspiring. And it sounds like your brother is kind of the role model that you had, but also the role model that other people want to be in the relationships. That they have. So that is super awesome to kind of get to hear about where you um where you believe you got some of your success and some of your mindset from. So we are running out of time. So I do only have one more question for you. Um, but that is do you think the game has changed since you last played? And if so, how?

SPEAKER_02 22:18

Oh, I think I think the game has changed, but uh for nothing but for the better. I think you see the level both technically, tactically, physically, um, has gotten so much better. The coaching has gotten so much better, the game's more sophisticated. I think that just shows you the growth of women's sports and and women's soccer in particular, the investment that um both, you know, national teams, but as well as uh, you know, member associations all across the world have have put into their young girls and and women's programs. Um, so these women are playing against better competition. Um, and they're able to do it full time. Like you maybe had a handful of leagues across the world. Now, now you have almost on every continent that women are allowed to play. Um, you know, pay equity is a very big thing, both here in the US, but um for our national teams, uh, you see it across not just soccer, but you know, the WMBA and and their agreement. Um, just so many things are happening. You know, women's professional franchises are are being valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Um, and we weren't even talking about that 10 years ago. So I I think there's so much investment happening in women's sports that's raising the level. And, you know, now for me personally, is to make sure that these young girls, it's one of the reasons you know, we talked about Doug, that I love being and partnering with them is I want young girls to continue to find their passion and and find inspiration into stepping, you know, on the court, on the field. Um, you know, so many like you go through stories about CEOs, female CEOs, all of them played sports, like the empowerment, but making sure that um we include these young girls, that they're not uh told that they have to look a certain way. Um, that their body image, that they find confidence with who they are. And I know for me, it it gave me that confidence. Um so yeah, I I love seeing the growth of it, and I would love more girls just to continue to participate.

SPEAKER_00 24:50

Yeah, that's awesome. And it sounds like a lot of the change has been for the better, and so that is awesome as well. But um, yeah, it has been great to get to hear your story, and I really enjoyed getting to hear about you and your professional career, but also just kind of what motivates you and what your passions have been. Um, I'm so honored to have you on as a guest, and I'm sure all of our listeners are really gonna enjoy getting to hear your story. Um, so thank you guys all for listening to Youth Unmuted. Make sure to like and subscribe and really join us as we get to hear about these other amazing stories that we get to share. But just a really big shout out uh to Mia Hamm and her whole team for making this possible. Peace.

SPEAKER_02 25:28

Thanks, Holden.

SPEAKER_01 25:30

Thank you all for tuning in again. I am Holden, your host. Please like this video and subscribe to Youth Unmuted wherever you get your podcast. Until next time, peace.