I was recently captivated by two extraordinary stories of high achievers whose impressive legacies on paper were enough to inspire, if not slightly intimidating, the rest of us mortals. These were not just any high achievers but the legendary British double Olympic gold medallist Col. Dame Kelly Holmes MBE and Damon Hill OBE, the former Formula One World Champion. As I listened to their stories and reflections on self-leadership and leadership, I gleaned numerous valuable insights on vision, focus, teamwork, and resilience.

One insight stood out as particularly meaningful – be yourself. Through stories of breaking speed records, winning gold medals, standing ovations and champion titles, what made their journeys truly triumphant was the ability to discover, craft and present themselves authentically to the world.