From squash world champion to driving force behind youth empowerment, Nicol David has redefined what success looks like beyond the court.
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00:00But I think when you have the right people, you always find good people.
00:04So we have a great team, but I know everyone is special.
00:09Let's give it a moment.
00:23Welcome to The Pursuit of Progress.
00:25My name is Lenora.
00:26I am really excited to be here because I'm a person who has gone through different transitions
00:31in my life, as I'm sure you have, and even the people I'm bringing on for the show.
00:35I have gone from being an emcee.
00:38Once upon a time, I've done bikini bodybuilding.
00:40I have gone into content creation and now a new phase of my life, which is motherhood.
00:45As I said before in the previous episode, this is something very new.
00:49And one of the things that has always fascinated me is how people adapt and grow with every
00:56facet of their life, every single experience and phase.
01:00It's literally seeking the pursuit of progress sense, which is why I want to say I hope you
01:05are all ready to pop because we are going to dive into The Pursuit of Progress.
01:10And I'm excited to share my next guest with you.
01:14Let me see how I can introduce her extremely well.
01:17I've introduced her multiple times on different stages.
01:20She is a walking legend, a trailblazer, one of the greatest athletes in Malaysia that
01:27Malaysia has ever produced.
01:29She's hold the world number one squash ranking for an unprecedented nine years.
01:36Eight-time world champion, a true icon in global sports.
01:40And I wish that we could have like a sound effect where it goes like, clap, clap, clap,
01:46clap, clap, clap, clap.
01:47Please welcome to the show, Dr. Nicole David.
01:49Thank you, Lenora, for that great introduction.
01:52I hope it...
01:53Congratulations on everything.
01:54Yes, you can see like that's also another reason to pop my little belly.
01:58Literally pop.
01:59Literally pop.
02:00Not yet, not yet.
02:01We're saving that.
02:02Okay.
02:03Let's start off first for everyone knows you, but real briefly, I'm not going to say what
02:08was your childhood like, I would say, I would ask you this question instead, if you could
02:12sum up your childhood in a song.
02:15In a song?
02:16Yeah.
02:17What would that theme song be like?
02:19It would definitely have an R&B background, more so like a Missy Elliott feel because I,
02:26she, she was a really up and coming at the time.
02:30It was in the Pisa arena.
02:32Okay.
02:32And it was filled by 3,000 or 4,000 people and they drove us in by cars and I secretly
02:39gave my CD, CD at the time, to the audio guy and he played it and it was blasting throughout
02:48the stadium and I went in in a car with the Malaysian flag out.
02:52Okay.
02:53And all that I can remember was that moment and it just pumped me up to win that title.
02:58What song was it?
03:00It's Get Your Freak On.
03:01Oh my gosh.
03:03Of course.
03:03Can you still, can you still sing it?
03:05I know.
03:05No, I, I just like the, I have to ask, I mean, like you've been asked so many times about
03:12your childhood and whatnot.
03:14Just let's touch briefly during your time as pro, right?
03:18What was that transition like from going as teenage life and then into a pro athlete
03:26life?
03:26How did that, how did affect your mind?
03:29It was a big change because I had a loss in the Asian games and I was expected to win
03:37my second gold medal and I lost in the finals and it was a huge thing where it was in the
03:44press.
03:44Everything was like, you know, Nicole has failed and, you know, it hit really hard.
03:49So I took a bit of time off to really reflect on what I needed to do.
03:53And I went to New Zealand and stayed with my family there.
03:58I have some family there and just to be away from everything and to really think about what
04:03I really want.
04:04Do I really want to stay in squash because I love it so much or it's just, I don't need
04:08it.
04:08I just need to just move on and do something else.
04:11And that, that moment when I was away took me, um, to a very, um, spot that I needed to
04:20find.
04:21And that was, I still love this game so much.
04:23I just needed to get over the loss and then just be ready to move out of the country and
04:29work with my coach.
04:30And I was 18 years old at the time.
04:33I came back to Malaysia and I told my parents, I'm going to go to Amsterdam and train with
04:37my coach, Liz Irving.
04:38She's a former world champions for Australia.
04:41And your full-time mentor.
04:42And my full-time mentor, amazing woman, um, and great friend.
04:47And she took me on, you know?
04:49Um, so since then I think I needed to train with the best and to be the best.
04:55And that was that breaking point where I had to break everything from scratch.
05:00She told me that you needed to find a way to just start from zero and we start building
05:07you up.
05:08So resetting the whole thing.
05:10Completely.
05:10Even though you, you are a great junior player, but we have all these other areas that you are
05:17kind of limited and we, and now top players know how you're going to play.
05:21They know what you're going to do on that, on, on, on, on a top 10 level.
05:26They all know exactly how your game plan is going to be.
05:29So we have to work on your technique.
05:31We have to make sure you are ready for the pressure.
05:35So we have to build you up, get stronger, get fitter.
05:38And also your, your mind has to be ready for the, the pressure that's coming.
05:44So, yeah.
05:44Can we talk about that?
05:45Because you said that in, in other interviews, you said that the pressure was something you
05:49had to learn how to handle at such a young age.
05:52Can we talk of, of how did you find ways in handling it?
05:57Like if you have tips or like two ways, anything that made you go like, okay, this is pressure.
06:03I know I can handle it.
06:04How, how would you, how do you do it?
06:07I, I was fortunate that I had a mental trainer when I was in the national team.
06:14So I was in the Camp Jaya 98 team in Malaysia.
06:18And at 12 years old, I had all these assistants, like a sports psychologist to, which is a mental
06:25trainer to coach us how to turn negative to positive, how to visualize, to put goal setting.
06:33And all these learnings I've taken on board when I was 12, but maybe most athletes might
06:39think, oh, let me focus on my training.
06:42And then all those things might come later when I'm a professional, but, but I, I knew
06:47that if I added this in my training, I would be a better player.
06:52So why not practice visualization from 12 years old?
06:55So that's one tool.
06:56Yeah.
06:57So I, yeah, I visualize my game.
06:59I, I think of a perfect game that I'm going to play.
07:03And then if I'm playing someone, I will visualize who I'm playing with.
07:07And then every point, every rally, I will go through it probably the night before or the
07:11morning of my match and also during training.
07:14So you can't wait till the matches happen.
07:17You have to do the training of your mind a few weeks before.
07:21So it's like your body.
07:23If you're training for like an endurance workout or like, you know, for your weight lift, like
07:28your bodybuilding, you need to have a plan and your mental training is also a plan.
07:33So you need to prepare for that.
07:34So I was doing that since I was young.
07:37And when it comes to competition, I know how to then start preparing.
07:42When do I turn this to a positive?
07:44If something negative comes in on the spot, I have to be aware.
07:48I have to just replace it with something good or something that will just change my mind
07:54to focusing on something positive again.
07:56Don't let me ask you.
07:57What's a typical negative trigger that you used to face on the court that you immediately
08:03like, okay, I caught that.
08:04Now I'm going to change it into positive.
08:06So I will have like five trigger words or maybe a few more in my bag, you know, to just
08:12get me going.
08:12So if I'm feeling that, oh, you know, I'm down, I'm losing, just focus on the next, or
08:18I say like just the next point or, you know, think of a good return or get, get like stand
08:25tall, like keep pushing forward.
08:27All these things comes in different moments.
08:29So I'll have these words just to get me back on track or think of that next point.
08:35Okay.
08:35That point is over.
08:36Think of that next point.
08:38Replay my shot again.
08:39If I hit a mistake, just replay that shot in my head visually so that I know it was
08:45actually a good shot and I just go for the next one.
08:48So these things, you have to practice it in your training and do simulation matches and
08:54then go into your competition knowing that in that very split moment, you can change it
08:59around.
08:59Okay.
08:59So, yeah.
09:00This actually ties in because in another interview you said that squash has five dimensions.
09:04Yeah.
09:05Which is, let me try and remember, there was skill, agility, tactical, strategy, and then
09:13there's one more, which I assume is adaptability.
09:15Would that be right?
09:17Yeah, I believe so.
09:18I think squash has, you have to cover all aspects.
09:22So you have to be skillfully like ready and sound.
09:25You have to have a strategic mind where your tactics of the game is so clear for each player.
09:33And then, yeah, you say agility, you have to move well, be quick, fast, back and forth
09:38because squash is all about moving around your opponent.
09:41You know?
09:41Oh, that's kicking.
09:42Yes.
09:43Little one is kicking right now.
09:44Agility.
09:45Agility.
09:45Exactly.
09:47Little one is like, yes, I totally get this.
09:49Okay.
09:50Bye big.
09:51Sorry.
09:51Adaptability, knowing when your player is changing a game plan, know how to change, have
09:58a few game plans ready.
09:59So when I was younger and a junior level, I only had one game only.
10:04So I needed to know how to be attacking, how to be defensive and not just have one game,
10:11one style.
10:12So those adaptability skills also you need to have.
10:16And like you say, strength, like you have to have a strong body and strong mind.
10:21What was your mentality like when you had to maintain being world number one?
10:29Tell me, tell us about the pressures and how did you say, it's okay, just let me be,
10:35let me play my game.
10:36Yeah.
10:37At some moment after a few years, then I needed to get a sport psychologist in Amsterdam to
10:44really help me to handle that intensity of the pressure that keeps mounting each year
10:50as you get to world number one.
10:52Don't mind me asking, so for every year, because it was nine years that you were holding that,
10:57what kind of different pressures happened at each, I want to ask like each year, but
11:03let's go like summarize it.
11:04What happened that was the biggest pressure that you felt?
11:07The expectation of winning every single match.
11:11From people or from yourself?
11:12From all around.
11:14So it will be from myself, but also from people around, from just the fact that I am the number
11:22one on that list and everybody that goes in has no pressure.
11:26They just go, oh, you know, whatever happens, if I lose to her, that's great, but she has to
11:31win, right?
11:31So I just give it my all.
11:32So I had to be on my game all the time, and that was the pressure that kept happening as
11:39years went on.
11:41It felt good being on top.
11:42Of course, it feels great that you start beating people, and you have a space where that confidence
11:47just pulls you through, and that momentum pulls you through when you win in a row, but
11:52the minute you lose something, it kind of, you go like, I can't lose, you know, what's
11:57this happening?
11:58So those learning experiences were hard to take at the time, the losing experiences,
12:04but it was a very big learning for me to keep getting myself up there.
12:10And then, and it's also different players that I used to play.
12:13So I had different contenders as I, during that nine years where I needed to play different
12:20players.
12:21So you had to deal with different characters, different style of games, how am I going to
12:26handle different people at that very moment?
12:29So, so yeah, it's just about, and also then I'm also growing up and learning more about
12:37my emotions, hence that all comes into play as well.
12:41I kind of have to think, you know, like the movie, Inside Out, where all those emotions
12:45are played.
12:46You grow, yeah, you grow.
12:47So how, okay, how do you handle emotions?
12:50Because emotion is such a big navigator for where we go and all that.
12:53Like, was there a point that you were so mad on the court or something off the court
12:58that, I won't say affected your game, but it affected your gameplay?
13:02How did you come out of that?
13:03I didn't get many moments like that.
13:07Some days are harder than others, but you just keep fighting to make sure you get at,
13:14play at your very best and not show those emotions on court.
13:17So I never show anything.
13:20I think if you show it, if I remember when I see you, you don't show, you're like so serious
13:25and focused.
13:26Because I know for a fact that if you show it, you're showing signs of weakness and
13:30then your opponent already can feel that you're not playing well or you're distracted.
13:34So the minute you show that, or they show it to me, I can automatically know that I'm
13:41going to attack you even more now, you know?
13:43So that's the, that's where squash is so, so great because you are amongst your opponent
13:49really like side by side and you feel the intensity of the energy and the moment someone's
13:56feeling stressed or not feeling good, you, you just instantly have to take that opportunity.
14:02It's a small window and you need to address it straight away.
14:06And then that's where they start breaking.
14:08You're like a predator.
14:10I was, I was just like willing to go out there and ruthless all the way.
14:16If I have to, I will.
14:18Wow.
14:18Now let's progress from there because now I want to talk more, a bit more current.
14:22Yes.
14:23So you're, I'm sure everyone has asked you about your retirement, but okay, you retired
14:29like a couple of years.
14:30Almost six years now.
14:32Okay.
14:33Time flies.
14:33Time flies.
14:34Yes.
14:35I know.
14:35Really flies.
14:36Yeah.
14:36It's gone by like this, but it's a good feeling.
14:40I still feel like as if you retired not too long ago.
14:42Yeah.
14:42Yeah.
14:43My goodness.
14:43Okay.
14:44So when you decided to retire, I remember watching in one interview, you said that you never
14:52asked yourself that honest question until your coach posed it to you, right?
14:56Yes.
14:56Okay.
14:57So when, can you tell of that moment when, all right, you finally accepted that this could
15:03be it.
15:04You're done.
15:05What, what was the, what was the, um, the visual that happened there?
15:11Was it in a hotel room?
15:12Was it at the home?
15:15It was actually in a hotel room at the tournament itself where we had the discussion.
15:20And then after that, I went back, uh, with my, after my discussion with the, my coach,
15:25Liz.
15:25And then when I went back, it was really so surreal.
15:29I had dinner and then I went back and it was just like, wow.
15:32I finally realized that this is it for me.
15:36And, um, basically it just felt like you see forward and it looks like a blank, blank space
15:43and you go, what's going to happen, you know?
15:47And then you just go, there's no squash.
15:49Is this really going to happen in two years?
15:51And, um, that's when everything, like the floodgates open and I was just crying and really
15:57felt like a heart break from the fact that I'm going to lose all of this on that moment.
16:04So it was, it was interesting, but then I was still playing, but then I was starting to
16:09make plans.
16:10So the minute I started to make some plans and think about my future, what am I going
16:15to do?
16:16Um, those questions became quite real.
16:20And then I had to make some steps and I started planning for my future.
16:27And so, so how am I going to retire?
16:29How, how is it going to look like?
16:31So I need to make a plan on how the retirement is.
16:35And then, so making campaigns and then, and then also my foundation.
16:39So what am I going to do for the fund, for my own foundation?
16:43Is it going to be with squash?
16:45It's like definitely with squash.
16:46And is it with kids?
16:48Yes, for sure.
16:49So, so all those things are ticked.
16:51And then now, then what?
16:52So I needed to find, uh, good friends to help me out.
16:56And, um, so at the time I was training in Colombia and then Mariana, um, now the, my
17:03co-founder.
17:04Yes, I remember Mariana.
17:05She's a joy.
17:06She's great.
17:07Former squash player.
17:08So we known each other way back.
17:09So she's been in corporate for 10, 11 years.
17:13And I, I told her that I'm in Colombia, let's catch up.
17:16And I'm telling her about my retirement and, um, thinking, I don't think I can, I know
17:21what to do with it.
17:22And it's going to be very difficult to retire and not know or have skills.
17:27And she's like, of course you have skills.
17:29Like you are number one squash player in the world.
17:31Like, what do you think you don't have skills for?
17:34Use that and bring it forward.
17:36And I was like, okay, but, but how?
17:39And she, so she guided me in like to structure things, gave me tips and ideas.
17:45And that's where I went, you know what?
17:46Like, uh, I need someone like you to help me to set things up.
17:51So structure everything.
17:53Yeah.
17:53So let's work together.
17:55Just leave your job and then come and work with me.
17:58You told to leave everything behind.
18:00Well, I just asked politely, you know, and she's like, oh, well, you know, actually at
18:06this point in time, I feel like doing something different.
18:08So why not?
18:10So hence two and a half years later.
18:12Yeah, we, um, we have the Nicole David organization.
18:16Um, but then, so then it was one year of planning of just letting go of squash and enjoying squash.
18:23But I had to get training.
18:25I had to learn how to do it, how to use the pointer, all those things.
18:31No, but, um, and then how to structure, how to tell the story and all those things really
18:37has, was part of the learning and, and when you kind of go into opening something, you're
18:44opening something new and learning and opening your mind to possibilities.
18:48That's when squash faded and I could let go a little bit easier.
18:54It didn't seem like I was stuck with it, um, for eternity.
18:59So, so that was a, a great, uh, year, the last year of just letting it go.
19:05And at the very moment I said goodbye when my last match, I was happy.
19:10It was more relief.
19:11You could say, was it relief?
19:13It was a relief that, um, I've done everything I could with squash.
19:17I don't have anything left to show.
19:20I, I've already achieved all that I've achieved.
19:24I don't need to make a point that there's more to do is I done all that I could do and
19:30even more than my expectations.
19:33So why not leave, leave on a high?
19:36Yeah.
19:37We say make a point.
19:38Is the point that time when you did all that, is it proving to yourself, to, um, to parents,
19:45to friends, family, what was it that you felt like you wanted to prove?
19:49Because it's like you want to, you've already made a point.
19:52Yeah.
19:52Yeah.
19:53More to myself.
19:54I think I, when you start losing and then you don't, you don't have that itch anymore.
19:59So you always think that that itch will always stay with you.
20:01But if you've done it for nine years at the top, something is going to give you.
20:06I, I definitely broke inside somewhere and my mind cannot be at that level of concentration
20:14and intensity for so long.
20:16At some point it's going to burn.
20:19So you're not a robot.
20:20Yeah.
20:21So then I had to let emotions come in because when you're on that court, like I said, switch
20:26the button, no emotions, nothing can come in.
20:29But then the minute I went, okay, I'm going to start letting things come in.
20:33Then it's like, well, the third gate just opened.
20:36Yeah.
20:36It just keeps coming.
20:38Like just so you know, but it, it was, um, but it has to be done if, if not when, you know.
20:43So I'm so thankful that now that transition all went in just fine.
20:49The minute I finished, I was so happy.
20:52I could wake up and not think, oh, I don't need to train.
20:55I don't have a schedule.
20:57I can just be not, uh, not, uh, stay free.
21:01Like I only have to have a stiff body all the time.
21:04So now when you mentioned there were five dimensions, how, and you also said that you
21:09told to Marina, right?
21:11Marina, that, um, you said that you don't have the skills and she said, no, you do have
21:17the skills.
21:18So how do you, how are we able to translate the five dimensions of squash into real so-called
21:26real world life?
21:28Absolutely.
21:29And I didn't think of it at the time, but I was, um, pleasantly surprised that I do have
21:37a lot of skills with all the years that I've been playing and it comes with having social
21:44skills, uh, the key things, because you need to network, you need to meet a lot of people
21:49and I'm meeting so much, so many, so much more people now than I ever have before because
21:55now running my foundation and, you know, we, we have now just to share a little bit first,
22:02um, that we, the Nicole David organization have now two pillars.
22:06We have actually the children's program where we give an afterschool program for low income,
22:11uh, mid, uh, mid to low income kids, squash training and English classes, and that will
22:17take them through from standard two up to standard six.
22:21So it's like a five year program.
22:23And, um, so that we have about 130 kids now in the program for the last two and a half years.
22:29So we are really happy and, um, grateful that we've seen them grow to be confident kids just
22:35from playing sport, learning English.
22:37And now they, and they are more disciplined and more focused.
22:41And that's what the values of squash brings for these kids, because I know for a fact that gives me
22:46all these values for life.
22:49Um, and then we, last year we launched a mother's pillar.
22:52It's called, uh, so the kids, uh, pillars, uh, little legends.
22:56And then the mother's pillar is called evil legends.
22:59Uh, it's been very fulfilling in terms of getting to know the moms better.
23:03And we are offering, uh, mental health workshops, parenting workshops, nutrition workshops, and to
23:09give them a sense of understanding about their own self-care to, to look after themselves first
23:16before they, um, start doing anything else, they have to take care of themselves.
23:22Because if you are taking care of your family, moms never look after themselves.
23:27I fully, I understand that because when I see it, a lot of times the, the moms forget
23:32about themselves.
23:33Yeah, of course, like the first thing you go is like my kids first, my husband, everyone
23:38first, except you, uh, except me.
23:40So, and then we gave free medical checkups so that they, and probably like 50% of them
23:46have never done a full medical checkup in their lives.
23:48So that was very like, wow, we need to do more of this.
23:52And, and we have our first cohort.
23:55So we do according to, according to the cohorts that we have, we have three cohorts for our
23:59kids.
24:00We started with our cohort one moms of the kids.
24:03So we're helping the mothers so that we can look after the ecosystem around the kids.
24:08Yeah.
24:09So why not start with the moms and then we will start going to the dads this year.
24:13Okay.
24:14So it's going to be dad legends.
24:15It will be, um, that will come in later this year.
24:20Um, that will introduce more sport there.
24:23And then we also want to get, and then in the second phase for the evil legends program,
24:28we want to help them with their financial education and good.
24:33And for those who want to do a bit more in entrepreneurship, we will give them courses
24:37for that.
24:38And we'll take them through how to build their own, um, own company or be more
24:43entrepreneurial.
24:44Or like a startup or anything.
24:45Yeah.
24:46Yeah.
24:47That's awesome.
24:48Yeah.
24:49So that's where we are at right now.
24:50Um, in terms of, um, the Nicole David organization and it's the most fulfilling, um, feeling I feel
24:58that, that brings me the, the, the best happiness.
25:02Before like world champion.
25:04Yeah.
25:05Holding that ranking number one was the goal.
25:07How about now?
25:08What is your goal for life?
25:10Like say, let's break it down in the next three to five years.
25:15Yeah.
25:16Three to five years.
25:17I think the next goal for us, um, we are going to have, uh, reach out to schools now
25:22and reach out to as many kids to play sport.
25:25So we're looking after their PE.
25:28Uh, we want to give them more physical education or getting more active in school.
25:33So we want to bring our program to schools and that will be our big program this year.
25:39And if we do that, um, my five year projection, hopefully we want to impact 10,000 people, 10,000
25:46kids, families, and that will be my ultimate dream.
25:51We all say that you are made up of the five people that you hang out with.
25:55Mm-hmm.
25:56So during the time when you were doing squash, can you name who were your five people?
26:00Obviously this is your coach.
26:01Yeah.
26:02And who are the other four?
26:03Um, with my squash, um, it was my coach, my physio, um, Ronald Forvell, who, who has passed,
26:13who has passed, but he was the ultimate person.
26:16And so, um, yes.
26:18Yeah.
26:19Frank, which is my sports psychologist.
26:22And Maurice, another physio, good, good friend as well.
26:27Uh, yeah.
26:28Uh, yeah.
26:29And then last one is like, I say family.
26:31So yeah.
26:32Sorry.
26:33Can we get a, can we get a tissue?
26:35It's okay.
26:36The, don't mind me asking.
26:37Cause like the five people that really support you is always the one that, um, uh, how would
26:43you say?
26:44That's the one that builds you.
26:45Yeah.
26:46Those people have built you.
26:47Yeah.
26:48But now the reason I asked is because when you transition out, now you have to re reevaluate
26:55who are the five people again.
26:59Do you mind sharing?
27:00Like, uh, how did you pick your five, your five people?
27:02You don't say the names.
27:03Oh, okay.
27:04Yeah.
27:05But how did you pick who were going to be right for you coming out?
27:08I think I definitely had, will, will have a six person in this one, the five, because,
27:15um, I think that was the middle person, which is Mariana to combine when I was in squash
27:22to how I'm transitioning here.
27:24So I think I would have her in the five of even in my squash journey.
27:29Um, and then my family will always be next to me.
27:33Like, but then, but I think when you have the right people, always, you always find good
27:39people when you're ready to be positive for everyone, positive people.
27:44Positive people will come.
27:45So we have great, a great team.
27:47Our staff in NDO is great, but I know everyone is special.
27:53Okay.
27:54Let's give, let's give it a moment.
27:57Yeah.
27:58Yeah.
27:59So coming back, right, Nicole, how would you, cause this is also for people to learn how
28:05they can use the tools that you've used for yourself.
28:08Yeah.
28:09What would you say are the characteristics that you would look out for when you want to
28:13have a close knit group to you?
28:16Um, I think it starts from, from you first, personally, in the sense of your own, you better,
28:24you're very clear with your own values and what you're looking for, for yourself in terms
28:30of how you want to be good to others and like being positive, being encouraging.
28:37And I, I had that with my family, having a positive environment.
28:42I had that with my team and then now I have that in my, in my own workplace in NDO.
28:49And that's the environment we want to create.
28:52Then the culture that everyone's in that positive environment, everyone's encouraging each other.
28:59And that translates in so many forms.
29:02So different people, whether it's the kids, the families, uh, sponsors, people that want
29:08to come in and help support.
29:11That's where it starts from you.
29:14And I feel like if you give that energy and that positive reinforcement to all that's around
29:21you, you get that in return.
29:23Is it hard to find, cause obviously you're a leader.
29:27So what would you say is the one thing you tell yourself when you want to lead others?
29:32Um, I tell myself that I want to represent what, uh, I preach.
29:39So anything I say to them is going to be exactly what I would do in their, if they, in their,
29:47in their place.
29:48So, um, if I want our kids to grow up good kids, they have to be the leaders for the kids
29:56as well.
29:57So I have to also be that for my staff and that in return for the kids.
30:02Okay.
30:03So that is the whole way of how we work in NDO.
30:06And, uh, it's a great environment and we call it the happy place after school.
30:11And that's what we want to keep, uh, as long as possible.
30:15I love how you're calling it NDO because you know, I'm so used to hearing NGO.
30:19Oh yeah.
30:20And then I'm like NDO.
30:21NDO.
30:22Yes.
30:23It's an NGO, but it's called NDO.
30:24Yes.
30:25What scares a person more for you?
30:28Would it be failure or would it be success?
30:31For me it's failure because I don't like losing.
30:34Okay.
30:35Success is only going to open up more opportunities for me.
30:40Yeah.
30:41Interesting.
30:42Yeah.
30:43Cause I've heard so many different versions.
30:44I wanted to ask what was yours when you say you're scared of failure is just because
30:47you don't like losing.
30:49That's the main thing.
30:50But I do know that it's part of the process to be successful.
30:55So I know failure is part of the problem.
30:58Okay.
30:59Yes.
31:00Part of a good problem.
31:01Part of a good problem to success.
31:02Okay.
31:03Yeah.
31:04What would you tell aspiring athletes, I would say athletes who are current right
31:09now, and then say one day when they have to retire, what would your advice be?
31:14I would say to be honest on that moment when you still feel that you maybe have that bit
31:23left to give, but then a part of a bigger part of you saying that it's time to stop, to hear
31:30it more deeply and to be a bit honest and asking that question is this time.
31:36And when it happens, it's okay to be emotional.
31:39It's okay to feel like you feel lost.
31:46Always talk about it.
31:47Talk to your friends, to people that are close to you.
31:51And then have that process of two years to really give yourself a chance to play the
31:56sport, enjoy it, go through the emotions, and then plan.
32:01So don't think about it and go, okay, it's time.
32:05Just give yourself a chance to play or go into that one year and start planning some things
32:13for yourself because the moment you go, okay, I'm done, is when you really are depleted.
32:20It's when you really have nothing left and that time is harder to plan things because
32:25you might be still on a low point because you have to deal with emotions.
32:29So take things a bit earlier.
32:31It's not difficult.
32:33It's not bad to say that there is a chance of that happening.
32:38It's just being honest.
32:39So being honest with yourself, not in denial that it's going to happen one day.
32:44Yeah.
32:45Take that time to make some plans and preparations and then it slowly, gradually will help you
32:51through your retirement.
32:53Okay.
32:54Nicole, I want to say thank you so much for coming on to the Pursuit of Progress.
32:58I hope everyone had time to pop and get all this information and insights on how they
33:04can also use the tools that you mentioned into their life.
33:07Again, thank you so much for putting us on the map.
33:11Thank you for giving us your entire, all your energy and everything and where you're at.
33:17I can't wait to see what's going to happen in three, five years.
33:20And we'll look out for Papa Legends, right?
33:23Yeah.
33:24Papa Legends, maybe.
33:25Yeah.
33:26To come.
33:27If people want to find out more about NDO, how can, where can they go?
33:30Well, they can go to our Instagram page as Nicole David Organization or they can go on our website.
33:37They call DavidOrganization.org and we are on LinkedIn as well.
33:43So just check us out.
33:45We are always updating all our exciting activities and a lot coming our way.
33:52And now she's got the tools of how to do a killer presentation.
33:55Thank you guys so much for being with us on the Pursuit of Progress.
34:00It's me, Lenora, and we'll see you in the next episode.
34:03Don't miss out.