Welcome to a new episode of The Founder Podcast. Today, we're joined by a very special guest, Lashawn Merritt, a renowned American track star. From Portsmouth, Virginia, Merritt's journey to track and field stardom is inspiring. With numerous accolades, Merritt's performances in the 400-meter and 4x400-meter relay events have earned him Olympic gold medals and World Championships titles. Merritt's impact extends beyond athletics. He embodies resilience, discipline, and unwavering commitment to excellence. He's also dedicated to philanthropy and motivational speaking, uplifting individuals worldwide. Merritt is a 3x Olympic Champion, 8x World Champion, 4x Diamond League Final Winner, and 3x World Championships Silver Medalist. Join us as we dive deep into Merritt's journey, from humble beginnings to athletic greatness. Learn from his wisdom on navigating life's triumphs and transitions. Through Merritt's story, discover the power of belief and perseverance that will help you achieve your own personal greatness. Highlights: "Everybody has a light inside of them. I was fortunate enough to find one of my purposes early on in life." "We just focus on the controllable. How do I control the next few steps?" "I developed greatness through my isolation, positive affirmations within the inner voices that I had, the unconditional love for my parents, the great character, recipe for success." Timestamps: 02:35 - Early Years in Portsmouth 05:30 - Mentorship & Discipline 07:36 - Coping with Tragedy 09:43 - Discovering Track 13:28 - Transition to Pro Athlete 25:33 - Olympic Triumphs 46:11 - Focus on the Controllable 48:00 - Achieving Olympic Gold 49:14 - Gratitude for Support 52:51 - Building Relationships and Giving Back Live Links:  Join my community - Founder Acceleration ⁠https://www.founderacceleration.com ⁠ Apply for our next Mastermind:h⁠ttps://www.thefoundermastermind.com⁠  Golf with Chris h⁠ttps://www.golfwithchris.com⁠  Watch my latest Podcast Apple- ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-founder-podcast/id1687030281S⁠ Spotify- ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/1e0cL2vI1JAtQrojSOA7D2⁠ YouTube - @thefounderspodcast