From Obscurity to Olympic Gold: One Mindset Shift Changed Everything

What if the moment you thought you were done... was actually the beginning?

Dalilah Muhammad—Olympic gold medalist, world record holder, and one of the greatest 400m hurdlers in history—was ready to walk away from the sport. After years of underperforming and falling short of expectations, she told herself she didn’t want it anymore.

Until one race, one phone call, and one uncomfortable realization changed everything.

In this conversation, Dalilah shares the exact mental shift that turned her from an unranked athlete into a world record holder. It wasn’t about talent. It wasn’t about toughness. It was about finally being honest about what she really wanted—and going all-in on it.

She opens up about:

• The moment she almost quit for good—and why she didn’t
• The decision to stop hedging and fully commit
• What pressure feels like when you’re expected to win
• How she learned to control nerves, reframe fear, and trust preparation

If you've ever felt stuck… second-guessed yourself… or let fear talk you out of going all in—this one is for you.

Connect with Dalilah:

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dalilahmuhammad_/

Follow me for more:

🌐 Website: www.toughness.com

📸 Instagram: @paddysgram

💼 LinkedIn: Paddy Steinfort

✖️ X (Twitter): @paddysx

Transcript:

[00:00:00] Dalilah Muhammad: I always felt the pressure. I always felt the nerves, but I always pushed through anyway. I just grabbed inspiration and motivation from just little things in my life that keep me going every single day. So I think so much we look at the bigger picture and we look at the end goal, but it's the ability really to just do it day by day to take those necessary things that you need to do on a daily basis. For me, it's just like if I feel prepared, then I can handle it.

[00:00:32] Paddy Steinfort: Welcome to the Toughness Podcast. I'm your host, Paddy Steinford, and today pulling on from Olympic success and one of the specials that we had on this show, we've got a, a great guest that fits not only the theme of Olympic champions, but also embodies toughness in her journey to the top and everything that she's gone through along the way.

And I'll try not to use the pun hurdles too many times. Dalilah Muhammad is a world champion and Olympic champion. Multiple gold medals in each of those areas. Also, has been a world record holder and a trailblazer in many ways, and I can't wait to dig into your story. Welcome to the show, Dalilah. 

[00:01:08] Dalilah Muhammad: Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm looking forward to it. 

[00:01:11] Paddy Steinfort: Yeah, really cool. I think when a mutual friend of ours raised your name, when he knew the type of show that we run here and he said, you would be a great guest. I was like, yeah, sure. It's great to have Olympians on. But then he told me a little more about your background, your upbringing, and what you've been doing repeatedly now at multiple Olympic games.

And I was like, oh yeah, this is gonna be really cool. And he knows you, I think, from New York circles, but you grew up in Jamaica, Queens, New York. Right? And, so tell us how a young girl. Running around the blocks of Jamaica, Queens, ends up running around a 400-meter hurdle course and winning gold medals.

[00:01:45] Dalilah Muhammad: So honestly, that's literally how I got started just running around Jamaica, Queens. I was just like that type of kid that was just very, very active. I was definitely a little bit of a tomboy when I was very, very young, and my first coach ever just discovered me from literally racing the boys in the park.

And he just kind of acts like, no, beg my mother for me to join the track team. And that's literally how I got started. It took a couple tries for my mother to kind of, you know, allow me to be on the track team. But after that, I just been running ever since. 

[00:02:16] Paddy Steinfort: I've read a little bit of your background that there was talk early on of your mom wasn't necessarily that keen on you taking on the hurdles in particular. So, she gave in and let you go and do the track stuff, but she wasn't keen on the hurdles 'cause she thought might, you might hurt yourself. Talk us through that. How did you, are you convincing or your coach or? 

[00:02:31] Dalilah Muhammad: So when I was young, she kind of just put us in all races, all events. She kind of taught us how to do every single thing. I've hurdled, I've high jumped. I even did a race walk once. But the first time I ever did hurdles, I fell, and I came home with the scars. I think I, no, I still have the scars to kind of show you that, that fall. So I fell over the hurdles that day and I came home. I told my mother what happened, and like she like marched to the track the next day.

Like my daughter's not doing hurdles like anymore. That's that of that. And then after that, just me and my coach, he would just tell me like, okay, just don't tell your parents. We're gonna keep doing it. Because I wanted to also. But also it's just like. They'll come around. That was his idea and his mentality, his attitude towards it. And eventually my parents did come around and. Yeah, I've been hurdling since then, ever since. 

[00:03:18] Paddy Steinfort: And so that's a great metaphor for getting started in your journey, fallen over and like literally for you take taking on those same hurdles again. How old were you at that point? 

[00:03:27] Dalilah Muhammad: Man, I was probably about 10 years old.

[00:03:30] Paddy Steinfort: Okay. So at the age of 10, maybe we don't know much better, but you obviously you fell and you hurt yourself. Has that been your attitude generally throughout life? Like you just dust yourself off and go again? 

[00:03:39] Dalilah Muhammad: I think it has. I don't think at a young age I understood that mentality, but for me also, it was just. All my friends was doing it. I didn't wanna be the one that couldn't. I think that was like my mindset growing as a very young child. It was like watching other people do. It always inspired me. Since I was on a track team, a club team, there were so many other kids that did hurdles and I always had this mentality of wanting to be the best.

So to me it was like, yeah, I fell. I, I'm really hurt right now, but I'm not gonna like show them or let them see it. It's just like, let's get back up and keep going. 

[00:04:10] Paddy Steinfort: Yeah. We asked this of all of our guests and I'll be curious to. Here how it applies in your experience. When you think about your, obviously the childhood growing up, getting into track, you've gone to multiple Olympics, you're a world champion, record holder , world record holder. I can list off all the achievements and I'll keep referring back to it 'cause it's pretty cool. But in all that experience, plus just living life. What does toughness mean to you? 

[00:04:35] Dalilah Muhammad: I think it is about just having that perseverance and that ability to keep going when things do get tough. That kind of ability to really put things into perspective and the ability to not only put things into perspective, but to put things in perspective to the ability to be able to reach your goals, to just compartmentalize exactly what you're doing, what's holding you back, what's that fear, and being able to really distinguish what that is and.

To be able to really push through it. So for me it's just about having that perseverance, the showing up every day, even when things get hard, and yeah. And just your commitment to it. 

[00:05:11] Paddy Steinfort: Yeah. Yeah. You mentioned there that also the recognition of fear in some instances is like being okay to have fear, but still do your stuff. Anyway, we'll circle back to that. I just wanted to flag it 'cause I know that's gonna come up later on. Tell us about the first time in that you've discovered that you're a good runner, or maybe someone spotted that you're a good runner 'cause you've beaten the boys. And then you get into hurdles, you trick your parents, and all of a sudden, they're okay with it.

As you start to progress along, where's the first time you stumble on it? You actually have a metaphorical hurdle on your journey to eventually to win gold at the Olympics and the world championships. But somewhere along the line, like as you hit real competition, what's your first hurdle on that journey?

[00:05:51] Dalilah Muhammad: I mean, there were a lot, there was definitely a lot growing up. I. I remember, it's so funny because a story that really hit with me recently was the Simone Biles. When she had the twisty, she talked about it. I had that once, and I think in track and field, we don't call it that, but I remember at a very young age, I used to do the high jump.

So this is even before I did hurdles. I was actually a better high jumper growing up, but there came to a point where I can no longer jump over the bar. I remember I would run up to the bar. And it would like, like a fear. I didn't know what it was. I think as you got older, the bar gets higher, and if anybody's familiar with the high jump, the event where you're literally going until you fail.

So I think having that behind your mind, it's like you, at some point you have to fail in this event. And so for me, it didn't sit comfortable with me, so it got to a point where I no longer would jump. I'd go up to it and I'd just keep running around the bar every single time. And I was only about. 14 years old when this happened, but that was like the first time that something was a mental block for me that I, I didn't, so it was very similar when that thing happened with Simone, it kind of reminds me of that situation and it put things into perspective for me.

Like, wow, is that what was happening to me at such a young age? And I remember just my coach just taking me away from the event and just giving me time to just relax and he actually changed my approach. So I used to high jump from the left side, and maybe I took like a couple months off and he had me go from the right side.

And that kind of just having a different perspective coming up to the bar gave me the ability to be able to jump over it again. So that's just kind of like one like quick little story that I can think of. So I think something that just really. A real, I would say fallback I had was in college. That's when I come from being very, almost one of the top recruits out of high school, and going into college, it was really, really difficult for me.

I no longer, I think kinda just being in the atmosphere where you're no longer the best and you kind of have to really work for it. And I just really struggled in college. I think that was like the biggest hurdle, I guess as you would call it, in my life at that point in time and just. Just not really being, living up to like, I guess, the expectations that I had.

[00:08:03] Paddy Steinfort: Right, right. Let me, let me grab, I'm gonna take both of those stories and smash 'em in together and make 'em one like your coach when you were 14 and you got stuck running up the bar and you just wouldn't, you couldn't do, couldn't make yourself do it even though you might've wanted to. He gave you some space, and then he changed.

You came at it from a different angle. Was there a part of college where you've gone in there, you've gotten a little stuck or weighed down by the expectations? I. What was it that helped you get through that? Was there a different angle or a different way you looked at things? How did that evolve? 

[00:08:33] Dalilah Muhammad: I think it did. For me, unfortunately, it took maybe out of college, like my first, my last race in college. For me to kind of look at things from a different angle, a different perspective. I think like when I got to college, I got stuck in this mindset that I no longer wanted it, that I wasn't performing to the ability that I wanted for myself.

So I convinced myself. That I no longer wanted to run. I no longer cared about track and field. God must have another plan for me because this is just not working out. And it wasn't until my last race in college, it was actually at the Olympic trials. I'm a senior, and it was 2012 Olympic trials, and I remember just.

Not advancing to the semifinals. So I was eliminated in the very first round, and I remember just the overwhelming sadness that I had. And, but going into this race, I knew I, I had the mindset, this is my last college race. I was gonna get a job after this move on from running, and that was it. And I was completely fine with it.

But I think just having that overwhelming feeling of sadness, it made me realize how much I really wanted this and I was having. Called me after the race and she was just like, you know, a simple question. She was just like, what happened? And for her, she literally just wanted to know like, how did the race go?

I was eliminated from that race in Olympic trials the very first round. And that simple question, I think I just took it so much deeper than what she even meant it to me. It was literally like, what happened to the last four years of your life? And that's how I took it. I'm like expressing my frustration with her on the phone and she was just like a little bit puzzled.

But also, I guess it changed my idea. It made me realize how much I wanted this and how much fear had become a factor, and how much, and it made me feel undone. I. And that there was something left in the tank, and I had to go forward, and I had to address those feelings and just give myself another chance.

[00:10:25] Paddy Steinfort: Wow. That's a really cool, I'm sure you didn't think it was cool at the time, but that's a really cool transformation story where you've actually, the hurdle that's knocked you down and could've finished you potentially made you like it changed. Would you say you changed your motivation and your application from then on?

[00:10:41] Dalilah Muhammad: It did. I think it gave me the motivation that I needed. I definitely, just having that different perspective, it made me see things and I guess how the reality of what the situation actually was. I was upset. I think, you know, well, not even, I know I was upset that I just wasn't performing to what the expectations that I had for myself and I wanted to, but whatever reasons it wasn't working out in college. Yeah, it just gave me that motivation, that extra push that I needed to really find a new gear, so to speak. 

[00:11:11] Paddy Steinfort: And that ability, are you finding that new gear with some extra motivation, that was an innocent question from your mother, but turned out to be the trigger, so to speak? We asked this of a lot of our guests too.

Tell us what's a key trait of people in your area, obviously, to become an Olympic champion or to even make the Olympics, you need to have a high level of motivation. But beyond that, what do you think is something that makes an Olympic champion to be able to deal with everything, all the hurdles along the way to eventually getting on that podium?

[00:11:41] Dalilah Muhammad: Well, if you ask a famous coach, Brooks, who says you have to be a little bit crazy, and I think I agree. Ultimately, I think it's the ability to just compartmentalize. I think so much when we look at the bigger picture and we look at the end goal, but it's the ability really to just do it day by day to take those necessary things that you need to do on a daily basis.

It's waking up, right? It's being able to do your workout. In that moment just being focusing on the little goals and not so much. Yes, you always wanna have that bigger picture be in your mind and you know what you're working towards, but your everyday life should just focus on the little things and the little things that you can't accomplish, and the little goals that you can set every single day.

[00:12:22] Paddy Steinfort: Love it. I, this, I think it's setting me up for this question that, so shout out to our, uh, mutual friend Chris Hollen. He suggested I ask you this. Now, I have no idea where this is leading, but I think this might be tied into what you just said about going away from the bigger picture and just focus in on what's right in front of you. He said, make sure you ask her about what a track coach told her. When she broke the world record the last time, just before you stepped onto the track. 

[00:12:49] Dalilah Muhammad: Oh man. Now I feel like he's putting me on the spot. Oh my 

[00:12:52] Paddy Steinfort: God. Chris, you've set me up. 

[00:12:53] Dalilah Muhammad: I think. Okay, before I broke the world record, what did my coach say? I don't actually remember. I'm not even gonna, because we have so many moments between us that we talk about it constantly, but I did speak about this, the general idea of our relationship that I feel is so special. And I think that's just the belief that I feel like he has in me and that trust that I have in him.

And for me, I think before breaking that world record for the first time, I remember just looking at him and looking for his reassurance. And it's just like he gave it to me without question. It wasn't even anything he said, but more just the look. And it was just like I knew I can do it, and that's just all I needed.

And it's just like we have that relationship where we can feed off each other, but we bounce. Oh, we just give each other like what the other person needs, and I love that about us, that coach athlete relationship, and yeah, for me it's always just being able to kind of reach like these crazy, crazy goals.

Sometimes you have to let go, and I think that's, that sounds weird 'cause sometimes it seems like you wanna be all in, but sometimes it's like letting go, giving another person. So there's not that, not so much control, but letting another person lead you and to reach even bigger goals that you thought wasn't even possible.

And I feel like that's our relationships has been letting someone else lead or just playing your role. I'm the runner, he's the coach. And yeah, it just, it works for us and just really giving me that reassurance I guess I needed in that moment. 

[00:14:23] Paddy Steinfort: That's an an awesome example of one of the common things that comes up here. People look at people at famous people or successful people like yourself, some of the other celebrities or superstars we've had on the show. And they're like, oh wow, Dalilah Muhammad. She must be like a, she's different than us. Right. And you are a little bit like he said, you've gotta be a little crazy to do what you do.

But you know, Shaquille O'Neal, he must be different. Yeah. He's seven foot and 300 pounds and there's like, people are different. But there's one common theme is that no one ever gets to where they're getting with by themselves. There's always people who have helped them, who have supported them, who sometimes lead them when they need leading or direction or guidance or reassurance.

How did you discover that, like? At what point did you and that coach meet? Or was there someone like that previously as well? Like has that been a consistent theme for you? 

[00:15:10] Dalilah Muhammad: It hasn't. I think for me in college that wasn't the case. It's like you're trying to do every single part. I'm a true believer that you need a team around you. That's why, you know, our mutual friend, I'm still happy to have found him in my life. It's just that mutual, I mean that team. That allows us to be able to do what we do. I think in college I was trying to play every single role, and that could be a factor. When I found my current coach, it was in 2016, so a couple years I had already graduated from college.

It was an Olympic year, and I remember just thinking like I had a great couple years back as a professional athlete, but I, I was kind of falling off and I wasn't really where I wanted to be. And for me it was making that coaching change and it was Olympic year also. And I remember just thinking, I wanna win gold.

I was like the mindset where I was going with it, and it was just kind of like, how do I do it? And I couldn't come up with an answer. So it was just, I think it was in that moment where it was just like, I know I need to change coaches. What's next after that? I know I need to do this, but all the things on the track, I just didn't have any answers anymore.

For me, especially coming from being a really good runner as a child, I felt like, I'm like, I did everything I do, everything I can do on the track, and it's not enough. At least that's how my mindset was at the time. And so it's just like, what else can I do? And I, oh, I need 

[00:16:31] Paddy Steinfort: someone who knew. 

[00:16:32] Dalilah Muhammad: Yeah. And I needed someone who knew, and it was just like, let me trust this person knows, and for. It was just kind of like, I'm gonna say yes to every single thing that he tells me to do, and I literally did that. I think from it working out so well in 15. In 2014, I wasn't ranked in the world. In 2016, I won Olympic gold. So I think from it being such a drastic change in my life, such having such drastic success, it was just like this is the formula that is drastic.

[00:17:02] Paddy Steinfort: Can you like, okay, I'm gonna dig in here in a selfish way because I'm currently interview in my role with a, an international football federation. I'm currently interviewing. For a new head coach for the national team to take them to the Olympics when they go. And uh, one of the questions that we've been asking that we really don't get great answers from people who've never been there is what does it take to win an Olympic gold medal?

And this is at a team level, right? There's a lot of things that go in on it. You just described, like you went from unranked to gold medalist at the Olympics in a year or in two years, but wow, that's crazy. So what would you say if I asked you that question, and you were interviewing, what's your answer?

What does it take to win a gold medal at the Olympics? I. 

[00:17:45] Dalilah Muhammad: What we talked about at a team, I think having people that inspire you around you, I mean your team needs to be, has that coach. You need to have those people around you that inspire you and those people that push you. I think for me, that made a huge change, a huge difference, being completely committed, and that commitment, I think that's the hardest part for people.

Honestly. For me, it was just in that moment, I wanted it so bad that literally every single thing that. I felt achieved my goal I said yes to, and every single thing that did it, I said no. And it was just like a clear line. Am I gonna go do this tonight knowing I have to go to practice? No, I'm gonna get the sleep that I need.

And so for me it was just that, that 100% being committed, and that includes like the diet and those little things that you just like all the little things matter. Yeah. That into commitment. Obviously you need to be motivated that it's gonna be hard, that motivation needs to be there. But I think motivation, we always look at it as like this, what motivates you?

And so this huge thing, motivation, could be so simple. Motivation could be today I'm motivated because I had a great conversation with my sister last night that like I just grabbed inspiration and motivation from just little things in my life that keep me going. Every single day. So for me, I guess those are like the really big things, and honestl,y your work ethic.

And for me that kind of goes in with commitment and motivation. But yeah, definitely work ethic has to be there. 

[00:19:14] Paddy Steinfort: Yeah. Yeah. I think that like you, the fact that you started with the team, number one was interesting. 'cause I always say performance starts with people. You can have all the other things, right?

But there's. The human side of it, having the team or the family around you, but then the very next thing you said, yep. Work, you eventually said work ethic and motivation, and goals, blah, blah, blah, blah. Yep, sure. But the first thing you said was commitment, and it's a really interesting answer. It's come up regularly and it actually does.

It's almost a leading one. Once you have that, once you are all in, there's no, I'm not negotiating on where I have a burger tonight. I'm not negotiating on whether I sleep or not. It's like. I'm here to win a gold medal. When you go to the Olympics and it's just about gonna, the Olympics, that's one mindset.

And when you're going to win, that's really different. And let's talk for a moment about being in an Olympic final, because you've been in a couple now more than a couple, and not all of them have been successful, right? But you get to that moment, and then there's no going back. We talk about this a lot.

I've talked about it with people who do emergency medicine, the chief flight operator of NASA. Navy Seals, like people from New York Fire Department, people who do things where like, all right, we're about to step into this situation and if this screws up someone fucking dies, right? It's not gonna happen to you as an Olympic medalist, but all the work you've put in, it's all for nothing if this doesn't work.

So as you are getting ready for that, is there something that sets you apart from others where you're able to like sit in that situation and just feel like, all right. I'm gonna go up gear or I'm just calm and everyone else is losing their shit. What is it for you in those moments, that clutch element that people talk about?

[00:20:51] Dalilah Muhammad: I always didn't believe that was a thing, to be honest. I, I never, or at least I didn't believe that I had it. I guess I would say, I think for me, I. I'll tell you until this one moment. But you know, it's funny you mention that thing just about, it's a different mindset that you have breaking a world record and trying to run away win a race.

And that's so very, very true. There's been so countless times I'm looking at my coach and I'm like, do you want me to run fast or do you want me to win? And you know, and I was just like, what? What's the goal here? And this is like. Early in the season when we're trying to just work on things. 'Cause to me those are not the same and he'll give me an answer.

It's funny enough we have that understanding, we have that relationship where he knows exactly what I mean and he understands that there is a difference because sometimes I guess you, some athletes are fortunate enough to go out there, win a raise, and it pro it might not be to their best of their ability.

But yeah, I guess that's another topic, but I think this, this clutch thing that we talk about. So once, uh, since I was in a very small fender bender in LA, and I remember that moment, like everything slowed down for me. I. And I was like, when I was, and it was just like I hit the horn. It was just like so many things felt like the time slowed down for me, and it was just like I kind of maneuvered the car in a certain way and kind of made it so it was just like a very small fender bit rather than a huge accident.

And I remember being on the phone with the insurance company, and she's like, I'm like telling her the story, and she's kind of kind of being like snarky with me. Like, all of this happened in matter of 10 seconds and you can recall it. I'm like, yeah, I'm telling you what happened. And I was just like, okay, whatever.

She thinks I'm lying, but okay, whatever on, because it clearly wasn't my fault anyway. And I remember telling my coach this story too. I was late for practice that day and I was like, I was explaining to my coach. Why I was late and I guess the amount of detail that I recalled in that moment of what happened in those, that it was less than 10 seconds.

Probably a split like a second, and him just saying, oh, because you have that clutch gene, and I'm just like, okay. Like whatever. Mm-hmm. But. I guess it reminded me of being a little girl too. So I think, I do think some people are born with it, and I guess if that's one thing I guess I'll own up to, I do feel like I've always been that way as a child when things got difficult, I always felt the pressure.

I always felt the nerves, but I always pushed through anyway. And it was just so funny because I think as a child I used to win a lot of races and for, but for whatever reason, I always felt like I got lucky. Like I felt like I got lucky when I ran that race. Or I would just tell 'em, oh, I got lucky. And it wasn't until I got older that I realized how much that ability to push through nerves makes a difference.

Because as a young child, I never truly wasn't always the fastest. I always worked hard, but I never really was the fastest. But I always somehow would win a lot of races. And for me, I didn't realize until I got older, it was because of my ability to just work well under pressure. So. It wasn't never that like, so as a child though, you're thinking about that, it's just like, oh, I get lucky.

[00:24:01] Paddy Steinfort: Yeah, you just do it. Right. So, back then, when you were a kid, you were just naturally doing it. You just like that kid who just gets on the piano and starts tapping out, and I, okay, show off. But now that you are older and you've been under pressure. When you go in, particularly to your second Olympics, or you've won the Olympic gold and now you're supposed to win the world championship, so it's different pressure, right?

You've gone from unranked to Olympic gold medalist, and then three years later you're at the world champs. People are looking at you like, oh, she's supposed to win. So when you're supposed to win and you are getting ready there behind the blocks, you line up, all the hurdles are laid out in front of you.

Obvious pressure. And now you're aware of it. You're not just an innocent little kid who's just like, oh, I'm just gotta run. Right. How did you handle that? 

[00:24:38] Dalilah Muhammad: I think I just accepted that it was part of the sport. It is part of the job. I think that's really what that made that factor. I'm not as nervous as I used to be, even with all of those accolades.

And you think that it's probably the opposite, but for me it was just like that preparation work and that kind of settles my nerves. It's just for me, it's just like if I feel prepared. Then I can handle it. It's when I don't feel prepared that I'm nervous, but if I'm prepared, no matter what the situation, no matter what the accolades are, no matter if I'm ranked number one, whatever the situation is.

Me feeling prepared. I think that kind of cuts the nerves for me. It cuts just that anxiety and the pressure, and honestly, I think I just tell myself that I can do this. It is really just that simple. I think it's just like you work for this in the moment it's here. It's just every little doubt that I have in my head.

I try to make into something positive, I'll talk about it. I'll have that like negative thought that comes across in your head, and I'll just flip it and it sounds maybe, I don't know what's the word I'm looking for, but Too simplistic. Yeah. It's just real simplistic and almost like, no. Yeah. Do people actually do that?

And it's like, yeah, I literally do that. And do I think it makes a difference? Yeah, I really do. 

[00:25:56] Paddy Steinfort: Yeah. That's cool. I say sometimes some of the things that I work on with performances will end up saying that it's simple. It's not easy though. Simple and easy aren't the same thing. It's a very simple thing to do, but particularly in tough times, hard to do.

I wanna flip now to, we talked about having a team around you, right? And part of the team are the people who support you. Part of the team are the coach who guides you sometimes like tougher than others. But there there's a few of those that sometimes part of the team that people might not even know, like you might have had a hero that you looked up to growing up. Once you got serious about your track. Was there someone that you looked at and you were like, I wanna be like that person? 

[00:26:35] Dalilah Muhammad: Yeah. I think there had been multiple people in my life. I think as I've gotten older. As my goals have changed, that person has changed. But yeah, I think it's definitely been people that I've looked up to from a small little girl.

I remember this girl on my track team, Nina Cate, she was the first person in our group to get a scholarship to go to college. And I remember thinking like, wow, like I wanna do that. Like you can do that. You can get a scholarship to like run track. And she went to a major university, University of Florida.

So I remember thinking like that was like the first person in our track, my group that I remember like really looking up to. There's been Allyson Felix, some people that you'll know like her just in different parts of my life. Just like, wow, Allison's been able to do this. And I think you know her in particular because she's done it for so long, and I think some people don't realize how hard it is.

And I, I never realized how hard it is. I think I thought you get to a point where you're like so good where you just don't have work anymore. And it's just that's not true at all. Every step is actually harder. And so to see that and to know that and then see how long she's been able to be in the sport and to perform at such a high level, it's honestly ridiculous.

So I think her especially has just been those people that just motivate you. And they don't even know it. 

[00:27:49] Paddy Steinfort: Yeah. And that's a, like you mentioned two examples there of having the hero that you might look up to. One is someone who makes it seem possible. You're like, oh wow, I can do that. Like she can do that.

Maybe I can do that. And then the other is someone who sets a bar that like you have to chase. I had a coach once who said, every runner needs something to chase. Someone to chase. Two great examples there for you now in your position with what you've already achieved and still so much more to come, you now are that person to some other young girls, right?

And you can, I can see you smiling and being humble on me like, oh, sharks. But that's true. Now, some of them might not end up, in fact, most of them because it's pretty rare what you've done. Will end up on a podium at Olympic Games, or even making an Olympic games or even getting scholarships to a college.

Right. But some of what you talk about and the examples you set can be applied to just life in general, whether it's at school, whether it's in relationships, whatever. What would you say is the simplest takeaway you talk about from your own journey that you would say to a young 14-year-old girl in Jamaica, Queens, now who looks up to you that you think actually applies to life, not just running.

[00:28:52] Dalilah Muhammad: Yeah. And that's so true. It's like my journey is not going to look like every single person, and that's okay. 'cause for me it's never funny enough. Yes, I always wanted to win a a gold medal, but for me it is just something that was inner inside me that I just wanted follow. And I think that inner voice we all have and that.

It can be applied to anything. I think the most important thing in life is just to listen to that inner voice that tells us kinda where to go in life and what our goals are. That was just one talent that I had and I excelled at, but that's gonna look different for somebody else and whatever. For me, I think it's just that inner voice being able. Be crazy enough to follow it. 

[00:29:32] Paddy Steinfort: That's really cool. I like that. Be crazy enough to follow it. I want to take that note, and we'll start to wrap up the show shortly, but particularly talking about that intuition, crazy enough to follow it and having your own goals, like chasing after what you want. What is it you want now?

Like you've literally achieved everything that you can achieve as a track star, right? You've got world record, world champion Olympic champion medals coming. So four world champions, two goals, three Olympic, two goals. These medals? Like now what? 

[00:30:01] Dalilah Muhammad: I think I'm still listening to that voice. Honestly, it is just been like, what's next? I think for me right now, I definitely, it means something to me to give back to our sport and to just continue to set an example. There are still track goals that I would like to achieve. But also it's just like that next step in life and I feel like I am reaching that next step. I think there needs to be some changes within our sport, and for me, it's just like, at least in my journey, I felt like it was hard to find people that were willing to make those changes that need to happen within our sport, and especially for women.

So for me it was just, for now, it's like you have this voice. You have these accomplishments, what happens next? How do you use them? So for me, I think it is, I don't exactly know all the right steps yet, but for me it's definitely just continuing to follow that voice and to make those changes within our sport.

[00:30:51] Paddy Steinfort: Awesome to hear. I'm sure you'll be, you'll succeed at that. Just like you, you've dominated the tracker for a number of years now, from sharing your story as a, as a young track athlete who fell over a hurdle and then wanted to get back up and again from a angle. Being fully committed, having a team around you, and then like you said, following that dream, listening to what's inside.

You're an amazing example of toughness in action, and so I want to thank you for coming on, Dalilah, it's been fantastic. Who want to follow your story a little closer or who wanna just follow you in general? What's the best way for 'em to track you down? Excuse pun was saying track, but there it was.

[00:31:26] Dalilah Muhammad: Instagram. Instagram, definitely. That's my most active social media. @dalilahmuhammad. You can just stop, follow me there. Just that. That's really it. I don't have Twitter. I don't do the Snapchat, so yeah, just Instagram. 

[00:31:39] Paddy Steinfort: Nice. Nice and thanks so much for being on here and good luck with what's coming up in the future. Appreciate you being here. 

[00:31:47] Dalilah Muhammad: Thank you.