Alisa Camplin: How I found my ‘why’

Your ‘why’ changes many times over the course of your life, depending on your opportunities, challenges and experiences. I think your ‘why’ is a deeply personal thing, and it can be the key to unlocking your motivation, your passion and your purpose. It helps you achieve your goals – whether they be career, family or health-related.

Sharing the story of my ‘why’ across sport, business and life is something I hope will inspire you to work towards finding yours.

My love for sport has grown organically throughout my life, but I developed my passion for it from a very young age. As a child, I was captivated watching Australia’s best elite athletes play sport at an international level. These athletes became my role models and I was filled with national pride when they were successful. They inspired me to find out just how good I could become.

I played all sorts of different sports at different levels growing up. At 19 years of age, I eventually found Aerial Skiing. I started out as a development athlete then, after a lot of hard work and perseverance, I made the National World Cup Team. My absolute sporting highlight was representing Australia at two Olympic Games, bringing home the gold medal from Salt Lake City in 2002 and then the bronze from Turin in 2006.

My ‘why’ in sport was quite deeply connected to my sense of identity, and my desire to become my ultimate best self. I wanted to leave no stone unturned and be able to look back on life and say, “I gave it everything and I have no regrets”. I needed to know I had the courage and strength within me to overcome the challenges and maximise all the opportunities that came my way. I was very fortunate to enjoy the pursuit of personal excellence through my great passion for sport and love of competition.

My professional ‘why’ has changed a lot over time. I’m still always working hard to continue growing into the best version of myself. Whether it be in sales, as a global business leader, a company director or in my philanthropic work, my ‘why’ comes from having a sense of achievement and a strong desire to deliver outcomes. But it’s not just what I deliver, it’s also having pride and integrity in how I deliver it.

A big part of what I do is working with other people, developing them to get the best out of themselves and each other. This gives me a huge sense of purpose and motivation.

Over the years, I’ve come to realise that I have the capacity to help people. I’m very passionate about using tools and techniques from sports psychology and positive psychology, as well as my experience as a leader in business, to help others. This is where you’ll find my ‘why’ right now.

I have the opportunity to give back to the world through ethical leadership, executive coaching, training and development programs, as an Ambassador, or even just supporting and cheering on those in my personal and professional networks. I find it deeply satisfying to make an impact on the world around me. Every day, I get out of bed focused on making a difference and knowing I get to help others along the way – which is a truly great way to live!

In saying that, I have also learnt (perhaps the hard way) that you do need to hold a little bit back for yourself. Sometimes I give so much to the world around me, I have to remember that part of the reason why I do all of the things that I do is for my family. In particular, I constantly strive to be a good role model for my children while also providing them with financial security. I deeply love my children, so when I leave to go to work, it’s imperative that I truly know why I’m doing what I’m doing. I feel fortunate that I do understand my ‘why’ and I believe in it with my whole being.

A former world champion aerial skier, Alisa Camplin made sporting history in 2002 as the first ever Australian woman to win gold at the Winter Olympics. After 18 years as a global corporate executive, Alisa now juggles a mix of sport, business, consulting, charity and governance roles. No stranger to physical and emotional trials, Alisa runs Resilience and High Performance programs to assist others in achieving their full potential. Awarded the prestigious Order of Australia medal, Alisa is passionate about mental wellbeing and helping people thrive. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as financial, medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a financial adviser or medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances.