Alisa Camplin on her no regrets, anything is possible mentality

Regarded as one of Australia’s greatest ever aerial skiers, a respected executive, loving mum and AIA’s new mental wellbeing ambassador, Alisa’s story is one of greatness – but it hasn’t been without its challenges. Yet, the ‘no regrets’ commitment she first poured into her sport has gone on to underpin everything else in her life – with some outstanding results.

When pressed to name her singular greatest achievement, Camplin pauses. ‘You could say my greatest achievement was everything that it took – physically, mentally and spiritually – to get to the start gate at the Olympic Games; everything that came before that three-and-a-half-second jump,’ she answers.

It’s this emphasis on the journey rather than the moment that’s important to Camplin and her way of thinking.

‘There seems to be a societal trend towards attaining perfection, and only valuing outcomes, she says. ‘It’s a skewed focus on the pinnancle points in our life as the true definition of our worth. But I’m 42, and there has been so much more to my life than the shiny bits,’ she reasons.

‘It’s the journey that defines who you are. It’s the ups and downs, highs and lows and the hardships that you overcome along the way. It’s the resilience that you found, the personal growth and small wins that are the content of your story.’

Alisa is adamant that having multiple dimensions to life was critical to her sporting success. ‘My whole time as an athlete, when I was training and working towards my Olympic dream I was also finishing my university degree and beginning my coporate career,’ she says. ‘It was such a juggle, but I was applying the same level of planning and rigor that I was using to get to the Olympics to the advancement of my professional career.’

While training for the Olympics, Alisa completed a Bachelor of IT at Melbourne’s Swinburne University and began what would prove to be a long term and highly fruitful relationship with multinational tech giant, IBM. Today she runs her own company and holds a number of roles across sport, business, governance and philanthropy.

In 2011, Alisa would face arguably her biggest challenge to date when she and her partner Oliver experienced the devastating loss of their ten-day-old son Finnan to congenital heart disease. Believing in her heart that parenthood was still possible for her, Alisa is now the mother of two healthy young children.

However difficult the physical and mental challenges, Alisa’s realistic optimism, crafted alongside her careers, has proved a solid foundation from which to tackle life’s ebb and flow.

‘I wholeheartedly believe that better is always on the other side of wherever you’re at,’ she says. ‘I don’t expect life to be a smooth journey. I take time to enjoy the good bits but I also see the challenges as a way to learn and to grow. Better is always possible if you just keep taking one more step forward.’

Whatever the future has in store for Alisa will be met with that same burning drive that saw her conquering the slopes, the corporate ladder and family life, and we’re excited to have her on board as part of the OneLife family.

Staff writers come from a range of backgrounds including health, wellbeing, music, tech, culture and the arts. They spend their time researching the latest data and trends in the health market to deliver up-to-date information, helping everyday Australians live healthier lives. This is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances. The information in this article is general information only and is not intended as medical, health, nutritional or other advice. You should obtain professional advice from a medical or health practitioner in relation to your own personal circumstances