Greatness isn’t about medals or rankings. It’s about showing up fully, embracing who you are, and meeting the moment with everything you’ve got.
How often do high performers and high achievers chase success but still feel like they’re falling short? Joanna Lohman, a former professional soccer player and performance igniter, knows that struggle firsthand. In this episode, she sits down with Zovig Garboushian to talk about breaking free from perfectionism and redefining what it really means to be great.
Joanna calls perfectionism the “anti-resilience,” a mindset that keeps people stuck in fear, comparison, and self-doubt. She shares how she moved beyond the pressure of external validation and found a deeper sense of fulfillment. Her journey offers a powerful lesson: success isn’t about chasing an impossible ideal. It’s about recognizing your own unique strengths, stepping fully into your role, and trusting that your contributions matter.
This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like they weren’t doing enough, despite giving everything they had. Joanna challenges listeners to rethink personal development, embrace the messy parts of growth, and shift their focus from being the best to showing up as their best.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction
01:35 The Concept of Being Great Without Being the Greatest
02:17 Joanna’s Soccer Career and Challenges
04:44 Personal Identity Crisis and Coming Out
07:03 Family Reactions and Self-Acceptance
09:45 Nomadic Soccer Career and Realizations
12:10 Acknowledging Greatness in the Journey
13:04 Team Dynamics and Individual Contributions
15:20 Letting Go of Comparisons and Embracing Individual Greatness
17:38 Compassion vs. Comparison
20:00 Performance-Based Identity and Its Pitfalls
24:20 The Importance of Self-Compassion
25:09 Evolving Identity and Self-Reflection
28:00 Challenging Limiting Beliefs and Rewriting Narratives
30:00 Aligning Identity with Values
34:04 Perfectionism vs. Excellence
38:15 Meeting the Demands of the Moment
41:25 Embracing Discomfort and Growth
44:02 Closing
Links
Connect with Joanna Lohman:
Website: https://joannalohman.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannalohman15/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannalohman/
Connect with Zovig Garboushian:
Website: www.boldnessablazecoaching.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoviggarboushian/
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