#51 - Olympian Kyle Shewfelt on courage, confidence, and comeback
Today’s guest is Olympic Champion Kyle Shewfelt
Kyle is tackling the “toxic excellence” problem: how to pursue world-class performance without fear-based coaching, emotional harm, or unsafe culture—by building athlete-driven, supportive environments where people can grow, fail, and thrive.
In today’s conversation Kyle Shewfelt explores what it takes to build a healthy, high-performing life after the biggest moments—Olympic gold, devastating injuries, and the emotional crash that can follow achievement. He and Dr. Wells unpack how stress shows up in the body, why perspective is a practice, and how creating space (even sitting alone in a car) can restore clarity and leadership. Kyle also makes a powerful case for safe sport—pushing hard with dignity, respect, and kindness—so athletes can reach the top in a positive way.
You will learn practical ways to interrupt “fight-or-flight” when pressure spikes—by getting out of your head and into your body. You will learn how Kyle thinks about leadership during uncertainty, including the value of protecting time and space so you can show up better for others. You will learn what “athlete-driven, parent/coach-supported” development looks like—and why it matters for both performance and long-term wellbeing. You will learn the cultural ingredients of safer, healthier sport environments that still produce excellence.
You will discover that the fastest way back to calm isn’t more thinking—it’s noticing your body’s signals (jaw, chest, tension), then using breath and a quick change in environment to reset your physiology.
Kyle helps you solve the challenge of staying optimistic, steady, and constructive through setbacks—without losing themselves (or their culture) in fear, control, and reactivity.
Key take aways:
Notice when your “elevator” is going up.
Create space before you try to lead.
Get out of your head, into your body.
Excellence can coexist with dignity, respect, and kindness.
Athlete-driven + supported beats fear-based coaching.
“If you have dignity, respect, and kindness, you can still be tough.”
Today’s guest is Olympic Champion Kyle Shewfelt
Kyle Shewfelt is Canada’s most successful artistic gymnast: a three-time Olympian (2000, 2004, 2008) and 2004 Olympic gold medalist on floor exercise—Canada’s first Olympic medal in artistic gymnastics. After retiring from competition, he became a gymnastics broadcaster/analyst, speaker, and founder of Kyle Shewfelt Gymnastics in Calgary, focused on building community through the “magic of gymnastics.”
Kyle’s work sits at the intersection of high performance, safe sport, and human development. He’s distinct because he doesn’t separate winning from wellbeing—he shows how athletes (and leaders) can pursue excellence with supportive coaching, permission to fail, and a culture built on respect. That blend of Olympic-level experience + practical community-building gives his message credibility and real-world usefulness.
Use Kyle’s “Elevator Check + Space Reset”: when you feel yourself climbing toward stress (tight jaw/chest, racing mind), name it out loud, remove yourself for 2–5 minutes (walk, car, quiet corner), and do slow nasal breathing until your body softens—then re-enter the conversation or decision from a calmer state.
12. and 13. Follow Kyle on Instagram & Linked In.
14. Check out his website.
This podcast contains advice and information relating to health and wellness. It should be used to supplement rather than replace the advice of your doctor or another trained health professional. If you know or suspect that you have a health problem, seek your physician’s advice before embarking on any medical program or treatment. All efforts have been made to assure the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast / interview / article as of the date of publication. The author and publisher disclaim liability for any medical or other outcomes that may occur as a result of applying the methods suggested in this material.
