S4 E2: Breaking Records and Stereotypes with Ninja Warrior Jessie Graff

Episode Overview: “Sometimes it's really hard to convince yourself that you can do something until you've done it. It's okay to be afraid. It's okay to think that you're not strong enough as long as you try.”  Success doesn’t always have to mean reaching those big audacious goals. It can be as simple as wanting to be better than who you were or where you were yesterday. It’s alright to feel scared or second guess yourself; so long as you don’t give up, you will always have the power and choice to succeed. Joining me for this episode is stuntwoman and top Ninja Warrior competitor, Jessie Graff.  A champion is never without setbacks, both physical and emotional, but with Jessie’s drive to learn and grow, she continues to overcome them while shattering everyone else’s expectations, including her own. Jessie’s story is an inspiring one and I am excited to be able to share it with all of you so don’t forget to tune in!   Episode Highlights: Jessie’s early journey pursuing gymnastics to becoming a stunt double How she bounces back from pain and injury both physically and emotionally Seeing the upside of setbacks   The people she looks up to as her heroes Success shouldn’t be strictly defined by solely reaching a goal How she defied her own expectations as a Ninja Warrior Her advice for those who admire her   About the Guest: Jessie Graff, one of the top competitors on NBC's "American Ninja Warrior," is a modern-day Wonder Woman, breaking stereotypes and breaking records. Graff became the first woman to complete stage 1 of the “American Ninja Warrior” Las Vegas national finals in 2016, becoming a national sensation and breaking news phenomenon. In the original version of Ninja Warrior, “Sasuke”, she is the second woman to accomplish the same feat in season 34 of Sasuke, and she is still the only woman to complete stage 2 in any version of Ninja Warrior and Sasuke. Graff attributes much of her success on American Ninja Warrior's seemingly impossible obstacles to her decade-long stunt career. Her credits include Wonder Woman, Bright, G.I. Joe, Transformers, Die Hard, The Dark Knight, and being a recurring double on Supergirl, Futureman, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Leverage, and many more. She was awarded the Action Icon Award for "Stuntwoman of the Year." Graff's journey began at the age of three when she went to the Big Apple Circus and begged the ringmaster to let her try. The experience ignited a desire to fly high and push herself beyond others’ expectations. Her parents signed her up for circus gymnastics classes which led to training in various acrobatic and fitness disciplines, developing her strength, agility, and adaptability. Jessie currently lives in Los Angeles and hopes that she can serve as a positive influence and show the world that strong is beautiful.   Connect with Jessie: Website: jessiegraff.com  Twitter: @JESSIEgraffPWR Instagram: @jessiegraffpwr Facebook: Jessie Graff   Did you enjoy today’s episode? Please click here to leave a review for The 6%, with NancyMD. Be sure to subscribe to your favorite podcast app to get notified when a new episode comes out!   Do you know someone who might enjoy this episode? Share this episode to inspire and empower!   Let's get social! Instagram: @_nancymd Facebook: @nancymdpdx Twitter: @_nancymd LinkedIn: @nancyyenshipleymd Website: www.nancymd.com   Subscribe to The 6%, with NancyMD ++ Apple Podcasts ++ Spotify ++ Google Podcasts

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The 6% with NancyMD is dedicated to women thriving in traditionally male-dominated fields. As a female orthopaedic surgeon, I belong to the 6% that are women in this field - and thus the inspiration for the title. The birth of The 6% came about when I was at an airport and saw a female commercial airline captain. Though I didn't know her, I wanted to talk to her and ask her all about her life and path - and I wanted to hug her, knowing she likely experienced many of the same challenges that I had. I realized that across disciplines and careers, we have parallel experiences and struggles in following our passions. I hope that by sharing these stories, we will inspire the next generation of women surgeons, scientists, firefighters, engineers, CEOs. In The 6%, I talk to women about how they arrived at their careers, and the facets of their lives that brought them there. We talk about imposter syndrome, microagressions, barriers to entry, pay gap, mentoring, obstacles and failures - more importantly, how we get up from those failures. If you love stories grit, perseverence, resiliency, then The 6% is for you!