I realized I love motivating and I love empowering and I love

Hear these radiant words of Dominique Dawes, champion of both body and spirit: “I realized I love motivating and I love empowering and I love inspiring people. I did that as an athlete for 18 years, and I am able to do that as a motivational speaker now as well as doing work on television.” This is no idle boast, but the testimony of a soul who has lived her calling twice over—first in the arena of sport, and now in the arena of words and example. For true greatness is not confined to one stage; it endures wherever the heart chooses to serve.

Dawes speaks of motivation, empowerment, and inspiration as if they are treasures unearthed through a lifetime of labor. In her long years as an athlete, she bore witness to the truth that victory is not only medals and applause, but the power to lift others by example. Every leap upon the balance beam, every vault through the air, was not hers alone—it was a torch held high for young dreamers who watched, believing that they too could rise. And when her athletic journey ended, she did not lay down the torch. Instead, she chose to carry it into new realms, becoming a motivational speaker and a guide through the voice of media.

This echoes the ancient cycle of the warrior who becomes the sage. In olden times, the young fought battles, enduring hardship to protect their people. But when the years of combat ended, the warrior did not fade away. Instead, they taught the next generation, passing on wisdom gained through sweat and struggle. So it is with Dawes: once a warrior of gymnastics, she now becomes a sage of resilience, teaching others not through flips and routines, but through words and presence. She is proof that life offers many stages for service, and the end of one chapter is only the beginning of another.

Consider the life of Jesse Owens, who defied the false gods of hatred in the Berlin Olympics of 1936. His four gold medals were not only triumphs of athletic power—they were messages to the world about dignity, equality, and courage. Long after the races were over, his story continued to inspire millions who would never step onto a track. In the same way, Dawes reminds us that the impact of an athlete, or of any person, does not vanish when the competition ends. The true legacy is in the hearts that are stirred, the lives that are changed, the courage that is awakened.

What Dawes declares also speaks of transformation: the realization that one’s calling is not bound to a single identity. She was an athlete, yes, but now she is also a speaker, a voice on television, a presence in the world of motivation. Her journey proclaims that our roles may shift, but our purpose—to inspire, to empower, to serve—remains the same. Those who cling only to the past fade; those who embrace new paths continue to shine. She chose to continue the work of lifting others, simply through new forms.

The lesson here is both simple and profound: whatever stage of life you stand upon, you can choose to motivate, empower, and inspire. You need not be an athlete or a celebrity to do so. In your workplace, in your family, among your friends, you can be a source of strength and light. Do not believe that influence is limited to grand platforms; the most powerful inspiration often flows from ordinary lives lived with courage and authenticity.

And so, O listeners, let Dawes’s words sink deep into your spirit: do not let your talents die with one season of life. Transform them. Carry them into new arenas. Use your experiences not only to celebrate your own journey, but to awaken the journeys of others. In every leap you once took, in every hardship you once endured, there lies a story that can guide another soul. Share it. Speak it. Live it. For in doing so, you become like Dominique Dawes: one whose greatness does not fade, but multiplies, echoing across generations.

Thus let it be remembered: true champions are not those who only win medals, but those who turn their lives into lasting wells of inspiration. May you too rise as both warrior and sage, lifting others with your story, and becoming a voice of courage in the hearts of those who seek their own path.