#46 Jason Dorland - The Story of 'Ike the Dog' who Saved a Canadian Olympian, Learning from Failure and the Healing Power of Pets

Jason Dorland is an Olympian, father, coach, entrepreneur, and storyteller who dedicates his life to pursuing excellence in himself and those he supports. Based on true-life events, IKE: the dog who saved a human, follows the transformative journey of how Jason was left feeling bitter, ashamed, and lost after his 8 man rowing crew finished last in their final at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea. He retired from rowing and, as a way to cope, adopted a golden retriever puppy named Ike, who was destined to be a guide dog for the blind. Through multiple adventures with Ike, Jason discovered that love is not something you chase, rather it is something you give away.

When Jason is not running with his dogs along the trails or swimming at nearby Thetis Lake near his home on Vancouver Island, he’s sharing experiences and life lessons through keynotes and work-shops with his wife, business partner, and fellow Olympian, Robyn Meagher.

In this episode Andrew and Jason discuss:

4:10 Jason’s childhood and family and the lead up to the Seoul Olympics.

8:25 Coping with the loss in the finals and Jason’s spiral down.

11:55 How Jason got out of the negative spiral and left rowing behind.

17:55 Jason’s experience coaching and how he would talk to himself in the past.

21:10 The changes over generations in how men deal with their emotions and what makes Jason cry.

23:55 Ike the dog, and men projecting their feelings onto the book.

28:55 adopting Ike the dog and getting emotionally invested.

32:10 How Jason met his future wife Robin.

35:45 The benefits of pets and the unconditional love between people and dogs.

40:25 Andrew and Toni’s story of struggling to conceive and their eventual triumph. What dogs can teach us about leadership.

46:14 Performance Uncovered.

58:14 Robin’s impact on Jason’s life.

1:05:15 Andrew and The Wizard’s reflections.

You can find Jason at his Website: https://yourmindset.ca/

                                         Twitter: https://shorturl.at/wLNT2

                                         or LinkedIn: https://shorturl.at/bfrwM

Get your copy of Ike here: https://lovereadingike.com/en-au

Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/

Follow StriveStronger: https://www.instagram.com/strive.stronger/

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