{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Life\u2019s Tough, but Kathy Sullivan is TOUGHER\u2026 Making History in Space Exploration and Deep Diving!","description":" Women often receive messages from their parents, peers, and society about what makes them \u201cnormal\u201d or \u201csuccessful.\u201d Refusing to accept these messages and instead following your instincts and sense of adventure and curiosity can take exploration to the highest level.  In a recent Explorers podcast, our host, Richard Wiese, spoke with explorer Kathy Sullivan. Kathy has the distinction of being the first American woman to walk in space and the first woman to dive to the deepest point on earth in a submersible vehicle. She\u2019s authored a book titled Handprints on Hubble. When asked, she explains that it\u2019s not about overcoming challenges. It\u2019s about becoming something with your life.  Early on, Kathy loved reading and was insatiably curious. She had the desire to grab every bit of learning she could. In school, she hung out with the \u201csmart girls\u201d and ignored the idea that she shouldn\u2019t be \u201ctoo smart\u201d or that being popular was the most important ideal to pursue.  When Richard asked her if she had a strong sense of competition, she explained that her competition was with herself\u2026 she doesn\u2019t care about eliminating her competitors. Her only goal is to do her personal best.  In fact, Kathy notes that it\u2019s always unclear what parameters you might be judged on, and it\u2019s hard to escape the feeling that everything\u2019s a test. She feels your best strategy is always to put out the best you can in every single circumstance. Find your competition within yourself.  Richard asked her about the importance of women on teams and the role of mentorship. They both agreed that women tend to be more supportive of team members, and the team as a whole, as opposed to harsh competition. To Kathy, mentoring is not a formal process. The best strides happen when spending time and talking to another person. This is the way that unexpected mentoring happens.  To learn more about Kathy Sullivan and her explorations, visit her website. You can also get information about her book, Handprints on Hubble: An Astronauts Story of Invention, in which she chronicles her astonishing part in the Hubble story. Join us for new episodes of Life\u2019s Tough: Explorers are TOUGHER! At https:\/\/www.lifestough.com\/podcast\/explorers\/.  Richard Wiese, the host of this podcast, is an American explorer. He is the author of the guidebook, Born to Explore: How to Be a Backyard Adventurer. He became the youngest person to become president of the Explorers Club in 2002. Richard is also Executive Producer and Host of the PBS weekly television series Born to Explore with Richard Wiese.  ","author_name":"Life\u2019s Tough, Explorers Are TOUGHER!","author_url":"https:\/\/www.lifestough.com","html":"