Ryan is joined by Ethan Zohn for a conversation about what led to the co-founding of Grassroot Soccer, the lessons learned along the way, why mental health is important, how to overcome adversity, setting incremental goals, and much more.
“Nothing is more empowering than the truth”
In this episode, I sat down with Ethan Zohn, who is is known by many for winning survivor Africa, but is also someone who, among a wide variety of endeavors, played professional soccer, is a global humanitarian, cancer survivor and advocate, television host, and co-founder of Grassroot Soccer. Join us for an incredibly varied conversation that is full of important lessons and takeaways for us as we navigate our daily lives.
Key Takeaways
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Learn from Failure
We are all going to have successes and failures in life and some of these failures you can’t control, but you can control how you react to them. “Don’t worry about failing, worry about all of the things you could miss if you don’t even try.”
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Set "micro-goals"
There is power in creating goals that you know are attainable because the feeling of accomplishing something is motivational and positive to our mental health.
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The truth is powerful
Build a network of people who you trust and that who you can talk to truthfully and openly. A lot of the times, the thoughts and feelings that someone going through a challenge are having are the same ones that the people supporting them are having, but if you don’t talk about it, you may never know.
Guest Info
Ethan Zohn
Support Ethans work!
Ethan Zohn is a humanitarian, inspirational speaker and television host; former professional soccer player; cancer survivor and advocate; winner of the hit reality television show, CBS’s Survivor: Africa; contestant on season 40 of Survivor: Winners at War, author and inventor; and co-founder of the global non-profit, Grassroot Soccer. He has found purpose through his humanitarian work and community involvement, and believes that a better and healthier world can be achieved through education, advocacy and inspiration.
In 2002, Ethan used a portion of his Survivor: Africa winnings to help found Grassroot Soccer (GRS), an adolescent health organization that leverages the power of soccer to educate, inspire, and mobilize at-risk youth in developing countries to overcome their greatest health challenges. To date, the organization has reached over 13 million youth in over 60 countries with critical health information, access to health services, and mentorship
In 2009, as a fit, active, 35-year-old former professional soccer player who had traveled the world on behalf of the international health community through Grassroot Soccer, Ethan became an unlikely face of cancer. Diagnosed not once but twice with CD20+ Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in the span of several years, Ethan endured years of aggressive treatment, including two stem cell transplants.
As demonstrated by his charitable work with various global and domestic health and wellness organizations, and community involvement Ethan believes his inspiration to help heal the world stems from being taught at an early age the importance of kindness, community and a connection to social goodness.
Learn more about all of the work that Ethan is involved in on his website by visiting