Hi, this is Sophia Cartman, host of the Dream Big Podcast show, a place to learn, laugh, and grow.
Big Dreamers, today we are diving deep, and I mean really deep, into the ocean.
But not just any ocean.
We're swimming alongside jellyfish, facing wild storms, and staring down sharks.
Because this is a story of a woman who never quit.
Her name is Diana Nayyad.
And her journey will blow your flippers off.
It's not just a story about swimming.
It's a story about courage, persistence, and the power of never giving up.
Even when someone says you can't.
This is episode 464 of the Dream Big podcast.
Let's dive in.
Welcome back, big dreamers.
When Diana Nyad was a young athlete in her 20s, she had a big dream.
To swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage.
That's over 110 miles of open ocean.
Imagine swimming for days with no breaks, no sleep, no protection from the creatures swimming below.
We're talking jellyfish that sting, sharks that circle you and ocean currents that push you in the wrong direction for hours.
Most people would say, no way.
But Diana, she said, let's try.
She trained.
She swam.
She pushed through the waves.
But she didn't make it.
So she tried again.
And again.
And each time something stopped her.
A jellyfish sting so bad that made her hallucinate.
Sea so rough she couldn't keep going.
Her team yelling, we have to pull you out.
And each time Diana would hear the world whisper, it's impossible.
But Diana spoke back.
I haven't done it.
Yet.
Do you remember the power of yet from the previous episode?
We'll link that in the description.
Make sure to check it out.
Okay, big dreamers, fast forward when Diana was 94 years old.
Most people that age are thinking about retiring, playing cards, maybe going on cruises.
But Diana, she got back in the water one more time.
And this time, she didn't stop.
For 53 hours, more than two full days, she swam.
Through storms, through darkness, through the most painful stings of a box jellyfish, some of the most dangerous jellyfishes in the world.
Her tongue was swollen.
She couldn't talk.
Her body was shaking.
She was exhausted.
But she kept going.
And then finally, she reached the shore.
She stood up, walked out of the water, and said three things that had stuck with me ever since.
Never, ever give up.
You're never too old to chase your dreams.
Find a way.
Wow, that's insane.
Big dreamers, do you know what's crazy?
Diana doesn't look like a superhero.
She's not made of steel.
She doesn't have a magic cape or super speed goggles.
What she does have is something even more powerful.
A dream, a reason, and a whole lot of grit.
She taught me that real strength isn't in your muscles.
It's in your heart.
And the courage to keep showing up, even when you failed before?
It's the belief that your dream matters, and you were made for this challenge.
So here's the challenge for you, big dreamers.
This week, I want you to do something brave.
Think of something you once gave up on.
A sport, a song, a story.
Then ask yourself, what would happen if I tried again?
And write down one small step that you can take towards that dream.
Because here's the truth.
Sometimes your dream will happen on the first try, or the second, or the third, or the fourth, even the fifth.
But if your dream is planted in your heart, It's worth the effort, it's worth the work and it's worth the wait.
Just like Diana Nyad, you don't have to be the fastest, you don't have to be the strongest, you just have to keep swimming.
Big Dreamers, if you love diving deep into Diana Nyad's story, please leave us a review on iTunes.
Or just simply go to dreambigpodcast.com slash iTunes and share this episode with your friends.
If you'd like to hear more, subscribe to our YouTube channel.
We have lots of fun videos on there.
Big Dreamers, today you learned that strength isn't about being perfect.
It's about being persistent.
It's about falling and rising.
It's about sharks and storms. and choosing to swim anyway.
As always, the show notes will be at dreambigpodcast.com slash 464.
That's all for today, big dreamers.
This is Sophia Cartman reminding you that you have unlimited potential.
Your dreams are not optional.
You need to make them essential.
So take massive action and turn those big dreams into reality.
Live with passion the way life was meant to be.
See you next episode.
Bye.
