As a teenager, Frances Houghton wrote a contract to herself saying “I vow to do everything I can to get to Sydney 2000.” Twenty years later, as well as having already achieved the initial dream of going to Sydney, Frances was a 5-time Olympian, 4-time World Champion and one of the most successful British rowers of all time. 

Frances - as the first female British rower to be selected to compete in five different Olympic games – has a unique sporting experience to reflect on. She has a wealth of knowledge about the dedication, drive and hard-work that is needed to get to the top, as well as how to sustain it. 

However, this incredible obsession to succeed, matched with the intense nature of rowing, meant that Frances experienced burnout along her journey. At this point, Frances decided to change her mindset, and rather than focussing entirely on winning medals, she began focussing on enjoying the moment with teammates. It couldn’t have worked out better, and in 2016, on the podium in Rio with a silver medal round her neck, she experienced the joy she’d been craving. 

The stories behind Frances’ Olympic experiences are written down in her book – “Learnings From Five Olympic Games”. Frances’ book contains thought-provoking anecdotes and learnings from a 21 year career in elite-level sport. We couldn’t recommend it more and think it’s so valuable for anyone wanting to achieve high performance, whether in sport or not. Frances’ book can be purchased on her website www.franceshoughton.co.uk