In our celebrity-crazed world, the term “one-hit wonder” is commonly used to refer to an athlete, musician, or author who earned an Olympic gold, a Grammy, or a best-seller with their first work, and never repeated. Sometimes, I wonder what life was like after the games for a swimmer or gymnast who earned gold at the ripe age of 16 or 20. They had achieved something they had dreamed of for most of their lives—now what? Was that really their peak, the best thing that had ever happened to them?

I certainly had the same questions for myself. I got my first history book mention at 26 years old, after I earned my Ph.D. and NASA flight suit, being one of the first six women in the American astronaut corps. Six years later, after earning another history book mention as the first American woman to walk in space, I started thinking about what this all meant in the broader sweep of my life. Did I need to start chasing another goal that would get me more accolades and greater fame?

In this episode, I discuss facing the “what’s next?” question and the theme that pervades our celebrity-crazed culture. I explore Buzz Aldrin’s personal struggles after the Apollo 11 Moon Landing mission. You’ll also learn about insights that have kept me grounded over the years and shaped my later career decisions and how headlines and adulations are rarely about purpose, meaning, and worth.

“Nothing I could ever do was likely to give me a bigger, louder headline that I had gotten for joining the astronaut corps and walking in space, but that didn’t mean there was nothing else of meaning and value to do with my life.” - Kathy Sullivan

This week on Kathy Sullivan Explores:

• A common theme in our celebrity-crazed world
• Earning history book mentions and evaluating what I wanted my life to be about
• The press coverage around Buzz Aldrin’s personal struggles after the Apollo 11 Moon Landing mission
• Insights that have kept me grounded

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon by Buzz Aldrin

Our Favorite Quotes:

• “Headlines are normally picked for novelty, sizzle, or selling—they’re rarely about purpose or worth.” - Kathy Sullivan
• “Realize that what’s in your heart and soul is more important than what’s on your resume. The bullets on your resume list what you’ve done, but what really matters is who you became by journeying through that achievement—that’s what shines through your character and powers your works.” - Kathy Sullivan

Spaceship Not Required

I’m Kathy Sullivan, the only person to have walked in space and gone to the deepest point in the ocean.

I’m an explorer, and that doesn’t always have to involve going to some remote or exotic place. It simply requires a commitment to put curiosity into action.

In this podcast, you can explore, reflecting on lessons learned from life so far and from my brilliant and ever-inquisitive guests. We explore together in this very moment from right where you are--spaceship not required.

Welcome to Kathy Sullivan Explores.

Visit my website at kathysullivanexplores.com to sign up for seven astronaut tips to improving your life on earth and be the first to discover future episodes and learn about more exciting adventures ahead!

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