3 things we learnt from Dame Valerie Adams' and David Beckham's conversation

Success means sacrifice

For both Dame Valerie Adams and David Beckham, athletic success wasn’t possible without making sacrifices along the way.

“The sacrifices that you have to make, getting that across to young kids is a tough one,” says Beckham. “They see all these great athletes playing and doing things at the highest level, and they think, ‘Oh that’s easy, maybe I’ll try that one day’.”

Even in retirement, Beckham reveals he still follows a regime of early bedtimes when playing a casual weekend game with friends. “When it’s in you, it’s in you,” he laughs.

For Dame Valerie Adams, ensuring she reaches her goals means sometimes having tough conversations with those around her.

“I like to describe it as the ‘Val-bus’, and we’re on a journey to a competition,” she says. “I am the driver… Because, ultimately, I’m responsible for who’s on the bus. If I see that you’re slacking, or not bringing value, I’ll be quite happy to kick you off until you sort out what you need. Then I’ll pick you up at the next bus stop.”

Good relationships are key

“I like to have a personal relationship with the people I work with,” says Adams. “I want them to see me as a person first.”

She also highlights how critical it is for her to be able to trust her team. “If I’m having issues, I need to be able to trust them enough to tell them, so they’re able to better help me.”

“Surrounding yourself with the right people is the most important thing,” agrees Beckham. “I’m lucky that over the years I’ve been part of some great teams.”

It’s an approach Beckham uses in the business world, as well. “A lot of people I work with in my business have been there for a long time. They’re loyal, they’re trustworthy and they work hard.”

But, as he observes, that relationship needs to go both ways. “They have to see me working hard. My philosophy when I was a player was first into training and last out.” 

Healthy eating habits start at home

Dame Valerie Adams – who eats six small meals per day while training – stresses the importance of establishing healthy routines at home. “I try to bring what I want from life to my family,” she says. “It’s important to create those habits at home, so it becomes part of normal life as they grow up.”

David concurs, “It’s all about habits. We sit down as a family every night at 6:30… It’s about consistency.”

According to Adams, “you’ve got to fuel your body in the right way with the right food.” But both athletes agree that moderation, not depriving yourself, is key to a healthy diet.

“If you’re going through life weighing your food and always worrying about what you’re eating… It’s not good for you,” says Beckham.