Pulling Together: A Coach's Journey to Uncover the Mindset of True Potential

A former Olympic rower reflects on his evolution from ultra-competitive athlete to supportive coach and offers his game-changing thoughts on achieving success. Once the embodiment of an aggressive athlete, Jason Dorland used to identify himself according to the results of his competitions--winner or loser. The elite rower was raised with an "in-it-to-win-it" attitude and was trained to think of every competitor as an enemy. It took a devastating loss at the 1988 Olympic Games to shatter this destructive way of thinking, and it took the advice of middle-distance runner Robyn Meagher (who would later become Dorland's wife) to help re-shape his views on what it truly means to win--both in sport and in life. When he retired from competition and became an elite rowing coach, Dorland knew he had to produce results but vowed to adopt a more process-based approach to competition than the one he had been taught. It was a radical shift that was not always welcomed by the sporting community. However, the outcomes were nothing short of extraordinary. Dorland found that by creating an emotionally safe environment for his athletes, they felt free to fail yet ultimately achieved success beyond their wildest dreams. Pulling Together reflects on Dorland's coaching philosophy, the lessons his sport has taught him, and how those lessons can be applied both on and off the playing field. Read more Continue reading Read less REVIEW
Pulling Together is Jason Dorland's way of combining his love story for rowing with his love for Canada and, ultimately, for his wife and the inspiration she has given him. The book takes the reader through a memorable journey of the rites of passage, not only of the coach as he focuses on personal growth, but of his student athletes as they grow through the discipline and dedication of sport within academia. While I am a believer in the Canadian High Performance sport system, I also appreciate that the voices of challenge, including Jason's, are heard as we continue to grow, improve, and build future generations of athletes.

--Lorraine Lafreniere, CEO, Coaches Association of Canada --Roy MacGregor, author, columnist, The Globe and Mail (04/01/2017)

Dorland's deeply personal convictions of what ignites high performance and what invites human potential are timely. In a world where athletes, coaches, organizational leaders, and politicians are reaching for anything that will create a win--Jason reminds us of those themes that will sustain and shape our finest selves into the future. His convictions will make us better.

--Ian Chisholm, Partner, Roy Group (04/01/2017)

At a time when business and sporting cultures are (rightly) coming under greater scrutiny than ever, Pulling Together shows a better, thoughtful way forward to optimize every moment of the ups and downs of competition and teamwork.

--Cath Bishop, Olympic medallist and World Champion rower (04/01/2017) ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jason Dorlandis an Olympian, coach, entrepreneur, and storyteller who has dedicated his life to the pursuit of excellence for himself and those he supports. He is the author of Chariots and Horses: Life Lessons from an Olympic Rower. During his ten years of coaching high-school rowing, Jason s crews won twelve international championship events, set a Canadian course record time, and won back-to-back events with the same four athletes a feat never before achieved at a National Championship. When Jason is not sharing his experiences and life lessons through his keynotes and workshops, he consults as a high-performance coach for athletes, artists, and executives. For more information, visit jasondorland.com. Read more Continue reading Read less