Did a Full Ironman at 51: Dr Iris Nafshi on Athletic Identity, Mom Guilt, and the SHERO Framework | #165

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In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Iris Nafshi, a researcher, triathlete, and leadership expert who spent years studying what she calls the "IronMoms," to unpack the interplay between athletic grit and maternal guilt. We dig into what her PhD research actually found, why women disappear from themselves for decades only to rediscover who they are in midlife, and how the way we define our identity versus our role shapes everything from our fitness journey to how we age.

 

What we explore:

 

- How Dr. Nafshi's 30 years of putting herself last became the catalyst for her research on maternal guilt.

- What the "third shift" is and why athletic moms carry a burden that does not exist in research on fathers.

- What the SHERO framework is and how it builds a trainable mindset for aging with power.

- Why consistency over intensity is the most practical shift for women who struggle to show up for themselves.

- How an Ironman race strategy for staying present applies to managing anxiety and mom guilt in everyday life.

 

About Dr. Iris Nafshi:

Iris Nafshi, PhD, is a leadership development consultant, researcher, and endurance athlete. As the former Global Head of Leadership & Management Development at Microsoft and founder of LeadIN Consulting, she brings over two decades of experience developing leaders across global organizations.

 

Connect with Dr. Iris Nafshi:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iris_strongcore/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irisnafshi

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL04YgedWPYBJotZxo-VuWwY8zco9l2Ojw

Follow Strong Core Podcast and leave a review if this episode resonated with you: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2595413

Find the show on Instagram for more on what it takes to keep becoming yourself: https://www.instagram.com/strongcorepod/

 

Timestamps

Intro (00:00)

How a Triathlon Dream Became a Research Mission (01:13)

Disappearing From Yourself for Decades (05:38)

Why Athletic Moms Carry What Fathers Never Have To (10:01)

What 350 IronMoms Revealed (14:03)

Consistency Over Intensity (18:25)

Debunking Assumptions About Guilt and Work (21:34)

Why Midlife Women Feel Invisible and How to Reclaim Yourself (28:36)

The SHERO Framework: Building Trainable Mindset Skills After 45 (34:49)

Can You Harness Mom Guilt? (40:31)

The Ironman Memory Strategy for Everyday Life (44:08)

What Women Who Age Powerfully Do (47:22)

 

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