What happens when you have two very big but different dreams vying for your focus? Do you choose one? Or do you risk it all to pursue both?This was the dilemma faced by today’s guest—a woman who knows a thing or two about what it takes to execute at the highest level.Meet Alexi Pappas—Olympic athlete. Award-winning writer. Filmmaker. And so much more.An extraordinary runner, Alexi set the Greek national record in the 10,000-meters and competed for Greece at the 2016 Olympic Games. An equally noteworthy artist, her words have graced the pages of The New York Times, Runner’s World, Women’s Running Magazine, Sports Illustrated, The Atlantic, and Outside.Not enough? In the exact same year she competed in the Olympics, she also co-wrote, co-directed, and starred alongside Rachel Dratch in Tracktown, her first feature film. Executing on just one of these goals is an exceptional accomplishment. Doing both in parallel is downright superhuman.More recently, Alexi co-wrote and starred alongside Nick Kroll in Olympic Dreams, the first non-documentary-style movie to ever be filmed at the actual Olympic Games.Profiled in every major publication from Sports Illustrated to Rolling Stone, my interest was recently piqued by an amazing New York Times OpDoc (produced by friend of the pod Lindsay Crouse), which poignantly portrays the emotional toll of chasing an Olympic dream.In her excellent new memoir Bravey, Alexi dives deeper. An exuberant and unflinching primer on the struggle of self-actualization, it’s the beautiful story of surviving trauma and navigating disparate dreams—filmmaking and athletics—in competition for her attention. Why she refused to pick just one lane. And how, setbacks and deep lows aside, Alexi ultimately succeeds at both.How is possible that this human is so good at so many things simultaneously? And what is the cost (if any) of setting the bar so high?I needed to know more.This is a conversation about the courage required to blaze your own path. It’s about self-belief. And it’s about setting audacious goals and how to work towards them.It’s also about depression, loss and sacrifice.It’s about the intersection of athletics and art. And how to prioritize synergy over balance.But more than anything, this is about what Alexi calls being bravey.In Alexi’s case, trauma helped fuel her success. But it was in healing that trauma that she learned to thrive—and find the joy in the journey.The visually inclined can watch our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.This one’s for all the Braveys and soon-to-become Braveys seeking to replace can’t with maybe.Alexi is my new favorite person. Tune in and discover why.Peace + Plants,Listen, Watch & SubscribeApple Podcasts | YouTube | Spotify | Stitcher | Google PodcastsThanks to this week’s sponsors:Joovv: Enhance your health, recovery, and sleep with Joovv light therapy. Discover the science of light therapy and how it can help you reach your health & fitness goals at Joovv.com/richroll. Use that URL and when you’re there you’ll see a unique code that will give you a free gift with your purchase. Exclusions apply, limited time only.Squarespace: The easiest way to create a beautiful website, blog, or online store for you and your ideas. Save 10% on your first purchase at checkout when you visit squarespace.com/richroll and use the discount code RICHROLL at checkout.Navitas Organics: Fine purveyors of delicious organic superfoods on a mission to forge a better world by supporting organic farmers & plant-focused lifestyles. For a limited time, get  30% off your entire order by visiting navitasorganics.com/richrollLMNT: A science-backed electrolyte drink mix with everything you need and nothing you don’t. The formula is super high-caliber — it’s plant-based with no sugar, fillers, gluten, or sketchy ingredients. Get a FREE LMNT sample pack, which includes 8 packets of LMNTfor just $5 shipping. Go to: drinkLMNT.com/RICHROLL.SHOW