Thank you to Sounds True and to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I first say this book. I have been a fan of Apolo Ohno for years, so I figured that I would requested it when I saw it. I didn't realize that this was a self help book when I requested it, but I wanted to read it anyway.

This book was just ok for me. The advice was pretty generic. I did like him telling his stories... I just wish there were more of them. This book was just ok, but missed the mark for me.

I wasn't expecting Hard Pivot to have so much focus on self help. It's all well done, with some good advice for anyone who's willing to take that advice. I definitely enjoyed this read for what is it - part memoir, part self help. But I was missing the deeper look into his skating career itself.

This is a book for anyone who is having to make some big changes in their life right now either by choice or because of the changes of the world from the pandemic. A very appropriate book for all in this moment in time and for future readers.

You do not need to be an Olympic champion, celebrity, etc. to get full use of the ideas and help in this book. There is some history of Apolo up to and through the Olympics but it is the pivot afterward that he needed to make that is the thrust here.

Although it is similar to other self help books of this nature Apolo has a different everyman take and way of using some the of the similar questions/exercises to help you find direction. I really liked that aspect of the book giving me a different view of myself and past while doing the exercises and practices.

One can certainly absorb information by just reading this book and it can be a quick read. However, to get full insight on the material and on your own pivot point I highly suggest taking your time and work with the practices. I suggest this book to anyone who is a bit lost and needing direction for any parts of their life.

I was given a Arc by NetGalley and the publisher Sounds True and thank them.

I first was introduced to Apolo Ohno during his run on Season 4 of Dancing With The Stars.. He was my favorite to win that season from his first dance! With that introduction, I also learned that he was an Olympic speedskater, son to a single immigrant father, and filled with strength, tenacity, and grit.

Flash forward to 2011 where his book Zero Regrets was being released and he was doing a signing tour. I was lucky enough to attend one of these signings because it was right near where I was attending college at the time. It was so cool but, very hard to get decent pictures because there were so many people!

Now we are in 2022, and Apolo is releasing another book entitled Hard Pivot. This time he is explaining the lessons he has learned since retiring as an Olympic athlete and the steps he took in order to find his next path in life. He talks about the ups and downs in his journey and the motivators he used to continue to find his next step. These motivators are known as the Five Golden Principles: gratitude, giving, grit, gearing up, and go. They are tools that can be used for individuals to focus, figure out who they are, and what exactly the next step will be.

One of the things that is really stressed through out Hard Pivot is that this is not a journey that you will be taking on your own. While trying to forge a path by yourself can be done, doing it by yourself makes it that much more difficult. Having a support system tp guide you provides resources to help you and help you learn more about yourself and your environment around you. It also encourages working together - a skill which during his speed skating days Apolo was not necessarily known for - and he explains how he has learned to use it to his advantage in his post-Olympic life.

There was exercises, examples, and pivot points (recaps) in all of the chapters of <strong>Hard Pivot. </strong> It is encouraged that you try all of the exercises and find out which ones work best for you and will help you move forward. Not every exercise is going to work for every person. Listening to yourself and finding what you want and what works for you in a crucial part of the process.

It was really easy for me to read Hard Pivot and understand the message behind it. I did think there were times when things felt a little bit repetitive but, I could also see where the author was going with his constant recaps. Some of these suggestions can be seen as simple and/or basic but, I think that is because as a society we think we are beyond that and we are not. Sometimes the simplest action can be the one that changes you entire life course. When you shut out all the noise from others, including on social media, it provides you an opportunity to really see...and perhaps change the course which you are on. In truth, Apolo Ohno always had some of the characteristics he discovered during his journey but, over time he was able to channel them and use them to the best of his ability. And he believes if you use the Five Golden Principles like he did, you will also find your way!

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Have you ever watched Apolo skate? Ever wonder about him and his life off the ice? If you are, then you should pick this book up. When Apolo had to stop skating, he had to change his life. These are the tools that he has learned over the years and how he put them into practice when he had to change his life. Great practical advice about life and how to change yours.

Hard Pivot by Apolo Ohno is a wonderful self-help book. There are great tips on how to embrace change. The idea of change seems to be something that some of us are not good at. But what I found most interesting, and lately it is being talked about more and more, is the fact that athletes have a short shelf life. They are not being prepared for what comes after they retire. Apolo shares his story about being so focused on getting to the Olympics at the cost of his education, and lack of relationships.

I really liked this book. Apolo shares information about his life experiences that are interesting and thought provoking on what he found to be very helpful in order to help with change.

This was a nice self help book from Apolo Ohno who was a gold medalist Olympic speed skater. He shares about his retiring, trying to settle back into a normal life and gives many tips about how to overcome adversity and challenges. The length of the book was perfect and precise and to the point like Ohno's career. I appreciate this did not go on for 300+ pages.

Well written and honest.

Thanks to Netgalley, Apolo Ohno and Sounds True for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 2/22/22

Three time Olympian Apolo Ohno dominated as a speed skater for the United States. After he retired at the age of 27, Ohno divorced himself completely from the sport. Still at the top of his game, Ohno had lost the passion that once propelled him to win medals. The "What now" was scary, as he knew nothing else but competing.

A hard pivot in skating is an aggressive turn in the corner of the rink, which must be performed to perfection or it might spell disaster. Apolo Ohno has taken this principle to describe how to adapt and reinvent, with tips and techniques that he learned with the help of others.

The Five Golden Principles are described in the book as: Gratitude, Giving, Grit, Gearing Up, and Go. They are used as the backbone, guidance for readers on how to focus on what you want, figure out what your attributes are, accept yourself, find your support system, and forge a path forward.

Through struggles and triumphs, Apolo Ohno is a different man today than the one who most people recognize from his sports persona. Self doubt and fear can creep in, no matter who you are and how successful you may be. With words of advice like winning isn't everything, focus on the process, and there is no shortcut, Ohno tries to impart his own wisdom to help others.

Though the book was somewhat repetitive and I wanted to know more about the man instead of his vision, I could see what the author was trying to do with Hard Pivot. Overall, readers who might seek their own hard pivot would find this book helpful and inspirational.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher, Sounds True. The decision to read and review this book was entirely my own.

I remember crouching over a tiny 10 inch TV in my dorm room, screaming like a crazy person, terrifying my roommate, watching Apolo Ohno compete in the 2010 Olympics. It's been a few years since then, and I have been fascinated to follow when Ohno has gone in life since then. When NetGalley and Sounds True Publishing gave me the chance to read an advance copy of Ohno's book, I jumped at the chance to find out: How do you keep moving forward when you are already the most decorated Winter Olympian in history?

You have a Hard Pivot - you refocus your life and find what challenges you, what gives your life meaning and purpose, and you take action to fill those dreams. In this book, Ohno lays out a game plan - one that he himself has followed, to changing your life and realizing your dreams. With wonderfully honest insight, journaling assignments and personal tales, this book is an invigorating and inspiring read. Definitely recommend!

Hard Pivot was such a great read! I flew right through this one! I’ve been a fan of Apollo’s forever since the Olympics and really grew to love him and his DWTS journey with Julianne Hough. I love autobiographies and I loved reading about his story how he got his start, the various struggles and many successes he has had over the years all told directly from his viewpoint. Very enjoyable read!

I chose this book specifically for it's content as I'm always fearful I won't be able to pivot, using the author's word, when my next transition comes along. I've been feeling like I needed to read up to get tips on how to handle the changes that I think are just around the corner. I felt like the author really took the time to lay out what works for him while saying not everything will work for you but to at least try.