Hack Your Happiness
Hack Your Happiness
Small Bits of Happiness
You Don’t Have To Choose One Dream — Here’s Proof: Lesley Paterson
46 minutes Posted May 22, 2025 at 7:00 am.
She's a champion in both Hollywood and athletics. Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Lesley Paterson, the triathlon world champion who also co-wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for All Quiet on the Western Front. Lesley unpacks the uncommon discipline that lets her juggle athletic training with script writing, reveals how she turns raw emotion into fuel instead of roadblocks, and shares the tiny daily rituals that keep her body bulletproof and her creativity on tap. She takes us back to her rugby-obsessed Scottish teens, through chronic-illness detours and career-defining failures, all the way to the moment she realized you never have to choose between athlete and artist. Listen in for empowerment in pursuing your passions, tangible ways to exit the victim mentality, and tips for being more patient. Shop our Happiness Products:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/gifts-for-teenagers-shop-all/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Us:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/welcome-to-hack-your-happiness/⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out Lesley's website: https://www.lesleypaterson.com/Ready to Hack Your Happiness some more? Listen to our interview with Oscar-winning producer and costume designer, Catherine Martin. In this episode, Catherine shares powerful advice for boosting your confidence, mastering the art of collaboration, and hacks for living a balanced lifestyle: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0U5IjZZnu6KzYSVbkWP9Vw?si=6JkrsVCwTLOwYpygzU675Q
Intro
How Lesley Got Started
Keeping Your Interests Broad
Lesley's Greatest Challenge
How Do I Find Purpose and Meaning?
Did Lesley Ever Feel Pressured To Choose An Interest?
Lesley's Top Three Tips
Find Your North Star
How Can I Be Patient
How Lesley Stays Disciplined
The Ultimate Mindset Hack
The Intersection of Arts vs Athletics
How Can I Navigate My Emotions
Lesley's View On Downtime
Top Tip For Keeping Yourself Accountable
What Lesley's Chronic Illness Taught Her
Lesley To Her Teen Self
What Brings Lesley A Small Bit of Happiness?
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Show notes
She's a champion in both Hollywood and athletics. Mercedes and Anastasia sit with Lesley Paterson, the triathlon world champion who also co-wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for All Quiet on the Western Front. Lesley unpacks the uncommon discipline that lets her juggle athletic training with script writing, reveals how she turns raw emotion into fuel instead of roadblocks, and shares the tiny daily rituals that keep her body bulletproof and her creativity on tap. She takes us back to her rugby-obsessed Scottish teens, through chronic-illness detours and career-defining failures, all the way to the moment she realized you never have to choose between athlete and artist. Listen in for empowerment in pursuing your passions, tangible ways to exit the victim mentality, and tips for being more patient. Shop our Happiness Products:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/gifts-for-teenagers-shop-all/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support Us:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://smallbitsofhappiness.com/welcome-to-hack-your-happiness/⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out Lesley's website: https://www.lesleypaterson.com/Ready to Hack Your Happiness some more? Listen to our interview with Oscar-winning producer and costume designer, Catherine Martin. In this episode, Catherine shares powerful advice for boosting your confidence, mastering the art of collaboration, and hacks for living a balanced lifestyle: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0U5IjZZnu6KzYSVbkWP9Vw?si=6JkrsVCwTLOwYpygzU675Q(00:00) Intro(02:40) How Lesley Got Started(04:51) Keeping Your Interests Broad(05:40) Lesley's Greatest Challenge(10:32) How Do I Find Purpose and Meaning?(11:23) Did Lesley Ever Feel Pressured To Choose An Interest?(13:26) Lesley's Top Three Tips(16:54) Find Your North Star(20:31) How Can I Be Patient(23:29) How Lesley Stays Disciplined(28:46) The Ultimate Mindset Hack(30:22) The Intersection of Arts vs Athletics(34:33) How Can I Navigate My Emotions(37:38) Lesley's View On Downtime(40:27) Top Tip For Keeping Yourself Accountable(41:32) What Lesley's Chronic Illness Taught Her(43:39) Lesley To Her Teen Self(43:53) What Brings Lesley A Small Bit of Happiness?(44:26) Key Takeaways