The Brand Called Joetta  

December 7, 2017

I personally met four-time Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs last summer when she visited the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market in Trenton, NJ to work out with the kids.  I immediately connected to her warm personality.  So, when we started discussing potential speakers for the 2017 Building a Culture of Health in New Jersey Conference, I suggested we consider her. 

In the past, we chose speakers that mainly specialized in the public health arena.  However, I convinced the planning team that we needed something different.  Someone with star power who could inspire the audience-especially during these times of uncertainty.   

Based on Joetta’s keynote address, she more than delivered.  I also might add, in our six years of hosting the conference, Joetta was the only speaker who received three ovations. From the beginning of her speech, she captivated the audience of 500 public health professionals, social workers, educators, dieticians, and community leaders from across the state.  Her gracious demeaner also was appreciated by all who encountered her as she sat patiently after her keynote address signing book after book with personal words of wisdom. 

But here’s what I most admire about Joetta. She not only built a powerful brand as an Olympian over a 24-year period, but when her athletic career was over, she was able to catapult her personal brand into book author, motivational speaker, NJ Hall of Famer and president of a Sports Foundation. She is also a physical health and wellness advocate for children and teens nationwide, and has a passion for empowering women to be their personal best.   

Her book, Joetta’s “P” Principles for Success takes you through a journey of the life lessons she learned from track and field.    She talks about her personal challenges as an athlete, as well as how she prepared herself to go beyond the ordinary and come back extraordinary to win third place in the Olympics—even when all odds, including age, were against her. Below are the principles Joetta recommends to conquer our fears and doubts and succeed in whatever we do. 

• Purpose—Purpose allows you to maximize your talent and clearly focus on achieving your goals. By having a clear purpose, Joetta was able to achieve the goals she set for herself in sports, business and family. 
• Prepare—Preparation will allow you to soar like an eagle through various experiences and accomplish your goals. 
• Patience—Sometimes, we want everything all at once, and with that mindset, we are not able to plant the seeds of success, which only grow with the tribulations of life.  Your ability to be patient is needed if you are going to ever reach your goals and discover the champion that is in you.
• Perturbed—A champion gets angry and upset, but they eventually conquer all fears and doubts because they understand that when they become perturbed, no option is left but to succeed.  
• Perseverance—You must be willing to work hard and stay the course despite that discouraging voice or situation that might blindside you.   

Do you have additional principles that have motivated you?  Let me know. 

“Preparation is important, and we must be fearless as we prepare for the success and riches that await us.” 

Joetta Clark Diggs