Courtesy: Eney Jones
“The mind is the battlefield and the prize is the soul!”.
-Prince
#1 I first met you in 2009 when you were 10 years old. Not old enough to do the solo Maui Channel swim, but the day after the race, you swam from Lanai to Maui alone, in a fantastic time that would have placed high in the solo event. I met your mother, and she had a quiet strength and was supportive and caring. She really impressed me. What is your main power source, where do you derive your strength? From your parents? Coaches?
Becca: It’s definitely the love of challenges. I love seeing if I can do things, and I do think it’s a gift from my parents. Everyone in my family is a high achiever, very competitive, and makes everything fun. I would say that being raised in that atmosphere is how I’ve gotten where I am today.
#2 You have struggled with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) as many successful people have. I often thought maybe you had CDO, where you put the letters in order. How has this helped or hindered your success? For instance, sometimes open water swimming is making order and sense, out of chaos.
Becca: I write about this in Outside the Lanes. When I learned that the only way to take away OCD’s power was to expose myself to every disturbing thought that I’d tried so hard to repress, I tried to convince myself that it was helpful to me. But it was really because I was afraid that if my therapist or anyone else heard some of the thoughts in my head, they would confirm that I was crazy or evil or whatever my OCD was trying to convince me of, and it would make me worse. And I didn’t get any of the productive compulsions, like organization. So no––it certainly hasn’t made me more successful. My OCD has been the hardest thing to deal with in my life, but I’m really proud of how far I’ve come in using tools to manage it. I no longer live in fear of flare-ups and am confident that I’m more powerful than it is.
Photo: Mel Latt.
#3 Excelling in sports and life is stressful. Often the best way to dissipate stress is through humor and friendships. You have been successful in both of these areas. What advice would you give to young swimmers to handle pressure? How has your humor transformed your attitude, how and which friends have you given you encouragement and emotional support
Becca: Humor and friendships are one and the same to me––whenever I’m with my family, I’m crying tears of laughter. Whenever I’m with my best friends, I’m crying tears of laughter. The concept of competitive swimming is really funny too. We’re so serious about who can get across a pool the fastest. It’s a ridiculous concept and very low-stakes in the grand scheme of life. Prioritizing the fun, and finding other people who do that, is the best way to deal with pressure.
#4 You were a scholastic All-American at USC. You wrote constantly, screenplays, essays, and a novel before Outside the Lines, you seem to have a 1650 mentality where you can just keep going. How do you clear your mind to do this?
Becca: Writing is a lifestyle for me. I’m constantly inspired as I move through the world, whether it be from nature, consuming art, or interacting with the people around me. My brain simply cannot listen to music without constructing a story born of a lyric or a note. I walk through a forest and suddenly I’m inventing ancient civilizations that lived there before, or wondering what it will look like after the apocalypse. I don’t see writing as work––for me, it’s a way of processing life, for which I’m really grateful. It certainly makes it a lot easier to churn out material.
Photo: Mel Latt.
#5 You are the only person who has done the Maui Nui Island triangle ( in 21 hours) which was incredible. What are your future plans? Where can we buy the book?
Becca: I’m juggling a few projects right now, but you’ll have to wait to see what they are! And you can pre-order Outside the Lanes here:
“What is success?
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate the beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch Or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded!”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Eney and Becca. Photo: Eney Jones.
About Eney Jones
Eney Jones has achieved remarkably diverse success as a leading pool, open water, and Ironman triathlon swimmer.
- Masters National Champion 100-200-400-500-1500-1650 5k freestyle 2009
- Open Water 5k Champion Perth Australia, May 2008.
- National Masters Champion 200-400-1500 freestyle Champion, Portland, Oregon, August, 2008.
- Overall Champion Aumakua 2.4k Maui Hawaii, September 2008
- Waikiki Rough Water Swim 3rd place 2006, second place Overall 2009, 3rd place 2012
- European Record Holder and Masters Swimming Champion, 2005. Records included 200, 400, 800, 1500 m freestyle
- Over twenty-time finalist in U.S. Swimming Nationals, including Olympic Trials 1980
- Gold medal NCAA 800 yd freestyle relay 1979, silver Medalist 200 yd freestyle 1979. United States National Team 1979-1980.
- Professional Triathlete 1983-1991. The first woman out of the water in every Hawaiian Ironman participated (6).
Becca is a fantastic swimmer and even better person. I cannot wait to read her book!