Shawn Johnson sat down with I Am Second to share about her Olympic and post-Olympic journey. It's not what you'd imagine from the four-time Olympic medalist.

Johnson shares inside her struggle of missing the all-around gold medal for which she had worked her entire life. She was the 2007 all-around World Champion and favored to win the Olympics. She was holding the weight of the world on her shoulders as she realized, before her last routine, that Nastia Liukin's score was too high for her to match. In her mind, she had failed.

It was impossible for me to get a gold medal. I remember my heart just sinking.

Further confirmation of her personal failure came when she was embraced with a hug and told "I'm sorry" on the second place podium. She soon began to believe that it wasn't just a failed attempt at winning gold, but that she was a failure--as a human being. 



She found no solace in the post-Olympics spotlight or in her attempt at making a second Olympic team.

"I was giving my heart and soul and getting to a place that I was not proud of, all for that gold medal again that I distinctly remember in 2008 not being the greatest thing in the world. I think it's just kind of that validation that there's always more," she said.

Johnson finally found peace. She found peace when her true identity wasn't in anything that this world could offer.

God is the answer to everything and Jesus sacrificed his life on the cross so that when I stood up there and I was given that gold medal--yes it's monumental and amazing experience and wonderful thing--but it's not the end all be all.

Johnson found herself as she put her hope in the Lord who she trusts will provide pure joy, regardless of circumstances or missed opportunities. She's enough, just as Shawn--just the way she is.

He will always be my greatest reward and my proudest reward.

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