When an athlete reaches the pinnacle of a sport, the new pedestal changes their vantage point. No longer are they looking up to others; everyone is looking up to them. It’s a powerful shift that alters every aspect of their lives.

What’s interesting about Lauren Cheney, though, is how far from that observation shift she lives. As one of the stars of the U.S. women's national soccer team, Cheney has, by contrast, spent most of her life looking up to and learning from others. Only recently has she realized that, while she’s been focused on others, the world has been focusing on her.