I’ve had so many injuries in my life that it’s ridiculous.
As a young boy, scouting gave me a confidence and camaraderie that is hard to find in modern life.
The line between life or death is determined by what we are willing to do.
You don’t need to go to the ends of the earth, you don’t need to climb Everest to have a great adventure, it’s invariably on our doorstep.
Why is it that the finish line always tends to appear just after the point at which we most want to give up? is it the universe’s way of reserving the best for those who can give the most? What I do know, from nature, is that the dawn only appears after the darkest hour.
Our fate is determined by how far we are prepared to push ourselves to stay alive – the decisions we make to survive. We must do whatever it takes to endure and make it through alive.
Time and experience have taught me that fame and money very rarely go to the worthy, by the way – hence we shouldn’t ever be too impressed by either of those impostors. Value folk for who they are, how they live and what they give – that’s a much better benchmark.
Are you the sort of person who can turn around when you have nothing left, and find that little bit extra inside you to keep going, or do you sag and wilt with exhaustion? It is a mental game, and it is hard to tell how people will react until they are squeezed.
Scouts should be progressive and should be adapting. If you’re gay or not it’s irrelevant, Scouting values respect.
Is your ego small enough, and your backbone strong enough, to raise others up high on your shoulders?
Above all, I feel a quiet pride that for the rest of my days I can look at myself in the mirror and know that once upon a time I was good enough. Good enough to call myself a member of the SAS. Some things don’t have a price tag.
A man’s pride can be his downfall, and he needs to learn when to turn to others for support and guidance.
I’m probably going to be the scruffiest Chief Scout you’ve ever had and my health and safety policy is non-existent.
In the British Special Air Service, combat fitness is all about running.
But the wild is unpredictable, stuff does happen, and it’s always when you’re least expecting it.
Both faith and fear may sail into your harbor, but only allow faith to drop anchor.
I didn’t want to do eight seasons of How To Build A Fire. The intention was to make something fun and dynamic and about self rescue, not about whittling.
I learnt another valuable lesson that night: listen to the quiet voice inside. Intuition is the noise of the mind.
The lesson is, the rewards in life don’t always go to the biggest, or the bravest, or the smartest. The rewards go to the dogged; and when your going though hell, to the person who just keeps going.
You’re not human if you don’t feel fear. But I’ve learnt to treat fear as an emotion that sharpens me. It’s there to give me that edge for what I have to do.