Resilience, CALM and Self-discovery
TRIBEathlon Podcast
Episode 50: Born in 1972, Ian Rose contracted eye cancer as a baby and subsequently lost his left eye and most of the sight in his right.
Going on to compete at five Paralympic Games in Judo, winning 2 medals, as well as medals in the World and European Championships, Ian was on course to represent ParalympicsGB at his sixth Games in London when he sustained an injury during training and decided to call it a day, ending an international career spanning 22 years at the top.
Now a well-respected speaker, I wanted to understand from Ian more about controlling the controllable, defining your purpose and unleashing the power of resilience.
Raising Money
Efficient Portfolio’s chosen charity to support for this year is CALM. The Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) is leading a movement against suicide, and with the 18 months we have all endured, our team couldn’t think of a more important topic to help support. Every week 125 people in the UK take their own lives, and early indications suggest that the pandemic has caused a significant rise in this figure.
I lost my brother-in-law to suicide a few years ago, so I’m keen to do as much as possible to raise money for this amazing cause. As a result, I will attempt Ironman Tallinn (Estonia) on Saturday 7th of August to raise money for CALM.
For those that aren’t aware of what an Ironman involves, it is a 2.4-mile (3.86 km) swim, a 112-mile (180.25 km) bike ride followed immediately by a marathon 26.22-mile (42.20 km) run. I am sure you will agree, this will be a tough day at the office, however the more sponsorship and support I have, the easier it will be from a mental perspective, even if the physical challenges remain.
If you would be willing to sponsor me on this epic journey and help us raise money for a charity supporting the single biggest killer of men under 45, you can do so here.
Podcast I’ve Been Listening To
If you like rugby, triathlon or both, then I’d suggest you listen to the interview of Gareth Thomas on Don’t Tell me the Score. Gareth is one of Wales’s greatest ever rugby players; he's their second highest try scorer ever and was the first man to reach 100 Wales caps. A genuinely lovely and inspiring guy, this interview gives an amazing insight into the battles Thomas faced as the first high profile player to come out as gay. Really worth a listen.
TED Talk I’ve Found Interesting
In his serene talk 5 hindrances to self-mastery, Shaolin Master, Shi Heng Yi, delves into the topic of self-discovery. Learn why rainfall is an essential part of each flowering and every small step, part of the journey to the highest peak. The hindrances along the way to self-discovery and personal growth are easy to overcome. Learn how from his talk. For more than 30 years, Master Shi Heng Yi has been studying and practicing the interaction between mind and body. His strength is the ability to smoothly combine this knowledge with physical exercises and to practice Martial art –Kung Fu and Qi Gong. He has an academic background, but he prefers to live at the Shaolin Temple Europe, Monastery located in Otterberg, Germany. Since 2010 he has been taking care of the settlement and he personifies sustainable development and spreading the Shaolin culture and philosophy.
Quote of the Week
”Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.”
- Helen Keller
Finance Theme I’ve Been Considering
Most weeks, the other Efficient Portfolio advisers get together for a chat about what is going on, and this includes recording a short 10-minute podcast about something financial. We call it The Fit Finance Sessions. In last week’s episode they discussed what an ISA is, the types of ISAs available and the benefits and misconceptions associated with them. With LISAs, JISAs, Cash ISAs, Equity ISAs, what could be simple actually isn’t, so if you want to find out the differences, and how each can save you tax and help you make your money work harder for you, I suggest you give it a listen here.