Episode 24

How a 500 mile bike race has lessons for life and business with Clayton Drotsky

Published on: 1st February, 2024

Welcome to a journey of endurance, resilience, and the power of the mind. 

On this first episode of MMM Podcast season 2, we’re venturing into the rugged mountains of Spain with leadership specialist Clayton Drotsky, who faced a grueling 500-mile bike race that tested the limits of his physical and mental abilities. Join us for the story and the lessons that we can all learn. Clayton explains the pivotal role of mental preparation in his performance. And I explain some of the psychology and science about the impact of visualisation when considering how our brain uses a kind of 'prediction' system to meet reality.

Clayton takes us in to the moment of disbelief and despair when his bike chain snaps in the middle of the race and miles from any help. To deal with this catastrophe, it takes acceptance first, then focus to figure out how to get back in the race. This mindset of 'finding a way' is compelling and metaphorical too. It takes determination to deal with tough events in life and business and I love this story as I can relate to it. It's about finding a way even when things are tough which make life even more interesting and valuable. 

Clayton and I discuss the lessons of the bike race and business - there are many parallels which is why I love this story. A big takeaway for me was how he used embodied visualisation to get there. It’s not just about seeing the finish line; it’s about feeling every emotion, every pedal stroke, every triumph along the way. We also discuss the mindset shift from conquering vast distances to appreciating the power of smaller, yet significant milestones. It’s a great lesson in the importance of long-term vision over short term thinking —an easy trap to fall into it.

This is more than a race; it’s a parable for moving forward in every aspect of our lives. Listen to the episode and I hope you get inspired too. Remember to embrace discomfort, meet the challenge, and please share your experience of overcoming difficulties.

Clayton's BIO

Clayton is a leadership coach with a 16-year track record of guiding large groups within Contact Centres globally. 

With his experience, Clayton has honed his methods in leading diverse teams and has become a go-to resource for cultivating effective leadership skills.

Clayton uses his experience and ability to help leaders unify groups and foster a collective spirit. He helps leaders build meaning and create a sense of belonging which sees their teams rally behind a common vision. 

It’s not rocket-science, Clayton teaches easy to implement methods leaders can put into practice and keep doing long after Clayton is gone. 

Clayton helps leaders overcome their challenges, identify their personal goals and execute their commitments to achieve their goals.

Get in touch with Clayton here.

Get in touch with Sal

If this episode has caught your attention and you wish to learn more, then please contact me. I offer a free 20 min call where we can discuss a challenge your facing and how I may be able to help you.

Transcript
Sal:

Welcome to Mindset, Mood and Movement, a systemic approach to human

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behavior, performance, and well being.

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Our psychological, emotional, and

physical health are all connected,

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and my guests and I endeavor to share

knowledge, strategies, and tools for

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you to enrich your life and work.

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Hello, can a 500 mile cycle race in Spain

teach us about performance, mindset and

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overcoming difficulties and challenges.

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I am delighted to be joined today

by Clayton, Clayton Drotsky.

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And Clayton is a leadership

trainer and facilitator and

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also a 500 mile bike racer.

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And Clayton has got an amazing

story of a race he recently did.

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And I'm so excited to share

this because it's not just a

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great story about a bike race.

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It's so many pieces to this chapter

and Clayton and I have spoken about

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how leadership, how business, how life

are all, there are adversities, there's

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challenges, and how do we overcome them?

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And I think there's something

fascinating about this story

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that you're going to love.

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welcome, Clayton, great to have you on.

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Clayton: Yeah.

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Thank you so much, Sal, for inviting me.

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It's, it's a real nice platform for people

like me to share what we do and also some

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of our experiences with someone like you.

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It's fantastic.

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Thank

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Sal: Amazing, great to have you.

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So we're going to get more into

Clayton's work as well, but

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we're going to go straight in.

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Because when I heard this

story, I was like, You did what?

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What did

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Clayton: you

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Sal: do in September?

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And Clayton's Oh, I did

a 500 mile bike race.

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I'm like, Oh yeah, whereabouts?

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What in the Netherlands?

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And it's no, no, in

the mountains of Spain.

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So I want to know how you managed

to get yourself into, it sounds

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like quite a hot environment as

well, to on the 500 mile bike race.

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Take me through.

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How did you get to the start line?

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got you onto that bike race?

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Clayton: you know what?

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A couple of years ago, I've been

cycling for a very long time, 20

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years and a couple of years ago, I

joined some of my friends back home

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in South Africa and we cycled from

Johannesburg to Keita, a thousand miles.

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On we did it in eight days we raised a

lot of money and I was like wow I want

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to do more of that and in Europe there

are a lot well all across the world

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really there are lots of these ultra

gravel ultra marathon gravel races and

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this is one of them so it's all off road

mostly it's off road and this was one

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that really interested me because of the

landscape I My wife and I love deserts.

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Whenever we can go on a holiday, we go to

a desert and we just love the secludedness

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of it and, Badlands, this is the, this

is the fourth year of Badlands running,

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so relatively new race, but the images

and the terrain you cover was incredible.

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So they normally sell out

quite quickly, these races.

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So you go into a bit of a lottery system

and they only allow a certain number

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of people because of the environment.

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So you, you literally enter

the race a year in advance.

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So I knew November 2022 that I

was doing the race in September.

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So a long time, it's a long time

for the race to play in your mind.

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I'll tell you that much.

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But, that's how, then I basically

started training, properly training

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about five, six months before the race.

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long distance rides in the UK.

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And, I did a, I did a ride around London

called the, the ring around the ring

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of smoke challenge, which is a 200 mile

race through the night around London.

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It was my first overnight experience.

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And, I felt great because my wife

doesn't think I can stay awake longer

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than or later than half past nine.

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So I totally showed her that I was capable

of staying awake, through all the night.

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The funny thing was in that

race at two in the morning.

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I was sitting as the only sober person

at McDonald's in Guildford, which

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was a really weird feeling, being so

dirty and so tired, and then this,

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all these young people coming back

from wherever they were, getting their

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McDonald's, and I was, uh, sober.

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So all this was preparation for my race,

and that's how I got to the start line.

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Sal: Wow, that's, that's so cool.

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And it's so interesting, isn't it?

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When we hear about people

overcoming adversity, whether it's

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a race or setting up a business,

we often hear the glory story.

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We often hear oh, you, you did that

race or you set up that business, you

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created that amazing product or service.

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We don't hear the graph.

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We don't hear the prep.

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And I think it's such an interesting and

vital part of understanding not only the

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bike race, which of course we will go

into in depth, but perhaps how we apply

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ourselves to life and business, because...

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prep really sets up output.

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if the preparation is not good, whether

that's for fitness or whether that's

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for whatever it is, the output needs to

be, then it's unlikely to go your way.

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So the prep's really important.

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I'm curious as well about.

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How much prep did you do for, it's

a 500 mile race, which is more

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than double the one you're, you're,

you're speaking about in London.

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And it sounds like it had a

sense and you've got heat.

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So you're going towards

the Southern part of Spain.

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And how do you prepare

for that physically?

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And how do you prepare for that mentally?

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Clayton: physically, I had to,

for four months, Before the race,

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I did an average of over 220 to

250 miles a week on the bike.

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So that's about 13 to

16 hours on the saddle.

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So three rides in the week, two big

rides on the weekend for four months.

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The weather, I don't

have an indoor trainer.

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So if it was bad weather, I was out there.

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and that, then I was carrying

my gear because you needed a

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lot of your own saddlebags and,

and, and, and hydration packs.

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So as I was accumulating these things,

I would, I would wear those things too.

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So physically, my wife

would call me stubborn.

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I've, I've always been a bit sporty.

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And when it comes to

sport, I like a challenge.

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So with the race, physically and

mentally, I was very confident

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that I would be able to finish it.

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I saw myself, mentally, I could

visualize myself crossing the

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finish line a million times.

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I saw myself at the end, because on

the YouTube videos that you see from

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previous events, you can see what the

finish looks like, and I visualized

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myself crossing that finish line, hugging

my wife, having a beer, and it ended up

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being nothing like that, but I saw myself

doing that so many times, and I never

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once doubted that I wouldn't make it.

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And that's when it comes to sport,

something maybe I'm a bit more comfortable

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with, and knowing my own body, because

I've been doing it for a long time.

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I was very comfortable that I could do it.

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but then, leading up to the race, a little

bit of doubt creeps in here and then.

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I was just so happy to get it started when

that, when that starting gun went off.

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I was so relieved because finally I

could stop thinking about it because

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it consumed my mind for months and then

weeks before the race even more so and

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then that week of the race, I hardly

slept, you're supposed to sleep a lot

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so you get really because the race,

you're not going to sleep much at all.

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In fact, I slept five hours, four

and a half hours and 66 hours.

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So you don't sleep at all.

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But I didn't sleep anything.

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I was at such bad sleep

leading up to the event.

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I was just, things were

going through my brain.

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What if I'm lost?

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Where do I go?

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And then things you

didn't think of before.

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So that little bit of doubt,

even though you're confident in

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your abilities, that little bit

of doubt does creep in for sure.

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Sal: Amazing.

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That's so interesting.

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And I love to hear just how much

distance you're doing, because this

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is the thing with anything endurance

related, you've got to put the miles

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and you've got to understand that what

we often call in the weights, weight

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training arena, like time under tension.

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And I would say that psychologically

as well, you need a certain level

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of time under tension to translate

that into longer duration,

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certainly in physical activity.

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I'm fascinated by your mental

picture of finishing the race,

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and there's a lot we know.

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There's been studies done on this for

years around visualisation, whether

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you do, certainly in sport performance.

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If you do the sport, there was

a study I saw years ago, which

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was about basketball players.

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They got a bunch of guys to shoot hoops.

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got another bunch to visualise the

hoop, and it all going in and shooting.

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And they got, guys just to visualise it.

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And it's no surprise that the guys

simply visualizing it came last.

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The guys shooting hoops came second, but

the guys visualizing the action hoops came

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a big chunk further in their performance.

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And, and I find this fascinating.

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There's a more recent piece of

science, and I think we'll all love

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this is the predictive brain theory

or processing that our brain is

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predicting what's going to happen.

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Now, if this is a robust theory,

which it seems to me, then we

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are already presuming an outcome.

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Hence, if we are seeing failure

coming, whether that's in our work

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or in our race or whatever that piece

of, thing we want to achieve in, it's

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probably going to make out that way.

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So it's not just a, Wishful thinking.

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This is actually orientating your

brain and your body and your abilities.

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So how do you achieve?

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And what you said there,

seeing the end, visualising it.

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That's, that's incredible.

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And of course, and we'll

get through the story.

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I know you ended and I know

you're safe because you're here.

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know there's a massive drama

in the middle, which we're

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going to get to shortly.

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And lastly, I just want to speak

to the point around that build up.

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So much interesting.

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I call it the anxiety gap.

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So when you're doing something.

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Uh, and of course the case in point,

you're going to start that race it's

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a week before and instead of sleeping

and having a lovely time, the mind is

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feeling it and in a way, this is the

anxiety system showing its propensity

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to problem solve and to figure out the

problem when it goes into overdrive is

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then we end up not sleeping and worrying.

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is a case in point, isn't it?

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To just get on with it.

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Clayton: Yeah.

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Sal: When you're that close

to achieving what you're going

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to do, it's we need to start.

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Cause when we start, ah, everything

comes out of the head, it comes into the

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body, it becomes embodied and processed.

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Amazing.

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that's, that's just such a

fascinating, run up to the start.

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So take us, it's, it's 500 miles.

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What's the terrain like?

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What's the temperature like?

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How's the first day?

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Clayton: it was, yeah, we

started at eight o'clock in the

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morning on a Sunday in Grenada.

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there was about 350 riders in total.

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For the first time, it was raining.

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Every race, this is, like I said, this

was the fourth edition, I think, and

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the three editions before, some of

them got into the 50 degrees Celsius.

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But the average was about

40, in the high 30s, low 40s.

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And that's what we all

went through expecting.

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We got to Grenada, my wife and I,

a couple of days before the race,

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and was predicted rain at the start.

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And this was like, no, this is impossible.

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It was doing the floods in Madrid.

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So this rain in Spain,

it just carried all over.

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And we actually started in

some drizzle, which is unknown.

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And they actually changed the route

because some of our route takes us

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through dry riverbeds, desert riverbeds.

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But in times of flood, there

will be the water in them.

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And even if there wasn't water,

we would not be able to pass

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through because of the mud.

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It makes what they call

this peanut butter mud.

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It gets everywhere, you can't, you can't

ride, it's, it's, you can't even walk

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through it, so it's really bad, so they

actually changed the route because the

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organizers could not take the risk for

us to go down a river, we might, we

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might not all come back, so we started

at 8 in the morning and there's a lot

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of climbing in this race, in total we

climbed 15, 000, 16, 000 meters, which

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is about 45, 000 feet of elevation gain,

so we climb a lot with all our bags and

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yeah, we started off, I was concentrating

very hard because of my, when I was a bit

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younger, racing, riding on the bike, I was

a bit more competitive in my age group.

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So that testosterone still

there, and I was fighting hard

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to say, Clayton, just relax.

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Let those guys who want to go racing,

go off and do their own thing.

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You just, so I was in

control of myself there.

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Nice and slow start, nice and relaxed.

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And I was in a good place.

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And I met a couple of people, because

this is the great thing about it, you

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meet some incredible people, I cycled

the first day with people from Belgium,

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people from Ireland, people from the

UK, Germans, it was just incredible.

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And then, most of, lots of parties

by yourself, but then I met the only

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other South African in the race.

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funny enough, we bumped into each other

and we rode together for a long time

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and we finished that night, we got to

a place we wanted to get to, a small

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village called Gore, G O R, and that was

244 kilometers into the race, got there

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the first night, the little village of

Gore, they know the race passes through

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there, so they keep the pub open for

24 hours to serve food, and also they

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allow you to sleep on the floor, now

it's a concrete floor, I didn't get any

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sleep, so half an hour sleep, Then I

woke the other South African guy up and

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another friend of mine who I, a friend

that I met, and Dave, and we started

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riding together at two in the morning.

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We left, Gore, and about seven in the

morning, I just, I thought my chain

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fell off, my bike, and I said to the

guys, it was pitch, pitch black, we

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were on our way to the highest point of

the race called Kala Alto, Kala Alto.

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It was an 80km gradual climb,

uphill for 80km, 50 miles uphill.

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at about 7 in the morning, it was

still dark, it was freezing, because

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now we're in the middle of the desert,

we're at a very high point, and we've

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all got our puffer jackets on, riding

our bikes, and my chain fell off.

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So I put my chain back on,

but there was no drive.

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something had broken.

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Luckily for me, the South African

guy who was with me, knew a lot

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about technical stuff about bicycles.

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And he said to me, he

thinks he knows what it is.

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he was able to pinpoint

to me what had broken.

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He took out a small little wire, that's in

my freehub, that keeps things in place for

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your drive to work through your bicycle.

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That wire had broken.

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Which means I could not pedal anymore.

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And, we tried to fix it.

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we could not, we couldn't fix it.

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And these two gentlemen, They tried

to help me by, we took two tubes, two

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tied tubes, put them together, tied one

around, zai, the other African guy's,

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hand, C post and one around behind board.

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And he was pulling me, but it was

futile because we were going uphill.

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And at the same time, he was pulling me.

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Dave was pushing me from behind,

but they couldn't do, it was futile.

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We were going uphill and they were just

burning a lot of matches, as we say.

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I said to them, go, just go.

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And I would walk, my plan was then to

walk to the highest point of the race,

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which was about another 20 kilometers

to go, and then freewheel from there

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to the next town, which is another

40 kilometers, but it's all downhill.

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So I could do that.

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And, in that moment,

I thought it was done.

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I thought my race was done.

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Because where am I going to find, in

the middle of the Sahara Nevada, where

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am I going to find this little wire?

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That, and, yeah, I got pretty

emotional, because of all the...

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The hard work, training for so long,

all the hours sacrificing, and then

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also, financial implications that I'd

made to get there, all the money to

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get to Grenada, all the equipment,

the equipment's a lot of money.

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all of that, I phoned my, actually

FaceTimed my wife when I got

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signal, and, it was still dark,

she couldn't see me, and the signal

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was really bad, but I was crying.

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I was actually crying and I just said

it's over, I can't believe it's over and

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at that moment another cyclist stopped

next to me, happened to be an Australian

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guy and he was like, are you okay?

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And as we all try and be very

proud, the tears disappeared

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and I said, I'm fine, I'm fine.

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And I couldn't really speak to my

wife cause the signal was so bad.

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And then I just decided, you know what,

I've got five days to finish the race.

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My aim was to finish it within three.

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So now my, my, my goals have changed.

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I'm not going to finish it in three.

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But come hell or high water,

I'm going to finish this thing.

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Even if it's five days, I'm

going to finish it in five days.

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The longest it takes.

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that's what I, that was

what I said to myself.

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Sal: That's amazing.

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So I can only try to imagine that, like

going uphill for basically 50 miles.

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I live at the top of a hill and it's about

a mile and it's a bit of an effort for me.

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So 50,

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Clayton: Hehehehe

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Sal: kind of full respect, but in terms

of you're there, like you've done the

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training, you've done everything you need

to do and something like a piece of wire.

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Which you are relying on this inert

thing fails and there is no other option.

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And of course it's, it's fascinating,

isn't it, when suddenly you've,

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you've controlled all the

controllables, as we say, in,

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field, the controllables,

but what you can't control.

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And yet it's just such an impact.

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And then I'm fascinated to know how,

if you're, if you're okay to go here.

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it like in that pain point when you're

right there and that, that, that

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literally that misery point of it's, it's

over, what, what's that like for you?

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What was it like viscerally?

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What's it like emotionally?

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Tell me.

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And

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Clayton: Ah, you know it's You

feel very sorry for yourself.

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You start thinking very,

you feel sorry for yourself.

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And, it's almost like that John

McEnroe moment where you, if you

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had a racket, you'd probably try

and break it because of, you have

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that why me, why, why, why me?

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because you prepare.

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Like you say, you control the

controllables, you prepare for everything.

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But this part that broke, it's

such a weird part to break.

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It's someone said to you, Wait,

don't forget when you drive down to

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Cornwall, Remember to take a spare roof

with, Because your roof will break.

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Your roof will never break, right?

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exactly the same thing.

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No one will tell you to take this piece

of wire with you, Because it's unlikely.

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So I was just, Yeah, you're

going to that pity party.

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Why me?

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Why, why has this happened to me?

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:

and, Yeah, so it was tough.

339

:

I was very, very low.

340

:

Sal: of course I can resonate with that.

341

:

the, the, the pain of like

in some ways, the defaint.

342

:

And also what you said, and I'm really

intrigued by how your, your mind works

343

:

on this because you've done so much work

physically, you've done the mental work,

344

:

you've done all that visual preparation.

345

:

physically, if I was coaching you

at that point, I'd be so pumped.

346

:

Like you've got this, you've

done everything you need to do.

347

:

And then of course, this about adversity.

348

:

adversity is horrible, right?

349

:

It's not meant to be nice.

350

:

That's why it's called adversity.

351

:

It's adverse.

352

:

It's uncomfortable.

353

:

what we do in those moments

that really define how we grow,

354

:

how we learn, how we overcome.

355

:

And, and I, and I want to speak

to the deep human part of you in

356

:

that, because something changed.

357

:

Yeah, you told your wife, like it's done.

358

:

yet it wasn't.

359

:

changed?

360

:

When, how did you get that decision,

that, that mental decision like...

361

:

I was gonna do it in three,

but I could do it in five.

362

:

How did you switch?

363

:

Clayton: know what, I think you,

What I did was, I was able to, you

364

:

contextualize it, I don't know how you

compartmentalize compartmentalize, I

365

:

can't say the word now, but thinking

of the bigger picture, right?

366

:

People that don't know cycling, if

I told them I finished this race,

367

:

they don't ask me how long it takes.

368

:

They just go, wow, that's incredible.

369

:

And my wife's there supporting

me, and at the same time, you've

370

:

got this, this website called Dot

Watcher, where everybody who I'd

371

:

shared on my WhatsApp friends.

372

:

I'd shared my, my dot too.

373

:

So they were following my, my progress

and I knew they were all watching

374

:

and I was like, you know what?

375

:

They'll be so proud if I

finish this after all of this.

376

:

And it's just that click

that says, yes, sure.

377

:

I'm not going to do what I

wanted to do, which was finishing

378

:

the top half of the race.

379

:

I'm in the top half of the field.

380

:

I'm just going to, but I'm

still going to finish it.

381

:

And I'm going to try and find this part.

382

:

while I was walking, the

signal was very, very bad.

383

:

I was trying to Google bicycle shops.

384

:

And where were the nearest ones?

385

:

And the nearest ones were Almeria.

386

:

which I would, funnily enough,

pass the next day on the race.

387

:

Well, I got to the top of that mountain,

Colo which took me a long time.

388

:

I can't tell you exactly

what time I got there, but...

389

:

Then I could free will on a tall road

to the next village called Gerhal.

390

:

When I got there, I,

no one speaks English.

391

:

Absolutely no one, which makes it so nice.

392

:

It's so authentic.

393

:

And, I got to this, it was lunchtime,

and there were these three Spanish

394

:

families enjoying their lunch.

395

:

And, with Google Translate, I

was able to tell them, I'm in a

396

:

race, my bike is broken, can I

get a taxi from here to Almeria,

397

:

which is about 50 kilometers away.

398

:

And I knew it was going to be

an expensive taxi, but I was

399

:

like, can I get a taxi from here?

400

:

And all three of the families,

I was, I addressed what I was

401

:

saying to one particular lady,

who was giving me attention.

402

:

The other three tables, the other

tables were just listening to my story.

403

:

And as, in a heartbeat, they, the one

gentleman on the other table started

404

:

phoning a friend of his who owns a bicycle

shop in Almeria, called Avangero Bikes.

405

:

And the lady I was talking

to was phoning taxis.

406

:

And another lady on a different

table said to me, Listen, you

407

:

can leave your bike in my shop.

408

:

Because I need you to take the wheel.

409

:

So I don't have to take my

entire bike on the taxi.

410

:

Only the wheel, which I explained to them.

411

:

And the next minute a taxi driver arrives.

412

:

he must have, he doesn't speak English

at all, but he is a very old gentleman

413

:

and he must have heard that, it was

an emergency cause he was driving

414

:

like a Formula One to Almeria.

415

:

It was, I thought it was going to

die in the taxi, but we got to,

416

:

we got to the bicycle shop and the

specific, the part that I broke is

417

:

very specific to the brand of bicycle.

418

:

So I have a giant bicycle and the

shop, he was a dealer of Trek bicycles.

419

:

So the, my chances of him

having the part was small.

420

:

And when I got there, he was a very

lovely gentleman, but also as old as time.

421

:

He was a very old gentleman.

422

:

He had had the shop for

decades, no English.

423

:

And I showed him the broken piece.

424

:

And he took out this massive box of spares

that you keep from years and years of

425

:

spare parts, just throwing them in a box.

426

:

There were literally hundreds

of spare parts in there.

427

:

And him and I started

looking through this thing.

428

:

And as we were looking, I was

thinking to myself, there's no

429

:

way we're going to find it yet.

430

:

But anyway, he pulls out a wire.

431

:

And I don't know, I can't

remember, I was speechless.

432

:

Just, he pulled that out

and he said, is this it?

433

:

And that's it?

434

:

How did he?

435

:

It's impossible that

he had it, but he did.

436

:

And, anyway, I paid six

euros for that little part.

437

:

We then sped off, me and, a taxi

driver came with me into the shop.

438

:

Him and I sped off back to Grijal.

439

:

my bike was in the shop, got there, and

I, the thing is, I still had to fit it,

440

:

and I'm not a very technically gifted

guy, with my hands on the bicycle.

441

:

but I managed to do it, cause

there's these very intricate

442

:

little parts you gotta put in.

443

:

And I managed to fit it.

444

:

And it worked and when it, when I put

it on and I could feel it was working,

445

:

I just, my, I jumped up and I went

and I just shouted and the poor lady,

446

:

who'd been helping me all the time,

she ran over and gave me a big hug.

447

:

I think they could see in my face

that I was so relieved that this

448

:

had happened, that I fixed it.

449

:

And since it broke, it was now eight hours

had passed for me walking all that way.

450

:

And I, cycling shoes are

not made for walking.

451

:

So they, they're carbon fiber shoes.

452

:

They're very narrow.

453

:

So I had massive blisters on

my toes and my feet, my heels.

454

:

So I had to eat something because now

I was, I hadn't eaten since seven.

455

:

And I quickly, before I got on my

bike, I had a big meal at that little

456

:

restaurant where the lady was sitting.

457

:

And thank goodness,

just before siesta time.

458

:

And then...

459

:

I went, and I was heading for the coast,

and I didn't even have time to update my

460

:

wife or family to tell them I'm back on.

461

:

They could see from watching the dot

that I was moving again, because I

462

:

was getting these messages from them.

463

:

And I'm actually getting a bit emotional

now, but I was actually getting these

464

:

little messages from them to say See

you back on the bike, go, go, go!

465

:

It was just so cool, and then yeah,

I had 170 kilometers to go to the

466

:

nearest coastal town called San Jose.

467

:

Sal: That's...

468

:

I'm just spellbound about that.

469

:

Oh my gosh, that's just...

470

:

In some ways it's, it's, it's

crazy, in terms of this one

471

:

piece, this one piece, I can

472

:

Clayton: Yeah.

473

:

Mmm.

474

:

Sal: wire, this...

475

:

Thing.

476

:

And yet it's, the implications

of everything around it are so

477

:

big for everything that you've

done, everything you were doing.

478

:

And, and, and I'm just,

I'm incredibly touched.

479

:

I was with you in my mind there

seeing this, this, rustic village,

480

:

this, this gorgeous sense of humanity

coming out to help another person

481

:

in the spirit of the whole thing.

482

:

. It's absolutely wonderful.

483

:

and of course, isn't it wonderful that

you've, you've just met the moment

484

:

you've just dealt with what was going

on and you've doing, it's, it's.

485

:

It's a case of, okay, what next?

486

:

What now?

487

:

What can I do?

488

:

It's that beautiful part of the human

brain going into executive function.

489

:

Okay.

490

:

What can I do?

491

:

What's possible?

492

:

How can I recalibrate?

493

:

And it really shows a, a very creative

aspect of you and a very tenacious one.

494

:

in, in your neurological terms, we, we

talk in certainly my space about how

495

:

does a person operate under stress?

496

:

And there are four

states, nice and simple.

497

:

There's flow state when

everything's lovely, you feel

498

:

all going well.

499

:

There's fight state, when you're going

towards the problem, whatever the

500

:

problem is, you're going towards it,

you're working on it with confidence.

501

:

flight state, which is, I just want to

get out of this, I'm trying to knock this

502

:

to happen, I don't want it to go away.

503

:

And there's freeze state, such as,

I'm just giving up, I'm walking away.

504

:

Whether that's the bike race,

the business, or whatever it is.

505

:

And we operate in these states, and half

the time, we don't even know we see this.

506

:

The sweet spot.

507

:

In definitely in racing, in sport, and I

would say in business, most of the time is

508

:

in a fight state, which is going towards

the problem, not beating people up.

509

:

We're talking about dealing neurologically

with going towards problems or the flow

510

:

state, like how can you get to flow?

511

:

And problems will always be stressors

and it's how you respond to that is,

512

:

is, it's quite, quite incredible and

your story just tells me that you've

513

:

gone to the flight, flight state.

514

:

You're like, yeah, what can I do?

515

:

How can I go?

516

:

Clayton: yeah.

517

:

Sal: the, or the Formula One style taxi.

518

:

Clayton: Hahahaha

519

:

Sal: Maybe it was Alonso's dad or

somebody like that taking you along.

520

:

That's amazing.

521

:

Clayton: Yeah, no, you, it was incredible.

522

:

Sal: that.

523

:

is just incredible.

524

:

you're back on.

525

:

So it's game on, right?

526

:

It's game on.

527

:

The bike's on, you're on.

528

:

I can't believe you haven't slept

because I'm a big sleeper, but okay.

529

:

what's, what's it like from here?

530

:

You, you've come through this,

this hellhole you're back on.

531

:

Take us through the next piece.

532

:

Clayton: Oh, so actually the next piece.

533

:

is probably one of my favourite pieces,

fondest memories because I was back on

534

:

the bike and now I was just grateful.

535

:

That's all.

536

:

I was just grateful that I was there.

537

:

I was no longer why me or the pity

party that I experienced for a short

538

:

period of time when my bike was broken.

539

:

I was now just exceptionally grateful.

540

:

And that was an incredible moment.

541

:

And I also, it helps that

I was going through some of

542

:

the best scenery of the race.

543

:

And I was all on my own.

544

:

And I was just, I was almost

like you say that flow stays.

545

:

I wasn't thinking about it.

546

:

I was just, mile after mile.

547

:

I had 180 kilometres to do to

reach the, to reach the town.

548

:

And I'd started late afternoon.

549

:

And I met up with some incredible

people that I'd rode with the day

550

:

before and we got to San Jose together

at about half past one in the morning.

551

:

and, There was a Pizza Place open.

552

:

I can't believe it.

553

:

It was like an oasis,

because I was so hungry.

554

:

And we got to this Pizza Place and

I ordered a ginormous pizza and I

555

:

thought to myself, I need to sleep.

556

:

Now, because my body is saying,

Clayton, you can't go anymore.

557

:

You need to sleep.

558

:

And, these two guys were talking about

going a bit further and I was like, you

559

:

know what guys, I'm gonna hit anchor.

560

:

And I ordered a Pizza and

Bolognese to eat the next morning.

561

:

Because I was thinking, I'm just gonna go.

562

:

I'm in the morning

already, so I hope I sweat.

563

:

So I found this small

accommodation that on bookings.

564

:

com said it had availability.

565

:

So I went over there because it

was across the road and I woke

566

:

up the receptionist fast asleep.

567

:

And I booked a little room

and I got four hours of sleep.

568

:

So just over four and a half hours.

569

:

So it's called it five hours of

sleep during the entire race.

570

:

One of the guys I had met up just

before I got to the coastal town, I

571

:

said to him, my plan was to finish.

572

:

And that was a 260 kilometers, but also

had 6, 000 meters of climbing plus.

573

:

And he said to me, look,

he done it last year.

574

:

It's impossible to do it from here.

575

:

Normally everyone does the last day

from Almeria, which is from where we

576

:

were another two and a half hours away.

577

:

So I said to him, I didn't

say anything, but I thought

578

:

to myself, challenge accepted.

579

:

so I had a, I washed my clothes, because

you, you wear the same clothes, right?

580

:

washed my clothes in the shower, had

four hours, four and a half hours of

581

:

sleep, ate my bolognese the next morning.

582

:

They didn't give me a, there was

no cutlery in the room, so like

583

:

a barbarian I was eating it.

584

:

Have you ever eaten

spaghetti with your hands?

585

:

It's, it's incredibly difficult.

586

:

But I shoved it in, I knew I had to

eat, and then, that, that morning.

587

:

All along the coast to Almeria,

over the mountains, sun coming

588

:

up, it was unbelievable.

589

:

I phoned my wife, I listened to

a, a book that I downloaded, and

590

:

I was also again in a flow state.

591

:

Got to a town, just before, Almeria,

had a, two amazing chocolate croissants.

592

:

I just remember these small

little things, a coffee.

593

:

And on I went to Almeria, bought more

croissants, put them in my pockets,

594

:

and then I had a lot of climbing to do.

595

:

And I was just in this, at the end of

the race, I remember lots of the guys

596

:

I spoke to when we got to the finish

line, because you spend a couple of

597

:

days afterwards just telling war stories

to other cyclists, and so many people

598

:

complained about the climb out of Almeria,

saying it was very technical, very rocky,

599

:

It's, it's a very difficult climb to do,

especially with the bikes we were riding.

600

:

We were riding gravel

bikes, not mountain bikes.

601

:

And I can't remember that being difficult.

602

:

And I just, I can't remember the climb.

603

:

And I was like, but I can't

remember it being difficult.

604

:

So I was just in that moment

where everything was just, I

605

:

was feeling a million bucks.

606

:

And I actually, I rode

until through the night.

607

:

I caught a couple of guys

just before midnight.

608

:

Two lovely Belgian guys

that I'd met day one.

609

:

We met up again.

610

:

And, we had something to eat.

611

:

at a little bar and then we

said, we've gotta finish.

612

:

It's 50 Ks to go.

613

:

Still a lot of climbing, but

we are gonna finish it today.

614

:

And then I, then I actually

caught up with one of the guys

615

:

was with me when my bike broke.

616

:

and we rode together, to the end and he

finished just ahead of me actually, but.

617

:

We've, I finished at half

past three that morning.

618

:

I was actually riding with a guy from

Kenya, Michael, and his light had broken,

619

:

his light had died, and you can't see,

and he's in the middle of the desert, in

620

:

these mountains, and I thought to myself,

I can't, there's no ways I can leave him,

621

:

I drove in the middle of the dark, so

he rode with me, which made things a lot

622

:

slower, not because he was slow, but just

because my life was now shining for two

623

:

of us, and going down those treacherous

downhills, Very, very rocky descents.

624

:

how can, it's very dangerous

by, just by yourself.

625

:

He's got no light.

626

:

So what we got there off was three

in the morning, got to the finish.

627

:

And it's so underwhelming because,

when you're a kid, when you're

628

:

eight years old and you take your

own dishes to the dishwasher, you

629

:

get a standing ovation, right?

630

:

And I don't think that sets us up

for life, to get high fives when

631

:

we do something, but you finish

this incredible race, 500 miles.

632

:

45, 000 feet of climbing, and 66 hours

later you get to the finish line and

633

:

there's no one there, not a single person.

634

:

A lady walks out of a dark hotel, that's

fully booked by the way, no accommodation,

635

:

and she gives you a small little medal.

636

:

And then I asked her, is

beer anything, she says no.

637

:

So I slept on the floor of the

village hall, concrete floor.

638

:

So after all of that, still having

to sleep on concrete floors.

639

:

So the visualization of seeing my wife

there, the beers, the bravado, nothing.

640

:

It was nothing like that.

641

:

It was absolute darkness.

642

:

And at seven in the morning, the guy that

I had met, and rode with most of the time,

643

:

who was there when my bike broke down, he

woke me up and he said, let's have a beer.

644

:

And without blinking, I was

like, yes, let's have beers.

645

:

And, it was seven in the morning.

646

:

We went to the bar across the

road, had a coffee to just break

647

:

the ice with the owner and said

to him, okay, can we have beers?

648

:

And he said, no problem.

649

:

So we watched other riders come in,

cause we were sitting at the finish line.

650

:

And then we just enjoyed ourselves.

651

:

my wife arrived at about midday.

652

:

And, our accommodation, we booked in that

little town called Capilira, which is

653

:

an incredibly beautiful town in Spain.

654

:

It's the second highest town in Spain,

I would encourage anyone to go there.

655

:

we spent a couple of nights

there, it was unbelievable.

656

:

So yeah, that was it.

657

:

Sal: Amazing, amazing.

658

:

There's so many pieces to that story.

659

:

You've just told that in a beautiful way.

660

:

But in my mind of hearing like all

the things that go into being a human

661

:

being is there's, there's firstly the

gauntlet as the old expression goes

662

:

from, knighthood, someone saying,

yeah, you can't do that in a day.

663

:

And there's something in you that says.

664

:

Challenge accepted.

665

:

And I love that, that, that

is a real, that's the fierce

666

:

competitor coming through.

667

:

the fight state.

668

:

That's a neurological fight state

about, no, I can go to this problem.

669

:

That probably isn't possible.

670

:

I can still go to this problem.

671

:

And it shows you, doesn't it?

672

:

When we adopt a certain state, a certain,

and I would say state, not just the

673

:

mindset, but it's actually an emotional

state as well as a psychological state

674

:

that so many things are possible.

675

:

Now, it's not about, wishful thinking,

because there's no such things, wishful

676

:

thinking and reality are different things,

but there is this determinedness, and

677

:

that really sets up, because if our minds

in a certain way, so is our body, and,

678

:

and vice versa, and of course this is

the work I do, about how minds and bodies

679

:

align, and if our bodies functioning

very well, and our minds functioning very

680

:

well, our performance is normally good.

681

:

So much, so much better.

682

:

And if one is out of whack, particularly

the belief system, Oh God, that's a

683

:

long way and I'm tired or whatever

that story you might tell yourself,

684

:

your body listens to that story too.

685

:

So it's fascinating to hear

how you align those two.

686

:

and I was also intrigued when

you said about the, the climb,

687

:

guys say, Oh, that's tough.

688

:

and I've done, I've been a

little bit off road myself.

689

:

And for you to say, I don't even

remember, I was just flowing.

690

:

It shows you getting into,

and of course in elite sport.

691

:

and most of all actually there is a zone.

692

:

We always talk about zone.

693

:

Clayton: Yeah.

694

:

Sal: It's called flow state

Michali Britain was the guy who

695

:

studied this stuff, but it's when

you're absolutely focused, it

696

:

feels you could just keep going.

697

:

There are, you're aware of

stuff, but you're so zoned in.

698

:

It's an exquisite human

state to be in answers.

699

:

And it's lovely that you

were able to go there.

700

:

fascinated is I'm just curious as

a question, do you, do you think

701

:

that's how you are or do you think

that was coming out of that pit

702

:

of adversity that got you there?

703

:

Clayton: That's a good question.

704

:

I think that's how I am with things I

know, I think, things I know I can do.

705

:

I think that's, I'm very

comfortable in those situations.

706

:

I know that I can, I can.

707

:

I've got fights in me, I'm quite stubborn,

I don't give up easily, especially

708

:

with sports, I've always been like

that, even, I've done some very stupid

709

:

things in my life, like riding through

sickness, and I should have stayed at

710

:

home, and I could have damaged my heart

tremendously, but I'm stubborn, I kept

711

:

going, and, thinking back at that, I

think, what were you trying to prove,

712

:

you could have really hurt yourself,

I'm that kind of stubborn sometimes when

713

:

it comes to those things, and going to

these races, like this race was my first,

714

:

Experience like this, and there are people

there who've done tons of this stuff.

715

:

And, I met some incredible human beings

who, who cycled from China to the UK.

716

:

I don't know, it's just, it's

like you think to yourself,

717

:

what are you guys doing?

718

:

It's just, and I, and it's there's

always a bigger fish, isn't there?

719

:

But, I think that is who, who I am.

720

:

When I know how to deal with it,

that, I'm quite confident that way.

721

:

Sal: Yeah, it's, it's, it's

lovely to hear and it's thought

722

:

it doesn't diminish anything.

723

:

It's just, that's an interesting question.

724

:

I think for us listening and

for you to observe and I find

725

:

fascinating is that we really can.

726

:

do so much in life.

727

:

I really think, our human

potential is, is, really quite big.

728

:

we, we're clever species, us humans.

729

:

Now, some of us are stronger, some of

us are fitter, some of us are not, but

730

:

there's so much we can do if we leverage

our natural tendencies and skill sets.

731

:

whether you are a people person,

whether you're a stubborn stoic person,

732

:

you can leverage those natural gifts.

733

:

It takes self awareness and And for

me, all the coaching work I do is, we

734

:

started self awareness because when you

735

:

then you can know Oh, I'm stubborn.

736

:

So that means I can push on, but we need

to be careful because that could hurt you.

737

:

So self awareness tells you how to

be, how stubborn should I be today?

738

:

Clayton: yeah.

739

:

Sal: such a beautiful story.

740

:

And I love the fact that, there's

what I heard in that story was

741

:

camaraderie as well from the people

in the town, the other bike riders,

742

:

your friend who'd lost the light.

743

:

And, and it's, it's just lovely.

744

:

And I'm.

745

:

Really intrigued, isn't it?

746

:

When we put ourselves under

certain conditions, which aren't

747

:

the regular life, I'm so busy,

748

:

Clayton: Yeah.

749

:

Sal: we, we really connect with people.

750

:

That's such a beautiful story.

751

:

one last thing, how good

did those croissants taste?

752

:

Clayton: Oh, they were phenomenal.

753

:

everything you, sometimes it's,

it got quite hot towards the end

754

:

because the rain was day one.

755

:

But, and when you're very hot

and you're very tired, you

756

:

don't feel like eating anything.

757

:

Your body doesn't want

to eat, you need to.

758

:

and you can't take any more of

these sports gels and sugar stuff.

759

:

You can't do it anymore.

760

:

Your body just says, I was craving fruit.

761

:

Every time we stopped, if I was

there with another cyclist, they

762

:

would laugh at me because I'd

walk out with peaches and apples.

763

:

It's what I was craving.

764

:

I could, I could not eat another bocadilla

or another sandwich or another, I could

765

:

not, but those croissants were phenomenal.

766

:

So the shorts had had pockets in

them and the cycling shorts and I

767

:

just had them in foil in my pockets.

768

:

And, when the time was right,

you look forward to them.

769

:

It's almost like a treat.

770

:

you say to yourself, okay, top of the

mountain, I'm going to have a croissant.

771

:

then it's almost like you're

telling your brain, deserve it.

772

:

you get there, you

773

:

deserve it.

774

:

Sal: I love it.

775

:

And the reason I asked is because I

know people I've spoken to both my

776

:

professional space and personal who've

been through adversity and maybe,

777

:

have been able to eat for a while.

778

:

And that first taste of food or

it's it's not just a croissant,

779

:

it's a croissant and it's amazing.

780

:

And it's so curious how these intense

experience make things more present with

781

:

your taste buds, your sensory receptors.

782

:

It's, it's absolutely wonderful

when that mind is clearer.

783

:

It's, it really hones

in on what's going on.

784

:

That's fascinating.

785

:

Clayton: Yeah, I know, I must say, I

was thinking just this weekend because

786

:

I went on a ride with some friends.

787

:

I got a group of guys I ride with

here on a Sunday in the UK and we're

788

:

not doing massive distances at all.

789

:

maybe doing 50 miles, and I'm really

thinking to myself, how did I do?

790

:

Cause I'm not in that mindset now,

a month ago I was doing 500 miles,

791

:

now I'm doing 50 and I think to

myself, how on earth did I do 500?

792

:

And it's that mindset, because going

into that, going into that 500 mile race,

793

:

you've thought about it a million times,

and you're, you are, you've planned

794

:

and prepared as you mentioned earlier.

795

:

And you've set yourself, your

mind is set at this is what it is.

796

:

This is it.

797

:

so you become comfortable with

the uncomfortable very quickly.

798

:

but now back to reality, I'm not

planning for anything big at the moment.

799

:

I've got a couple of things

I might be doing next year.

800

:

yeah, 50 miles seems Woah, man,

this is, why am I doing this?

801

:

actually,

802

:

Sal: It's quite a long way, yeah.

803

:

Clayton: I know, it's,

804

:

yeah.

805

:

Sal: in just a, in the.

806

:

Sport science or, certainly that side

of things, we'd call it tapering and,

807

:

pulling back on the mileage, going

to the, there is a, there's some

808

:

technical way that you can build and

understand your distance around that.

809

:

But what I find really interesting in

terms of overlaying this story, that

810

:

I'm just, it's such a great story, but

overlaying into life and into business.

811

:

What are you planning for?

812

:

Because if you've got a 500 mile race

physically, or you've got a quote,

813

:

a metaphoric 500 mile race of a

business, maybe you're going to grow

814

:

something over the next five years.

815

:

If you don't plan it in that context,

you think it's going to be like a 50

816

:

miler, then you're up for trouble.

817

:

if you're not planning for the long

haul, like how is this going to roll?

818

:

What do I need in place?

819

:

What do I need to get me there?

820

:

It's gonna fall short.

821

:

And we do live in a short term

mentality, in our current culture with

822

:

the nature of technology and the pace

of life, it does, I think, predicate

823

:

a sense of things gonna come quickly.

824

:

I do see, and I love that, story you

said about being a kid, getting, applause

825

:

for putting stuff in a dishwasher.

826

:

It's in the real tough life, people are

like, yeah, you did a race, get over it.

827

:

Clayton: Yeah, exactly,

828

:

exactly.

829

:

Sal: and there's something really

interesting, is it about not

830

:

needing that, that, let's say all

that applause and finding your

831

:

own internal gratification about,

832

:

I did that and I'm sleeping

on the floor and it sucks.

833

:

And that's still fine as well.

834

:

Clayton: Yeah.

835

:

And you're fine.

836

:

people would've complained.

837

:

I'm sure, other people might've, or I,

I don't think anyone in this race did.

838

:

if you're not set at that

mindset, you would've said, what?

839

:

I'm sleeping on a floor.

840

:

I've done this incredible racing.

841

:

and that's it.

842

:

And I, and I, I like what you said

there in the beginning, 'cause

843

:

it really got me thinking about

planning and being prepared.

844

:

And I know you and I

have spoken before about.

845

:

the clarity that I saw with this

race, visualizing myself finishing it

846

:

a million times before I got there.

847

:

I never once thought I

wasn't going to do it.

848

:

There were moments in the race when that

bad luck happened, but not once before the

849

:

race that I think I'm not finishing this.

850

:

and I, my transition from

employment to starting my own

851

:

business, I was not that prepared.

852

:

I was not that well planned.

853

:

I didn't plan all that well.

854

:

I knew what I wanted to do.

855

:

And...

856

:

But I didn't actually have the steps in

place I needed to have, and I'll often say

857

:

that I wish I had the clarity I have with

a race like this with my own business.

858

:

And I realize now why, it's now almost

two years down the line with my own

859

:

business and I'm a lot more planned ahead.

860

:

In fact, we might be, buying a new

business, a, a, a, a second one,

861

:

but it's just I know where I'm going

now, where I didn't when I started.

862

:

And I think thinking back as to.

863

:

Visualizing myself in my business.

864

:

I can see where I want to be, but

it's not as clear and I'm not as

865

:

confident as I am with my cycling.

866

:

so what you said there was really good.

867

:

Sal: I want to know, so when you were

visualizing that race, so we really

868

:

understand it, you've, you've, and

you said you've visualized it many

869

:

times, having some beers, crossing

the line, seeing your wife, all these

870

:

pieces, what were the emotions in

your pre visualization experience

871

:

Clayton: euphoria, achievements,

were those emotions of, yeah.

872

:

Sal: and what does your body feel like?

873

:

Could you, what were you feeling?

874

:

So you're visualizing this stuff

happening and you've got those emotions.

875

:

What did your body connect with?

876

:

Clayton: I think my body

would say it's tired.

877

:

What?

878

:

It was after

879

:

Sal: in the visualisation part, so

the pre prehearsal, you're thinking

880

:

like, this is going to happen.

881

:

You've got all that great

882

:

Clayton: Oh, yeah, just excited.

883

:

Oh, yeah, very, very excited.

884

:

just an excited, excited feeling.

885

:

Sal: Yeah.

886

:

So it's so interesting.

887

:

And this is the point I want to make is

that if we're in a, in an abstraction,

888

:

such as I can see myself finishing

this race, or I can see myself with

889

:

my success at work or in my business.

890

:

If it's only an abstraction, which is

not dissimilar to a dream, it's a sort

891

:

of an abstract construct in the mind,

where if it's got emotion layered in,

892

:

then it becomes a felt experience as well.

893

:

And then when you got a physiological

response, Oh, I'm actually maybe moving.

894

:

I feel the joy in my heart.

895

:

I'm actually perhaps jumping around a bit.

896

:

becomes tangible, what we say embodied.

897

:

And I think this is such an important

part that people miss when they're doing

898

:

pre, pre rehearsal visualization, whether

it's business or sport, it doesn't matter.

899

:

if you want to go, And I hear someone

only do the, I can picture it.

900

:

It's I need you to feel it.

901

:

Because if

902

:

it emotionally and feel it in your

body, there's so much data that

903

:

comes back to the brain through the

interoceptive signals and basically

904

:

becomes real and tangible.

905

:

And for you, it might be something

that you can take this beautiful

906

:

experience and overlay it into your

next chapter of work and business.

907

:

And.

908

:

Do, do the process, right?

909

:

You do the drills, you do the warm

up, you do everything, you do the

910

:

visualization and the embodied experience.

911

:

I suspect your, your, your

whole mind body system will go.

912

:

Yeah, we know how to deal with adversity.

913

:

We'd have to deal with the really

914

:

Clayton: Yeah.

915

:

no, I can actually see that

happening as you're speaking.

916

:

I can see that happening,

because I know the, the feeling

917

:

I get when I'm helping people.

918

:

It's such a, it's a buzz.

919

:

And it's, it's almost like a drug.

920

:

You want so much more of it.

921

:

So seeing and visualizing it now more

and more often is what I'm, what I'm

922

:

doing without thinking about it, which

is a really good, really nice feeling.

923

:

It does get you all tingly, I

guess is the word I'm looking for,

924

:

but yeah, it makes perfect sense.

925

:

Sal: and what all tingly tells

us, it's a somatic feedback.

926

:

Somatic means whole body.

927

:

So if there's tingles, there's, there's

stuff happening in the, in the cells, in

928

:

the skin, in the, in the internal system.

929

:

So that's an embodied experience,

just like crossing a finish line,

930

:

which is a real embodied experience.

931

:

If we are pre-hearing something, the

more embodied that whole thing is.

932

:

more powerful it is for our

beautiful predictive brain to go.

933

:

Yeah, I can make that become, because I

already know that's a felt experience.

934

:

I can connect with that.

935

:

beautiful.

936

:

To summarize, 500 miles, 66 hours,

up and down a whole load of mountains

937

:

in ridiculous heat, apart from

the rain day, and a broken bike.

938

:

What did you learn?

939

:

Clayton: I learned that we are

more capable of, we're a lot more

940

:

capable than we think we are.

941

:

running in those mountains too, the

one side is you, you learn that you.

942

:

You're capable of a lot

more than you think you are.

943

:

Or you're, in the face of adversity,

we can all get through it.

944

:

We've got the tools.

945

:

Those, those thoughts that we're telling

ourselves, those stories we're telling

946

:

ourselves during that adversity, it's

only stories we're telling ourselves.

947

:

You've got a group of fans, cheerleaders

behind you, thinking that you...

948

:

doing an amazing thing.

949

:

It's only you telling yourself, and

if you're able to identify, hold

950

:

on, that's just a thought that's

triggering a really negative emotion.

951

:

So that thought, that thought

can do one, and get out of there.

952

:

that's really, really powerful.

953

:

And also, when you're riding in all

these mountains, and these beautiful

954

:

places on earth, you realize you're

not as important as you think you are.

955

:

and if you were, yeah, or

not, yeah, it doesn't matter.

956

:

That those mountains have been

there for millions of years.

957

:

And life goes on, and, people carry on

with everything else, and yes, you're

958

:

the main actor in your own story, but

actually you're a very small extra in

959

:

everyone else's stories, just gotta,

just be, just, just be happy with it.

960

:

Sal: I love that, yes.

961

:

I'm chuckling because we do get so caught

up in our own story and our life and,

962

:

and of course it's important what we do.

963

:

I care so much about what I do, I

love the work I do and, and yet at

964

:

the same time, yes, at times I've been

in the mountains, I've been skiing or

965

:

different things, but out in the ocean.

966

:

And you think, I am so

utterly insignificant.

967

:

I'm only here for, if I get 100

years, that's gonna be a good one.

968

:

This stuff's been here for like millennia.

969

:

Clayton: Yeah.

970

:

Sal: it's, it's quite nice, isn't it?

971

:

To feel utterly humble and small.

972

:

for me, there's a deep respect.

973

:

So when I go into the, into

the sea, I try to connect with

974

:

those billions of tons of water.

975

:

Like I'm just a single drop right now.

976

:

And it's, isn't

977

:

How wonderful that is.

978

:

And

979

:

Clayton: Yeah.

980

:

Yeah.

981

:

Yeah.

982

:

Sal: for me when I've

had those experiences.

983

:

And it sounds like you, about you

can get over yourself and be with

984

:

the experience, whether that's the

bike race, whether that's overcoming

985

:

a challenge, whatever it is.

986

:

Because if we're too caught up in

the identity, the ego, the story

987

:

and the story isn't that healthy,

988

:

Clayton: Hmm.

989

:

Yeah.

990

:

Sal: connection to a bigger story, the

story of the mountains, the story of the

991

:

race or whatever it might be, can really

help you breathe and go, ah, this is an

992

:

Clayton: Yeah.

993

:

Yeah.

994

:

Sal: So amazing.

995

:

your story is incredible.

996

:

I'm so delighted that we came

on and we, we got into the nitty

997

:

gritty because when you first told

me, I was like, what did you do?

998

:

And of course, for,

for everyone listening.

999

:

There's, there's so much

to take from a story.

:

00:46:43,484 --> 00:46:43,974

we're humans.

:

00:46:43,974 --> 00:46:48,154

We, we dial into people, we have

empathy, we under, we can connect and

:

00:46:48,424 --> 00:46:52,074

adversity, planning, visualization,

embodiment, all of these things, they,

:

00:46:52,294 --> 00:46:54,304

they happen in every aspect of our life.

:

00:46:54,354 --> 00:46:57,054

So Clayton, your story

is an example of that.

:

00:46:57,054 --> 00:46:57,844

And it's a real one.

:

00:46:57,874 --> 00:47:00,659

And, and for me, I'm going to live

into some of those experiences

:

00:47:00,659 --> 00:47:02,234

you've said, take the lessons.

:

00:47:02,234 --> 00:47:04,094

So thank you so much for joining me today.

:

00:47:04,699 --> 00:47:06,909

Clayton: Oh, thanks so much for having me,

it's been an absolute pleasure, thank you.

:

00:47:07,009 --> 00:47:07,319

Sal: Cool.

:

00:47:07,339 --> 00:47:11,689

my dear listener, I hope that you either

going to jump on the 500 mile bike race.

:

00:47:12,089 --> 00:47:15,109

Maybe you'll go on a five minute walk.

:

00:47:15,119 --> 00:47:15,649

Who knows?

:

00:47:15,679 --> 00:47:17,499

But get active, get moving.

:

00:47:18,109 --> 00:47:20,819

Understand that these stories

are not just interesting.

:

00:47:20,829 --> 00:47:24,389

They are other people doing really

great things just like you can do

:

00:47:24,759 --> 00:47:28,479

and overcome adversity, learning,

all these sorts of things.

:

00:47:28,479 --> 00:47:29,959

Us human beings are very clever.

:

00:47:30,149 --> 00:47:32,599

I trust you can take some of

what we've covered today and

:

00:47:32,599 --> 00:47:34,229

impart it into your life.

:

00:47:35,777 --> 00:47:37,427

Sal Jefferies: Thank you

so much for listening.

:

00:47:37,697 --> 00:47:41,267

If you enjoyed the episode,

please subscribe and if a friend

:

00:47:41,267 --> 00:47:44,357

would benefit from hearing this,

do send it on to them as well.

:

00:47:45,557 --> 00:47:48,557

If you would like to get in touch

yourself, then you can go to my website,

:

00:47:48,797 --> 00:47:57,467

which is sal jeffries.com, spelled S

A L J E F E R I E s sal jeffries.com.

:

00:47:57,767 --> 00:48:01,127

Hit the get in touch link and there

you can send me a direct message.

:

00:48:02,072 --> 00:48:04,952

If you'd like to go one step further

and learn whether coaching could help

:

00:48:04,952 --> 00:48:09,632

you overcome a challenge or a block

in your life, then do reach out and

:

00:48:09,632 --> 00:48:13,022

I offer a call where we can discuss

how this may be able to help you.

:

00:48:13,892 --> 00:48:15,812

Until the next time, take care.

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About the Podcast

Mindset, Mood & Movement: Systems Thinking for Founder
Human performance podcast for life and business
Welcome to the Mindset, Mood & Movement Podcast. Your essential resource for founders, freelancers, and business owners looking to optimise their mindset, health, and business success.

Dive deep into the realm of human performance with us as we explore the systemic connections between psychology, emotions, and physical wellbeing, and their profound impact on achieving success and fulfilment in both personal and professional life.

Discover 3 key outcome areas: enhancing performance, redefining fulfilment, and cultivating peace of mind. Join me as I feature guest specialists in various fields, offering invaluable insights and expertise plus mini-episodes where I address specific challenge and provide actionable guidance on overcoming these obstacles.

Each episode is crafted to provide education, tools and strategies for you, whether you're navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship or seeking personal growth in your professional journey. My podcast serves as your ultimate guide to self-improvement and achieving excellence in your endeavours.

Expect to gain practical insights, delve into expert interviews, and receive actionable strategies tailored to the unique needs of small business owners and ambitious individuals striving to make a positive impact on the world.

About your host

Profile picture for Sal Jefferies

Sal Jefferies

I’m Sal - Human Performance Coach, Educator and Founder.

Everything I coach and teach is what I practice in my life. Mindset work including psychological and emotional development. And for my physical health, I do strength training, fitness and breathing practices. In all areas, I'm constantly learning and always growing.

At mid-life, I'm curious to how we can shape the second half of our life whilst using the latest science and learning's from psychology, emotional regulation and physical health. Over the last 25 years, I have immersed myself in many Eastern influences from philosophy, yoga and meditation. I find in our current world, there's much to learn by combining the latest science with ancient wisdom.

For me, working on the mind is paramount. Also, remaining fit, healthy and curious helps me increase performance, find fulfilment and create peace of mind. I believe this is important both a personal and professional life.

My professional endeavours, which inform my work, include:
Human Performance Coaching (for Founders), Contemporary Psychotherapist, Yoga Teacher, Strength & Conditioning Trainer and Breathwork Trainer. Before this latest chapter of my life, I've been a Photographer, Advertising Exec & Dancer.

When I'm not working, educating or learning, I'll be out with my dogs by the sea in Brighton, UK.