Fearless

It’s not everyday you get the opportunity to talk to an author about their book. Having Louise Minchin join us at book club this week to discuss her book ‘Fearless’, was an absolute privilege; hearing first hand what had inspired her to write about the 17 challenging adventures she’d completed with 18 inspiring women in their ‘happy place’.

Having sat on the BBC breakfast coach interviewing inspiring men on repeat, Louise described with passion her motivation to re-address the balance by sharing the achievements of incredible women. Each woman with her own unique story, but a shared ability to overcome often significant barriers to achieve ambitious goals. What particularly struck me reading these stories was the overwhelming sense of humility that these women show, often downplaying their personal achievements, to focus on the values that drove them on. Be that in recognising how privileged they were to be able to do what so many could not, or to support others going through dark times that they themselves had experienced in the past.

In a recent coaching session, a client shared her desire to be self-assured, to be in that space where she felt grounded in a way she could hear the ambitions of others without these ambitions influencing what she wanted for herself. Reflecting on the stories of these 18 women it is clear that they possess that level of self-assurance. To push yourself repeatedly to a limit, only comes when you have the conviction that what you are doing fits with your values and gives you a genuine sense of purpose.

Whilst we might not all aspire to run ultramarathons, climb dizzying heights or venture into previously unexplored caves; we do all have the ability to identify and live into our values in a way that nurtures self assurance and a true sense of purpose. That said, reading ‘Fearless’ and meeting Louise has definitely left me contemplating an adventure of my own…