A few years ago, I signed up for the Bear Grylls “Survive the Highlands” course. Five days in the wilds of Scotland, simulating survival conditions with a group of strangers, 12 men and me, and my oldest friend, Adam. It was muddy, uncomfortable, exhausting… and one of the most illuminating experiences I’ve ever had. It reinforced something I’ve come to believe deeply: resources support resilience. And here’s what I mean by that.
From crawling through freezing streams on day one to surviving on a single 24-hour ration pack, it was five days of constant challenge. Every task earned us “rewards”, bananas, Mars bars, even a maggot-infested hare we cooked and ate (yes, really). We learned survival skills like building our own shelter, for which we slept in for the duration, rope work, river crossings, and navigating by the stars, but the last 24 hours were the real test: simulated self-rescue.
We were given coordinates and told to make camp. At dawn, we had to identify the highest peak in sight, radio through coordinates, pack up everything, and reach it within 40 minutes. We’re all at different levels of resilience, energy and enthusiasm at this stage, after a terrible night’s sleep, but we had to make it as a team. Leave no trace and leave no one behind.
And we did it. We hit the top of the highest peak, flare launched, challenge complete—or so we thought.
But Not Before One Final Push
After reaching the summit, one of the instructors handed us a square of dark chocolate each and a quick swig of water. Then he looked at us and said, “Follow me!” and took off sprinting down the mountain.
Not along the path. Through gorse, bracken and terrain that made you think, “Any minute now, I’m going to do an ankle.” But we were muddy, tired, and too overwhelmed to overthink it. So we did.
We thundered down the hillside, our legs barely keeping up. We reached a ravine, where another instructor clipped us into a harness and guided us across a Tyrolean rope crossing. Then it was up one final hill, hearts pounding, legs burning, before it was suddenly, finally, over.
We were bundled into a Land Rover, before you know it were back at the lodge, eating toast with our helmets and harnesses still on.
The Metaphor for Real Life
I share that story because some days might feel a bit like that for you, minus the maggoty hare, I hope! No, you’re not in a simulated self-rescue or being deluged with freezing water at dawn, but you might be deluged with tasks the moment your day begins.
You’re probably not navigating by the stars, but you might be navigating a packed diary from the first bell to the last. And while you’re not sprinting down a mountain, you might be racing through the day from meetings, deadlines, family obligations, emails, and by the end of it all, it just feels like a blur.
And when you’re running on empty, the smallest task can feel like climbing the biggest peak.
That’s why you need resources. Daily non-negotiables that support your wellbeing. You need to make space for small actions, like slivers of recovery, to give your nervous system a chance to rest. Those are the kinds of tools and habits I’m talking about when I talk about resilience.
That’s why resources matter.
Resources Support Resilience
I’m not talking about gear or survival packs, but the internal toolkit we carry with us. The small, daily non-negotiables that help us stay steady under pressure:
- 10 minutes of quiet before the day begins
- A short walk between meetings
- Proper hydration
- A quick moment to breathe, regroup and reset
- Laughing with a friend, colleague or family member for a moment in the day
- Getting some natural daylight
These aren’t luxury add-ons. They’re essential. They’re how we prepare for the metaphorical climbs, cope with the chaos, and show up with resilience.
The Power of Small Habits
What I learned in Scotland, and what I’ve seen time and again in my work, is that resilience isn’t built during the crisis. It’s built in the quiet moments beforehand. You need daily non-negotiables—tools, habits and practices that help you stay grounded and energised. Through small habits, done consistently, over time, they can have a big impact.
Because when everything feels like a blur, what helps us cope isn’t heroic strength, it’s preparation. It’s having a few personal systems in place that support us in staying grounded and adaptable, no matter what the day throws our way.
So, my question to you is: What’s in your resilience toolkit?
What are your non-negotiables?
And if you don’t have any yet, here are three powerful questions:
- What’s one small thing you can start doing today?
- What’s one small thing you can stop doing today?
- What’s one small thing you want to sustain today for your wellbeing and resilience?
Supporting Your Most Valuable Asset, Your People
This story is part of my Sustain keynote, where I share practical, story-led strategies to help individuals and teams build lasting resilience.
It’s designed to help your leaders and teams build lasting habits around values, identity, community and resources, the real drivers of energy, mood and motivation.
If you’re looking to create a culture that supports wellbeing and high performance, let’s talk.
Book a free, no-obligation chat, you can find out more about all of my wellbeing keynotes here.
