This week on She Who Dares Wins, I'm joined by Squash: adventurer, speaker and high-performance coach.
Squash grew up on a farm planning to be a vet, until a ski season, a view of Mont Blanc and a group of adventure-racing friends changed everything. We talk about how she bluffed her way into BBC and BMW backing to become the first British woman to paraglide off the summit of Mont Blanc, and what happened when she reached the top of Everest without doing what she'd set out to do.
Then she gets honest about becoming a mum, the years that tested her most, and the simple tools that carried her through: breath, routine, the right people and one small next step.
If you've ever felt you should be coping better, or you're waiting to see the whole path before you begin, this conversation is for you.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- When you can't see the way, find one more step, and do it on repeat
- A "failure" can still be the best story you tell
- "And" is more useful than "but": you can be grateful and struggling at once
- Other people often see your strengths before you do
- Growth comes from discomfort, so say thank you to it
- Small basics (breath, sleep, movement, a routine) hold up the big things
IN THIS EPISODE
0:00 Welcome and the story behind the name "Squash"
1:14 Growing up on a farm and unconditional love
3:02 From farmer to future vet
5:34 The cow that changed her mind
6:59 A ski season and a view of Mont Blanc
10:34 Hitting the wall: "find one more step"
13:00 When did you last do something for the first time?
16:02 Nothing is ever wasted
19:39 Three dreams, one wild plan
22:57 Bluffing the BBC and BMW
24:10 Taking off from the top of Mont Blanc
28:05 "They don't make stuff up"
30:00 GoPro, debt and the Everest "failure"
33:57 Summit day and the way down
38:59 Public speaking and the energy before a talk
44:24 Motherhood: the part nobody posts about
46:25 Simple daily practices that actually work
50:25 The breath that changes everything
52:54 "If your knickers are right, your day goes right"
59:25 When things fall apart, they're falling together
1:04:04 The dare: leave everyone a gift
QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE
"The only thing you've got to do is find one more step and do it on repeat."
"When you think you're done, you're nowhere near done."
"If your knickers are right, your day goes right."
THE DARE
Squash's challenge to you: leave everyone you meet a little better than you found them, and have the one brave conversation you've been putting off.
MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
- Mont Blanc and Mount Everest
- The BBC, BMW and GoPro, who backed her early expeditions
- The Salomon 36-hour adventure race
- The Obstacle Is the Way (the book I mention, by Ryan Holiday)
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