Most of us want more freedom, adventure, or a side hustle that funds our travels, but none of it happens without resilience.
In this episode, I get real about why resilience has been front and centre lately: leaving the comfort of 15 years in Thailand, nerves about South America, a chaotic dog-sit that’s wrecked my routine, my daughter heading to uni, and a frightening park incident that tested my nerve.
You’ll hear why resilience matters more than talent, how Angela Duckworth’s research on grit ties in, and five practical ways to strengthen your own mental toughness, so you can keep moving toward your dream lifestyle, even when life gets messy.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
Why comfort can quietly weaken resilience, and how stretching yourself rebuilds it.
How resilience fuels success in travel, business, health, and life after 50.
Angela Duckworth’s “grit” research (passion + perseverance) and why it outperforms raw talent.
Five practices to build mental toughness: self-identity, defining toughness, leaning into discomfort, habits, and the E+R=O lens.
How to turn setbacks (from sleepless dog-sits to tech fails) into momentum instead of losing weeks of progress.
Key Takeaway
Resilience isn’t built by avoiding challenges, it’s built by moving through them. Every hard thing you get through becomes proof you can handle the next one, and that proof is what powers freedom, purpose, and adventure at any age.
Time-Stamped Guide
00:00 Welcome back + why resilience is the theme this week
00:00:56 From “Thailand was easy” to nerves about full-time nomad life (and safety, uncertainty, ageing)
00:01:42 Daughter starting uni: will she have enough adversity to toughen up?
00:02:01 The exhausting dog-sit: sleepless nights, lost rhythm, real talk on consistency while travelling
00:03:01 The park incident in London: what happened, how I responded, and what it revealed
00:05:29 Resilience reframed: why struggle builds strength (the “lifting weights” analogy)
00:06:17 Where resilience shows up: travel snafus, business “feedback,” health dips, life at 50+
00:07:50 Angela Duckworth’s research on Grit: passion + perseverance beat IQ and talent
00:09:23 Practice #1: Nurture a positive view of yourself (build your “evidence list”)
00:11:28 Practice #2: Define mental toughness for you (content cadence, 30-day fitness, big trips)
00:12:36 Practice #3: Lean into small discomforts (micro-challenges build the muscle)
00:13:53 Practice #4: Build good habits (consistency > intensity; habits as anchors)
00:15:52 Practice #5: E + R = O (Event + Response = Outcome)—choose your response, change your result
00:16:57 Closing: Thailand → home, London → edgy (for now), South America → growth; your next resilient step
Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Angela Duckworth — Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
James Clear — Atomic Habits
Jo’s Delhi near-scam story - How a Train Scam in Delhi Nearly Killed my Sister
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Join the Conversation
What challenge are you facing right now that could actually be building your resilience for what’s next?
Share your story, and one small step you’re taking this week to strengthen your resilience muscle.
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