Mark Wales grew up in the red dirt of West Australian mining towns in the Pilbara.
After deciding he wanted to join the SAS in high school, Mark embarked on a career in the Australian military that would eventually lead him to the battlefields of Afghanistan.
Mark carries an impeccable military career that took him to Afghanistan on multiple tours, and also to East Timor, Iraq and the Solomon Islands leading elite teams in the toughest and most stressful environments imaginable.
Mark’s role was to lead combat missions against senior enemy commanders, deep behind enemy lines. Through this unique and harsh environment, Mark developed his skills in leadership, teamwork and high performance.
Like many in his situation, Mark battled depression and stress disorders after warfighting in Afghanistan. He tackled recovery with the same intensity he applied to Special Ops training.
He rigorously researched the fundamentals of neurobiological science and the benefit of skill development. This approach underpinned a strong recovery, and drove personal growth far beyond his previous abilities. We discuss how he learnt to understand what had happened to his brain throughout his service and what strategies he used to recover.
Beyond his years of service, Mark attended a top business school. He was accepted into an Ivy League college in the U.S.A, and after graduation he joined McKinsey & Company, a respected consulting outfit also known as ‘The Firm’.
He founded a fashion startup Kill_Kaptur, a tough-luxury ecommerce brand.
Mark now dedicates his life to educating others on leadership, strategy and peak performance while under stress. He says: “I review the importance of strategy, execution and agility in any competitive system, drawing lessons from warfighting in Afghanistan, giving others useable lessons on how to apply this from today."
You may also recognise Mark as He was a competitor in Australian Survivor 2017,
Mark is now also the CEO of the Younger Heroes. It is a breakthrough program designed by professionals to enhance and strengthen the critical bond between returned servicemen and women and those that have served the nation and their children. You can find all the details at theyoungerheroes.org
Throughout this podcast Mark and I discuss the strategies that he uses for himself for peak performance, how past experience should never be a limitation to embarking and excelling in something new, overcoming setbacks, working with the fear of failure and how to deal with overwhelm.
Mark also reveals the importance of a growth-mindset to overcoming mental illness and drive success in future endeavours.
So without any further ado, I bring you the incredible Mark Wales