What happens when you leave a situation that is holding you back and you start betting on yourself? Anything becomes possible in the case of today’s guest, Vicki Anstey.

After 20 years in a relationship that limited and stifled her, this former advertising professional, turned fitness pioneer and award-winning entrepreneur, became (at age 41) one of the first ever women to participate in Channel 4’s ‘SAS Who Dares Wins’, reaching the final stages after 11 days in extreme conditions at an altitude of 3,000ft in Chile.

In 2021, she and two other women, the Girls Who Dare, set a new World Record for rowing unaided across the Pacific Ocean, confronting her fear of deep, open water to do so. It took 60 days, 17 hours and 6 minutes.

Her most recent endeavor was a five day race in one of the northernmost, remote parts of the world, The Arctic. She covered a distance of over 230km in temperatures of -35 degrees, carrying everything she needed to survive.

Up next? She and a team of three other women (Four the Record) are tackling the World’s Toughest Bike Race, the Race Across America (RAAM), covering 3,000 miles across 17 states in just 7 days. They are attempting to break the women’s world record in this event.

On paper, Vicki is an avid adventurer, but her biggest achievements are less about the adventures, and more about her self-discovery. In times of adversity and extreme difficulty, Vicki learned to tap into her self-reliance, trust, and emotional endurance.

Today, Vicki shares her personal story with Sara, including:

• Her career changes and personal growth from advertising executive to entrepreneur
• How she followed her gut instincts, which led to Vicki opening the first Barre studio in the UK
• The personal and professional growth that stemmed from leaving her controlling relationship
• Her transformation from “non-athlete” to extreme adventurer
• Overcoming her personal fears and adapting to challenges in all of her experiences
• Lessons learned from her personal and physical adversity
• Honing the skill of emotional endurance, which involves understanding, processing, and letting go of emotions, rather than just tolerating them
• Developing the muscles of self-reliance, mental toughness, and resilience, especially in times of turmoil and extreme personal difficulty
• What's next? Another World Record attempt at RAAM and how you can help

Vicki’s story is one of wild bravery and self-knowledge, but her true wisdom comes from her own internal journey and ability to understand her strengths, remain emotionally resilient, and overcome her fears. These are the skills that make her incredible achievements all the more inspirational.

Vicki Anstey Website

Vicki's Instagram

Four the Record RAAM Website

Four the Record Instagram

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