Success is a mindset. If you want to become the best, you have to push yourself, you have to want to be a better you. This is a significant part of the British Army’s ethos and I think everyone can take away something useful from learning more about it.

Are you training, or are you exercising? Because training is different to exercising in one significant way – what defines whether you’re training is if you have a goal to your efforts; this could be to reach a career, to win a race, or even to become a better you…all are equally worthy.

It is important to have this goal because everyone has moments of doubt, of weakness, of fear of failure; but it’s the goal which helps push you through this.

Everyone who’s physically pushed themselves knows about the ‘pain cave’ or the ‘dark place’. It’s at that moment which you will be most challenged to either quit or push through the pain. Success requires prior planning in my opinion; it doesn’t need to be written down or vocalised, you just need to ask yourself why you’re there at that moment. Find a phrase which is powerful to you, this can be very personal, it could even be a memory, but focussing on the right trigger for you will see you to the exit of the pain cave…

In my experience the most striking example of this is when watching someone row a 2K. There is the first 500m which is a breeze, you feel you could row the pace all day. Then the next 500m to 1K makes you work harder, your breathing is ragged and all the efficiency you felt early on is gone – welcome to the entrance to the pain cave. What happens next is down to the person, do they want it enough, can they dig deep and refuse to quit? Some people have it, some people develop it over time, but without it there’s no hope.

Training should challenge you, it should be a struggle because it all helps you reach your goal, helps you to become a better you. Work out what motivates YOU and reap the benefits as a result.