What inspired your journey from adventure and elite sport into keynote speaking?
For years, I thought rowing the Atlantic and representing Great Britain in triathlon were just personal achievements. It wasn’t until I was diagnosed with aggressive throat cancer in early 2023 that I realised they had been all about preparing me for something else.
The resilience, discipline and mindset I’d developed over decades suddenly became the tools I relied on every single day during treatment.
Coming through that experience made me realise my greatest achievement wasn’t crossing an ocean or standing on a podium; it was being able to help others navigate their own storms. That’s what inspired me to start speaking: sharing practical lessons that help people face uncertainty with confidence and courage.
What’s one lesson from endurance sport that still shapes how you approach challenges?
Control the controllables. It’s the single lesson that has stayed with me from ocean rowing, elite sport and cancer treatment.
When you’re in the middle of an Atlantic storm, worrying about the hurricane that has just hit won’t make it stop. You focus on the next hour, the next stroke and the next decision. Life is exactly the same. We waste so much energy fighting things we can’t change, when our real power lies in how we respond.
Every time life throws me a curveball, I come back to the same question: “What can I control right now?” It’s simple, but it never fails to bring clarity and calm.
What’s the biggest misconception people have about what you do?
People often think adventure and resilience are for a certain type of person. I honestly don’t believe that’s true.
I wasn’t born an adventurer, and I certainly wasn’t an elite athlete. I just reached a point where I realised I didn’t want an ordinary, unfulfilled life, so I started saying yes to opportunities. I enjoyed the journey, kept challenging myself and gradually discovered I was capable of far more than I’d ever imagined.
I think that’s true for most of us. We don’t find our limits by thinking about them – we find them by getting out there and having a go.
If you could give one piece of advice to your 18-year old self – what would it be?
I’d tell my 18-year-old self to be true to herself. Don’t measure your life against someone else’s definition of success, and don’t let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do.
Looking back, I’ve realised the best decisions I’ve ever made were the ones that felt right to me, not the ones that looked right to the people around me.
I would say to her; “You don’t need permission from anybody else! Go and live your life, your way”.
How do you recharge and switch off after a busy period?
I’m always at my happiest in the outdoors.
Although I love the energy of standing on a large stage and connecting with an audience, I’m actually quite an introvert, and I need time on my own to recharge. So, given half a chance, you’ll usually find me alone… running, walking, cycling or sailing somewhere along the Hampshire, Dorset or Devon coast, with no music and no distractions. Nature has always been where I do my best thinking. If I can end the day pleasantly exhausted and paddling in the sea, I know I’ve reset.
What’s one thing people are always surprised to learn about you?
Most people assume keynote speaking is my full-time job. It isn’t.
During the pandemic, I led the operations of the GP-led North Hampshire Covid Vaccination Centre, and today I still work full-time in primary care for the NHS. So life is a bit of a juggling act. My alarm goes off at 4.25am, and mornings, evenings and weekends are when I exercise, write, prepare talks and work with coaching clients.
One day I’d love speaking and coaching to become my full-time focus, but for now the NHS keeps me grounded. It reminds me every day that resilience isn’t just something we talk about on stage; it’s something ordinary people show every day in extraordinary ways.
Learn more about Liz at lizmw.co.uk and catch her at Leadership Live 2026 – tickets are available now.
