Wise words from Ben Gallagher, who some members will have heard speak at a recent lunch and learn event.
Ben is a familiar face to the Federation as he supported and led the Blue Light Hike, which our then-CEO, Gary Thwaite, participated in with the Chair of the BTP Federation, Stuart Cowan. They walked from Cumbria to London to raise money for charity, and it’s fair to say Ben kept their spirits up on some difficult and soggy days.
Ben recently spoke at an event organised by the EDI team, in collaboration with the Occupational Health Unit and DAWN Affinity Network. He explained how he joined the British Army at 17 and built a successful career, travelling worldwide on training exercises and operational deployments. While on active duty in 2019, Ben was shot a number of times during a military training exercise. He suffered serious injuries to his arms and upper torso, requiring several operations and a long period of recovery and rehabilitation.
Ben told us about the incident, life after injury and the impact of leaving the military. He shared his journey to becoming a professional athlete and coach, and the mindset shift that has helped him to get to where he is today.
For the benefit of those who couldn’t attend – and as a good reminder for those of us who did - we asked Ben to share the five key lessons from his experiences, and he told us:
Short-term discomfort for long-term gain. Make changes that may feel uncomfortable to start with, but will benefit you in the long run.
Habit + Consistency = Growth. Build good habits, be consistent with them, and you will reap the reward of growth.
Our mental and physical health are equally important. Keeping fit and active will help both, but you need to take time to support your mental wellbeing.
Life is often difficult, and that’s normal. Take time to understand, heal and move forward.
Try new things, learn often and step out of your comfort zone once in a while.
You can read more about Ben here. Thanks to our colleagues in the EDI team, Occ Health and DAWN for a truly inspiring session.