Beyond the Waves - Ryan Stramrood - Chief Endurance Officer - Episode # 032

Today’s guest is an author, swimmer, and a 3-time Guinness World Record holder! Introducing Ryan Stramrood, Global Head: Business Development, Partnerships & Growth at Sub(x). Ryan partners with host Gregory McDonough to share his journey to embracing and understanding the endurance mindset, effective self-talk and visualization, and the power of stepping out of comfort zones. He also delves into the importance of nutrition and understanding mind-body mechanisms.

Takeaways:
  • Having an endurance mindset really impacted Ryan’s life in unexpected ways, beginning with his realization of possessing such a mindset when he started open water swimming, despite not being aware of it earlier. This allowed him to confront challenging situations which he believes others can benefit from.
  • Ryan discusses his mental strategies when dealing with extremely cold swims, which involves him breaking the swim into manageable parts and expecting and accepting pain as a part of the process. He also uses humor and positive talk to fend off negativity. 
  • Including hydration and food consumption during swims forms a crucial part of Ryan's long-distance swimming endeavors. This reinforces the importance of taking care of one's physical health alongside mental wellbeing, particularly during challenging periods.
  • Ryan highlights how our mind often tries to keep us in a safe zone, which can limit our abilities to get outside our comfort zone and grow. Taking risks and pushing past the comfort zone led to growth in his life and business, offering insights for leaders and individuals aiming to expand their personal or professional boundaries.
  • The transition from being a salesperson to an inspirational speaker was challenging, especially given the onset of COVID-19, but Ryan persevered, which serves as a lesson for individuals and leaders navigating career transitions or profound changes in their sectors.  
  • Visualization techniques have been found to be helpful in preparation for swims. Ryan goes through what he expects to feel before it happens and figures out how he will manage these situations. These techniques can be beneficial to leaders as well, preparing them for different scenarios and aiding in creating responses.

Quote of the Show:
  • "If you don’t get out of your comfort zone, you’ll never find out what’s on the other side of the line." - Ryan Stramrood

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Chief Endurance Officer is produced by Ringmaster, on a mission to create connections through B2B podcasts. Learn more at https://ringmaster.com/ 

Creators and Guests

Gregory McDonough
Host
Gregory McDonough
Greg McDonough is a seasoned executive who has owned and operated businesses in the professional services sector, navigating them through both good and tough times. He brings his personal experience of knowing what it’s like to be ‘in the owner’s seat’ when working with clients, taking time to ask the questions others may not.
Beyond the Waves - Ryan Stramrood - Chief Endurance Officer - Episode # 032
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