Decidedly

What happens when a self-proclaimed couch potato decides to plunge into some of the coldest waters on earth? You get Ryan Stramrood, world record ice swimmer, Antarctic adventurer, and performance coach who’s redefined what it means to push past impossible. In this episode of Decidedly, we dive deep (literally and figuratively) into Ryan’s journey from ordinary beginnings in Cape Town to becoming one of the world’s most acclaimed extreme swimmers. Along the way, Ryan shares how the freezing waters of Antarctica, the English Channel, and countless Robben Island crossings taught him the truth about fear, resilience, and decision making under pressure. If you’ve ever wanted to know where real growth happens – in business, leadership, and life – this conversation will change the way you think about your limits. KEY TOPICS Why cold water exposes the real limits of the human mind and body The difference between your “mind’s endpoint” and your true endpoint, and where the magic happens How to train your brain to stay calm under extreme stress and discomfort What endurance swimming teaches us about leadership, decision making, and business growth The importance of finishing the process, and why the hardest part comes after the swim CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 06:30 The Mental and Physical Impact of Cold Water 13:00 Pushing Past the Mind’s Endpoint 17:30 Lessons from the Robben Island Swim 21:00 English Channel vs. Everest 25:40 Training the Body & Mind for Extreme Cold 30:00 Finding Flow and Spiritual Connection 37:00 Lessons in Decision Making from Extreme Swimming 40:00 Near-Death Experiences and Respecting Limits 45:00 Swimming Antarctica: The Coldest Challenge 52:00 The After Drop and Recovery 57:00 Business Takeaways: Growth Happens in Discomfort If you’ve ever wondered how to face fear, embrace discomfort, and discover what’s possible beyond your limits, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. #Mindset #Leadership #ExtremeSports #DecidedlyPodcast #RyanStramrood CONNECT WITH US www.decidedlypodcast.com  Join us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/decidedlypodcast  Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/decidedlypodcast  Shawn’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/shawn_d_smith  Sanger’s Instagram: www.instagram.com/sangersmith MAKING A FINANCIAL DECISION? At Decidedly Wealth Management, we focus on decision-making as the foundational element of success, in our effort to empower families to purposefully apply their wealth to fulfill their values and build a thriving legacy. LEARN MORE www.decidedlywealth.com SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY DECISION-MAKING TIP EMAIL Join us every Wednesday for more strategies to DEFEAT bad decision-making - one episode at a time! CONNECT WITH RYAN Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryan_stramrood/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strammie  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-stramrood-6375704/?originalSubdomain=za  Website: https://ryanstramrood.com/  Ryan Stramrood is a world-renowned extreme swimmer from Cape Town who has completed 144 Robben Island crossings, the English Channel, and the first official “Ice Mile” in Antarctica. Once a self-described couch potato, his journey from everyday beginnings to record-breaking cold-water feats reveals the extraordinary power of grit, mindset, and pushing past perceived limits. Today, Ryan shares his story as an inspiring speaker, showing audiences that growth begins where comfort ends — and that the impossible is often closer than we think.