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Hello, everyone. Hello. Hello. Wonderful cloud links. Hope you're having a wonderful day or night wherever, whenever you are listening to this episode. Now, this one is I mean, I know we love all of our guests and we say this a lot, but this one is very, very special. If you have listened to the pod in the past couple of months where you've mentioned Harry Garside a few times on a number of occasions, obviously, especially around the Olympics,
especially around his mindset. So he won gold at the 2000. Harry Garside I don't know if I even said his full name yet, so. Harry Garside Yeah, true. That is that big of a deal. You can just say Harry. He's a boxer and he won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. He won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in boxing, which was the first time in more than 30 years that Australia had won a medal in the Olympics. In boxing, he's also just written a book, The Good Fight Boxing,
Ballet and Breaking Stereotypes. Now we have had Harry on before where and we'll put that episode in the show notes. It's such a good episode, but we wanted to get him on after the Olympics and we spoke about everything. So Harry went to Paris and he had been saying he's going to be a gold medalist. Like that was his goal. He'd been working on that, Like literally, he says in the episode, his whole life to become a gold medalist at the Olympics, and he got knocked out
in the first round. He then did a video the day after, around how he was kind of able to reframe the failure and how he navigated it, and we wanted to ask, like we asked Harry, some pretty hard questions in this when I was working with Tracy Grimshaw on him, but I Harry was very generous in answering them for us. I think what.
It is, though, is that when you say reframe his failure, I think he's very clear that he did fail. Right. And I think that's what people are so have been so cautious around. I've watched them in interviews with him, is like, they don't want to make him feel like he's failed, but he's like, I have like in my mind for what I set out to do, I have failed. And he speaks to that in this podcast. And I found that really good and really refreshing because we do naturally,
like we all have this like fear of failure. We like want to avoid it And then therefore, if someone we know or someone close to us has failed, you don't want to make them feel like they failed. Because. Because we all hate that feeling. So we try and fix the issue and like make them feel like they haven't actually failed. When he's like, no, I just need to sit in this and it's okay that I've failed and I love that. And I think he's just such an incredible role model for so many people out there.
And so I yeah, this this conversation was, was so good. Um, but we do want to put a trigger warning in before we get started. We briefly mentioned suicide and suicidal ideation. So if you or someone you know is struggling, lifeline is available 24 hours a day on 13, 11, 14.
Harry. Welcome back.
Harry. It sounded like you were going to Harry Potter then.
Yeah, I don't I really did, and I don't know why I was giving my best. Hermione how did you feel?
I loved it, I love Harry Potter, so I loved it.
No, you are the one and only Harry Garside, who I, I mean with all due respect to Harry Potter, he's not actually real anyway, so it doesn't matter. But I like you better anyway. It's not about comparisons. No it's.
Not.
Let's get into it. We're so excited to have you. And also to be recording in person in Sydney. It's very exciting.
Yeah. Grateful to be here. So nice to see you both.
And first of all, congratulations on your book. So exciting.
So wild. I never thought when I left school that I would be an author, which is pretty crazy. And I was quite scared. There was a lot of resistance before I wrote it. And then I was like, oh, this process is going to be wild. I've always not really got around journaling. It's just not how I fully process things. And when I started the process, I just had this resistance. And then the whole process I actually really enjoyed. And as soon as I finished, I was like,
to the publicist, this will not be my last. Um, so I love the process. I thought it was very therapeutic.
Amazing. And your book is called The Good Fight Boxing, ballet, and Breaking Stereotypes. Writing a book is a very, very, very large project and incredible. So thank you guys. Amazing. Now we want to start if it's okay with the Olympics. How do you actually I was gonna say are you sick of talking about it? Yeah.
Uh, I don't know. It's so weird. Like, you know what the human experience is, like, some days you wake up and you're no dramas, and some days you wake up and you're not. And today feels like one of those days where I'm not, but like, I. And I was, like, walking. I was like, what is actually going on? I always, I probably asked myself like ten times a day, like, how are you actually feeling right now? And that will fleet and change throughout the day as well. But it's yeah, today.
Today's a really interesting one, so I'm not sure. I also know that I've been doing a book tour for the last like two weeks. Has it been home? So it's just been like a lot of talking. Um, yeah, it's been like a lot of fun. I've met so many amazing people and I've had a lot of support as well, which has been cool. But yeah, just, um, I'm pretty excited. I feel like in that the book tour haven't really been honoring how I've been feeling. So I think in that it's just like my body's going, hey,
take care of yourself, mate. So I'm like, once this is done, I'm probably gonna have a week in Sydney, which would be really nice with my homies now and then I'm just going to go to like up the coast, Lake Jindabyne or somewhere just by myself and just put the phone away and let's see what comes up. I don't know, goodness, badness, whatever comes up, comes up.
Do you feel like in coming back and having so much media after with your book tour, but generally after the Olympics as well? Have you been able to process how you feel or do you and is talk because obviously you've done it's really interesting with interviewing because you've you go deeper often in interviews than you do, like in a general conversation because, you know, you have an hour and it's depending on it obviously depends on the interview, but a lot of them are quite deep. And you
as a person, you give so much. Have you found it easier to process things by just because you've had to talk, as you said, like one week since you've or two weeks since you've been back? Or do you feel like there's there's more in there that you need to find yourself?
Yeah, I feel like it's like, just like any situation there is good and bad. So I love to talk and I love to sort of like, navigate how I'm feeling as it's happening, like as I'm sort of spitting out my words. I'm like sort of figuring out myself, like what actually is going on. That's sort of just
how I've always operated. And I feel like the last two weeks has been like that, but then also as well, it's like when you're in the public or when you're doing something like this, even like, I'm not going to like, fully like break down or like, I don't know, like that's private, that's sacred for me. That's my space. Right? So it's like you aren't really honoring yourself completely, but then it's also like, I know it has been quite
cathartic and therapeutic. It's been it's been nice. And I have felt a lot of love from a lot of people, which has been super nice, but also as well as I said, you can't really fully show like bare your chest to the world when you're doing stuff like that. So it's like, I'm quite happy for it to be done. And then I'm like by myself or around people that I really love, and I can really sort of bare my chest a bit more. Um, so I'm excited for that. Yeah.
So can I ask how how you are today, then?
Yeah, I don't know. Like, I couldn't really articulate. It's only. What's the time? It's like ten, ten, 20. So it's it's still early in the day. I got up this morning and I trained, which I always feel better after training. Um, and then I was just rushing. I hate rushing, I pride myself on being on time. And I always catering like, extra time. Like, I woke up 15 minutes early to a doctor's appointment. Like, it's so frustrating. Um. And I. Yeah, I just feel. Yeah, I just feel a bit, a
little bit off today, which is. Which is fine too. Like, I, I've learned to just accept myself and fall and not try and, like, live up to what I feel like I need to. But yeah, just aware that I'm. And I'm like, I could probably give myself answers, but I'm like, maybe I don't even need to give myself answers on how I'm feeling, but I'm just like not feeling on today, which is fine too. Yeah. Yeah.
I think that's so important to acknowledge. I think so often as well. Like we feel like when we show up, we have to show up at 100% every single day. And it's not. And especially I think it's even not more difficult. It's all relative. But when you are showing up on a microphone, when there's like thousands of people or tens of thousands of people listening, and you're not feeling 100%. It's always that extra difficulty. Hey, it's sort.
Of and as well, I feel like it. I have felt this when I first got into a little bit of public like recognition. I felt that sometimes like I would feel like that and then say, someone comes up to you on the street, it's like I give them everything, hey, how you going? Like I'm like. And then in that, you sort of not honoring exactly how you're feeling. So then you're like, you're beating yourself up internally, like. Like
you were just so happy to that person. Then you sort of subtracting from how you really feeling, and then you're just getting lower and lower and lower, and then you're still putting on that like massive smile. It's like a really interesting thing to navigate. Um, but as well, I feel like over the last 18 months I have got better at like actually going like, hey, I can, I could go on say the project or a TV show now and actually go like, I'm not on today.
I remember the first time I went on the project, like had one of the worst days I've had in a long, long time, and I was sitting in my car before just going like, I don't want to do this. Like and then I was like, I went on and I was just like, yeah, like, I'm so happy. Life's good. And I was just, like, beating myself up after it as well. But I'm like, I have got the confidence
now that I don't need to do that. Like, I don't care if this all blows up in my face and I'm happy with myself and I'm happy with my life and I don't need it anymore. Yeah, I don't need people to know my name, I don't care. Like, I'm happy with where I'm at and I'm happy with the position I'm in now. And I want to try and leave the world in a better place. And my heart's in the right place. But like, I couldn't care less if I didn't get another opportunity like that.
Mhm.
When you say that and then also even as you were saying earlier that you like checked in with yourself like every like ten times a day, you might ask yourself how you're feeling, all that stuff. You are incredibly self-aware, something that a lot of people aim to kind of get to that place where they can truly know what makes them tick and what necessarily doesn't, and how they're feeling,
and all of that stuff. Have you always been like that, or has there been something that you've gone through that's made you really more self-aware and tune into yourself. I know you said you don't journal, but you do poems and stuff like that. How long have you had things like that in your life that's made you just really tune in with who you are?
I feel like it's like a bit of a, um, like a snowball. Like it starts quite small. But then the more it rolls, the bigger it gets. So, like, I have always been extremely curious and like, always like, um, compared to, I guess, the people in my life. And I had two brothers, so it was quite a masculine environment or male environment, but like I felt a lot more curious to them. I felt like I would like I know they would always pick on me for crying more often, or just being a bit more like softer.
And if you believe in star signs, I am cancer. I don't know if I believe in them, but it's like they I think they're a bit more emotional. Um, and yeah, so I've always been like that. And then I just think the older I've got and the more that I've just allowed my true self to like fully come out, it's like it's been a bit of a snowball,
which just got bigger and bigger. And then it's like in my head I've probably overcomplicated it too much, like it's just like it was easier when life was, like, quiet. I was quite ignorant and not aware. Like it is easier because you're not asking yourself the questions. You're just like you think something's going on. You're like, I feel
like you don't even realize how you're feeling. Then you're sort of navigating through the world, just like on a, like a moderate, you know, where it's like, I'm super aware to the point where it's over complicated. Yeah. At times.
And do you mind if I ask you one question about the Olympics?
Of course. I'm an open book.
Thank you. And at any point, if you're just like, nah,
I'm done with this, you just tell us. Exactly. But we we actually, after watching your fight and then the interview that you did after the fight and then the video that you did the next day, we spoke at length about that on the podcast, because I think watching you obviously work, and I think one of the things I think is the most incredible thing about you, I mean, there's a lot of them, but the affirmations that you were doing leading up to the Olympics, is that what
you classified? Is that the right language?
I think so, yeah I've got an idea of what I call it, but yeah, I know what you're talking about. Okay.
So are you saying, like, I am an Olympian, I am a gold medal Olympian, etc.? And you were saying that you weren't only doing that publicly, but sorry, privately you were. You were posting it on, on social media. And I think I thought that was incredible because the thing with and this is where I've and manifestation is something that I'm like just kind of leaning into now
and understanding a little bit more, but it does for me. Still, it feels pretty uncomfortable because you have to say the thing that you're working towards, you have to like make your your subconscious believe it. You've got to say that you've done it right. It's not like I am. I hope I do a good job at the Olympics. It's like I will do a good job, I do, I have, I have, yeah, I have done a good job at
the Olympics. And I think to do that publicly with the knowing that you actually don't know what the outcome is going to be, is so fucking courageous because you are telling the world what you want, which I think it is very rare for anyone to do that like the things that I want. I honestly like I hardly ever say them out loud to my husband, like, let alone on in in a public forum, because then if I don't get them, no one will know and only I will know that I have failed you. Then the
fight didn't go your way. It's like, you know, sometimes in life that happens and it fucking sucks. You had your interview and you then came back the next day, and the video that you did, I thought was one of the most powerful pieces of content I've ever seen in my entire life, because you were able to completely reframe it, own how you felt, own how you were able to. It's it's a kind of re um, oh, how am I going to say this change your mindset around.
It's not about the outcome, it's the journey and what you've got out of the journey. And the journey hasn't changed, even though the outcome wasn't what you desired. And I thought that was just so powerful. How the fuck did you do that overnight. Like just incredible. How did it feel knowing that you told everyone you were going to win the gold medal, and then it didn't go your way?
Yeah, I think when it comes to that question, it's like, that's why the post-match interview was so raw, because it was just like I told the world, it's like, I know before the last Olympics, like I wasn't expected. I was probably like there was five boxers on the team. I was probably fourth or fifth expected to win a medal, right. So it was right down the bottom. And then I won a medal. Right. So then the three years post Tokyo into into Paris, it's like like I went on
this massive journey of like. And then people started, like, actually believing in me, right? It's like, I feel like a lot of my life has just been like I've believed in myself. And then people have kind of like, questioned, including my parents and people like that, like out of love. But they have questioned like my directions and things like that. And it's like I got people to go on the journey with me because they're like, oh, he's past performances
have shown this like he's a sure thing, right? Almost a sure thing. And that is embarrassing. Like that was like baring your chest to the world and like believing it and then falling on your face like, um, but I will always do that. Um, probably until I have kids. But I'll always do that, like set big audacious goals.
I don't know if I will tell them as publicly as much, but I'll always set big, audacious goals and tell people that I like, love and admire and, um, because they will hold you accountable, which I think is really important. But it's just like, like baring your chest to the world. And that man in the arena, Theodore Roosevelt quote, like, man, I love that. Like, you always
get bigger. And like when I set the goal at the age of seven, when I when I saw Grant Hackett win in 2004, it's like, I didn't think it's like there was something in me that kind of believed I was capable. But it's like I also knew that I'm like, oh, I don't know. I'm just a boy from Lilydale. Like, am I actually capable? And just like through the 20 year journey, I finally believed that I could, like I actually believed that I deserved to be there where it's like, I didn't feel like that a lot
in my life. So it's like setting big, audacious goals. Regardless if they happen. It's like you always shed your skin and grow into a bigger version of yourself always. So I'm like, I'll always do that. But publicly some. I will and some I won't, I think. Yeah.
And you have you've shared so much so publicly which. Again, so courageous, but also so great for people especially. I know a big thing for you is like helping young people, especially if they're wanting to get into boxing and everything like that. Know that that's a part of the journey.
So it's amazing that you're showing up like that when because we caught up the other day and I saw your story when you got home and you had all the posters, kind of as we were talking about with the visualization of winning gold, you had all these posters in your room and you were talking on your stories about how it felt to like, be pulling that down and like just seeing your room again since coming home.
And you said to me the other day that your housemate asked if you wanted him to take them down for you before you got home, but you felt like you needed to do that. How did that feel going back into your room and having to do that? And why did you choose to do it yourself instead of him doing it for you?
I think you need to. Yeah, you really need to feel the emotion of failure. Like, I love that. Like, really feel it. Um, of course we can try and sort of disguise ourselves like, I'm. I'm an addict. It runs in my family, and I've had it my whole life. And I guess addiction just stems from like, a place of, like, trying to distract yourself from uneasy feelings. Right? And I'm like, I don't want to do that anymore. I want to try and break. I want to be the circuit breaker,
I want to. So it's like any opportunity I can to, like, feel the misery or feel the suffering in that moment. It's like, I want to feel it. And I wanted to walk into my room and just go like, hey, you didn't like you didn't succeed. Like you failed like and feel that. And people always go, oh, you didn't fail. I was like, no, no, no, I did. I'm a high performing athlete. Like like I did fail and I'm okay with that. My definition of a failure for, for
for me is probably different to other people. And like I'm okay with that. I can look at myself in the mirror and be like, hey, you failed. Like, and that's fine. Like, it's so fine. Like to, like, get back up when you choose to. I need to sit in the mud for a bit, get back up and set another goal and try your hardest to achieve that one. Yeah, that's mine. And I just.
Think for so many people and I'm sure you know this, but for so many people that were able to see you be so open with your goal and then fail, not achieve the goal that you were hoping for. The I think, theme and even in myself, like the amount of fear that got rid of in me because I was like, hang on, here's someone at like the peak of their career going to one of the biggest like platforms, the Olympics stages in the whole world, right? And not
getting the outcome. Maybe if I try something and fail it, it's not actually because I think so often we think like, what's the worst that can happen? And that like for you, I would say that's probably the thing that you didn't want to happen the most, right? And it happened. And you're obviously I know like when I say you're okay,
like there's I don't say that lightly. I know there's so much that you will be working through, but you've shown so many people that it is okay, that if you give it a go and you give it everything and everyone knows about it and it doesn't go your way, it is okay and you'll still get back up.
I always think that's huge. It's massive. And I always think like like, yeah, like the society we live in like celebrates winners, which I think isn't a bad thing either. Like we all want to strive to be better, right. And it's like if we all just got okay with losing, then it's like, would it really be competition? Would we really be taking risks if like, we didn't feel embarrassment or feel the suffering of failure? Like, I think it
is important to feel that. But it's just like for me, the position that I've got to now, it's like I'll always set massive, big, audacious goals and it's like, it's like, even if I don't achieve them, though, it's like I'm going to try my hardest. And that's really important because I'm super competitive. But it's just like I will inevitably get into a better version of myself by setting that goal, right. And that's way more important. It's like by getting and
shedding my skin and growing bigger and bigger. And just like, eventually you're as big as the Jack and the Beanstalk. Was that giant and that like, you mean I want to be like that? That's where I want to get to. And. Like, I think big goals make that. It's like if you don't set a goal, it's just like you'll just stay where you are and that's fine. But like, that's your choice, right? And set a big goal and try and achieve it. And if you don't, that's fine. But you got bigger,
you got better. And then maybe next time you will.
And do you think then if you went back, would you still go to the Paris Olympics?
Oh, that's a good question. Uh, yeah. Yeah I would yeah, I would, I um yeah, I think I got something out of the 20 year journey that I don't know if. If I didn't go to Paris, I don't know if I would have got to that position where it's like I sat down the day after and was like, hey, I'm actually, like, kind to myself now, you know, it was, you know, it's weird. And I don't think I've said this publicly, but I've definitely told a few people close to me. It's like I made deals with myself. This
is how intense I was. I made deals with myself before the Commonwealth Games and before the last Olympics that if I didn't get success, I'd kill myself. It's like, and I don't know if I actually would, but it's like that is the ultimatum that I that I made with myself. That's how much it meant to me. And it's like before this preparation, I was like, there's no chance I'm setting that again. There is no chance I'm way better than that. My life is way more important
than that. And I like built this. A lot of people in sports psychology say like, be more positive to yourself. And it's like, I was more positive to myself and I wasn't as strict on myself, and it didn't mean as much to me as my life. Right? But then I didn't get success. But I in that it's like I would I'm happy with the position I'm in, but it's like, I don't think I would have got there anyway if I didn't have all this, like, intensity of
like a Olympic bronze medal and Commonwealth Games gold. So I feel like I had to go on that journey to get to the position I'm in now. Mhm.
Oh it's just incredible that and I'm so sorry that you had those thoughts in your head first of all. But I think in you building like being able to move away from that and rebuild that relationship with yourself, like it's obviously the most important relationship that we have in our lives. And I think for everyone listening right now, if you want to try something and you're scared of failure like we have, like Harry in your story, you
failed very, very, very publicly. And that I think we so often think, I can't try this because this the worst case scenario could happen. Now, maybe it wasn't the worst case scenario would happen for you, but I'm sure that it was. Yeah, for sure it was the worst case scenario, right?
That actually fight to someone who I was supposed like supposed to be quite comfortably. Yeah.
So that happened and you would do it again. And I just think for everyone like let that absorb into you because you it's not it's obviously success is like it's important. Right. It's I'm not saying that it's not for you. Winning wasn't important. But what you got out of that journey and so many people do not try things because they are like, I, I'm going to fail.
The worst case scenario could happen. I just think there's so much power in you sitting here saying the worst case scenario happened and you do it in a public forum and you would do it again, that's pretty incredible.
Yeah, and I always think, like, I woke up the next day, I was like, the world keeps spinning. Yeah, it's like the world stops for no one. It's like you can sit here and feel sorry for yourself and be sad. Um, which is like, important, right? It is important to, like. I don't feel sad. It's like, important to, like, actually go far out. That didn't go how I wanted, right? It's just like part of it. But I just had
like that reflection. I think I say it in the video, but I was like, uh, I was like eating a cookie. And I just, like, had all these, like, weird things, like boxing me make weight. So I hadn't had any, like, bad food for a long time. I was just like eating this cookie. And I was just like, man, there's people in the world that are starving. Like there's war going on. There's like genuine suffering. Right? And here I am complaining that I lost the match. Oh poor me.
It's like, man, get over it. Yeah. And it was like a nice little internal battle. Yes. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself, but it's also like I'm here eating a cookie in the Olympic Village. Like I wanted a 20 year journey trying to search for this. I was a little kid who was, like, small, weak, incapable. And then I grew into a strong, capable, better version of myself throughout 20 years.
It's amazing One, two, three.
When we caught up the other day, something that you'd said was that when you think that you went through this like 6 or 7 years ago, you would have dealt with it very differently. And I'd mentioned that we just on the pod, actually, we've had a conversation with Alexis, which is coming out soon, and it was all about purpose. And one of the examples that she used in not attaching a goal that you have, like a big, gigantic
goal to your your purpose and your self-worth. Um, she used athletes as an example because, you know, you have this your eyes set on something and whether or not you succeed in it, like even if you did get the gold medal, it's kind of like this. Like what next and where to go from next? If it is your all and everything, you have so much going for you and so much that if anyone that follows you online would know that means a lot to you outside
of boxing. And we were talking about this the other day, but I'd love to hear it from you. What do you think? That that's part of the reason why maybe you're dealing with this failure better than you might have in the past. Because it's boxing means the world to you. But there is also still so much that you bring to the table.
Yeah, that's yeah, it's a really good point because I think, um, for like most of my life, my whole identity was consumed with that of only being a boxer. So it's like when I won, I won. Yeah, that's me. Right. And then when I lost, I lost, um, and I can think of like, a memory. So 2020, just before Covid hit, I was in Melbourne. That's where I was based. And I failed to make the Tokyo Olympics twice overseas in Jordan. And I come back and it was like
March 2020. So right into Covid, like right into lockdown and like that next six months were like the worst six months of my life. I was like making decisions to like, really ram myself and hurt myself and was just in a terrible place. And to think about the decisions I'm making now compared to them. I think it is because I have separated myself like I I'm happy with myself and I. Of course, there's some days you wake up and you're like, you look in the mirror,
you're like, oh, man, I don't like, like you. You don't like who's looking back? But that's very rare. It's like, more often than not, I have a good relationship with myself, and I like that. Um, but it's like to think about 2020, and now it's like, that's growth. And it's like, that's evidence right there that you're actually doing the work, which is nice. Yeah.
Have you worked through what your purpose is?
Oh yeah. Like you can have like a generic answer for this. I don't fully know. I think I'm quite obsessed with like self-growth and experience and, um, I think leaving the world in a better place than what I found it, but I'm like, I don't fully know. Yeah, I'm not sure. Yeah.
And that's okay as well. Like, that was something. I mean, even when we had Alexis on, I feel like in real time I was working it out for myself. Um, but I just think that there's so much in that, that that realization that you are a boxer, but it's not your whole and that there is so much else that you do. You do genuinely. You're changing the world in what you share. Outside of boxing, as well. Um, and to really kind of own that and embrace that, I think is amazing.
It's a really interesting thing because I find myself and I hate that I do it. It's very frustrating, but it's like you meet someone for the first time or you're like, what do you do for work? And I'm like, I don't like that. I very much attach their identity to what they do. Like I and I'm trying to get better at it, but it's just such a, like a social thing, right?
You're conditioned to ask that question. Like after we ask someone's name.
Yeah. Yeah. It's a really interesting thing. And I'm trying to get better at like, but like what's a I, we can brainstorm it right now but like what's a question. Like what. Who are you. Yeah. Like what lights you up. I don't know, like what actually gives you, like, what gives you passion. It's like a bit weird if you ask someone that in the elevator, right? I don't know. I don't know. But.
And then I think for some people, like, some people's careers are tied closer to their identity than others. And like, I think that's also. That's okay.
Yeah.
Because I think I sometimes put pressure on myself to like, never ask that question and then like, never say what I do. But I'm like, actually, no, my career, like, is so important to me. So if I'm going to put that as a part of my identity and part of not all of. Yeah. Like that's also okay.
Totally.
Yeah.
What are you. So have you worked through. Obviously. I know you're so fresh off the Olympics, and you're going to have some time now, and you've just come back into this book with this press tour. Have you already set your next goal, or are you giving yourself space and time to kind of work through that?
Uh, yeah, definitely space and time. I yeah, I'm not too sure what it is. And I'm. Yeah, I'm just aware that I'm like, I'm not tied to anyone. I think after my first Olympics Tokyo, like, I feel like my identity was still boxer. So it's like I walked into professional boxing. I was like, well, I'm going to like, this is me. But it's like, now it's like, I love to fight and I love boxing. It's the best. But I'm like, I don't. I will never be a pawn in someone else's game. I'm always the master of
my fate and the king of my reality. So it's like, I'm like, I don't need boxing. I do it because I love it and I've never needed it. Yeah, yeah.
I love that. And we wanted to ask you as well about We spoke about this last time, but you're still doing it, which is just incredible. The uncomfortable challenges and the one that you're doing at the moment is living below the line. Can you talk about that? And then maybe for people that we're going to put the first episode we did with you in the show notes, but can you just give a little bit of info on why you started doing this? And also the fact
that how long? How long have you been doing it for now?
Yeah, this is the 68th month in a row. Wow. Yeah. Five and a half years. Yeah.
So impressive.
Yeah. So it's been, um. So I originally started for an Olympic gold medal, um, just after the Commonwealth Games in 2018. And, like, I just think, like, if you want to grow as an athlete, that's why I started. It's like, go to the places you feel most uncomfortable. So I started small, like the first few ones were like having a hard conversation with your family or like, telling someone something you've never told before, which is quite hard, right?
They're not small, but it's like, I guess the big shit because I've been doing for so long. It's like that has got bigger, right? Yeah. Um, and some have been even still like deep in like my 50s. Some of them were quite easy, but like I have watched, I'm like a different person from which is inevitable. It's five years ago and I'm in my like formative years. Um, but it's like crazy to think how much I have
taken from this. And I remember waking up, it was like I got back in Australia, and I'm thinking, I haven't decided on an uncomfortable challenge for this month. And I'm thinking I started it for an Olympic gold medal. I didn't get one. I'm like, oh, screw this. Like I was like, obviously quite negative. I was like, screw this. And I was like, no, this has been like the best thing. I've like really enjoyed it. It's been a lot of fun. It's been very hard. But it's like
each month I've got to think of an idea. It brings enjoyment to my life. I've got to like, be creative sometimes, like I've done like an improv class or I'm like, like, that's fun. Or I started ballet or like, had some hard conversations or run 100 KS on Bondi Beach on the sand, like some are hard, some are physical. But like each one I've learnt something from and this
month is is a bloody hard one. Like cost of living crisis is wild and to live under the poverty line on the website that I found, it's like $489 a week for a single person. And then you go to minus, like your rent bills. You mean it'll be roughly like 200 bucks? You'd imagine, depending on where you're living, right? I'm sure for many people it's a lot more than $200. But. And then you've got to like, I was living off 250 bucks a week, $35 a day, and I'm like
five days in. And it has just been like each day. It's so hard to be so conscious of that. Like $35 a week is wild, like $35 a day. So it's wild. It's so wild. If you want to like, transport fuel, move around like buy food. Oh, it's just it's been it's wild, but a big eye opener that I take a lot of little things for granted. Mhm.
Oh I think it's, I think it's amazing and I think it's incredible that you're doing it. And as you said an eye opener I'm sure for a lot of people,
a lot of people and I think it's so, so important. Um, but I think what you're doing with the challenge, as you said, I think this goes back to you appreciating the journey to get to the gold, like being able to come back and realize that there's been so much you've been getting out of the journey, regardless of the outcome, and that's why you're going to continue on with stuff
like this is amazing in itself. Um, so we want to we could talk to you for hours, but I think what we've touched on already, something that you do do and you do also share, which is also really beautiful, is write poems. And I think it's so sweet that you share it because it is, I'm sure, something that you do for yourself. Um, but I'm sure when you do share it, there's plenty of people who slide in and be like, wow, this really spoke to me. So
it's so beautiful. But we wanted to share one that you wrote called Inner Shine, if you don't mind, which is in the chapter The Power of Positivity. Do you mind? Do you want to read it out?
Actually? Yeah. You go me your reading is better than my mind.
No. Okay. But this is you. Okay. But okay, I'll do it. Okay. I won't stop until you were mine. Failure. My friend, I thank you. I have unlocked my inner shine inside me. A gold mine. I can feel you touching my chest. I won't stop until you are mine. For years I thought I wasn't divine. Fuck that. I have unlocked my inner shine. 15 years on this uphill climb. No looking back now. I won't stop until you are mine. I will never be a sheep and stand in line.
I know and understand too much. I have unlocked my inner shine to all the role models in my life. Positive and negative. Thank you. I won't stop until it's mine. I have unlocked my inner shine. Can you tell us about it?
That was a that was really. Yeah. That was uncomfortable to listen to that. Um, yeah, that was I that was one of my first poems. I was like, in the first six months of writing. Yeah. And it's like, I think that format I was playing around with formats. I don't really know the formats of poetry. And I think that's a sonnet maybe. I don't know, it's like a quite a long one, but I was like, you have to follow a certain format. So so like classifies as that type of poem. And um, yeah, that one
is really interesting. It's so interesting that I wrote that back in 2021. And to think about where I was, it's like, I think there's something inside of you always wanting to come out right. It's like maybe when I wrote that I was having a really good day and I'm like, yeah, this is like, this is part of this is me. And it's like, it feels like I'm that most of the time now, which is nice, uh, where it's like back then I think I would have that maybe one day a week where it's like now
it's like five days a week, which is nice. Really nice, if not more. Yeah.
Was that a written about a gold medal?
Yeah, yeah.
Could you do you feel anything when you hear those words that it's not actually about the medal?
Um, yeah. I guess I can like the position I'm in now. Yeah, I can see that. But when I wrote that, it's like a very much like I'm like, I felt I needed that. Like, I think there's another poem in the book. It's about like, my whole identity was consumed with that of only being a boxer. Like I Every like every win was just me. It was my identity. It was me. Like, every time you go to somewhere, it's like they're talking about your boxing. It's just like, that's you. Um, where it's like, I don't
feel like that anymore. Which is, I guess, a good position to be in. Yeah.
And could could it also be about the relationship with yourself?
Yeah. That's. I'm actually going to do it. It's so funny because I'm actually going to do I plan on it, a poetry book where it's like, I don't know, 100 of my favorite poems. And then I don't know, because the best thing about poetry is like, it is so subjective. Someone would read. Someone would read that and get a different meaning. It's like a what's a horoscope? It's like you read it and you get the meaning. You make
the meaning of it. And I, I actually wanted to state that at the side of the book that you create the meaning you want from it, but I also want to explain what I mean by it. Like this is my meaning of it, but it's like I understand that people's meaning is different. Um, so yeah, that's my plan with my second book. Oh. That's amazing.
Yeah, I love that.
Yeah. And I just feel like, I mean, I saw you, like, in this conversation. Your body language has been the same throughout. Like, you've really like, leaned in on the table and you're sitting comfortably. And as soon as Steph started reading, you looked over to the side and like, swung your chair around, which you haven't. So I could feel that you felt uncomfortable there, but it's just as I was listening to that, I was like, it's just so because I had assumed
it was written about the medal. But you've actually done that, all of that, but with the relationship with yourself, you made me cry. But it's just it's yeah, it's pretty. It's it's so special.
You reckon it's like the longest relationship we ever have. And I think it's so hard in the world we live in. Like, um, the world is seemingly. It seems like it's against us, but it's like it's up to us, especially in Australia. Like a lot of us are so lucky, like,
compared comparatively to the rest of the world. And it's like if we want a better relationship for our kids in the future or our grandkids or the, you know, it's like it's up to us now to realise that in the society we live in, it's up to us and pull back and like, actually take back a little bit of control of our life.
Mm, I love that. Thank you. Harry as always, it has been a pleasure to have you on the podcast. Thank you for taking the time. We know you just had so like so much press, so we really appreciate it.
Always good to talk. Thanks guys.
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