Episode 222 of The Adventure Podcast features ex special forces operative and mindset coach, Simon Jeffries. After starting out as a Royal Marines Commando and a tour in Afghanistan, he was selected to serve in the SBS. Several tours later, he decided to step away from the military and instead founded his mindset coaching company, The Natural Edge. In this episode, Simon traces a life shaped by long journeys, hard-earned lessons, and a deep curiosity about people and place. He reflects on the experiences that pulled him into adventure in the first place, and rather than focusing on polished outcomes, he shares the messy reality. Matt and Simon talk about risk, resilience, and how perspective changes over time. They also discuss the mindset behind a life of adventure, and how that way of thinking carries far beyond expeditions. That these same principles apply to work, relationships, and long-term direction. At its core, this episode is about taking the lessons learned in extreme environments and using them in the real world; building resilience, clarity, and confidence in the face of the unknown.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

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Episode four of our long-term series, The Far Reaches, features conservation journalist Rhett Butler. In 1999, fresh out of high school, Rhett founded Mongabay - an independent, non-profit environmental science and conservation news platform. He ran the project solo for the first few years, publishing thousands of stories and photos. However it has grown immensely since then, with a network of roughly 1,000 correspondents in 80 countries, covering conventional news to deeply reported investigative projects. Rhett also co-founded Tropical Conservation Science, an open-access academic journal that creates opportunities for scientists in developing countries to publish their research. In this episode, Rhett talks openly about his lack of traditional experience, early interest in conservation, his trajectory in finance, and making the leap (or building the bridge) to committing full time. They also touch on the current state of conservation news and its challenges, and the importance of solution-oriented storytelling. It’s a fascinating and inspiring conversation with someone whose genuine modesty feels rare, given the reach and impact of the platform he’s built.

The Far Reaches is a long-term series where we speak to guests about subjects related to our planet and our place on it. These episodes will dig a little deeper, perhaps enter the realm of armchair philosophy, and will tackle some more existential questions surrounding adventure and exploration.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 221 of The Adventure Podcast features international journalist and author, Adam Skolnick. Adam has written for countless news outlets, Lonely Planet guidebooks, magazines, and columns, and has travelled to over 40 countries. In this episode, Matt and Adam discuss his journey into writing. His first gigs, travelling for stories, and how to make a living doing so. Adam reflects about the early adventures he went on; cycling around the world in his twenties and how the reality looked very different from the romantic version he imagined. Often including long-stretches of boredom, loneliness and self-doubt. It's a wide-ranging conversation as they discuss everything from the pressure of shaping messy reality into something coherent on page, to ego and validation, the discomfort of being honest about motivations that don’t fit the heroic narrative, and the temptation to chase ever-bigger projects for 'better' stories. Adam also talks about the inspiration behind his new book, American Tiger, which he covered live as a journalist at the time, and how he found transitioning from fact to fiction.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-05:00: Motivations, ego, and the difference between starting an adventure and finishing one.

05:00-12:00: Adam reflects on riding around the globe, and the uncomfortable truth about why he really left.

12:00-25:00: A raw account of failure at sea, coping in crisis, and how unfinished journeys shape us differently.

25:00-35:00: Why success can be less interesting than failure, and how chasing “epic” creates a moving goalpost.

35:00-45:00: Different ways people experience fear, and why acknowledging it can be more powerful than suppressing it.

45:00-55:00: How children, responsibility, and time away from crisis culture reframed Adam’s sense of purpose.

55:00-01:05:00: Adam introduces a new philosophy: joy over grit, presence over performance.

01:05:00-01:20:00: Why “hero moments” lose value over time, and what actually lasts from a life of adventure.

01:20:00-End: Closing reflections on peace, humility, and finding meaning without needing the next big thing.

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Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.