Ollie Ollerton: ‘I locked myself in the home for 3 months to alter who I used to be’

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Ollie Ollerton podcast transcript

Please word that this podcast incorporates discussions of suicide.

Howdy and welcome to Small Enterprise Snippets, the podcast from SmallBusiness.co.uk. I’m your host, Anna Jordan.

Our visitor in the present day is Ollie Ollerton – entrepreneur, former Particular Forces solider and directing workers on the hit present, SAS: Who Dares Wins.

He joined the Royal Marine Commandos on the age of 18, touring Northern Eire and Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. After returning residence he was really helpful for Particular Forces Choice. Following the six-month course of, Ollie was one in every of 5 candidates to go the choice out of an preliminary 250 who signed up for the course.

Today, Ollie is the CEO of BreakPoint, a agency giving purchasers efficiency instruments and insights based mostly on Particular Forces experience together with protein complement, Battle Prepared Gasoline and health app, Battle Prepared 360. He left SAS: Who Dares Wins UK in 2020 and now fronts the Australian model of the programme.

We’re going to be speaking objective setting in addition to range and inclusion in enterprise.

Anna: Hello Ollie, the way you doing?

Ollie: I’m doing very well, Anna. How are you?

Anna: Yeah, not dangerous. Not dangerous.

I need to bounce proper in right here in the present day and simply ask you a bit about your small business life. Inform us extra about what a typical enterprise day seems like for you.

Ollie: Yeah, typical enterprise day for me. Let’s simply go on in the present day. I imply, what time is it now? It’s 9:30 within the morning.

My day begins at 5 o’clock. Between 5 o’clock, and I’d say about eight o’clock, there’s just one individual concerned with that course of and that’s me, it’s all about me. It’s centered on me. That actually is the time the place I put money into myself. I don’t want to enter the an excessive amount of element concerning the routine, however that entails my health. So, I’ve been for a 7k run this morning with the canine. I’ve acquired a sauna, which I am going and meditate in for 20 minutes.

Earlier than I try this, I come downstairs, I am going by means of my objectives, my principal objective, which is what I name a C-type objective, hopefully, we’ll go on to what which means. I write that out and visualise what that looks like, what it seems like, what it looks like, actually necessary. I then have six factors of gratitude. That’s my first preliminary course of. As quickly as I get up, along with a sizzling lemon, in fact not only a sizzling lemon, it’s in water. I don’t chew on a sizzling lemon.

Now, that is my excellent day – I don’t do it daily. I don’t beat myself up after I can’t do it, or I’ll simply give myself somewhat little bit of flexibility on some days. So long as I’ve executed that, no matter how my day goes, I’ve received daily. It’s actually necessary for me to having executed that course of, particularly on a college day.

For me in the present day, will probably be then going and dealing on my enterprise. I imply, I’m recognized for TV, I’m recognized for SAS: Who Dares Wins. Not too lengthy earlier than it, as a result of it’s fairly a narrative in itself, that was my sole focus. It was all about BreakPoint, beginning my enterprise to assist different folks by means of my expertise of issues that I’ve discovered – not simply within the Particular Forces, however extra so, what I discovered from after I broke down – my disaster in life. It was my greatest battle, however my best discovery. BreakPoint is all about serving to folks to know how we will change, how we could be the most effective model of ourselves.

We’ve acquired a variety of modifications for the time being with our enterprise, we’re beginning to construct up extra on-line platforms, we’re letting go of extra bodily property. In order that’s occurring for the time being, so we’re actually beginning to consolidate and to build up, if that is sensible.

What you’ve talked about there’s additionally loads across the challenges of operating a enterprise. You touched on it earlier, that round 2014 you had a interval the place you couldn’t discover your goal. Inform us about that, and the way you went about discovering your goal from there.

Ollie: Yeah, it was. It was an epiphany for me. As a result of I didn’t even perceive that phrase: goal. After I joined the army, I didn’t perceive what goal meant – I wasn’t there. I didn’t be part of the army at 18 years previous, going ‘I’ve lastly discovered my goal,’ after which blah, blah.

I wasn’t, if you wish to name it, ‘spiritually linked’ at that stage. Now, 2014 is after I got here again to the UK, however 2011-2012 is the place I had that actual battle. That for me was the place I principally hit my lowest ebb.

Now for me at that time, I’d been pondering that happiness, success, this, that and the opposite. It an exterior repair, it’s one thing on the market that’s going to make us completely happy, make us really feel fulfilled. After I hit all-time low, I used to be ready to be accountable for the place I used to be in life. I used to be ready to cease blaming my setting, I used to be ready to cease blaming different folks for the place I used to be, I used to be ready to take full accountability for whom I used to be, the place I used to be – and to be fairly trustworthy and brutal about that.

That was such an incredible factor for me, as a result of that then pressured me to look inside. However the factor is, the best way we’re wired, we’re programmed to assume that every little thing is exterior.

If we don’t get the grounding of who we’re and create that sturdy basis of who we’re, create that root system that may maintain any storm, then we’re not going to evolve in life. We’d make sure sorts of modifications and evolve slowly, however once you truly begin to look inside and perceive that’s the place the solutions are, that’s once you begin to make these quantum leaps. That was that was it for me in 2011. I used to be like, ‘This isn’t what occurs.’ Suicide was on my thoughts – I didn’t try suicide, however typically I began to consider all of it too typically. That was a wake-up name for me to say, ‘No, it doesn’t finish like this.’ I truly bear in mind listening to that voice: ‘It doesn’t finish like this, Ollie.’

That was sufficient for me to go, ‘Proper, I’m doing one thing about this.’ That for me was what BreakPoint is all about, I used to be ready to not settle for the best way I used to be. I used to be not ready to just accept the patterns of behaviour that have been preserving me locked within the repeat behavior loop of monotony.

With BreakPoint I used to be ready to step into that discomfort, which I knew was short-term, offered I had a vacation spot in thoughts.

For me, the primary a part of that was to remove all of the damaging issues that may be simply identifiable damaging habits that have been holding me again. It’s that easy, isn’t it? Make a listing of all of the stuff you’ve acquired occurring in your life or issues that you simply spend your time on a social foundation, work foundation, relationship foundation. Write all of them out after which make a listing and put a put a tick subsequent to them, in the event that they’re constructive or damaging.

That was straightforward for me at that stage in 2014: my relationship was poisonous, my relationship with alcohol was poisonous. They have been the principle issues that had stopped working – my relationship with funds was poisonous too. It was all these issues that I needed to begin engaged on. That’s straightforward to make a listing of, so long as you’re ready to determine with your self, be trustworthy and take accountability. Accountability is such a key phrase that, so long as you’re ready to be accountable for happiness. I see so many individuals on the market who simply aren’t genuine. I see them mendacity to themselves each day they usually’re telling lies to themselves, however they, so far as they’re involved, they’re preserving face to the surface world, they’re pleasing the viewers, however they’re mendacity to themselves.

“In 2014, my relationship was poisonous, my relationship with alcohol was poisonous, my relationship with funds was poisonous”

That, to me, was 2014. That was that change, the place we all know, it wasn’t an in a single day repair. It was one thing for me the place I needed to begin chipping away at it – tiny, tiny steps. Inside six months, I made a lot progress, began to get a lot readability that I wished to share that. That’s after I got here up with the idea of BreakPoint.

Now, once more, simply round that, lots of people, relating to enterprise and stuff, folks need to begin their very own enterprise, they need that independence, they need that management over their lives. Some individuals are caught occurring, ‘I simply don’t know what I do.’ However the factor is, overlook what you do, overlook the product, overlook the service – you’ve acquired to give attention to you. As a result of when you give attention to you and also you get your self grounded, the services or products or factor you need to supply the world will come. You’ll be able to’t try this from a spot the place you’re damaged.

I imply, it should be the case since you assume that being within the army and having a transparent mission, and that’s your factor to realize there, I believe there are parallels between that and being in enterprise, that you’ve got your small business objectives. I believe this is a perfect time to convey it again in. Discuss to me about C-type objectives and what which means.

Ollie: Yeah, nicely, C-goals are so necessary as a result of look, the best way we wired. Effectively, let me discuss first, there’s three sorts of objectives. We name them A-type objectives, that are their objectives, you are able to do now A-type objectives, that’s the language of the ego. The ego desires you to chase A-type objectives, as a result of the ego is aware of there’s most likely 100 per cent likelihood that you simply’re not going to fail. The ego just isn’t going to be offended once you fail, as a result of it’s frightened of failure. The ego is so frightened of failure. So, A-type objectives is what we’re inclined to chase as a result of we all know we will do it. It’s like me saying subsequent week, I’m going to run 100 metres. Now the viewers may go, ‘Wow, that’s wonderful.’ I’m positive they wouldn’t truly. However the factor is we’ve executed that A-type objective, as a result of we all know we’re going to finish it. We’re pleasing the viewers, from the surface world wanting in, we’re an absolute success. Now, folks don’t truly perceive that in the event you’re not difficult your self, in the event you’re not pushing your self, then there’s no progress, possibly the one individual you’re fooling is your self.

So, let’s go on to B-type objectives. B-type objectives are most likely what lots of people assume is that’s the appropriate system. That may be a objective that we all know that with somewhat bit stretch, a little bit of planning, we all know we will obtain it.

C-type objectives are objectives that on the face of it are simply pure fantasy. The issue is the thoughts. If it could’t see the trail to the objective it negates that it may be executed. As quickly as you’ll be able to’t see that path, ‘Oh, no, I can’t do it.’ Your thoughts is targeted on the how, not the why. If you’re centered on the why the how turns into attainable, once you’re centered on the the way you’re going to search for each impediment there may be, earlier than you after which, particularly in the event you don’t take motion rapidly, as a result of the universe loves momentum, in the event you don’t take motion fairly rapidly, your thoughts will give you 100 the explanation why to not do it. Earlier than it, you’re so centered on why it could’t be executed, you’ve truly misplaced what you’re even getting down to do within the first place.

“C-type objectives are objectives that on the face of it are simply pure fantasy”

C-type objectives – let me provide you with an instance there. After I got here again in 2014, I locked myself in the home for 3 months in Cornwall, as a result of I wanted to make these modifications, I wanted to alter the blueprint of who I used to be. My C-type objective was BreakPoint, beginning an organization, a globally recognized model recognised for the constructive progress and improvement of others. I used to be nonetheless ingesting and I used to be nonetheless abusing myself. Are you able to think about what my thoughts was saying? Yeah, you need to begin a enterprise serving to different folks – have a look at the state of you. How are you going to assist anybody? You’ll be able to’t even string a sentence collectively – now you’ll be able to’t shut me up. However at that stage, my thoughts was telling me, ‘You’re an fool.’ We predict we’ve acquired this 1000-person viewers spherical us laughing and critiquing this, however there’s nobody there. It’s simply your thoughts.

That is the most important battle. As soon as we recover from that and say no, that’s my C-type objective. I don’t must know the trail. I don’t must see the footprints. I’m the footprints. I’m going to create them as soon as we perceive that and simply head to that imaginative and prescient of what that appears like and, extra importantly, what that looks like as a result of we have to add the emotion. That’s the one factor that can pull us by means of right here. That’s precisely how I handed SAS choice. Superb, isn’t it?

I perceive that once you once you wished to arrange BreakPoint, your family and friends have been somewhat involved about that. How do you overcome it when individuals who say they’ve your greatest pursuits at coronary heart are limiting of their perception of what you are able to do?

Ollie: Yeah, we’ve acquired to be actually cautious on this as a result of, your loved ones and it’s not all the time the case. Simply because they’re your loved ones doesn’t imply you like one another and get on that. I actually perceive that.

However actually, you hearken to them since you love them. They’re making an attempt that can assist you as greatest as they’ll as a result of they don’t need to see you fail. That was actually it. For me, it was it was nearly like an intervention. It was like I used to be operating out of money, I used to be in the home, I simply come again from my typical function of being abroad in a battle zone incomes a fortune and my household would simply say no proper factor, actually. It did make sense to the surface wanting in, return to Iraq, return on the circuit, try this job earns a load of cash behind you within the financial institution, after which you can begin this firm known as BreakPoint. It does make a variety of sense. Initially, I knew going again to a warzone was so poisonous for me. I didn’t truly inform my household what went on abroad. I don’t know, I by no means actually talked about what went on typically within the army. However they didn’t perceive what went on and the way poisonous that was for me.

In somewhat little bit of self-doubt. I got here again from there pondering, I used to be combating my thoughts once more. Then impulsively, I used to be like, ‘I’ve been doing this on this home for 3 months.’ I used to be meditating, goal- setting and doing every little thing, all these things that I by no means considered or tried earlier than, as a result of I had nothing else. Then I can bear in mind getting again to the home after that, most likely the day after and shouting the highest of my voice, ‘Simply give me one thing!’ Give me a company consumer, cellphone ringing or one thing, one thing occurring, as nothing was occurring.

Actually, two days after that, I get the cellphone name from Cunning, one in every of my greatest mates. He stated, ‘Mate, you need to do an identical factor that you simply’re taking a look at with BreakPoint, would you want to do this on TV?’ I used to be like, ‘Are you kidding me? That was like, ‘Oh, my God’ folks don’t imagine within the universe and constructive thought and visualisation. I’ve been visualising for all that three months about me and Cunning being on a giant stage, influencing so many individuals. Then impulsively, we got the most effective platform on the earth: the TV.

You have been on the UK model of SAS: Who Dares Wins for a while, however you have been let go from what I’ve learn, as a result of Channel 4 weren’t completely happy having 4 white males fronting the present? How has that affected your strategy to range and inclusion in your companies, if in any respect?

Ollie: That was an fascinating time for me, as a result of I can keep in mind that cellphone name coming in. On the finish of the day, there have been lots of people being challenged with range points and every little thing else.

The factor is, as quickly as I acquired that data, I wasn’t ready to take a seat there and begin blaming range, blaming this, blaming that, blaming our ancestors, all this, for slavery, et cetera, et cetera. I simply checked out myself immediately. As quickly as I heard that message, it was like I acquired what I wanted for.

After I began off in that home that I wished to create a worldwide model. The extra I stepped into that world of TV, it was taking me additional and additional away from that. So, for me at the moment, after I acquired that decision, we’ve simply been given the chance for SAS Australia. Now, I used to be already being taken away from a enterprise for fairly intensive intervals of time yearly with SAS: Who Dares Wins within the UK. To then negotiate a second one, I simply began to see my enterprise slip away. So actually it wasn’t time for me to depart that. And I’ve been kind of wishing that my soul was saying, ‘This isn’t the place you have been aiming to be.’ I didn’t got down to be a celeb, it’s very a lot a sideshow for me. However actually, for me, it was like I stated, as I’m listening to the phrases on the cellphone from the exec, and in my head, I’m smiling. I’m going, ‘You bought what you wished for.’ It’s a tough capsule to swallow, isn’t it? As a result of I’ve by no means gone up and stated, ‘Right here’s my discover, you’re taking me away from a enterprise.’ As a result of it’s a pay test, it’s consolation, isn’t it?

Now, when it comes again to your query, Anna. I stated in The Solar paper, I don’t care what color, what measurement, what form, I don’t care who’s on my workforce. Everybody must be picked to do the job. So long as they’ll do the job to the most effective of their means and contribute to that workforce, it doesn’t matter who they’re.

I’ve labored with all types of various races and, sexes and style. So long as folks can do the job, it doesn’t make any distinction. It actually doesn’t make any distinction. It’s so necessary that you simply don’t go the alternative means and say, nicely, due to that individual’s race, we have to have that individual within the within the workforce, that’s poisonous.

What’s the most rewarding a part of operating your companies?

Ollie: My service to others. Life modified for me massively after I left the army. All I used to be eager about, and one of many principal causes I left the army, was cash. I simply didn’t perceive. I’ve all the time had costly style and again in my army days, I did wish to get together. I truly thought working was only a only a means to pay in your social life, which was most likely the improper means to have a look at it. So, after I left, I used to be simply chasing cash, cash, cash, cash, cash. Cash was within the driving seat. I went out to Iraq and I went everywhere in the world to battle zones and acquired paid a fortune.

Trying again, there was no distinction. There was completely no distinction. I acquired paid a fortune, however I used to be nonetheless had this mindset of lack as a result of cash was within the driving seat.

The time that modified me is after I went over to Southeast Asia and was concerned in an operation to rescue children from baby prostitution and slavery. I didn’t know the present that was going to present me. I wasn’t paid for that. I paid to do the operation with my cash I earned from Iraq. That was simply unbelievable, as a result of it’s the most effective funding I’ve ever made with the most effective return on funding. That’s after I understood the facility of serving to different folks.

These days, I’d say the vast majority of individuals are extra thinking about about what number of followers they’ve acquired on Instagram. Even in a close-knit workforce, individuals are utilizing one another as a ladder to get to place, we’ve misplaced the power to collaborate over compete. If you work for a similar organisation, we must be actually seeking to collaborate. You have a look at two waves out within the ocean. After they crash collectively, they cancel out. If you see two waves be part of, they create one formidable drive transferring ahead, unstoppable. It’s actually necessary that we study to collaborate. However that basically modified every little thing for me, as a result of impulsively cash was pushed to the aspect.

“You have a look at two waves out within the ocean. After they crash collectively, they cancel out. If you see two waves be part of, they create one formidable drive transferring ahead, unstoppable”

My focus then turned as a result of that was the DNA that was the heartbeat of BreakPoint, what was created there in Southeast Asia. That was serving to different folks my life in service of others that then turned the eagerness, the mission, the driving drive – the cash turned a by-product. That modified every little thing.

To anybody that’s in enterprise, I’d 100 per cent recommend, sure we’ve got to have our monetary objectives, however what must be within the driving seat is the way you’re serving others, as a result of each enterprise is serving somebody, how we’re serving to different folks. I believe it’s innate to be ok with serving to our fellow man, fellow girl, to evolve on this life, isn’t it?

Anna: I believe it’s nice to see the main focus, particularly for smaller companies, in direction of having a goal and giving again to communities lately. That’s actually encouraging to see.

Ollie: I believe, actually, on the finish of the day, you’ve acquired to be sure that that mission assertion is your goal assertion, your values. It’s so necessary, you need to by no means overlook that pondering, ‘I must earn X, Y, Z to pay for X, Y, Z.’

After I got here up with a BreakPoint I saved saying my mission assertion. As quickly as I’ve any sort of stress or duress and I discussed that mission assertion to myself, it offers me a way of goal, a way of enthusiasm and a purpose for being.

Anna: I can’t observe that, so I believe we’ll finish there! Thanks ever a lot for approaching the podcast, Ollie.

Ollie: Likewise. Thanks very a lot, Anna.

Yow will discover out extra about Ollie at ollieollerton.com. You may as well go to SmallBusiness.co.uk for extra on imaginative and prescient and goal for your small business. Keep in mind to love us on Fb @SmallBusinessExperts, observe us on Twitter @smallbusinessuk (all lowercase) and subscribe to our YouTube channel, linked within the description. Till subsequent time, thanks for listening.