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

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• 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.

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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.

What do Michael Jordan, Dean Smith, and high-performing CEOs all have in common? The answer: culture beats talent every time.

In this episode of Decidedly, we sit down with Coach Matt Doherty, 1982 UNC National Champion, former head coach of the Tar Heels, and now an executive coach for business leaders. From cutting down nets with Jordan to coaching at Notre Dame and UNC, Doherty has lived through the highs of championships and the lows of leadership challenges.

Coach Doherty shares stories from the locker room, the boardroom, and beyond, showing exactly how to apply championship-level leadership to your business, team, or career.

KEY TOPICS

• The untold lessons from Dean Smith’s legendary “Play Hard, Play Smart, Play Together” culture

• Why culture, not just systems or talent, is the deciding factor for winning teams and thriving companies

• The three things only a CEO (or head coach) can do — and why you can’t outsource them

• How to rebound from setbacks and turn failure into fuel for future success

• Why every leader needs a personal board of directors to make better decisions

CHAPTERS

• 00:00 Introduction

• 02:38 The Esteemed Title of 'Coach'

• 04:23 Impact of Coaches on Young Lives

• 11:11 Journey to North Carolina

• 12:32 Winning the 1982 Championship

• 13:28 Core Values and Team Culture

• 18:18 Challenges of Following a Legendary Coach

• 23:18 Lessons in Leadership and Executive Coaching

• 24:46 Navigating Relationships with Mentors

• 25:48 Leadership and Emotional Intelligence

• 29:50 Managing Up and Organizational Dynamics

• 33:15 Building and Motivating Teams

• 36:30 Vision, Culture, and Systems in Leadership

• 45:13 Decision Making and Peer Advisory

• 48:44 Conclusion and Key Takeaways

If you’ve ever wondered how champions are built – in sports or in business – this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

#Leadership #Basketball #ExecutiveCoaching #DecidedlyPodcast

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 COACH MATT

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachmattdoherty/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DohertyCoaching#

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachmattdoherty/

• X: https://x.com/DohertyMatt

• Website: https://dohertycoaching.com/

Coach Matt Doherty, a nationally recognized motivational speaker, best-selling author, and executive coach, began his leadership journey as a starter on the 1982 UNC National Championship team alongside Michael Jordan under the legendary Dean Smith. He went on to become Head Coach at Notre Dame and North Carolina—earning AP National Coach of the Year in 2001—and has since worked with ESPN, the Indiana Pacers, and major corporations to strengthen leadership, culture, and team dynamics. Today, through keynotes, media appearances, and executive coaching, Coach Doherty shares actionable lessons from the court to the boardroom with a simple mission: “Learn & Grow” every day.