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Freestyling to France

jaimeerogerstv
Mar 3, 2024
5 min read

Lessons learnt swimming across the English Channel

Jaimee Rogers 





 

In August 2022 I swam 35kms across the English Channel in12.5 hours, the culmination of a two year journey to reach my goal.  

As well as being the mother of two little boys, Hudson now 5 and Archer 3, a wife and also working full-time, every single element of my life (and my family’s!) was wholly focused on reaching France. Therefore I sacrificed, I pushed myself to limits I didn’t know I had, all the while surrounded by my village.  

As today marks one year since I successfully crossed the Channel, I’ve reflected on lessons learnt that can be adapted to everyday life, to ensure that we can all achieve great things. We only get one life, let’s live it to the fullest.


1.      Motivation – Finding your WHY?

“Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire”- Author Unknown


Why are you doing this? What is important to you? Your answers to these questions will be the reminder and driver that keeps you going on when times get tough. Motivation is crucial in all areas of your life; without it we stagnate, no growth, no development, no reaching greater heights. It ensures we don’t give up when faced with adversity but rather find a way around the roadblock and continue on. 


Finding your why will be the reminder when you have to set an early alarm clock to go for a run, study for that exam. Write reminders of what drives you and why this goal is important to you, reminders as simple as writing your kids’ names on your hands when you go out for a run, or writing the reason why this goal is important to you on your mirror or fridge.


2.      Set mini goals on the way to the BIG Goal:

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible”-Tony Robbins


Once you have set your goal, map out the steps, or mini goals,  that will get you there. Setting these mini goals will make sure the end goal doesn’t seem so daunting or impossible to achieve, plus they also enable us to see a consistent improvement in ourselves. These baby steps along the journey help you stay on track, minimise procrastination and do the work that is required for your success.


It took me two years of training to enable me to swim across the English Channel. Along the way I registered for smaller swimming races, completed a weekend of cold water training and also a qualifying eight hour swim in 14-degree water. Baby steps that kept me on track to move closer to my goal. If your goal is to run a marathon, register in a 5km fun run, then 10km run, then a half marathon to slowly build up to the final 42km run.


3.      The Mind is Unstoppable:

“The body achieves what the mind believes” – Napoleon Hill


It is well documented how incredible the mind is and what we can achieve if we tap into it. The ability of truly seeing, feeling and believing what you want to accomplish is the starting point of getting there. During my training sessions often would visualise reaching the shores of France and the intense feeling of satisfaction and sheer joy.


Surround your home with photos of your goal. They should be on your fridge, on the bathroom mirror and on your phone as the screensaver. Wherever you look, you need to see the end goal.  We need to train our mind like a muscle. When the brain starts playing tricks that it wants to stop, or can’t do something, that’s when we need to take over and tell ourselves we CAN do it and we WILL do it.


 4.      Embrace being uncomfortable:

“You are in danger of living a life so comfortable, that you will die without ever realizing your true potential.” - David Goggins


Feeling uncomfortable is something we naturally try to avoid, but it is ultimately the way to grow within yourself and succeed. Sujan Patel, in a great article (available online at Forbes) said that “putting yourself in new and unfamiliar situations triggers a part of your brain that releases dopamine, nature’s make-you-happy chemical. That part of the brain is only activated when you see or experience completely new things!” Further to this, research was conducted at the University of Chicago with more than 2,000 people exploring personal growth. The study showed those who were pushed outside their comfort zone were more engaged in their activities and felt more motivated doing them.


Get used to being uncomfortable, it’s going to do great things for your mind, keep you motivated and ensure you’ll improve faster. As Tony Robbins says, “push beyond what is comfortable, if you don’t there will be no growth”.  


5.      Organisation and Time Management is key:

“Organise your life around your dreams and watch them come true” – Author Unknown


Organisation and time management is an important tool for success. It’s not just key in the sporting sphere, but also in the work place and home life. Time is often the barrier for people going out and trying to achieve a goal.


From reading David Goggins, I learnt to spend a day documenting everything done in 24 hours and how long it took. The aim is to find gaps during the day and see where time is wasted.


Once identified where time can be shaved off, reevaluate what’s a priority to you in your day and slot in your training around that. Look into your commute, can this double up as an opportunity to exercise, prepare for work, or study that language you’ve wanted to do? Perhaps ride your bike to the office or get off the train earlier and run to work. Use lunchtime as ‘you time’ to train or study and then eat lunch at your desk.


6.      Importance of your village:

“Your support network is the solid ground from which you can propel yourself upwards”. - Anna Barnes


One of the biggest things I learnt and something I continue to focus on post swim is the importance of your village. The people around you who support you, help you and there for you no matter what. I was incredibly lucky during my training that my family and friends helped to ensure I could achieve this goal. 


Make sure you reach out to your village and lean on your network to help you achieve your goal and then be there to support and help them achieve their dream too.


7.      Enjoy the journey and savour the moment!


The journey to reach the goal is sometimes better than the actual event. I was surrounded by the most incredible people, made lifelong friends and found so much enjoyment in the process. It’s important to acknowledge how much we have grown along the way of reaching this goal.


Life is so fast paced that we often don’t stop and appreciate what we achieved. When you reach your goal, take the time to really reflect on what you’ve done before jumping into the next one.


Life is short. Dream big. You can do anything you set your mind to.  





Resources


David Goggins, 2018, ‘Can’t Hurt Me. Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds’


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