Internationally renowned survival expert and adventurer Bear Grylls told CNBC that ‘it has never been harder to be a young man’ after the Covid-19 crisis.
The TV star and best-selling author of more than 90 books spoke on behalf of The Goals House January Dialogues about the launch of his new global learning and development organization, BecomingX, which aims to ‘demystify what is needed to pass.’
Grylls, who was also one of the youngest climbers to reach Mount Everest, said the pandemic “makes the hills and obstacles in front of young people now in giant mountains.”
Word X
BecomingX aims to inspire the youth of today and give them the tools they need to succeed. Grylls’ co-founder is Paul Gurney – a former senior director of Accenture Strategy, who is now also the CEO of BecomingX.
The organization has interviewed some of the world’s most iconic and inspiring artists, athletes, teachers, CEOs, adventurers, politicians, humanitarian and entrepreneurs.
Through short films on his website, world leaders in their field – including sports champion Roger Federer and Hollywood superstars Julia Roberts, Channing Tatum and Courteney Cox – share their own stories and what they need to succeed.
The initiative has a teaching arm and offers more than 100 digital lessons through ‘BecomingX Education’, as an option to help schools learn personal development and life skills. It also aims to take the initiative to lower-income countries and underserved communities.
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‘Big animal’
Grylls says that education can feel like a ‘big beast’ that will always be slow to adapt and change, and although there is great education in the West today, there are still many gaps in the learning of young people.
“I also think so much of traditional education is like linear learning and should be through a book and through tests, through exams, or through numbers. And when we learn about people and how we develop, we do not always learn. so, “he said in an interview last month.
“What was so powerful about these films, and why … the reaction was so positive, is that it’s very raw and very candid and that it’s very kind of this star’s struggle and doubt and how they got through the challenges and failures. walk finally get to the good things, ‘he added.
Asked what advice he would give to today’s world leaders to help them empower young people, he said: “Seeking integrity and humility is just as important as having clear vision, determination and courage. “
Trump traveling to the wilderness?
In 2015, Grylls – a former soldier in the British Special Forces – took US President Barack Obama into the Alaska wilderness to highlight the impact of climate change for an episode of his NBC reality show, ‘Running Wild with Bear Grylls’ .
But Grylls told CNBC he is not sure if former President Donald Trump wants to experience a similar taste of life in nature.
“I think wildlife is always the best shallow, is it not, you know, it does not matter who we are,” he said.
“I do not know. I doubt Trump would probably want to do that. I think you should definitely make yourself vulnerable in nature and get out of your comfort zone, and some people like it, others don’t like it. That,” he added. .
The award-winning adventurer believes that learning from failure is the key and ‘the only way we can achieve any meaningful way’.
“The school all too often celebrates the natural heroes, you know, the athletic or the academic person. But life doesn’t really care about things. Life rewards the resilient person,” he said.
“I think what I learned is that success is not something that people are born with … it’s rooted in resilience and never giving up and staying true to your vision and not being distracted and not to listen to the naysayers and the dreamers and to learn how to overcome the failures and setbacks, ‘he added.