Inner battles can often be the hardest – Bear Grylls

Bear Grylls has said that “inner battles are often the hardest” when reflecting on the personal and professional challenges he has faced throughout his life.

He is a 48-year-old television adventurer and chief scout who rose to fame as the face of several survival shows including Man vs. Wild and The Island with Bear Grylls.

Speaking to The Big Issue, Grylls said: “I think the inner battles are often the hardest, but I’ve learned a lot about how to survive those inner battles by enduring even the battles. physical battle.

“One of the biggest challenges in my life was my skydiving incident while in the army – I had a free fall accident in southern Africa and the dome was broken.

“I broke my back in three places. I spent 12 months in and out of rehabilitation with a back brace.

“The time I spent in the hospital taught me a simple lesson that life is fragile and if we are lucky enough to survive a few lucky escapes, it is our duty to try to get up and take it. life with both hands.”

Grylls – who was awarded an OBE by the Queen in 2019 for her services to youth, media and charities – also reflected on the current cost of living crisis and those in the UK He is in need of help and support.

“We all need help at times and society as a whole should be there when someone might be in bad luck,” he said.

“Together we are stronger. I admire the Big Issue community for doing so much to help people at a vulnerable time in their lives.”

After recovering from a back injury, Grylls climbed Everest at the age of 23, and during his training for the expedition, he also reached the summit of Ama Dablam, another Himalayan mountain.

In July 2009, at the age of 34, Grylls was appointed chief scout, making him the UK’s youngest chief scout at the time, according to the official Scouts website.

Discussing his greatest achievements in life, Grylls added: “My real victories in life have been about family and friends, not trophies or vases. I see wealth in life as about how our relationships look.

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“As for failure, well, failure is part of life, and I have failed many times. I like to believe that the only real failure is giving up.”

The full interview with Bear Grylls is available in The Big Issue, now on sale.