On Episode Sixteen of Mindful Warrior Radio, I was joined by Alex Gray, professional surfer turned coach, motivational speaker, and wellness and mental health enthusiast. Alex travels the world pursuing his passion for surfing. He’s one of the most authentic and spirited people I know. His humility and ability to connect with just about anyone allow him to be an incredible force for good in our world. Today, Alex teaches and mentors elite athletes, weekend warriors, and youth to help them identify their limiting beliefs and discover what is beneath their fears. He also organizes surf therapy groups in California for those grieving the loss of a loved one.
Alex and I talked about his transition from being a professional athlete and its impact on his ego and identity. We also explored his commitment to health and healing, his unanticipated COVID-related quarantine on Fiji, and his unique approaches to helping people build confidence and feel genuine self-worth.
Mindful Warrior is hosted by Kami Craig, a former elite athlete, Olympic champion, and performance and culture design coach at Mindful Warrior.
Our guest on Episode Sixteen of Mindful Warrior Radio Fifteen is professional surfer turned coach, motivational speaker, and wellness and mental health enthusiast, Alex Gray.
Alex spoke about the process of his professional surfing career coming to an end, “And it’s fun because at this point, I think the easy thing to do when a journey ends abruptly—unexpectedly where you feel like you have more gas in the tank, where you feel like you had more performances to do—was to not end with bitterness towards living in that moment in time where the cord is cut.”
Alex reflected on the process of his professional surfing career coming to an end. “I call it self-sabotage. What I do is hustle. And when my back is pushed against a wall I know how to perform. Life was pushing me against a wall. I was performing. And I wouldn’t allow any space to let life in. What I believe is there is a natural course for all of us, but I do not know how to operate like that. I want to be in control, and I will always find a way out of being pinned.”
When a surfing trip to Fiji unexpectedly got extended due to the pandemic, Alex reflected on his mindset. “I realized there was going to be an outcome from this moment in time and I wanted to make it a betterment of my life. I wanted to come out of it not with just scoring perfect waves, I wanted to come out of it ready to face the world again…with knowing myself more and taking the time to understand what triggers me to feel like I have to do something. What is my reason behind that? Is it identity? Is there ego involved? Is it actual purpose that is bettering my life? What am I doing with my daily habits that is going to have actual life longevity rather than reactive haste to survive that day, or thrive that day?”
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