Two ex-special operations guys armed with MBAs seek out people leading lives less ordinary, in order to find out how they fill their ‘unforgiving minutes’, and what helps them go, always, a little further. Like intellectual bowerbirds, we collect shiny little objects of knowledge that will help build better humans. Co-hosted by Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis.
Episodes
Friday Mar 06, 2020
Friday Mar 06, 2020
Monika Georgieva was the first female to attempt Australian SAS selection …. twice! Monika was also Australia’s first female Infantry Officer, having commanded a Rifle Platoon and a Reconnaissance/ Sniper Platoon.
And before we start (or continue) to stereotype. Monika is around 5 foot 4 and has been 56kg at her heaviest! She has been called a ‘little girl’- but you’ll see that she is far from that!
What if we told you that being first wasn't important to her. She just 'pursues her bliss' (Ref: Greg Wallace episode).
Monika talks us through her amazing life – from gunfights in Bulgarian nightclubs, through boarding school in Scotland, to her ground-breaking military career and beyond. In the process, she speaks to her motivational techniques, her (strange!) relationship with pain and how breaking paradigms is far less important to her than the simple act of going – always – a little further.
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
03:18 The 98 Gym Podcast with Monika – a must-listen!
03:30 Mon’s early childhood in Bulgaria
04:26 UK Army recruiting – how to lose applicants!
06:40 First combat experience. Age:8. Location: Bulgarian Nightclub
08:47 Ben speaks on ‘complexiness’. It’s a technical term…
09:40 Boarding school in Scotland
11:50 Tough love from Mon’s parents
14:00 To Canberra, where Mon recalls her Mooseheads years…
15:45 Life lessons from working in a pub
17:05 Mon’s time at the Royal Military College, Duntroon
18:20 Graduation to Artillery Corps as one of the first female officers – and more recruiting lies!
19:15 Corps transfer to logistics and a posting to Townsville
19:30 ….and straight onto Accelerated Infantry Training and Commando Selection
21:00 Physical preparation for selection
21:31 Mon’s bête noire – the 3.2km run!
24:20 The pressure of being the first – Imposter Syndrome and self-doubt
28:45 Tim’s single piece of advice for SAS selection
30:15 Ben and Tim struggle with maths. Again.
32:30 Working with Kev Toonen to prepare for the second SAS selection course attempt
33:50 Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation for the course
34:20 Mon’s relationship with pain…and an out of body experience!
36:30 Tara Mohr and the two Hebrew words for fear
39:00 Breaking paradigms and glass ceilings (….is not something Mon cares about)
41:00 On being the first female infantry officer in the Australian Army
45:20 The importance of authenticity as a leader
50:30 Mon on leadership presence – ‘always own the ground you’re standing on’
51:42 Amy Cuddy on body language and power poses
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Music
By: The Externals…. Available on Spotify