Your authentic self is precious. Guard it fiercely. Resist any attempts to make you go down paths you know aren’t right for you. There’s only one person whose opinion should matter: you. Failure is the best teacher there is. When you open yourself up to failure, you’ll super-charge your ability to learn and grow. We are all a work in progress. None of us is perfect, none of us is the finished article. We all have so much space to grow and change. Embrace your potential, shrug off your fears and take another step towards becoming the best version of you. Every relationship is a shared project. The true value of that bond isn’t in how good it is in the first month, it’s how it looks after five, then ten years. Don’t be a square peg in a round hole. When you suppress your instincts and personality to fit somebody else’s agenda, you’ll end up living a crushed, unsatisfying life.

Your emotional make-up is unique to you. Only you can do the work of becoming intimately familiar with your emotions. Break what you’re feeling down. What is it? Why is it happening now? Keep asking questions until you know those feelings inside out. Pay attention to people you invest in relationships with and talk about things you actually care about. You fit 100 per cent into your own skin. Learn as much as you can from other people, but never try to imitate them. You can push yourself through pain if you harness your mind and develop an excitement towards physical discomfort. To push yourself to your limits- you have to work hard to develop a strong harmony between your mind and body.

5. Ditch fad diets

Being a parent isn’t a part-time job. It’s the most important role you’ll ever play – more than your job, more than anything. You have to give your children the best of you. You’re responsible for what you say and how you say it. You’re not responsible for how the other person reacts. Be as kind and considerate as possible, but don’t let the fear of hurting their feelings stop you from telling them what they need to hear. If they get upset, that’s up to them.

Good relationships are built on strong connections. Don’t be swayed by superficial qualities. Make sure that you share similar values and priorities. Lust is not enough! Your body is amazing and unique. Cherish it. Celebrate the things that make your body different from anybody else’s. Don't give bullies a chance to infect you with their misery- but use confrontation when it's needed. Your children didn’t ask to be born. You have a responsibility to them and their welfare that will not end until the day you take your last breath. Lie beget lies. One lie leads to another. Then another. Then another. Before long, your whole existence will be a fabrication. Is that what you really want?

Your confidence should be based on what you know you’re capable of, not the opinions of others. When you have internal confidence you’ll be more resilient, more willing to try new things, and you’ll be able to take whatever life throws at you in your stride. What he is an expert in is pushing through the most difficult circumstances. I learnt a lot from his experience of extreme physical and mental pressure and how to find your limits.