21 Yaks And A Speedo - How To Achieve Your Impossible (Hardcover)

Lewis Pugh knows oceans. He was the first to complete a long distance swim in every ocean of the world, and has pioneered more swims around famous landmarks than any other person in history. He swam across the icy waters of the North Pole to highlight the melting of the Arctic sea ice, and across a glacial lake on Mt Everest to draw attention to the impact of climate change on the Himalayan glaciers. It was there that he met his first Yak.

Trekking behind them up the icy slopes, watching them cross skeletal bridges over dizzying ravines, and listening to them breathe outside his bivouac each night, Lewis got to thinking about the things he most admires in a yak. And found that those qualities were not unlike the ones that enabled him to meet his own challenges - and achieve things that people believed to be impossible. The '21 Yaks' collected here are the key lessons Lewis took home from each adventure.

From swimming in sub-zero temperatures (famously, in nothing more than a speedo), to dodging harbourmasters (in Sydney and London) and Great White sharks (off the southern coast of Africa), to facing off to the Russians in a new kind of Cold War (in frozen Finland), Lewis developed strategies for pushing the boundaries of what is humanly possible. These were not just feats of physical stamina and endurance, but about overcoming the psychological obstacles to success. And his strategies are as applicable to business and personal development as they are to extreme sports.

In 21 Yaks and a Speedo, Lewis shares his ability to dream big dreams, build crack teams, and get the job done. You'll be inspired by his devotion to excellence, his loyalty to his crew, and his belief in never giving up. The principles are simple, but effective. Stick by them, he says, and they'll see you through. Lewis is a vivid storyteller. His efforts to spread awareness of the fragility of our global ecosystem, and the dangers that threaten our oceans, have made him one of the world's most popular public speakers.