Episode #191 Rusty Firmin on the SAS, Military Life and The need for going ‘always a little further’ in life!

TODAY's GUEST IS Rusty Firmin!

Episode #191 Rusty Firmin on the SAS, Military Life and The need for going ‘always a little further’ in life!

The British SAS are the best special forces unit in the world. They are some of the best operators in the world, and their operations have become legendary in history. I have always wondered what makes a special forces operator able to do such breath-taking things, to go into the jaws of death and when the bullets start flying to rescue hostages, and eliminate threats, so I wanted to find out. Introducing today’s guest is Rusty Firmin! He is Former member of the SAS, a leader in the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London and the 1990 Stanstead aircraft hijacking and is now a motivational speaker, security consultant, advisor and personal protection officer

The show-notes can be found at https://www.nextlevelguy.com/rustyfirmin191/

Rusty Firmin, a former member of the elite SAS, has led a remarkable life shaped by his early struggles and later triumphs. Born and raised in Carlisle, he faced a challenging childhood, being adopted and moving between various relatives and schools. At the age of fifteen, Rusty found himself on his own, learning to fend for himself. 

His journey took a significant turn when he decided to pursue a military career, eventually applying for and successfully completing the rigorous SAS selection course in 1977. This achievement earned him the prestigious beige beret and winged dagger insignia, and he was assigned to B Squadron.

During his time in B Squadron, Rusty was exposed to various threats in different regions, including Guatemala, Belize, Borneo, and Botswana. He undertook multiple tours in these areas, facing the challenges of jungle warfare and desert training. Notably, he played a critical role as a Blue Team leader during the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege in London, demonstrating his bravery and expertise in counter-terrorism operations. 

He participated in highly sensitive training operations worldwide, honing his skills in Special Forces training, presidential-level bodyguard training, and counter-terrorism techniques, providing security and surveillance services during conflicts like the war in Sarajevo, close protection and security management positions, and working with prestigious clients.

 Today, Rusty is a highly sought-after motivational speaker, sharing insights from his experiences in the SAS to inspire and educate audiences in corporate and business settings. His speeches offer winning strategies for navigating challenging situations and coping with crises. With passion and realism, Rusty helps leaders and teams develop crucial thinking skills to tackle the ever-changing landscape of today’s business world. Rusty Firmin’s life is a testament to resilience, determination, and unwavering dedication to duty. His journey from a challenging upbringing to a celebrated SAS member and influential speaker serves as an inspiring example for individuals and businesses alike. In this interview, we chat about his time in the military and the SAS, writing his books, the ‘6 Days’ film and why you need to ignore the push to stop and aim to go always a little further every day.

#RustyFirmin #determination #sas #military #mentaltoughness #selfreliance #counterterrorism #author

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KEY POINTS, Links & Actions

Here are some key points that I would advise you to concentrate on

  • Your upbringing does not define you, it is your action and what you give back to others. 
  • Rusty is not a fan of the hero tag, he is a man who wants to give back to others and help and inspire those where he can. 
  • Rusty prefers to look forward to what he can do and not from what has happened. He tries to focus on being self-reliant and what he can do for others, not dwell on what happened.
  • The Army provided a family structure to Rusty – it can help people find themselves and provide a structure to their lives that they perhaps lacked in their normal life.
  • …you have to overcome and drive forward.” Only look back when you are reversing.
  • Top performers are those people who are always willing to learn, to grow and develop themselves and learn as they go – and not rest on their laurels, they want to learn and keep developing. 
  • Rusty doesn’t see the word ‘stop’, he has a mantra of ‘a little further’. By always keeping going, he keeps achieving things. Too many people stop living after they retire and await death, something you need to avoid at all costs. 
  • Rusty is always looking to go forward in his life, he is always trying new things, learning new skills and never resting – what could you learn now to improve your skill-set to achieve more and have better success and achieve your goals?   
  • Rusty is looking to leave a legacy, to inspire and help others who follow him and learn about his journey. Try and do the same, always be looking to help others, to give back, to leave places and people better than when you found them where possible. 
  • No plan survives first contact, so there is no point trying to spend too long on the plan, as things in real-time will happen, being able to roll with changes and events taking place, you need to be able to adapt to things as they come up, and be fluid to what takes place. 
  • Life is a learning curve. Stop trying to know it all. Find mentors, team-mates and support methods to get the info and support you need. Start now and learn as you go, and access the resources you need for success. 
  • The SAS let everyone contribute to the ideas and the plan of engagement, they are open to comments and feedback from their operators and how they will act. They start with a skeleton of a plan, and then add in their comments and feedback, and they decide on the final plan of action. Be open to others feedback and willing to change things to suit others experience, understanding and skill-set.
  • The SAS guys are highly knowledgeable and always training to better themselves. They come in all ages, from different backgrounds etc, so they can learn from one another, use the wealth of knowledge and training experiences in the members and increase your chances of success because of this. 
  • Rusty learnt by doing, by trial and error and learnt by hands on experience. A average plan is always better than a perfect plan never implemented. Be OK with making mistakes and giving things a go. Be fluid and flexible in your thinking and ready to evolve and grow. 

LEVEL UP Time WITH THIS KEY LESSON!

…you have to overcome and drive forward.” Only look back when you are reversing. Look to go forward each day, and look to improve yourself a little bit each day, go a ‘little further’ towards your goals everyday. 

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About the Author
I’m a podcaster who interviews great examples of people to discuss and highlight the methods, hacks, tips and procedures you can use in your own life to help you develop and better your life. I would definitely not consider myself an expert, so to improve, I ask them and action it in my own life! My personal journey has been marked by awkwardness and awesomeness, OCD and ‘OMG’. I have suffered with depression, shyness, unhappiness and lack of focus and motivation so I know what’s it like to feel lost and hopeless. Back then, I wished I had a podcast to listen to and find actual fixes and concrete action steps and not just unobtainable suggestions and promotion of their products but couldn’t find it … so I made my own!

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