Layne Beachley AO

I was six years old when my dad returned from the hospital.

His deep blue eyes were red and swollen, and a profound sadness enveloped his whole being. “Your mother is gone, she is never coming back”. My brother and I were devastated and heartbroken. Mum died from a cerebral haemorrhage during a cosmetic surgery procedure. The following year, dad informed me of my adoption, shattering my sense of belonging and igniting a flame within me. I was desperate to prove I was deserving of love. How can I do that? I had to become a world champion. A world champion surfer. The best of the best.

My 19-year professional surfing career was an emotional rollercoaster filled with injury, failure, success, depression, happiness and contentment.

Learning how to lose taught me how to win. 29 tour victories, 7 world titles, 6 won consecutively, 5 achieved in a state of fear. Every performance, every result, every failure and achievement determined my self-worth. The struggle validated my belief that success has to be hard. Fortuitously forced by injury, the unsustainable wave I was riding changed direction, and I chose to surrender and adapt. Compassion, acceptance and gratitude replaced the fear, pain and suffering, which reinvigorated my love of competition and zest for life. I have learned, I am enough.

Life loves throwing curveballs to test your resolve.

My clothing brand failed, my health deteriorated, and my charity wound up, punctuated by a successful motivational speaking career and a healthy loving marriage.

Sharing my experiences energises and excites me, similar to what competitive surfing used to. Building this platform has awakened me to what I was born for; sharing my life lessons to inspire people to wake up, take ownership of their choices and live a life they love. I want to kindle a groundswell of happiness, connection and growth in humanity.