Words matter. These are the best Ant Middleton Quotes, and they’re great for sharing with your friends.
I trained my whole career to fight. I loved my job – I prioritised by job over my family, over my children.
Followship is just as important as leadership. It’s very important that you’ll know if you’re a great leader because you will have awesome followship. And the people behind you will take that burden of responsibility.
When I first joined the army, I felt I had to be part of the alpha male culture. But I didn’t.
Men are very protective, and women are nurturing.
Dad was wiped from our lives. The day after he died, every photo of him disappeared from the house. It was as if he’d never existed. Me and my brothers weren’t even allowed to go to his funeral. His death was made absolute.
Some are happy with where their comfort zone is, but I like to be constantly tested, and I think it’s good.
No trooper, no special forces operative wants to sit behind a desk. We joined up to kick some doors down.
The kids have got their iPads, but they prefer to get out climbing trees and coming out with me. That’s the kind of learning I want them to have: experiences.
I’m from a generation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Our battleground was where we learned. It’s not like the old generation where they used to train and train and train, and then suddenly an operation would come up, and they’d go on it.
If you mind tells your body you can’t do it, you will quit. If your body is giving up, but you think you can carry on, you will naturally keep putting one foot in front of the other.
What’s next? Let’s do it! My life is chaotic and spontaneous, which is the way I like it.
I love dogs, but they are a big responsibility, and with four children, having one would be too much.
I’m an extreme do’er – I’m not an intellect; I’m not a bookworm. I do, do, do, and nine times out of ten, I fail, but I learn from that.
I joined the Marines, passed Special Forces selection, and became a young leader in the military.
I’m more about mind over muscle. My mindset needs to be the fittest, because it drags my body through whatever needs to be done. A lot of people neglect training their mind and their self-belief, but I believe that’s crucial.
The Special Forces is an aggressive and violent organisation. I wouldn’t want to see a woman going through that and getting shot at.
When it comes to Everest, psychologically, you have to be in the red. If you’re not, it doesn’t matter how fit you are. I’ve seen the fittest of people, who I thought would steam up the top of Everest, allow the pressure to take over their body.
I never looked for trouble, but when it found me, I wouldn’t hesitate.
When I took on Everest, I’m not there for the views.
When you’re challenged to the extreme, you learn so much about yourself. And when you’re willing to give that ultimate sacrifice, when you’re willing to tackle a job or a task or a mission head-on and give 100%, you can achieve amazing things because you’re almost fearless.
In the SAS, if you’re not good enough, you’re graded out of it.
I’m very confident with who I am and how I lead, and I’m a problem solver and like to keep myself on my toes.
We have a responsibility as ex-soldiers to realise we’re no longer in the military. All this ‘once a soldier, always a soldier’, that’s all well and good, but that attitude doesn’t work in society.
A lot of people want to go out there, help people, and save the world. Sadly, half the time they can’t even help themselves.
Some jobs are for women, and some jobs are for men. It has nothing to do with how capable women are.
Don’t try to be me. No one but me can be me. But you can be you. Look inside yourself and get to know who the real you is. And then be that person. The best version of you.
One minute, you’re dropping your teenage son off to a festival, and the next, you’re changing a nappy, but I love the versatility and challenge of being a father.
When I’m at home, I am in full Dad mode, and I love it.
Basic training was hard, but I made it – because I wanted to be the best me. Sometimes you have to learn that being the best you is being the second best you. I learned the hard way that the army doesn’t want people who always come first. Otherwise, there would be only one person in the army.
I joined the army because I was a very self-sufficient young man. I always wanted to stand on my own two feet.
I was point man, which meant I was the first through the door, hunting down Taliban commanders, knocking down forts every night.
I’m used to being in uncomfortable situations. I actually thrive in uncomfortable environments.
I wanted a challenge, wanted to be self-sufficient, so I thought, ‘Go and join the army,’ at a young age, and I just happened to be good at what I done and went up the ladder and went up to the top.
The military was appealing because I could just get away and do my own thing. I could have a roof over my head, be fed, and with the little bit of money I got, I could start to build me own life as I wanted to.
You come on my course and enter my world – I don’t care who you are or where you’re from – you’re a number until you prove yourself otherwise.
Whatever I turn my hand to, I put in the effort to be the best.
On a 60-mile trek with a 200-kg. bergen on my back, I felt my ankle break. Some might have given up. I broke my other ankle to even up the pain. And carried on.
If you start to pass blame or responsibility on to others, that’s when I’m going to start to get really angry.
I hate it when people are late, and I hate being late.
The lowest point for me was ending up in prison after a violent event. I realised I was way out of my depth.
When you’re in the military, you teeter on the edge of that line of life and death. The reason you feel so alive when you come through is because you know you’ve cheated death – and that and the adrenaline rush is addictive, no question.
I don’t stick to a routine, because I like to mix things up, which stops training becoming boring and helps shock muscles into firing up.
I eat healthily as much as I can – meat, protein, carbs as well. I like my pasta; I like my rice. I like to have that sort of sustenance in me, because I’m always thinking of survival.
Being polite, being respectful, having manners, and being a socialite – they’re key life skills that people take for granted. Being able to communicate with all people on all levels is what’s got me so far.
I wanted people to know that I’m human, and I’m only successful because I’ve learned the hard way. I’ve been in so many dark places, but I got myself out.
