My Story: Christopher Brisley
Take a Challenge was founded by me, Christopher Brisley. There have been some key points in my life which have led me to this point of wanting to inspire others. But how did I get here and why am I doing this?
I joined the Royal Navy at 17, it was a fantastic job, we joked "Not just a job, an adventure", to me it was, I experienced an incredible amount in a short space of time. But after 9 years it all ended, I was medically discharged with severe Asthma. My time in the forces had come to an end.
After months of being at a loss, involving too much sofa surfing and exessive exploration of the local night life. It was time to get on with life, so I threw myself into two new challenges, a new business and getting fit again, I had to prove I was could survive on my own, more to myself than anyone else. Less than a year later, the business crashed around me loosing every penny I had. As for getting fit, I completed the 1998 London Marathon in under 4 hours, raising money for the National Asthma Campaign. I had the marathon bug, and while I may have been broke, I did prove the Asthma wasnt going to stop me.
A job, a few marathons and a few years later, I decided to train for the London triathlon. But that plan was short lived, in 2002 I was hit head-on by a car while while training on the bike. Physically, I could hardly walk. But the brain still worked, so another business idea materialised. A few operations including spine surgery, lots of rehab, including every treatment known to man and after 3 years I was fully recovered.
It was now time to get fit, "again", and while the business had grown, it was still new and needed all my focus. I was now so unfit and work required all my time, progress appeared none existant. Work consumed my life and like many others, I ended up in rut, I'm sure many of you have experienced the same.
After working 3 hard years, my middle had expanded and my work days were long, life needed to change. In 2008, two good friends, Nick and Jo, told me of their challenges in memory of their brother Tom, he'd been killed in a bike accident 6 months earlier. I was immediately impressed, and inspired to donate, they raised more than 8500.
June 18th 2008, my 39th birthday, the same day the first British woman was killed in action along with 3 SAS reservists in Afghanistan. It was reported that June had been the deadliest period of attacks since hostilities began. I had friends out there. Reports were coming in almost daily of the wounded, such as sight-loss or losing a limb as well increasing numbers of people being killed.!
Nick and Jo, went out and challenged themselves in memory of their brother Tom and since June 2008, I have been inspired by the veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. They have challenged themselves to rebuild their lives, despite physical and mental injuries. They have not stopped there, they have gone on and challenged for others, often achieving incredible feats of endurance the likes of which I would find difficult with all my physical attributes. I had been inspired to make a difference.
Since then Ive decided to embark upon numerous challenges to raise funds and awareness for various charities many of which are armed forces or services related. But one of my challenges isnt a physical one, like me there must be people out there looking to be inspired? I want to develop a network of people, a place to be inspired or to inspire others, I want to bring people and challenges together, all focussed on completing challenges that benefit not only themselves but the people who need it most.
People like Paratrooper Ben Parkinson, Major Phil Packer, Royal Marines Mark Ormrod and Ben McBean, unfortunately the list is long, but nethertheless distinguished when you look at their achievements. People should be inspired by their efforts and their courage to "crack on with it" to quote Ben after climbing Everest.
Welcome to www.takeachallenge.co.uk, I hope you have fun and make a difference, Nothing is Impossible, be inspired.
...There is always a way. When things look like there's no way- there's a way- to do the impossible. To survive the unsurvivable. There's always a way. And you? You and I have this in common. We're inspired. In the face of the impossible we're inspired. So if I can offer one piece of advice to today, if you become frightened, instead, become inspired! Writer - Shonda Rhimes
