BITESIZE #30 | Ant Middleton: 100% responsibility and accountability

This week’s short, sharp hit of high performance comes from former special forces operator Ant Middleton. In our podcast with Ant, he opened up on his golden rules and unique beliefs for a high performance life. This clip talks about taking 100% responsibility for his actions, even if it meant going to prison. 

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**Ant Middleton's Perspective on Responsibility and Accountability**

In this episode, former Special Forces operator Ant Middleton emphasizes the significance of taking 100% responsibility for one's actions, regardless of the circumstances. He shares his personal experience of facing imprisonment for his actions while acknowledging that alcohol influenced his decision-making, but it did not excuse his behavior. Middleton highlights the importance of accountability and owning up to one's mistakes, even when it means facing consequences.

**Key Points:**

- **Personal Responsibility:** Middleton believes that individuals should take full responsibility for their actions, even if external factors or circumstances contribute to their decisions. He emphasizes that excuses or justifications do not absolve one from accountability.

- **Avoiding Excuses:** Middleton rejects the notion of using excuses to avoid taking responsibility for one's actions. He asserts that excuses are self-defeating and prevent personal growth and development.

- **PTSD as a Potential Excuse:** Middleton's lawyer suggested that he could claim PTSD to avoid prison time. However, Middleton refused to use this as an excuse, acknowledging that he was responsible for his actions and deserved to face the consequences.

- **Accountability in the Military:** Middleton draws parallels between his experience in the military and the importance of accountability. He emphasizes that in the military, individuals are taught to take responsibility for their actions and to learn from their mistakes.

- **Shifting Mindset:** Middleton highlights the importance of shifting one's mindset to take responsibility. He shares an example from explorer Nims Purja, who reframed the theft of his oxygen as a story of saving someone else's life. This mindset shift allowed Purja to take control of the situation and respond positively.

- **Personal Reactions:** Middleton discusses the responsibility individuals have for their own reactions to external events. He emphasizes that others' actions do not dictate one's feelings or responses. Individuals have the power to choose how they react to situations and should not blame others for their emotional state.

- **Viktor Frankl's Work:** Middleton recommends exploring the work of Dr. Viktor Frankl, a modern-day philosopher who emphasizes the power of control and choice. Frankl's insights highlight the importance of focusing on what one can control rather than dwelling on external factors.

**Conclusion:**

Ant Middleton's perspective on responsibility and accountability emphasizes the importance of taking ownership of one's actions, regardless of the circumstances. He challenges individuals to avoid excuses, embrace accountability, and learn from their mistakes. Middleton's insights align with the principles of high performance, which require individuals to take responsibility for their choices and actions to achieve their goals.

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[02:51.200 -> 02:53.240] Hi there, welcome along to another bite-sized episode
[02:53.240 -> 02:55.200] from the High Performance Podcast team,
[02:55.200 -> 02:57.480] where we look back on a guest who's joined us
[02:57.480 -> 02:59.580] at some point over the last five series.
[02:59.580 -> 03:02.520] We just take a short clip, we dissect it, talk about it,
[03:02.520 -> 03:03.620] and hopefully give you some tools
[03:03.620 -> 03:13.920] to take into the rest of your life. Today we hear from former Special Forces soldier Ant Middleton.
[03:13.920 -> 03:18.000] The alcohol was to blame for my decision making but it wasn't to blame for my actions. You
[03:18.000 -> 03:22.480] know it's like, do I deserve to go to prison? Absolutely. Will I do my time? Have I got
[03:22.480 -> 03:30.160] any excuses? No. You know and again, you know when I went to prison, Absolutely. Will I do my time? Have I got any excuses? No. You know, and again, you know, when I went to, when I went to prison, I just left the military. And I remember my,
[03:30.160 -> 03:35.440] my, my lawyer, he was, he was rubbing his hands. He was like, he was like, and you've just left
[03:35.440 -> 03:39.920] the military, haven't you? I was like, yeah. He said, how long ago? I went six months ago. He
[03:39.920 -> 03:43.520] went brilliant. He said, how many tours of Afghanistan do you do? I said three. He went,
[03:43.520 -> 03:45.720] what recent? I went, yeah, just, you know, got back not long ago. He was like, brilliant. He said, how many tours of Afghanistan do you do? I said, three. He went, what, recent? I went, yeah, just literally just, you know,
[03:45.720 -> 03:47.280] got back not long ago.
[03:47.280 -> 03:48.360] He was like, excellent.
[03:48.360 -> 03:50.880] He's like, right, and do you wanna go to prison?
[03:50.880 -> 03:53.080] I'm like, of course I don't wanna go to prison.
[03:53.080 -> 03:55.400] He's like, well, you've got PTSD.
[03:55.400 -> 03:57.600] And I'm like, what do you mean I've got PTSD?
[03:57.600 -> 04:01.120] He said, and he said, if you say you got PTSD,
[04:01.120 -> 04:02.760] this is exact words, he went,
[04:02.760 -> 04:05.000] I promise you, you will not go to prison. He said, I'll write a report, you'll get a slap on the wrist. He said, I promise you, you will not go to prison.
[04:05.000 -> 04:06.400] He said, I'll write a report.
[04:06.400 -> 04:07.560] You'll get a slap on the wrist.
[04:07.560 -> 04:09.080] He said, I guarantee you with what you've done
[04:09.080 -> 04:10.560] in your background, he said, you go off,
[04:10.560 -> 04:13.640] you do a course and said, you'll be at home with your family
[04:13.640 -> 04:17.480] and I looked at him, I said, I can't, I can't do that.
[04:17.480 -> 04:18.480] I haven't got PTSD.
[04:18.480 -> 04:19.840] I can't say that.
[04:19.840 -> 04:22.160] I said, I got drunk and I said, I ended up in a fucking fight
[04:22.160 -> 04:23.400] and I hurt someone.
[04:23.400 -> 04:24.280] I deserve to be in prison.
[04:24.280 -> 04:25.600] Let me do my time
[04:25.600 -> 04:27.600] But and that's exactly what I done
[04:27.760 -> 04:34.080] Well damien in many ways that clip from ant middleton is central to what we talk about on the pod, which is 100
[04:35.180 -> 04:36.480] responsibility
[04:36.480 -> 04:40.640] Yep, and it's not something that you can choose to discard when it suits you
[04:41.280 -> 04:44.960] As in aunt's case there you're talking about, you know, he's a father of five children
[04:45.480 -> 04:46.680] He's got himself in trouble and he's facing, as in Ant's case there, you're talking about, you know, he's a father of five children, he's got himself in trouble,
[04:46.680 -> 04:49.160] and he's facing 14 months in prison.
[04:49.160 -> 04:51.600] And that mindset runs right the way through,
[04:51.600 -> 04:54.960] like Blackpool Rock, you take responsibility
[04:54.960 -> 04:58.080] that I got drunk and I hit the police officer,
[04:58.080 -> 05:01.120] I need to be accountable for it, I can't make excuses.
[05:01.120 -> 05:03.520] I've been lucky enough to work with the Royal Marines
[05:03.520 -> 05:09.620] over the years, and that's central to their whole mindset of doesn't matter what happens
[05:09.620 -> 05:16.180] to you, it's how you respond to it that's key. And that answer that Ant gave us
[05:16.180 -> 05:21.900] there is a textbook example of somebody taking complete 100% accountability for
[05:21.900 -> 05:26.700] their actions. I loved it when we were joined by Nims Perja, the explorer,
[05:26.700 -> 05:27.800] and he told that great story
[05:27.800 -> 05:29.200] about someone stealing his oxygen,
[05:29.200 -> 05:31.920] and he shifted his mindset instantly to be like,
[05:31.920 -> 05:34.240] right, I'm gonna make a story up in my head
[05:34.240 -> 05:36.720] that that oxygen was stolen to save someone else's life.
[05:36.720 -> 05:38.560] Right, could have been total nonsense,
[05:38.560 -> 05:42.600] but it meant he was taking responsibility for himself
[05:42.600 -> 05:43.800] for his reaction to something.
[05:43.800 -> 05:47.060] I often have a little bit of a set to with Harriet, my wife,
[05:47.060 -> 05:49.940] because someone will do something and it'll really annoy her
[05:49.940 -> 05:51.400] and I will then annoy her by saying,
[05:51.400 -> 05:53.460] yeah, but you know, like, you're responsible
[05:53.460 -> 05:56.980] for how you react to that person's behavior, not them.
[05:56.980 -> 05:59.160] Like, you know, why do they make me feel like that?
[05:59.160 -> 06:00.540] Why have they made me feel guilty?
[06:00.540 -> 06:02.020] Why have they made me fed up?
[06:02.020 -> 06:04.220] It's a hard one to get our head around,
[06:04.220 -> 06:07.160] but it's actually not their responsibility for how you feel, it's
[06:07.160 -> 06:10.360] your responsibility and if they've done or said something that was hurtful, well
[06:10.360 -> 06:15.880] horrible, yes definitely they shouldn't do it but they haven't made you feel
[06:15.880 -> 06:19.160] like you feel. It's a hard lesson but a vital one.
[06:19.160 -> 06:22.920] Yeah and if anyone's interested in listening to this I'd say go back and
[06:22.920 -> 06:46.480] explore the work of a guy called Dr. Viktor Frankl who is a modern-day father Os ydw i ddiddorol i ffwrdd o gwrando at hyn, byddwn yn dweud, ychydig yn fwy o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o ffyrdd o f well why did I survive when others didn't? And he understands the power of control and choice,
[06:46.480 -> 06:53.040] that those people that allow themselves to focus on external factors, such as why has my family
[06:53.040 -> 06:58.000] been taken away, my freedom, my status, my career, versus those that went this is the reality of the
[06:58.000 -> 07:06.960] situation, how I respond to the immediate situation is going to determine my level of happiness or in
[07:06.960 -> 07:12.900] his case survival. It's something that is such a powerful concept that when people
[07:12.900 -> 07:17.560] say it's not fair, no life isn't fair. How you respond to life is going to
[07:17.560 -> 07:22.560] determine your levels of happiness. It's such an important concept for people to
[07:22.560 -> 07:26.920] understand. Just because it's not your fault doesn't mean it's not your responsibility
[07:27.480 -> 07:34.040] Have a go after this bite-sized episode by taking on board that every single thing in your life is your
[07:35.000 -> 07:41.600] Responsibility even if maybe you think it isn't just see what happens if you take 100% responsibility Damian. Thank you
[07:41.920 -> 07:44.920] Thanks to Will and Hannah. Thanks to Finn Ryan at rethink audio
[07:44.920 -> 07:48.040] Most of all, thanks to you for listening to this short bite-sized clip
[07:48.040 -> 08:00.480] from the High Performance team. I hope it was helpful. See you soon.
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