Chasing the Dragon: Finding Purpose in the Chaos | Barry Hayes | TEDxSwansea
British adventurer Barry Hayes shares his journey from the post room to rowing across oceans. The excitement, the danger, the pride — he’d achieved a dream. But when one expedition ended, and the only option seemed to be chasing something even bigger, everything crashed. This is a raw and honest story about ambition, burnout, and the unexpected discovery of purpose in the chaos that followed.Barry Hayes is an ocean rower, endurance adventurer, and mental health advocate who has crossed both the Pacific and Indian Oceans in rowing boats.
His journey began not with a background in elite sport, but from behind a desk in a corporate post room. Craving purpose and a deeper sense of meaning, Barry said yes to a life-changing challenge and discovered the transformative power of stepping into the unknown.
Since then, he has faced storms, capsizes, isolation, and exhaustion—emerging each time with a deeper understanding of resilience and the human spirit. Barry speaks openly about the mental health challenges that often follow extreme achievement and shares his story to encourage others to redefine what’s possible, both physically and emotionally. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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