Paul Deegan

leave a little room for improvisation

2009-06-02T12:37:00.000-04:00

Last year I attended a superb presentation by Cirque du Soleil's Richard Oberacker, in which he encouraged people to leave room in their presentations for improvisation.

I was reminded of Richard's advice last night whilst watching Ray. It turns out that Ray Charles' most famous song, What'd I Say, was conceived at a gig in 1958. Charles, his orchestra and his backing singers had finished their routine. But they were contractually obliged to continue playing for another 12 minutes.

The sound they created to fill those minutes subsequently became Ray Charles' first gold record. What'd I Say is credited for inspiring many musicians, including Paul McCartney, John Lennon and Van Morrison. 45 years after its release, the song was ranked at number 10 in Rolling Stone magazine’s 500 greatest records of all time.

What could you create, influence or change with 12 minutes of improvisation in your world?

your next 100 days

2009-04-29T12:49:00.000-04:00

Today marks the 100th day of Barack Obama's presidency. It's a tradition to analyse what the new incumbent has achieved at this first important milestone.

Which got me thinking: what have I done in the last 100 days? More importantly, what will I have achieved in 100 days' time?

What will you have accomplished by Friday 7th August?

become your own ideas coach

2009-04-24T13:00:00.000-04:00

Wherever I look these days, sportspeople are talking about how they learn from other disciplines to help raise their own standards. In 'Tackling Life', rugby star Jonny Wilkinson's co-author, Steve Black, writes:

"Ideally there would be a forum, or better again, it would be part of the team culture, to share ideas and information from which everyone can benefit. I believe at the senior professional clubs there should be a new position created for a knowledge / ideas coach; someone who accesses information and inspirational stories from a wide variety of outlets – other clubs, in other countries, other sports, business, academia, conferences etc. The list of sources is endless. And each seed gathered has the potential to add something new and exciting to the team. The better the knowledge of the team then the better the foundations on which the team can achieve great success."

Meanwhile, over at Fulham Football Club, coach Roy Hodgson has been modeling his team's effective defensive on U.S. basketball tactics.

You don't have to be an athlete to take inspiration and practical advice from other spheres. We can all become our own ideas coach. I've been inspired to develop and enhance my public speaking by the creativity and professionalism of artistes like Jérôme Le Baut and Anna Vicente in Cirque do Soleil's 'Quidam'. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of giving a talk to the students and some of the performers whilst this show was in residence at the Royal Albert Hall. Afterwards, I chatted to Jérôme about his craft. I'm not planning to do handstands at the podium anytime soon, but Jérôme's dedication to giving honestly of himself to his audience during every performance, and of working hard to remain 'in the moment' on stage rather than simply going through the motions, really resonated with me.

"some people have crazy ideas"

2009-04-14T05:33:00.000-04:00

Seven years ago I interviewed Leo Houlding about his adventures. During our conversation, Leo told me that he was experimenting with a flying suit. I thought he was winding me up. He wasn't.

Today, wingsuit flying is at the cutting edge of extreme pursuits. One of the sport's leading proponents, Ueli Gegenschatz, took to the stage at TED earlier this year to explain the evolution of this breathtaking form of travel, and why he does it. Ueli's honest explanation of his motives is one thing, but it seems that nothing could prepare the audience for the film of his jaw-dropping aerial projects. Stay tuned for the hilarious Q & A at the tail end of this video of his presentation.

walking with a sewing needle stuck in his backside

2009-04-07T05:27:00.000-04:00

Last month my friend Martin Hartley was really suffering. As part of the Catlin Arctic Survey, he'd been enduring temperatures cold enough to crack the enamel on his teeth, dealing with excruciating frostbite on his toes, and attempting to get some shut-eye in a sleeping bag with all the insulating qualities of a sorbet. As if that wasn't sufficiently unpleasant, after a week of stabbing pain in his backside he discovered a sewing needle sticking out of his salopettes. Accidentally left in his custom clothing by a seamstress, it was finally extracted with a pair of pliers. Ouch.

Martin summed up his mood by writing "I can think of 20 million things I’d rather be doing than this." I know Martin well, and that really didn't sound like him. To say such a thing meant that he was feeling uncharacteristically despondent. That said, I know that there has been a time on every expedition when I have felt exactly the same.

In a blog post on the expedition website, I attempted to paint a picture of what goes on inside one's head during a long expedition. A few days ago, the expedition's consultant psychologist, Mark Lewis, explained in a follow-up post that these mood swings are called 'reversals' in psychology literature. Mark said that "These reversals can occur predictably and slowly, or very quickly depending on whether the stressors are chronic (acting over a period of time), or acute (momentary)."

The good news is that in his most recent update, Martin is sounding a lot more cheery. He's now got croissants and bacon sandwiches on the brain. Which sounds a lot more like the Martin I know.

new hillwalking advice films online

2009-04-06T06:00:00.000-04:00

When Al Boardman and myself originally set out to make a series of films to share knowledge and information about the outdoors, we teamed up with a great partner, Cotswold Outdoor.

Hans Falkenburg, the company's Managing Director, appreciated that we wanted to make advice-based films rather than advertisements. Cotswold has only ever been mentioned in the films when it has felt natural to do so, and we've never been put under any pressure to push any products or brands.

Cotswold has just released the third series of films. We're really proud of them. They're on the subject of hillwalking, and cover a range of issues from demonstrating why the layering system is so important through to the correct way to use a survival bag in an emergency. One of the films has received the backing of the Mountain Rescue Council of England & Wales, which we're especially pleased about.

Producing these films is a team effort. Thanks to Vicki, Michael, Donna, the staff at Cotswold's Royal Oak and Covent Garden stores, Cotswold’s warehouse brigade, JB, and our soundman Elliott Forge. I still haven't worked out how Elliott is able to walk alongside me whilst I'm speaking, yet not appear in any of the footage. I think he must be a Jedi.

sir ranulph fiennes' antarctic april fool

2009-04-01T03:32:00.000-04:00

Sir Ranulph Fiennes describes what became known as the world's longest distance April Fool hoax, which was organised and executed during the 1979-82 Transglobe Expedition.

have fellowship, will travel

2009-03-16T06:04:00.000-04:00

Applications for Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowships have just opened, and continue until October.

Amongst the categories is one for 'Adventure, Exploration and Leaders of Expeditions'. People like Felicity Aston and Glenn Shaw have successfully applied for fellowships in previous years. If you have a great idea, and if it meets the criteria, why not apply?.

Interviews for short-listed candidates will take place in January 2010. Expeditions need to take place between April 2010 and February 2011.

top adventure films come to london

2009-02-18T15:23:00.000-05:00

The very best adventure movies from last year’s Kendal Mountain Film Festival come to the Royal Geographical Society in London on the evening of Tuesday 24th March. Films include a speed flying descent of South America’s highest mountain, Aconcagua, and Alastair Lee’s award-winning 'On Sight'. Tickets are £10. Proceeds from the evening will go to Porters' Progress.

are you in your element?

2009-01-19T19:00:00.000-05:00

I spent last week in New York, where amongst other things I attended a talk by Sir Ken Robinson at Barnes & Noble. (If you're not familiar with his work then this TED talk will put you in the picture, and is well worth watching.)

Sir Ken was promoting his new book, The Element, and drew a large crowd. Some of us had deliberately sought out the event. For others it was a spur of the moment decision: one attendee who I spoke to was walking past the bookshop on her way home from an unsuccessful job interview and told me afterwards that she "found his talk encouraging on a very discouraging day".

If you want to be similarly encouraged, catch one of the remaining events in the USA or UK over the next couple of weeks. (Tip: arrive early if you want a seat.)

simplify like steve mcqueen

2009-01-05T21:12:00.000-05:00

In Christopher Sandford's comprehensive biography of Steve McQueen, the author reports that whilst filming Papillon, co-star Dustin Hoffman "…began one speech babbling at McQueen at warp speed. Steve stopped him with a curt chop of his hand and the great advice, 'Less man. Less. Toss that s*** out, you don't need it. Keep it simple.' "

This quote came to mind at the weekend whilst I was trying to figure out what to do less of so that I can get more done of the things that really matter.

Serendipity being what it is, I found myself waiting for my Mac to chew through some files and – as I often do during such downtimes – clicked onto a folder full of eBooks that I collect for just such occasions. This time it was the turn of Getting Real. Turns out this superbly written book is all about simplification, and the advantages of doing so. Highly recommended.

no more new year resolutions

2008-12-30T06:02:00.000-05:00

Why do so many of us wait until New Year's Day to resolve to change an aspect of our lives? Is it because making a resolution on January 1st is traditional? If so, breaking a New Year resolution seems pretty traditional too.

If we really want to change something in our lives, why delay? Why not begin straightaway?

Would a daily resolution be easier to keep than a yearly one? 24 hours is a lot more achievable than 365 days. Even if the same resolution needs to be re-stated day after day after day.

And there's another thing. Why is it that I end up thinking about New Year resolutions for less than 10 seconds at one minute past midnight on January 1st? Surely resolving to change one's life (presumably for the better) deserves more time, thought and energy than that?

I'm done with New Year resolutions.

people ask me why i enjoy public speaking

2008-12-09T08:46:00.000-05:00

This is why:

“Hi Paul. You attended my daughter’s school in November. I wanted to say a big thank you. We both enjoyed your speech. My daughter went on a couple of weeks after your speech to apply to the Headteacher to attend The Oval cricket ground to present a speech. She was chosen. My daughter had to speak in front of 150 adults. I was so proud of her. She now knows she can believe in herself. I have been trying to teach her this. You helped her believe in herself. She now believes she can achieve anything. So once again a big thank you.”

do you think there is there nothing left to explore?

2008-12-04T07:56:00.000-05:00

There's a rare opportunity to hear about genuine exploration on Tuesday 8th December in London. Doug Scott, Julian Freeman-Attwood, Stephen Venables and Mike Searle will be speaking about contemporary exploration in remote corners of Tibet, where little has changed since the time of Sven Hedin a century ago. If you think there is nothing left to explore in the world, think again.

‘Journeys To Auspicious Places’ will take place at the Royal Geographical Society. Tickets, £20, are available on the door. Proceeds from the evening go to Community Action Nepal. The presentations begin at 7pm; a cash bar will be in operation from 6pm. The speakers will be introduced by AA Gill.

find out how clarkson met his match

2008-11-19T11:00:00.000-05:00

Tim Emmett will be flying in (so to speak) to the Royal Geographical Society on Thursday November 27th to present the annual Porters' Progress lecture.

Tim's built a strong reputation as a phenomenally talented climber who is helping to take the sport to a new level through para-alpinism.

He's perhaps best known for racing Jeremy Clarkson up the Verdon Gorge with Leo Houlding in an episode of 'Top Gear'.

The bar opens at 6pm. Tim's presentation begins at 7pm. Tickets, £10, can be purchased online.

what's your 2009 expedition going to be?

2008-11-16T09:00:00.000-05:00

If you've decided what expedition you want to do in 2009, and are looking for some expert advice, why not head to the Royal Geographical Society for Explore, the annual expedition & fieldwork planning weekend?

And if you want to lead or join an expedition next year, but can't decide where to go or what to do, then you'll definitely want to attend. With around 100 expedition leaders and outdoor experts on tap, it's a unique opportunity to get your next adventure or field research project off to a flying start.

Explore begins on the evening of Friday 21st November with an illustrated lecture by Paul Rose and the team behind the new BBC flagship series, Oceans. See you there!

pole-to-pole coverage with new satellite 'phone

2008-11-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Iridium, the satellite network of choice for many expeditions because of its unique pole-to-pole coverage, is launching a new 'phone this month.

The 9555 is lighter and smaller than the existing 9505 and original 9500 models. As well as an internally stowed (as opposed to rotating) aerial, the 9555 also has USB compatibility.

Interesting, the supplier of the new compact aerial, Sarantel, is stating that its ceramic filtering aerial reduces signal radiation absorbed by the body by up to 90%.

strategy and tactics

2008-10-27T03:37:00.002-04:00

I attended Seth Godin's presentation on his new book, Tribes, last week. In addition to being a superbly organised event at a great location in New York, Seth came across as a person who is every bit as passionate about his subject matter on (and off) the stage as he is on his blog.

Seth’s new book is all about leading groups of people, whether that be in a commercial marketing context (his home territory) or in the wider realm of organisational change, charitable concerns or passionate causes (such as expeditions).

The three hour non-stop event (which included more than an hour of Q & A) provided me with 12 pages of useful notes to implement.

One of the biggest revelations for me was Seth's concept that as a leader of a group, you get to lay down the strategy, but the individual members decide the tactics. By sharing this insight, Seth provided me with the missing piece of a puzzle to a project I've been mulling over for some time.

The slides that Seth used in his talk can be viewed online, and I've uploaded the audio if you want to hear what you missed. (I edited out the live performance by the talented Jen Chapin who played for us mid-way through Seth’s presentation.) The Tribes book is available on audio too, for just a dollar through iTunes. A bargain.

cleaning up everest

2008-10-13T09:11:00.000-04:00

I've just been reminded by photographer Damon Coulter that 20 years ago I set off for Nepal as the joint leader of an expedition to clean-up Everest Base Camp.

Looking back, I'm amazed it happened at all. It's hard to believe that one off-the-cuff remark triggered a chain of events that led to 47 people of all ages and walks of life picking up rubbish at the foot of the world's highest mountain.

Like Damon, the experience had a profound impact on the direction that my life has taken over the past two decades.

I still don't know why Nick Steven and John Barry took a teenager's clean-up suggestion seriously, but they did. I will always be grateful to them for the faith they showed in me, and for encouraging me to run with the idea.

blood, sweat and frozen tears

2008-10-06T19:12:00.000-04:00

My good friend Kenton Cool, who is perhaps best known for guiding Sir Ranulph Fiennes on Everest and the Eiger, is speaking with high altitude doctor and cameraman Rob Casserley about life on the world's highest mountain during their multiple ascents over the past five years. The presentation, which includes stunning footage, takes place at the Royal Geographical Society on Tuesday 21st October at 7pm. Tickets are £12.

thinking of getting into climbing & mountaineering?

2008-10-03T16:32:00.000-04:00

The advice videos on mountaineering and rock climbing that I filmed with Snowline Productions in August and September have now been completed. All four videos can be seen on Cotswold Outdoor’s knowledge site. In the meantime, here's the 90 second trailer…

interviewing messner

2008-09-15T14:39:00.000-04:00

I was recently asked to write a short biography about the world's greatest mountaineer, Reinhold Messner, whom I interviewed several years ago in London and Banff.

Whilst researching the latest news on his current projects (which include the ambitious Messner Mountain Museum) I came across this excellent interview.

sharing outdoor knowledge

2008-08-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

Five advice videos about outdoor footwear that I wrote and presented last year, were recently published on the web by Cotswold Outdoor. The videos, which were filmed by Al Boardman and Seb Mankelow, cover issues ranging from choosing the right boots to avoiding and dealing with blisters.

The videos have proved so popular that Cotswold has commissioned a second series. The subject matter has been chosen, the scripts have been written, and the locations have been selected. We begin shooting in Europe this week.

join the commonwealth antarctic expedition

2008-08-04T20:11:00.000-04:00

If the Face To Face exhibition has whetted your appetite for polar projects, you'll be interested to learn that Felicity Aston has launched the Commonwealth Women's Antarctic Expedition. Felicity is currently seeking applications from prospective polar adventurers living in countries like Jamaica, Ghana and India, as well as the UK. If you want to walk to the South Pole in 2009, get your skates on: the closing date for entries is imminent.

Felicity is also looking for support team members who have bags of energy and enthusiasm, and who want to get involved in this polar endeavour.

face to face with the polar world

2008-07-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

Starting this Friday, the Scott Polar Research Institute is launching its Face To Face exhibition of historic and contemporary polar portraits.

Contributing photographer Martin Hartley has given me a sneak peek of some of his images that will be appearing alongside a selection of the institute's 20,000 glass plate negatives, magic lantern slides and daguerreotypes going back as far as 1845. All I can say is that it's going to be well worth the trip to Cambridge to see them.

A collection of unique polar camera equipment will also be on display.