Change your mindset, change your life: that’s Rob Lilwall’s lesson for an audience in need of inspiration. Lilwall attributes his extraordinary adventures to a can-do attitude and mental resilience; qualities that have carried him far further than any innate talent.
Over the last 20 years, Lilwall has set himself crazy targets then gone about hitting them. By foot or bicycle, he has traversed most of the world, including Siberia and the Gobi (in winter), China, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Papua New Guinea, Australia and Iran.
True leaders hold themselves to account. That’s what Rob did when he dreamt up a cycle from the edge of Europe back to Oxfordshire, where he taught at a secondary school. Cycling Home from Siberia was a 3 year journey that led to 2 National Geographic television series. He also wrote about a book about the expedition.
A second book followed on his next spectacular adventure, Walking Home from Mongolia. That was a 6 month trek across China back to his then-home of Hong Kong. Lilwall is characteristically honest throughout the book, dwelling on the mental and physical hardships and at times coming close to giving up.
This transparency resonates with audiences. Professional life is not always fun. There will be difficult times. But the right mindset leads us through these periods and allows us to thrive in the better times. These mindsets changes – that involve embracing challenge, understanding fear, practising self-care and having a collaborative mindset – are highly relevant for today’s fast-changing and unpredictable business environment.
As a keynote speaker and workshop facilitator, Lilwall has inspired thousands of people. His international corporate clients include businesses like Nike, Microsoft, UBS, Walmart and Thomson Reuters.
Rob Lilwall is based in Hong Kong with his wife and 2 children. He is currently working on his 3rd book, to be released in 2024
