Lewis Pugh [Swimming for Change]
Lewis Pugh has completed a long-distance swim in every ocean of the world. He was the first man to swim across the Geographic North Pole in 2007 and has swum for environmental awareness expeditions through the River Thames, the Maldives, the Arctic Ocean and Lake Pumori on Mount Everest. Born in the United Kingdom and raised in South Africa, Pugh quit his job as a maritime lawyer in 2003 to become a motivational speaker and environmental campaigner. He is one of the world’s top speakers on the issues of leadership and climate change and is a regular guest at the renowned TED Conference, which has included speakers such as Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Bill Gates. In May 2010, Pugh swam across a 2-kilometer glacial lake on Mt. Everest to bring awareness to the effects of global warming in the Himalayas.
Name one person you most admire, past or present, and why?
Desmond Tutu. He is articulate and powerful. He has made an extraordinary difference in the world. His most recent cause is climate change. He understands what is important.
How would you define happiness?
Being on the desolate island of Spitsbergen in the Arctic. Hiking. Kayaking. Thinking. Surrounded by the most extraordinary beauty.
How would you define the role of art in modern society?
To be profound and provocative.
What is the best career advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?
If you don’t follow your own dreams you will be following someone else’s. The day my friend David said this to me, I left my career as a lawyer and began campaigning for the environment full time.
What artist (musician, poet, painter, etc.) has had the greatest impact on your life and how?
Before I did the first swim across the North Pole, I listened to lots of heavy rap music to get me going! You need to be focused and aggressive to get into such cold water. So probably Puff Daddy!
What is your greatest extravagance?
I suppose everything is relative — but I don’t really live an extravagant life.
How would you like to be remembered?
As someone who fought tirelessly for justice. It seems to me fundamentally unjust that we live our lives in such a way that our children will live in an unsustainable world.
Favorite all-time …
Song: “Brothers in Arms” — Dire Straits
Movie: The Big Blue
Painting: I love the English painter Turner.
Book: There are too many
TV Show: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
How would you define love?
Still. Peaceful. Solid. Calm. Not the madness of falling in love that everyone fantasizes about.
If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be and why?
That all governments would put the environment at the heart of their agenda in order to ensure its future for our children.
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Comments
11/03 at 08:14 AM
I think he is very courageous for doing this and he likes and enjoying a lot what he’s doing. I would like to have at least a half from his courage.