54. Making Windows Of Opportunities Work With World Record Holder David Haze
Life will not always be smooth sailing. We must accept that that failure is a part of it, and we must know how to handle it when the time comes. But one mistake does not define us. Let those lapses instead be lessons to make other opportunities work.
In this episode, David Haze shares how he became a four-time world record holder in paddle boarding. He then discusses what happened during his times in prison and what he did to turn his life around. Finally, he describes his next plan for this advocacy: improving the rehabilitation programs of the criminal justice system.
Tune in to the episode to learn how to turn failures into lessons and make these opportunities work for you!
3 Reasons why you should listen to the full episode
Learn how a man who got incarcerated turned his life around and became a world record holder
Discover how to turn your failures into successes by making opportunities work.
Find out the next big thing that David plans for his life.
Resources
● Connect with David: Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Website
● The Alliance of Sport in Criminal Justice
● Adventure Therapy: Making Life Great Outdoors
● Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund
Episode Highlights
[03:26] What David Does
● David currently works as a consultant for the criminal justice system in the United Kingdom.
● They try to make life better for people inside prison and people who just got out with rehabilitation.
● Until now, David thinks that the rehabilitation system in the criminal justice system is still nonexistent.
● He also writes reports for inspectors about mental health. He talks to a lot of people who got involved with the criminal justice system.
● During his free time, he likes to go outdoors with his paddleboards.
[04:44] A Four-Time World Record Holder in Paddle boarding
● David had the idea to paddle around the longest slate in the United Kingdom. It consists of Loch Awe in Scotland, Lake Windermere in England, Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland, and Bala Lake in North Wales.
● David paddled a total distance of 169 kilometers for his world records.
● Due to recent lockdowns, David had to postpone his paddle boarding attempts multiple times. Luckily in June, he was able to go and do it.
● He plans to take on the River Thames in England soon for his fifth attempt at setting a world record. David intends to do it in about 40 hours without sleeping.
[06:19] What's Next for David
● David considers paddle boarding as his escape. It also serves as his tool for growing and changing.
● He thinks that the paddle boarding industry hasn't even peaked yet.
● With his world records, he plans to use it as a platform to inspire others to go out of their comfort zones.
● He also thinks people must relearn who they are since they lose touch with themselves in hard times.
[07:38] David's Paddle boarding Journey
● David has been surfing ever since he was a kid. He was good with it, even if he was just 15 years old at the time.
● However, from where he lived, water isn't meant for surfing.
● That's why he started to try other things like paddle boarding. He loves the extra sense of freedom and escape it brings.
[09:40] David's Time in Prison
● Until now, people often get surprised when David tells them that he went to prison.
● David was a forex trader in London, but he lost his job when he didn't get along well with his boss.
● It was the first significant failure he had to face. He did not know how to handle it, so he began indulging in problematic things like gambling and substance abuse.
● He then got offered a job to move some stolen goods to make money but was arrested. He told no one about it.
● By the time he had to go to court, he just disappeared and turned to burglary. He was sentenced to three years in prison.
[12:51] Handling Failure
● David learned that failing is just an opportunity to learn.
● During those times, David was ashamed that he had to deal with that failure. He was doing well before trying to live up to his friends and family's expectations.
● When David failed, he did not know what to do since he wasn't accustomed to failing. So he went in different directions.
David: "Just because you failed, it doesn't make you a failure. You're a person who has just failed at that time."
[14:49] David's Desire to Change the System
● When David came out of prison the first time, he tried to hide the truth that he had been to prison.
● The second time, he embraced it and used that failure as a stepping stone for his success.
● People often ask David why he is no longer ashamed that he went to prison. He answers that what happened in the past doesn't define who he is as a person.
● David wants to change the lives of people leaving prison, especially since there is a high rate of reoffending in the United Kingdom.
[17:03] Why David Won't Serve Another Sentence
● David is sure that there will never be a third time for him to go to prison.
● He reflected that the first time he was in, he was more focused on getting back out and living his life again. He didn't take time to focus on himself and learn about who he was.
● He wasn't able to become a better version of himself. So by the time he got out and faced another set of failures, he did wrong things to run away from it.
● During his second time in prison, he met Sarah Lewis, for whom he works currently. He also had the time to reflect on why he was back in prison.
● With Sarah's help, he was able to grow and improve himself. He now accepts that failure is not a bad thing.
[20:30] Growing Up Without a Father
● David's dad died three months before he was born, so he did not have a chance to know his father.
● He thinks that there's a hole in his life due to growing up without a father. However, he had a love for adventure.
● When he moved to London, he let go of his adventurous side. He realized, later on, he shouldn't have let it go.
● When he was serving his time in prison, Sarah saw something in him that he did not. As a result, Sarah offered him a job once he served his time.
● David reflected that with the way his life was currently going, he needed stability in his life.
[24:13] People Who Tried to Guide David
● No one tried to stop David from doing the wrong things since he did not tell anybody about his problems. However, David's family would have been with him.
● They told him that all he needed to do was ask for help. It might not be financially, but they will provide support in other areas.
● Right now, David knows the importance of communication because his decisions may affect other people's lives too.
David: "Asking for help is the scariest thing you can ever do. But also, [it is] the bravest thing you can ever do."
[26:58] Making Windows Of Opportunities Work
● David has a lot of background experience when it comes to entrepreneurship.
● He started with an online radio station in Jersey where his brother lives. David was able to grow his user base to 180,000. However, it ended with him selling his company since he got tired of running it.
● He also got involved in the recruitment industry for extreme sports. He was able to land clients and many contracts from different companies because of the disconnect he noticed in the industry.
● David is good at spotting opportunities, bringing them to life, and making them work.
● He relates these opportunities to paddle boarding as he saw it as a sport where he could grow. Tune in to the full episode to hear more of David's insights on opportunities and adventure!
[32:45] David's Way of Overcoming Adversity
● Everybody can change. But unless you're willing to get some help, you can't be helped.
● David frequently disconnects with everything going on and reconnects with himself. By reconnecting with himself, he will learn what he needs to change and what he should do to result in that change.
● David believes that we should not stop believing in those dreams that we have.
● Despite people telling David that he wouldn't be able to do his paddle boarding legs, he still went out and did it, achieving world records in the process.
● Failure is a learning opportunity to understand what went wrong, figure things out, and change them. If you feel yourself slipping, ask for help.
David: "Why can't my biggest failure in life be my biggest success in life?"
[38:00] What's Next For David
● David plans to get across the River Thames for his next world record. He's also got plans to paddle in Ireland and Iceland this year.
● He also plans to work on a major campaign for May next year to paddleboard across different sites in Europe in 66 days.
● With the money he hopes to raise, he will donate it to a charity called "Alliance of Sport." It's a rehabilitation program designed to introduce sports for inmates in the criminal justice system.
● David also intends to donate to the RAF Benevolent Fund, which took care of him growing up.
● Another charity he wants to donate to is Adventure Therapy, which helps people's mental health through adventure.
About David
David Haze is a consultant for Penal Reform Solutions. It is an institution that aims to improve the rehabilitation program of the criminal justice system. Along with this, he founded multiple businesses through his ability to find and make opportunities work.
Despite being incarcerated twice, he was able to turn his life around. He now holds four world records in paddleboarding. His love for sports and adventure is what he advocates for people who just got out of prison.
If you want to know more about David, you may connect with him on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and his Website.
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