NAME: JOSHUA
RECRUIT NUMBER: 3
AGE: 24
GENDER: Male
FROM: Ilford
OCCUPATION: Professional Boxer
INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOURSELF: I love cereal

Joshua is an up-and-coming professional boxer. He grew up in East London with his mother, two older brothers and one older sister. His father wasn’t around much.

Joshua says he grew up in a neighbourhood where “the weak get eaten”. He became involved in crime and was charged with possession of an offensive weapon before discovering boxing at the age of 16 and turning his life around. He now has a young family and a promising career as a super-welterweight.

Joshua says he is still battling the temptations of his youth, and as a result can come across as very reserved at first, but opens up once he gets to know the other people in his company. Joshua claims he always thought showing emotion was a weakness but now realises it’s good to talk and wants to get rid of his demons.

Congratulations! You passed selection! How does that feel?

It’s an amazing, indescribable feeling. I had a once in a lifetime opportunity and I’m very proud of my achievement! I was buzzing, to say the least, and just glad I dug deep to see it through to the end.

How did you keep strong and continue through the interrogation phase?

I just kept talking to myself and telling myself positive things and that it will all be over soon.

And just when you thought it was all over…there was that final sickener. How did you manage to keep going?

I was mentally and physically drained but I had in the front of my mind that I need to be ready to “get ready to go again” and I just genuinely wanted to finish the course strong.

Why do you think you made it to the end?

My mindset and burning desire to find out what I’m made of. Just embracing the experience and also the inner drive of wanting to make myself, my family and my coach proud and knowing I gave it my 100% all. I’m always striving to see how far I can push myself and if I can take it to the next level. But my mindset got me to the end.

Why do you think the DS selected you – what do you think you did differently to the other recruits who didn’t make it to the end?

I think I was selected because they saw me for who I really am and not who I come across as, I believe I was fully committed to giving it my all. I’d say I kept my head, in adverse situations, and stayed as positive as possible throughout. I’d also say that I was a team player and tried to push and uplift the other recruits when it was needed.

Did any of the DS inspire you to keep going to the end?

Yes, all four of them. Especially Billy and Foxy.

Would you ever consider joining the military after this experience?

Yes, I would love to, maybe if I was 18 fresh out of school it would be a no brainer.

What was the first thing you did after you left the course?

Call my family and coach and eat some chocolates.

What did you do to celebrate?

I spent time with my wife and two girls. They had a little surprise welcome home party for us when I got back and I ate loads of crap!

At any point in the course, did you consider giving up? What made you continue?

The thought definitely crossed my mind at certain stages and there were parts of the course when I really did question what I was doing. There were moments in the earlier part of the course where I would think about my family back home and my two daughters, which would make me emotional and frustrated, but I just kept telling myself that it’s all for a purpose and the talk I had with Foxy was a big turning point for me as it lifted a massive weight off my shoulders and helped me come out my shell and enjoy the course more. Conversations I had with no.18 (Levi) helped me too.

The last part of the course was the toughest and not many made it past that stage. What made you keep going?

Knowing that I had made it this far and overcome so much, I wasn’t planning to fail at the last hurdle, I kind of just zoned out and focused on the things I could control, like staying positive and keeping calm.

What was the worst part of the course for you? Why?

The interrogation was the part of the course I was dreading the most and it lived up to it. I’ve always struggled with authority, and I didn’t know how I’d react. I also was anxious about how I’d cope with the stress positions and if it would break me mentally.

Describe the jungle? At any point did you think the harsh jungle environment would beat you? What was the worst thing about the jungle?

The worst thing about the jungle was the humidity for me and constantly being wet. Getting beasted in the scorching sun felt like I was being smothered and cooked at the same time.

Why did you decide to take part in SAS: Who Dares Wins?

To see if I had what it takes to push myself beyond my physical capabilities and also to mentally challenge myself and see how I would react in extreme conditions.

What did you hope to get out of this experience?

A fresh outlook on life and build my self-confidence. Also, to see how I would react in certain situations and how I would deal with the challenges presented to me.

Did it meet your expectations? What was different? What was as expected? And why?

It surpassed my expectations. The whole experience was unbelievable. I’ve taken many things away from the experience, such as learning to be comfortable when things are uncomfortable. Being beasted and shouted at was expected but when you are there live in the flesh under extreme pressure and crazy climates, it’s a completely different mental and physical ball game. I don’t think any amount of training could’ve prepared me for the course although some military training techniques I done before helped me a bit.

What did you learn about yourself from this experience?

That majority of things in life come down to your mindset and how you view a situation. Also, that it’s good to get outside my comfort zone, experience new things, meet new people and face my fears head on.