Rich Wilson is the fastest American skipper to race solo around the world.  He completed the Vendee Globe 27,000 mile solo round-the-world yacht race this year in 107 days.  At 66 years old, he was also the oldest skipper to complete the race.  Rich is the founder of the SitesAlive Foundation, a non-profit platform to connect K12 classrooms to adventures and expeditions around the world.  He has a degree in mathematics and an MBA from Harvard and a Masters in interdisciplinary science from MIT.   He currently resides in the Boston area.

 

Some interesting insights from this episode:

• Learn how his lifelong battle with asthma has provided the motivation to persevere both on and off the water.

• 80% of success on the water is done prior to the start of the race.

• Ironically, even in a solo racing voyage, the team is the most critical element of success.

• Learn how he had not just one but two incredible strokes of luck which helped save his life when his boat capsized during one of his races.

• Learn how he educated hundreds of thousands of kids around the world through the experiential learning platform of his sailing expeditions.

• Excellence is knowing you put out your best effort on whatever axes are part of the equation.

• “Most people will have a dream about what you should do but find what you dream to do and go do that one.”