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I'm more about mind over muscle. My mindset needs to be the fittest, because it drags my body through whatever needs to be done. A lot of people neglect training their mind and their self-belief, but I believe that's crucial.
I might wake up in the morning and go out for a six- to eight-mile run, and then in the afternoon, I might swim two or three kilometres. The next day, I'll mix it up and do a military circuit. I don't stick to a set programme.
I'm from a generation of Iraq and Afghanistan. Our battleground was where we learned. It's not like the old generation where they used to train and train and train, and then suddenly an operation would come up, and they'd go on it.
When you're in the military, you teeter on the edge of that line of life and death. The reason you feel so alive when you come through is because you know you've cheated death - and that and the adrenaline rush is addictive, no question.
When it comes to Everest, psychologically, you have to be in the red. If you're not, it doesn't matter how fit you are. I've seen the fittest of people, who I thought would steam up the top of Everest, allow the pressure to take over their body.
When you're challenged to the extreme, you learn so much about yourself. And when you're willing to give that ultimate sacrifice, when you're willing to tackle a job or a task or a mission head-on and give 100%, you can achieve amazing things because you're almost fearless.
Basic training was hard, but I made it - because I wanted to be the best me. Sometimes you have to learn that being the best you is being the second best you. I learned the hard way that the army doesn't want people who always come first. Otherwise, there would be only one person in the army.