Chay Coulbert
Philosophy tested at the limits.
After seven years as a Royal Marines Commando and two operational tours of Afghanistan, I lost my right leg below the knee to an IED.
The transition that followed was not straightforward. For a brief period, I struggled with alcohol while adjusting to injury, loss and a completely different future. In searching for a way forward, I immersed myself in philosophy, eventually completing a degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.
Stoicism became far more than an academic interest. I lived it every day, studied it deeply, tested it against adversity and made it my way of life.
For me, all roads lead to the present moment. Without the ability to focus your mind in the present, you fall back into habitual comfort. The mountains force us to be present.
Years later, my wife suffered a cardiac arrest and stroke shortly after the birth of our third child. While supporting her recovery and caring for our young family, these principles were tested again. Resilience became not something I had demonstrated once, but something I had to practise every day.
Today, I am a philosopher, qualified Executive Coach and Mountain Leader. Vanguard brings together deep philosophical understanding, professional coaching, mountain leadership and lived experience to help others meet challenge with clarity, courage and purpose.