On Friday the 16th of February, ex-military sniper and colour Sargent, Angelo Ghisietta, came into school to deliver another Nicholls Lecture Series lecture to the Sixth Form students.
By Darcy J, Upper Sixth student and Head of School
In a truly motivating talk, he spoke about a tragic accident that left his wife an amputee, and the mental resilience in his aiding of her survival in the crash, and her recovery post incident. The talk centered around the application of physical and mental resilience to everyday life, and the advantages to preparation.
The main points of his lecture included the benefits of hardship and the resilience built when overcoming these scenarios in life. He identified that hardship is not always a bad thing; it can serve as a catalyst for personal growth and resilience, challenges and difficulties can make us stronger and more resilient if we learn from them, and at some point in our lives, we will all face adversity, but it is how we respond and grow from these experiences that truly matters.
When talking about the traumatic car crash, he experienced with his wife, he identified that trauma and mental health issues are common experiences that many people face, and it is essential to learn how to manage and cope with our emotions effectively. By using the military techniques taught to him during his career as a sniper and Colour Sargent in the army, he learnt that building mental and physical resilience requires practice, self-awareness, and a growth mindset. A major part of building this resilience is seeking support from others, developing healthy coping mechanisms, and practicing self-care.
Within his lecture he associated a lot of this advice with upcoming Sixth Form challenges in order to identify with the audience. In terms of A levels, he stated that embracing challenges and setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning can lead to greater resilience and well-being, and that in order to succeed in exams and the future we must cultivating a positive mindset, practice gratitude, and focus on personal strengths to help navigate difficult times.