Host Robert Hossary interviews Matt Formston, a blind Australian surfer, cyclist, author and Order of Australia recipient, about his book “Why Not?” and 10 lessons learned. Matt recounts being diagnosed at age five with macular dystrophy and later struggling through bullying, illness, losing sport, a friend’s suicide, and a decade of rebuilding his identity. He explains key frameworks: using “why not” to break down problems; shifting consciously between strategy and execution; treating values as standards with clear consequences; conducting a confronting “bullshit audit” of unfiltered behaviour; building capacity by choosing the hard way; making the future “already real” through sensory visualization and self-identity; using empathy to understand people without lowering standards; “owning every hat” with focused time and context-specific behaviours anchored by consistent values; separating diversity from inclusion and avoiding quotas; and a trust formula—trust = standards × consistency × time—as both foundation and amplifier of performance.

Episode Notes

00:00 Matt Formston - Why Not?

04:54 Lesson 1: Why Not?

08:09 Lesson 2: Two Gears, One Engine

10:59 Lesson 3: Standards Without Consequences Are Just Wishes

15:36 Lesson 4: The Bullshit Audit

19:46 Lesson 5: The Hard Way Is The Easy Way

22:50 Lesson 6: The Future Is Already Real

27:24 Lesson 7: Empathy Is A Superpower

33:34 Lesson 8: Own Every Hat

39:28 Lesson 9: Diversity And Inclusion Need A Divorce

46:06 Lesson 10: Trust, The Bedrock And The Amplifier