Our Virtues
We are virtue-driven and endeavour to embody our virtues every moment of every day, in everything we do. We can’t say we always succeed; however, we never stop trying, and when we fall, we pick ourselves up, stand tall once again and wholeheartedly strive to be better.
The foundation of realising one’s extraordinary potential
You are what you do when nobody is looking.
Chop wood, carry water.
Question everything, but start with yourself.
Endeavour to live life bravely & authentically
I KEEP six honest serving men (They taught me all I knew); Their names are What and Why and When And How and Where and Who. I send them over land and sea, I send them east and west; But after they have worked for me, I give them all a rest.
Rudyard Kipling
Our What
“Every human life contains a potential, if that potential is not fulfilled, then that life was wasted“
– Carl Jung
There is always more within us; today, tomorrow, always. The Ironmind Institute wholeheartedly endeavours to create real, true and impactful experiences, coaching, teachings, events and communities that enable participants, members and learners to realise their extraordinary potential and live a substantial and meaningful life.
Our Why
“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
– Mary Oliver
We believe ‘your own self realisation is the greatest gift you can render the world’ and our purpose at The Ironmind Institute is to contribute substantially and meaningfully to the collective consciousness by playing a guiding role in the lives of those who are striving for more from themselves, their experience of life, and aiding them to realise their extraordinary potential.
Through what we have learned over a lifetime spent searching and striving for truth, understanding and furtherance, our mission is to position the individual, who find their way under the umbrella of our responsibility, with ways of thinking, acting and being that lead them to flourish in their lives; embracing the opportunity of life with strength, integrity and responsibility.
We can think of no better use of our precious time than to improve the experience of living for someone in a real, authentic and impactful way, while endeavouring to realise our own potential through that very act.
“Do not go gently into that good night;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light”
– Dylan Thomas
Our Where
We are to be found where we belong; in the wild places, on the edges of existence, searching and striving, misunderstood but fighting the righteous fight; wholeheartedly. You will find us fulfilled on exposed mountain tops, present in piercing ocean water, struggling for air on deserted beaches; our cells coursing with life. You will find us revolting against the rot of comfort, mediocrity and consumption; standing tall with integrity despite the overwhelming urge to bend a knee. We are to be found embracing our shadow; our weakest, most pitiful self. The side of us that is ugly, cowardly and sinister; with courage, strength and love. We are to be found where few dare to tread. When you do find us; you’ll find everything you are looking for.
Our When
“The best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago, the second best time, is now”
– Chinese Proverb
We are ready. When will you be ready?
We are ready with purpose, meaning & substance. When you are ready to revolt against mediocrity, mundanity and the rot of comfort?
We are ready with challenge, toil & discomfort? When will you be ready to truly feel alive?
We are ready with strength, resilience & control. When will you be ready to unleash your extraordinary potential?
We are ready with love, respect & empathy. When will you be ready to trust someone else cares?
We are ready with courage, honesty & accountability. When will you be ready to accomplish remarkable things in your life?
We are ready with mental training models, methods & tools. When are you ready to learn to control your mind and your destiny?
We are ready with self-belief, self-respect & self awareness. When will you be ready to destroy your disempowering beliefs?
The clock is ticking. When will you be ready to demand more from yourself? We are ready, when you are.
Our How
“Punish your body to perfect your soul”
– Mark Twight
At the edge’s of our physical and mental capacities lies extraordinary (hidden) opportunity. A chaotic maelstrom of overwhelming, physical discomfort, mental fragility and emotional negativity, these windows of exposure hold immense power to create life altering experiences and therefore personal evolution. It is here, in this lived moment of stress, doubt, vulnerability that we can re-engineer the hardware of our brain, through the software of experience. We do this by learning to control the moment, despite the sabotaging effects the extreme physical experience is having on our mind, using our signature 4 Controllables process, led by self-awareness and concentration.
The extraordinary opportunity for all of us to profit from, in these moments, is a choice, albeit partly hidden. The destabilised and disturbed properties of our mental state can veil this choice to us, but it is always there. That choice is in how we choose to respond to the stimulus we are experiencing. We call this moment of choice “The Decisive Moment’’ and it is the epicentre of everything we strive to create here at The Ironmind Institute where we design experiences of extreme physical and mental challenge (evolving from our Body First Philosophy) while teaching you to positively navigate these experiences mentally, physically and emotionally using our revolutionary mental training methodologies.
Our Who
Damian Browne
Co-Founder
MacDara Hosty
Co-Founder
OUR MEITHEAL FUND
“Ní neart go cur le chéile”
(There is no strength without unity)
– Ancient Irish Proverb
MEITHEAL (pronounced Methal) is the Irish word for a work team, gang, or party and denotes the ancient co-operative labour system in Ireland where groups of neighbours would come together to help each other in turn with farming work, such as harvesting crops. Neighbours who give their work to others are then helped in turn with their own heavy seasonal tasks. At the heart of the concept is community unity through cooperative work and mutually reciprocal support. Meitheal is the Irish expression of the ancient and universal appliance of cooperation to social need. The Ironmind Meitheal is our co-operative response to the obvious social need amongst teenagers for increased resilience and mental strength through immersion in extreme physical endeavour. 5% of all Ironmind Institute revenue is lodged into our Meitheal fund which is ringfenced to allow financially challenged 17- to 19-year-olds the opportunity to experience our Crucible for teens which is coming in 2025.