When I lace up for a weekend of running or hiking, or in my case tactical training, it might look like I’m stepping away from the demands of law – clearing my head – but in truth, I’m sharpening the very skills I use every day in practice.

The BST Challenge, which I train for year-round and compete in annually, combines the toughest elements of extreme environments with technical shooting skills, heavy gear and ultra-demanding fitness tests. Think carrying packs through mountains, pushing your body and mind to their limits, navigating complex obstacles and still keeping a steady hand when accuracy matters most. Success depends on teamwork, discipline, foresight, clear thinking under pressure and the ability to make decisions that balance precision with speed.

The parallels with law are unmistakable. In the boardroom or the courtroom, the “mountains” often come in the form of messy disputes, unpredictable legislation, winding up an estate or fraught negotiations. The “gear” is the legal knowledge and experience we carry with us, often weighty but essential. And the “mental tests” are constant – keeping calm when a deal threatens to unravel, finding clarity in the fog of a complex commercial rescue or holding steady when emotions run high in mediation.

Like the BST Challenge, the practice of law is not won in a single sprint. It’s about endurance. It’s about preparing meticulously, anticipating obstacles before they appear, and drawing on the strengths of your team when the load gets heavy. Above all, it’s about staying focused when fatigue sets in – because that’s when mistakes creep in and outcomes are made or lost.

Whatever your passion outside of work – whether it’s chess, bridge, golf, martial arts, Pilates or triathlons – those pursuits sharpen qualities that inevitably filter into your professional life: patience, perspective, problem-solving, resilience. They are not distractions; they are disciplines that shape how we show up when it matters most.

So, as you read through this Report, consider how your own pastimes prepare you for the challenges of business and life. For me, lacing up my boots and heading into the mountains is not all that different from lacing up my cloak and brogues for a day in court.

Yours in law

PJ Veldhuizen