From deep water to tough moments: freediver shares mental playbook

A FREEDIVER who has pushed his body and mind to the edge is now sharing those lessons in a book aimed at helping others handle life’s toughest moments.

Two-time world record-holder and business psychologist Ant Williams has released his first book, Let It Be Tough, a mindset-focused guide to changing how we respond to fear and challenge.

 

Whether it is a career crossroads, a difficult conversation or a leap into the unknown, Williams said everyone faces moments that test them.

Williams’ approach is grounded in extreme experience. In 2024, he swam 182m beneath the Arctic ice in Iceland on a single breath – a world record distance – in water measuring just 0.2C.

In Let It Be Tough, the Torquay local draws these experiences to explore how the mind can be trained to stay calm, clear and confident under pressure.

 

“I’d been wanting to write this book for eight years due to this unusualness,” Williams said. “I don’t know anyone who has gone from being a coach to an athlete aged 30.

“I’ve tried to write it in a real palatable way that anyone can dive into at any time.”

Combining personal stories with science-backed insights, the book argues these strategies aren’t just for athletes or adventurers, but for anyone looking to build resilience, navigate discomfort and act when it matters.

“For me, it’s less about accomplishment, it’s more about the insight that if you’re really risk adverse and don’t like to deal with discomfort, it can be learned,” Williams said.

“This is not a self-help guide, it’s more so learning through osmosis, and reading chapters and understanding how we can work through different barriers. It’s a softly, softly approach.”

Performance, he said, comes down to more than knowledge, experience and skill.

 

“It’s mental fitness – and that can be worked on,” Williams said.

“Control your own destiny, take few risks and the benefits can be substantial.”

Williams draws on his experience in sports psychology and extreme environments to help others lead under pressure, reframe fear and perform at their best.