Phil Richards MBE spent 32 years at Tesco before life changed in 2017 with stage-four cancer. In this conversation we unpack how he reframed fear into action: the bathroom-mirror moment (“I’m not going to die today”), his three grounding questions (best, worst, reality), and his simple PROOF framework—Purpose, Resilience, Optimistic Reality, Objectives, Focus. We get practical: breaking the impossible into the “next rock,” living in the moment with family, training at 6 a.m. when motivation is gone, and talking about cancer without the head-tilt. It’s a masterclass in building discipline, choosing meaning over years, and turning adversity into service. 

Beyond mindset, Phil’s story carries tangible impact. He’s raised close to £200,000 for a small diagnostic charity, earned an MBE for services to charity and the economy, and built a new network defined by service and honest connection. The thread through it all is simple: break the impossible into the next rock, remember what you love when times are good so you can reach for it when times are hard, and turn motivation into discipline through focus.

If this resonates, follow Phil on LinkedIn at “Phil Richards MBE,” check philrichardsmbe.com for his PROOF resources, and share this conversation with someone who needs practical hope. 

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