The extended spell of fine, summer-like weather has resulted in many of us forgetting that we’ve only recently reached spring, a particularly compelling period for the committed sports fan as competitions and tournaments of all descriptions career towards their climax.
As I write, golf’s Masters tournament is entering its final stretch; the new cricket season is now in full swing; pro cycling races are sprouting across Europe in anticipation of the season’s three classics and then, of course, there’s football, a sport almost guaranteed to deliver drama by the bucket-load. Play-offs, anyone?
With such an eclectic, exciting menu from which to choose, the forthcoming Easter break allows sports enthusiasts everywhere to take a deep breath and prepare to enjoy the seasonal finale of their particular sport. Easter also affords us the opportunity to catch up on the odd sporting tome.
Actually, there are far too many ‘odd sporting tomes’, mostly bog-standard footballing biographies, the template for which could be settled upon over a cup of tea in under five minutes.
Fortunately, there’s a sufficiently large library of captivating sport-related books, many of which succeed in inspiring us to emulate the people who’ve written them.
Indeed, it could be argued that one of sport’s most attractive characteristics is the opportunity it affords fans and spectators alike to gaze upon the page of a well-written autobiography and be in awe at the extraordinary exploits and athletic prowess of its greatest exponents.
However, every so often our admiration for unexpected sporting achievement motivates us to try and match at least some of it, which is why Four Mums in a Boat, published in 2017, remains such an inspirational read.
The story of four Yorkshire women in their forties and fifties, who went from meeting at their local rowing club each Saturday morning in order to get some exercise while enjoying a laugh and a gossip, to rowing the Atlantic in record time offers a different form of sporting inspiration.
None of the four ladies were, by their own admission, natural athletes, but goodness, they’re determined. You sense their individual will to succeed is underpinned by being part of a team and an absolute desire not to let their team-mates down.
Four Mums is a life-affirming read for it features ordinary people committing to and then embarking on a crazy adventure, “not to escape life, but for life not to escape them.” Wouldn’t it be great to emulate them? Even if you’re the world’s least sporty person, after reading this, you’re likely to be inspired to try.
Similarly, Ben Smith’s extraordinary 2018 tale of how he formulated and then completed an outrageous sporting challenge is another book worthy of attention. The title is a bit of a mouthful: 401:The man who ran 401 marathons in 401 days and changed his life forever, but you should not let this deter you from reading a book which places lifelong ambition at its heart.
In an early reflection, Smith notes that: “I’d always seen myself doing something big. Not necessarily completing 401 marathons in 401 days big, but something where I would say afterwards: ‘That was different.’.
Imagine even contemplating two marathons on successive days, never mind running one every day for 57 weeks.
Smith’s personal trainer thought his client was mad and told him his body would ‘shut down’ after 60 successive marathons, but the daily injection of the 26.2 mile drug became the vehicle that drove Smith to his soul-cleansing salvation.
Salvation? Yes. You see, the author was bullied to such a degree as a child that the experience bothered him well into adulthood. Even with a loving wife, big house, car, career and money, he was never content; knew there must be something more than a job that was ‘draining my soul’.
Deep down, Smith understood that unless he effected a radical change in his life, things would continue as they always had. Many millions of people have thought along similar lines, but Smith was brave enough to take the plunge and do something about it.
The book’s message is actually quite simple: anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it.
Moreover, it doesn’t need to be sport-related; you may want to become a singer, an artist, a writer. Nor do any of these pursuits need to take up every minute of your time.
To get started in your chosen field and to enjoy it over the longer term may require a little additional money in order to make what amounts to an investment in yourself.
Equity release could provide the funds for this investment, offering an effective, tax-free solution.
You see, homeowners aged 55 and over are permitted to withdraw a lump sum from their homes without the funds being taxed. No restrictions apply to how the money may be spent…within reason.
Most people refurbish their homes, head off on holiday, or provide family members with a timely leg-up onto the property ladder. Others, perhaps motivated by a desire to ensure that life doesn’t escape them, learn how to sing properly or take piano lessons, or plan to trek across Europe, or meander off in a host of other directions, each pursuing something they’ve wanted to do for years. Equity release can be pivotal to making this happen, although only you can summon up the other essential ingredient: ambition.
Releasing equity from your home is a not a decision to be taken lightly, not least because the value of your estate or entitlement to means-tested state benefits could be affected. Notably, a release of equity from your home will ultimately impact the amount of inheritance your heirs will receive – hence it’s important they are at least made aware.
Accordingly, although the ultimate goal might be to release a tax-free lump sum, before proceeding you should seek qualified financial advice from an adviser capable of explaining all of the implications in greater detail. A handy equity release calculator to first determine the amount you can borrow is also a useful first step.
Something else to mull over during the Easter break, perhaps? After all, though it’s often said that ambition knows no bounds, it’s worth remembering that it can also be expensive.
