Why Did Ross Edgley Finish the Great British Swim?

Ross Edgley finished the Great British Swim because he had said he would, and because he would know he had quit a swim he was still able to finish.

Andrew Huberman asked whether Ross Edgley had ever done something simply because he said he would. Ross Edgley said 100%. Iceland was one case: he told himself he was going to do it. He says the Great British Swim counted even more, because he had told sponsors and everybody he was going to do it. As they went around Scotland, they broke the record for the longest stage sea swim, and everyone celebrated. His older brother simplified the moment. The record would count for nothing unless Ross Edgley actually finished. Ross Edgley agreed. He says he thinks the choice so often came down to a void of records. He would look like an idiot if he did not finish, because he had said he was going to do it.

Ross Edgley frames the promise as self-respect while looking in the mirror, void of anything extrinsic. He cites Einstein's line that adversity introduces a person to himself, and says the most honest version of a person shows up in an absolute hole. He says he thinks the same reason covers all of them. He did Iceland and the Great British Swim because he said he would, and because of how he would think of himself when he looked in the mirror, separate from public perception.