RICHIE HARDCORE

Firstly, for those who don’t know, can you introduce yourself & what keeps you busy?

Hey, thanks for being interested in talking with me. I’m a public speaker and educator, Muay Thai, Kickboxing and boxing coach, partner and parent, that all keeps me hyper busy. I’m also at the moment trying to finish a thesis for my Masters Degree. I spend too much time on social media, though that’s slowly improving.

Can you touch on your public speaking work & advocation, how you’re becoming involved in the community?

It’s been a journey I suppose. I’ve a background in radio, I was on an independent station in Auckland called bfm for 15 years, and as I started thinking more about the world we all are living in I started talking more and more about what I was learning. I went from just interviewing bands and talking about music to interviewing politicians and people in public health.

I put myself through university and ended up working in community alcohol and drug harm reduction. That was really educational and I’d just talk about what I was continuously learning.

I started doing commentary on mainstream breakfast TV from time to time, which was cool. Public speaking as a profession started in about 2017, after I retired from my job. I am not cut out for a structured workplace and going out to work on my own has been amazing.

I talk about healthy masculinity, alcohol and drugs, mental health, family and sexual violence prevention and pornography. All these things are often interconnected.

It’s been really great taking the lessons life has taught from a difficult childhood to overlap them with academic and professional lenses and understandings and turn them into something useful. I’ve talked to tens of thousands of people now, and I hope to keep doing it for the foreseeable future, and train some other younger men to do it with me.

How have you been maintaining your health (mental & physical)?

I see an amazing psychologist most weeks, she’s the best. It’s great to have someone to share with and give an objective perspective. I work out most days. I don’t drink or use drugs, I eat well, I aim to be mindful of my sleep and while I do use social media too much I’m much better at putting limits on it and not debating ransoms. I spend time in the sun, I’ll jump in the water at the beach sometimes to clear my head and I’ll maintain good relationships with my friends. My life and work is meaningful and full and I’m proud of myself for making it that way, that helps me too.

We have a phrase: Conductive Repetition, improving oneself through consistency and persistence. What are some things you’re working towards in the near future?

I’m working towards expanding my work. I’ve become a registered charity which I want to use as a vehicle to help a lot more young people. I’m always working on being a better man, a better person and partner, so I’m always trying to reflect and grow there too.