Why'd You Think You Could Do That?

This week, we’ve walked through the extraordinary journey of Mark Agnew.
 On Tuesday, we explored his Spark, Struggle, and Breakthrough.
 On Thursday, you heard the full interview — the humiliations, the storms, the polar bears, and the redemption of becoming the first to kayak the Northwest Passage.
Today, it’s about bringing it all together — because stories inspire us, but action transforms us.
In this Action episode, I’ll guide you through three practical steps inspired by Mark’s story:
  • Reframe failure — Don’t label it as the end. Call it Act Two of your story and ask: What could this moment be preparing me for?
  • Resilience is not toughness — Flexibility, humour, and leaning on others make us stronger than grit alone.
  • Take a small act of courage — Complete the sentence: “Even though I’m afraid of ____, I will ____ anyway.”
And to close the loop on the Spark → Struggle → Breakthrough → Interview → Action arc, you’ll finish this sentence:
👉 “One thing I will do to make a difference…”
It doesn’t need to be big. It just needs to be yours.
Mark’s story reminds us that failure isn’t the opposite of success — it’s part of it.
🌍 Links

Creators and Guests

Host
Sam Penny
Sam Penny is an adventurer, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker who lives by the mantra “Say YES! to the Impossible.” From swimming the English Channel in winter to building and selling multi-million-dollar companies, Sam thrives on pushing boundaries in both business and life. As host of Why’d You Think You Could Do That?, he sits down with ordinary people who have done extraordinary things, uncovering the mindset, resilience, and bold decisions that made it possible — and showing listeners why their own impossible is closer than they think.

What is Why'd You Think You Could Do That??

They’ve swum oceans, scaled mountains, launched empires, and shattered expectations. But before they did any of it, someone, maybe even themselves, thought: “You can’t do that.”

Hosted by Sam Penny, Why’d You Think You Could Do That? dives into the minds of people who said “screw it” and went for it anyway. From adventurers and elite athletes to wildcard entrepreneurs and creative renegades, each episode unpacks the one question they all have in common:

“Why'd you think you could do that?”

If you’re wired for more, haunted by big ideas, or just sick of playing it safe, this is your show.

Sam Penny (00:00)
Welcome back. I'm Sam Penny and this is Why Do Think You Could Do That? This week we've been on a journey with Mark Agnew. On Tuesday we explored his spark, his struggle and breakthrough. On Thursday you heard the full interview, the humiliations, the storms, the polar bears and the redemption of becoming the first to kayak the Northwest Passage. Today it's time to bring it all together because stories inspire us but action transforms us.

So let's recap the arc we've walked. Every bold dream begins with a spark, the small idea that ignites possibility. And sparks always make resistance in the struggle where fear and failure test our identity. But if we lean into the lesson, we reach a breakthrough. The moment we realize resilience is not about toughness, but about meaning.

And the interview showed us how Mark lived that arc. His failures didn't define him. They refined him. This is more than his story. It's a mirror for yours. Mark taught us that failure is not the end. It's part of the story. Think of Edison failing a thousand times before light. Think of Mandela, whose years in prison gave meaning to his eventual triumph. Think of Mark mocked as Captain Calamity.

only to one day paddle through the Arctic ice. Your first action, take one setback you faced, write it down. Don't label it as failure, label it as act two of your story. And ask this, what could this moment be preparing me for? Mark said, if you're too tough, you can't be resilient. Most of us think resilience means gritting our teeth and never bending.

But that's not resilience. That's rigidity. True resilience is flexibility. It's laughing in the storm. It's leaning on others when your strength runs out. It's adapting instead of snapping. Your second action, identify one area where you've been tough, where you've refused to adapt. This week, bend, share the load, change your approach. Mark's Arctic Triumph wasn't one grand moment.

It was thousands of small acts of courage, one paddle stroke at a time. And your third action, complete this sentence. Even though I'm afraid of, I will anyway, write it, speak it, then take the smallest step today. So here's the art complete, the spark, the struggle, the breakthrough, the interview, and now action. Now it's your turn to close the loop.

Write this sentence and finish it honestly. One thing I'll do to make a difference. It doesn't need to be big. It just needs to be yours. Mark's story is proof that failure isn't the opposite of success. It's part of it. So today, reframe your setback. Bend instead of break. Take one small step into fear and commit to one thing that will make a difference.

If you're ready to take your own impossible goal seriously, I'd love to work with you one on one head to sampenny.com/action to find out more. And don't forget to subscribe to why do think you could do that on Apple podcasts and Spotify? The next story could be the spark you need. I'm Sam Penny. Keep saying yes to the impossible.