Facing discomfort pays dividends for former F1 champion Rosberg

Behind short sufferings is often the greatest joy, says retired racer and now entrepreneur

- Sue-Ann Tan

If former Formula One champion Nico Rosberg could tell his eight-year-old self one thing, it would be to "be brave" and push through discomfort, because the payoff is just around the corner.

Mr Rosberg, now 39, did just that in his racing career – he pushed himself for 11 years on different teams before finally emerging the world champion with Mercedes in 2016.

That same year, he retired from the sport and pivoted to venture capitalism and electric vehicle racing, among other forays.

"Behind short sufferings is very often the greatest pleasure and the greatest joy and you'll be the most proud of yourself. So it's really important for us to be brave and push ourselves through that discomfort," said the German-Finnish founder of Rosberg Ventures, which helps to connect European and Asian capital to US venture capital funds.

Mr Rosberg added that he had faced immense pressures, especially on the race track in front of global spectators.

"That was a very important aspect of my performance, to mentally be at my very best. And I quickly saw that I had struggles there," he said, noting that he did physical training for three to four hours a day but no mental training.

"So I sought out a psychologist... It was incredibly intense, but such a valuable experience for me. I learnt so much... on how to deal with stress and fears and how to remain present in the moment."

He takes these lessons into his business ventures now, and also wants his two daughters, aged seven and nine, to be brave too.

"In Singapore, on our (month-long) family adventure (in November 2024), it was super hard for the kids on the first day of school, and they suffered. But now they're loving their experience," said Mr Rosberg, who was here as part of a "social experiment".

"For our kids, it was to show them a different world, to challenge them, get them to adapt to a new social environment."

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