Mike Bates: The former covert counter-terrorism operative on how men can master their midlife crisis

From leading covert counter-terrorism operations for the British military for two decades to becoming the fastest Briton to solo row the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge – achieving the 3000-mile crossing from San Sebastian in the Canary Islands to Nelson’s Dockyard in Antigua in just 46 days – Mike Bates knows a thing or two about performing under pressure.

Whether the enemy was a Taliban insurgent in the middle of Afghanistan or a 40-foot wave in the middle of the night, Bates’s preparedness and resilience has empowered him to rise to every challenge.

Yet not even men like Mike, who has more motivation and determination than most of us can imagine, can do it alone ...