The Duke of Sussex accepted a post at BetterUp, a startup that advocates mental fitness as a way of unlocking a person’s potential.
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Prince Harry certainly hasn’t spent the last few weeks just sitting around. Weeks after the explosive Oprah Winfrey interview that had would-be Royal experts theorizing to no end, the Duke of Sussex has taken on a new role at San Francisco-based tech startup BetterUp. In a website post, the company’s CEO Alexi Robichaux announced the 36-year-old’s new role, and the responsibilities he would take on.
Mental fitness
“We are energized by his model of inspiration and impact through action,” Robichaux writes. “As a true citizen of the world, he has dedicated his life’s work to bringing attention to the diverse needs of people everywhere and advocating for mental health initiatives.”
The CEO lists these down, including the Duke’s founding of the Invictus Games and Sentebale. The former helps service personnel use sport as part of their psychological and physical rehabilitation while the latter supports the mental health and wellbeing of young people in Lesotho and Botswana who are affected by HIV.
As one of the executives of BetterUp, Robichaux says that Prince Harry “will expand on the work he’s been doing for years, as he educates and inspires our community and champions the importance of focusing on preventative mental fitness and human potential worldwide.”
Unlocking potential
In accepting the post, the young royal says that one of the things he has learned in life is the power of transforming pain into purpose. And he believes that mental wellness is one of the steps to unlocking that new path.
“I firmly believe that focusing on and prioritizing our mental fitness unlocks potential and opportunity that we never knew we had inside of us. As the Royal Marine Commandos say, ‘It’s a state of mind.’ We all have it in us,” Prince Harry says. “Being attuned with your mind, and having a support structure around you, are critical to finding your own version of peak performance.”
Prince Harry says that when he and Robichaux first met, they discovered a common drive in “unlocking” this potential. “As our conversations continued, it became even more clear that we hold a similar philosophy on mental health: that we must proactively take care of our minds.
Change at scale
As chief impact officer, the Duke shares is to “lift up critical dialogues around mental health, build supportive and compassionate communities, and foster an environment for honest and vulnerable conversations.” He specifies four key areas to his role at BetterUp: driving advocacy and awareness; guiding the company’s social mission and impact; influencing their vision; and expanding its global community.
Launched in 2013, BetterUp describes its platform as one that brings together “world-class coaching, AI technology, and behavioral science experts to deliver change at scale.”
“Everyone wants to live a meaningful life. But, there are often barriers—both external and internal—that can limit our ability to do that on our own,” says Robichaux. “That’s why we started BetterUp. We wanted to make a positive impact in the world by empowering millions of people to live their lives with greater clarity, purpose, and passion.”
The Prince continues that self-optimization is not about fixing something that is broken. “It’s about becoming the best version of ourselves, with whatever life throws at us — someone who is ready for the next challenge and can meet setbacks with courage, confidence, and self-awareness,” he says. “This is what BetterUp is making possible, and I look forward to being on this journey with you.”
BANNER PHOTO FROM BETTERUP.COM
