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‘My experience as an Olympian has taught me how to sacrifice short-term fun for long-term fulfilment’
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Irish Olympian and presenter Greg O'Shea on finding joy in fitness, becoming an entrepreneur and connecting with a like-minded community.
“Life has always revolved around health and well-being in my family,” explains Greg O’Shea. “For as long as I can remember my parents have encouraged me to prioritise and pursue fitness, but as I approached my early teens it very much became a personal passion.”
A love of high-level sport has always run deep in the O’Shea family, so it’s only natural that Greg’s passion was kindled from an early age. Both his parents ran internationally for Ireland, and his father played rugby for years. “Of course, I took inspiration from them and followed in their footsteps by representing Ireland in both athletics and rugby, culminating in competing at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.”
Now years later, even though Greg has hung up his rugby boots, he has kept fitness and sport at the forefront of his lifestyle. “I challenge myself personally with endurance events such as Ironman and Ultramarathon trail running; I create social media content focused on building healthy habits; and I am a presenter and commentator for Team Ireland and World Rugby.”
Eager to share his expertise and passion with others, Greg also recently dipped his toe into the entrepreneurial world by launching a successful fitness app called ‘Bettr’ to help people easily incorporate wellness into their lifestyle.
What inspired you to start Bettr? Tell us the story behind this app.
I strongly believe that the benefits of exercise are the cheapest and quickest way to live a healthy and happy life. The issue is a lot of people just don’t know how to get started or stay consistent. I launched a remote coaching wellness app called Bettr in 2022, and what makes this app unique is that I do every single workout live with the users. I don’t just tell you what to do like most fitness apps, I actually show you what to do and do it with you.
I use my knowledge from over a decade-long career in international sports, and also my qualifications as a Pilates and Weight Loss Coach to show people how to simply add wellness into their life. It doesn’t have to be fancy or hard but you have to do some sort of exercise and we make it fun so it doesn’t feel like a chore. All workouts are tailored to suit most types of fitness ages and levels. We do it together every week to consistently keep getting better together.
How does the app work? How does it support or kickstart people’s regular workout routines?
Every workout is live, so you never work out alone. We inspire each other to keep getting better together. The workouts on the app are also available on-demand if you can’t make it live, because as we all know life can get in the way sometimes. The majority of workouts are 30 minutes or less and can be done in the comfort of your own home. Not everybody wants to go to the gym so this makes it easy to get a quick workout done at home, whether it’s before work, at lunchtime, or in the evening.
The classes on the app have so much variety like Pilates, yoga, bodyweight HIIT, stretching, abs and core, arms and abs, lightweight dumbbell classes, and lightweight kettlebell classes. Furthermore, classes are broken down to allow you to work to your own abilities. It’s not about quantity, it’s all about quality and working to your own levels.
The Bettr app also offers weekly wellness blogs and recipes to learn more about a holistic approach to a healthy lifestyle. A monthly subscription only costs €24, and you get access to weekly live classes, blogs, recipes, hundreds of on-demand workouts and a community section with direct communication to coaches and other Bettr users. There’s also a free 7-day trial to try it before paying any money. So, it seems silly to be paying extortionate money for PT classes when you can get all of the above for less than twenty pounds per month.
As an Olympian, mindset must have been essential in helping you push through barriers and become the best. Have you carried that mindset with you? Or has it changed as you have grown past that experience?
I turned my back on the ‘golden ticket’ after winning the reality TV show Love Island. I could have easily chased the money and celebrity lifestyle, but I knew in the long run it would’ve made me miserable. Instead, I decided to take a contract for rugby for less than minimum wage (€18,000 per year) to pursue my dream of becoming an Olympian. Money isn’t everything but it’s necessary to survive. Once you reach a certain level of income, happiness plateaus and life is more about purpose and connection.
You need to have the mindset of creating a life you are excited to live and with people you love. My experience as an Olympian has taught me how to sacrifice short-term fun for long-term fulfilment. However, I have also learned you don’t need to be a professional athlete to apply that mindset to your life. You just have to figure out what you’re passionate about, research how to make money doing that passion, and then surround yourself with the people you love and care about. I plan to have this mindset until the day I die.
Let’s talk about the mind-body relationship. How much can changing your mindset change your life?
I live by the phrase “health=wealth”. If you are unable to move and breathe properly then you will spend your life struggling to enjoy the moment and take full advantage of the beautiful opportunities life gives us. Think about the billionaire businessperson who is so unhealthy they can barely go for a walk with their partner or play with their kids. But then imagine the healthy parent who can wake up to have breakfast with their kids, drop them off at school, do a full day of work, then still have the energy at the weekend to hang out with family and friends or bring their kids on an adventure.
A healthy body helps you to have a healthy mind; it is all interconnected. Think about a sports car but with bad petrol, it’s not gonna go very far! You need to prioritise your health and well-being in order to give your life longevity and allow you to show up as the best version of yourself for your friends and family. I know it’s easier said than done, but that’s why I created Bettr so I can literally show you what to do and do it with you for even more motivation.
You only need to exercise two or three times a week for 30 minutes, elevating your heart rate to the point where you are breathing slightly heavily and sweating a little. Then if you eat relatively well (you can still have that piece of chocolate if you want; you are human after all and life is to be enjoyed) and get decent sleep then you are well on your way to living a long healthy and happy life.
What’s one mental health or mindset practice that’s been a game-changer?
A simple but effective exercise I’m actively trying to incorporate into my life more is thinking ‘big picture’ when I get stressed. For instance, if I’m getting frustrated over something in my day I will purposely catch myself in the moment and force myself to think how my angry/frustrated mindset is only going to affect me, and in the bigger scheme of things it doesn’t help being in a bad mood in this silly situation.
An example is sitting in traffic – there is absolutely nothing you can do about the hundreds of cars in front of you at a red light, so take a breath and don’t ruin your own day. Put on a fun playlist or podcast, message the person you might be running late to meet that you’re stuck in traffic and don’t mess up your own day. It’s a quick mindset shift that will turn a bad day into a good day.
Why do we get in our own way when we KNOW we want to make changes? How can we stop making excuses?
Comfort is the easy option but it is usually not the best option for us. You need to remember delayed gratification, and adding up little steps every day towards your big goal. Don’t give into a momentary impulse that you know will impact you in the long run. Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend. You wouldn’t speak to your best friend negatively. You would big them up and want them to be living as well as possible. You are the only person with yourself 24/7 so be your own best friend and do what’s best for you in the long run.
Anything else you want to add?
Everyone just has to find some sort of movement that they don’t hate, whether that’s Pilates, golf, hiking or whatever… you gotta pick something and put it into your weekly schedule as a non-negotiable. You only get one body and mind and they are the most valuable things you possess so take care of them. Find your passions and your people, and enjoy the perpetual pursuit of living life with them.
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