“Our beliefs about what we can and can’t accomplish influence what we will and will not do. A big part of working towards a meaningful goal is believing there are things you can do to get yourself closer to it,” she says. “When you realise your mindset is either facilitating you in achieving your goals in life or holding you back, and you learn to have control over it, you are so powerful.”

Once I realised that I could swim, that I could float, that I wasn’t necessarily going to drown, my attitude shifted. As someone motivated by goals, I began to set myself targets to swim 5m, then 10m, 15m and 25m. Within weeks, I had not only achieved them all but bought the rainbow-coloured badges meant for children to prove it. Each achievement left me punching the air, sometimes even eliciting a clap from the lifeguard or a “well done” from a fellow swimmer.

But as proud as I am of my progress, I regret not tackling it sooner. I regret that I waited until I was almost 40 to fix something that, all told, was conquered in about 13 hours. Milestone birthdays often trigger a sense of reflection, says Sturmer, which is no bad thing. In fact, it can be the opposite.

“Not being able to swim was my dirty secret – here’s how I conquered my fear before turning 40”