Young Australian of the Year inspires staff at Western Sydney

The tradie, who made a name for himself when he became the fastest Australian to run across the country, gave an honest and inspiring Q&A session.

Nedd sat shoulder-to-shoulder with nurses, allied health workers, and surgeons on their lunchbreak, to share his journey and life lessons.

“What’s worse, pain or regret? That’s easy, I wouldn’t want to regret anything,” Nedd said.

Despite being just 26 years old with remarkable achievements, the humble athlete described the joy and pleasure from acts of servitude.

In a theme shared by many clinical staff across the district, he sees his journey as a calling and inseparable from his identity.

“Everything is a decision, inaction is a decision so by waiting to chase that goal it’s still a decision,” Nedd said.

The session was organised to book end nursing and midwifery award ceremonies across Western Sydney Local Health District, recognising excellence and achievement.

The importance Nedd places on perspective was undisputable, as he encouraged everyone in the room to switch from a mentality of ‘what if I fail’ to ‘what if I succeed?’

“Are you defining worthiness and happiness by reaching a goal, or by setting a goal and being as present as possible while you’re chasing it?” Nedd said.

Nedd emphasised the power of showing up day in and day out, the cumulative impact of small acts or small challenges.

“I used to try and lasso the future, and control things I couldn’t. Now my mornings are calm,” Nedd said.

Nedd is no stranger to endurance, having run nearly 4,000km in 47 days from Perth to Bondi Beach (an average of 85-blistering-kilometres a day).

Despite this achievement and a multitude of other accolades to his name, Nedd says he still doesn’t identify as a runner.

“Running for me is just a tool for change in this world,” Nedd said.

Not one to take the spotlight, he thanked healthcare workers for their hard work and tenacity, acknowledging the impact of health on his own journey.

“Make sure you look after your health, head out the door, get moving, get active, prioritise your health,” Nedd said.

Western Sydney Local Health District thanks Nedd Brockmann for volunteering his time to speak with us.