A New Way of Being

Is success about winning - or fulfilling your potential? Someone I see often at Wimbledon is Tim Henman – who I loved watching in the late 90s through to the early 2000s, and who I have had the pleasure of interviewing several times over the years. Tim used to get flack – and sometimes still does – for not winning Wimbledon. He was four-times a semi-finalist, but many people seemed to think that w...

What price is worth paying for medals and success? Wimbledon is starting today , and the point of this episode is to challenge the idea that winning is the only thing that matters. In sport, and in life – it can be quite a pervasive idea. But if that was true, then out of the 128 people that entered the singles draws at Wimbledon, 127 of them would be – by definition – losers. And clearly that is...

"There is nothing either good or bad, only thinking makes it so" One thing that is clear right now is that times are tough for many people. There is the cost of living, inflation, strikes, a war in Europe… the list goes on. So I thought it was worth revisiting how the ancient Greek philosophy of stoicism might help people to cope as best they can during these trying times. My guest is Ryan Holiday...

"When you feel afraid, ask yourself - are you actually in danger?" Alex Honnold is the Oscar winning Free Solo climber who scaled El Capitan, a sheer rock face twice as high as the Empire State building, without ropes or safety equipment. Alex therefore knows a thing or two about fear and consequence. Alex explains how often when we feel afraid we are not in danger, it just feels like we are. We a...

Everyone faces adversity and pain in life, but it's how we respond to it that counts. If we choose to give in to fear, the inclination is to hide our flaws and insecurities, which restricts our ability to be vulnerable and connect authentically. Often a sense of shame accompanies what is a fear of rejection. When we choose to project those feelings of shame outwards - by criticising, belittling an...

Sir Chris Hoy is the most successful international track cyclist of all time, but things could have been very different but for a decision he made while still a junior. Hoy was initially a BMX rider, but the cost of competing was starting to bite and so he had a couple of choices: give his passion up and look for something more affordable - or put himself out there by seeking for financial help. H...

Peter Hamlyn is a world renowned neurosurgeon who operated on - and saved the life of - the boxer Michael Watson after a blood clot formed on his brain minutes after his infamous world title fight with Chris Eubank in 1991. Even though Michael's early prognosis was bleak, his recovery has been nothing short of remarkable. The Hamlyn family motto never give up, and Michael Watson further showed the...

Anxiety rates have exploded over the last decade, even before the impacts of covid and other recent events. Beyond medication, which certainly has its place, what is the best way to stop anxiety from having power over you? The answer may be a counter-intuitive one. Rather than battling to get rid of the uncomfortable thoughts and feelings associated with anxiety, can you make space for them and ac...

"Language is the most powerful drug known to man" Would you like to know how to be able to positively impact people's behaviour? Dave Alred is one of the most in-demand coaches in world sport, mentoring Jonny Wilkinson through his career and working with golf major winners and many others too. He explains how, if you want to change someone's behaviour, it is important to start by catching them doi...

"Values are the way we get peace within ourselves" Think about the people closest to you for a moment. Do you like them for what they achieve, or what they are like? (Hopefully it's the latter) This episode is about the difference between 'being' and 'doing' - and emphasises the importance of living in accordance with your values. my guest is Professor Steve Peters, author of the wildly successful...

'We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit" When it comes to developing positive, healthy habits, one of the world's top experts is professor BJ Fogg, the author of the best-selling book 'Tiny Habits'. BJ busts the myth that habits are simply about repetition and illustrates his method - which has helped literally hundreds of thousands of people around the world - b...

Whenever we step into a performance situation - whether it is giving a speech or presentation through to an Olympic final - it is normal to experience nerves. Many people try to bat such feelings away, or even believe they shouldn't be feeling that way, but if you can make space for those feelings - truly welcome and befriend them - then you can channel the power of adrenaline to help you. To illu...

Self-acceptance and self-compassion are two of the most powerful mental health 'tools'. As part of mental health awareness week, I explore both topics with the help of Nigel Owens, the beloved Welsh rugby referee who attempted to take his own life as a young man because he felt unable to accept his sexuality. ** A huge thanks to my sponsors, Puresport . Their range of CBD and Nootropics supplement...

"There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so" How our beliefs and perceptions shape how we experience ourselves and the world. Helen Davis is a sports psychologist who has worked with a number of top athletes, and she explains that it is not people or events that make us feel or behave in a certain way, it is our perceptions and beliefs that are crucial. Helen explains how to unco...

"Courage is being willing to throw yourself into something without any guarantee of a successful outcome." Ollie Ollerton is a former special forces soldier who shares his experience of its gruelling six month selection process in this episode. He massively doubted himself when he stepped off the bus on day 1 and looked around at the other guys who were also trying to make it into the army’s elite...

"In order to experience the mind in its kind of true essence, we need to go beyond intellectual thought to a place of non-duality. It sounds mystical - but actually it's just being aware" - Andy Puddicombe, Headspace founder Andy Puddicombe was a Buddhist monk for a decade before setting up the most popular meditation app in the world, Headspace. He has helped popularise meditation like few before...

"If you can't be your own biggest champion - why would anyone else be?" Barry Hearn is a towering figure in the world of sport – a sports promoter par excellence. He is the founder of Matchroom sports and has been involved in loads of sports – including boxing, snooker, darts, golf, fishing, ten pin bowling, pool and table tennis. He is chairman of the Professional Darts Corporation, was chairman...

What does success mean to you? Is it about reaching your goals and picking up the accolades along the way - or is there more to it than that? Lots of people considered to be successful by society's standards have found that their achievements don't guarantee satisfaction. Take Ronnie O'Sullivan - widely considered to be the greatest snooker player of all time. Even as he was compiling one of the m...

Could the keys to making every day a good day basically come down to three things: acceptance, presence and gratitude? This week's guest says so. His name is Henry Fraser, a best-selling painter, best-selling author and highly in-demand public speaker. When he was seventeen years old – Henry’s life changed in a moment when he was paralysed from the shoulders down after breaking his neck diving int...

It's a fact that lots of sportspeople struggle with retirement. There was a BBC survey done a few years ago that found that around 50% of athletes have mental health difficulties when they stop playing their sport. Rugby League legend Jamie Peacock had a smooth transition out of playing rugby league – which he put down to two reasons. The first is about identity, and not confusing who you are with...

"People will remember how you made them feel, not what you said." This week's conversation is with the man who scored the most famous try in Scottish rugby history – Tony Stanger. He touched the ball down to secure Scotland the Five Nations Grand Slam in 1990 against England. Since retiring – Tony spent 7 years developing talent through the Scottish institute of sport and now runs a company coachi...

It can be so easy to let resentments build and sweep things under the carpet, to avoid having the difficult conversation because you know it will be uncomfortable. But – sweeping issues under the carpet is not a recipe for harmony, whether in business, families, relationships of teams. Issues and feelings need to be faced and processed. Two people who are well aware of this are Kate and Helen Rich...

"Why do we always have to be better than yesterday? If it's because you feel like you're not enough as you are - let's talk about that" Katie Warriner is a performance psychologist who has worked with a dazzling array of top sportspeople, including many of my previous guests. From the likes of Headspace Founder Andy Puudicombe through to the legendary Olympic gold medal winning hockey team of 2016...

How important is humility in creating a 'winning' culture? Here to explain is James Kerr, author of the fantastic best-selling book Legacy. It is all about the key ingredients that have gone together to create the most successful team in sporting history – the New Zealand All Blacks. ** A huge thanks to my sponsors, Puresport . Their range of CBD and Nootropics supplements have had a significant i...

Do we really live in a fundamentally physical universe? Are we fundamentally physical beings? Most of us feel there is a world of stuff out there – trees, cars, buildings, clouds. People believe we are born into this world in the form of a body, which has a brain and a mind in it. BUT what if I was to suggest that this isn’t actually an accurate picture of what’s really going on? If that is the ca...