The You Project

Dr. Ingrid Nielsen is one of my favourite guests because every time we connect, she inspires me to do better, think better and be better. She’s 75 going on 22, a Psychiatrist, marathon runner, weight trainer and problem-solver, who works under extreme pressure in the emergency department of the Royal Adelaide Hospital. She’s regularly called the ‘C’ word, told to ‘F’ off daily and in the middle of the mayhem (people often present to the ED in psychosis), she calmly does what’s required to help people in pain. As always, this was a fun chat and Ingrid even shared a personal story about a recent surgery she had that went horribly wrong (she’s okay now). Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Knoff is an Antarctic Expedition Leader, Author and Leadership expert who specialises in remote leadership, hostile environment diplomacy and resilience. Oh, and he recently spent 537 days stranded in Antarctica during the pandemic, leading over a hundred humans through an extended period of uncertainty, danger and real-time problem solving in the most extreme of environments. This is David’s second visit to TYP and this was more of a general chat about all-things mindset, self-management, adaptation, courage, communication and teamwork. I loved it. davidknoff.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This was a fun chat with a fun lady who knows a vast amount about wealth creation and management talking with a bloke who is financially inept. It’s not that I don’t care about money, it’s just that it’s not really an area of expertise or mastery. Being as I own a business, I should probably care more and pay more attention. Vanessa Stoykov is on a mission to help Australians get real about money and she rocked up to TYP full of cheek, energy and some very sound financial advice and yes, I listened. Her new book ‘The Five Conversations About Money That Will Radically Change Your Life’ is now available for pre-order (blatant plug). Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Castrission is an Adventurer, Keynote Speaker, Leadership Consultant and Author. He holds two Guinness World Records for his extreme accomplishments. In 2008, James and his mate Justin Jones became the first kayakers to cross the Tasman Sea without support and in 2012 James and Justin made history by completing the longest unsupported polar expedition of all time: the first return journey from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back without assistance. Did I mention he’s a little crazy? Or that Justin lost 30kgs and James lost 26kgs on their Antarctic adventure? This was a fun chat and an interesting insight into the mind of an extreme adventurer. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Videographer, Creator, Podcaster, Adopted Son (I have a few) and one of my favourite peeps to do coffee and chat with, Tommy Jackett is back at TYP. This chat follows no particular path or direction but nonetheless, there’s a little something in it for everyone. A conversational smorgasbord, of sorts. We chatted about how often I’m asked to be a ‘pseudo-dad’ (often), meeting people you’ve never met who know you well (because of the podcast), love jobs vs. money jobs, hustle culture, inappropriate laughter, imposter syndrome, anti-goals, the way we label things (for better or worse), the science of podcasting (I know it seems like unplanned, chaotic bullshit), excellence and obsession, creating connection, creating a demand for what you do, perceived value and lots more. Enjoy. vidpod.com.auThe Craig Harper ShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I don’t think that the way I manage my mind, body, emotions, lifestyle, energy, potential, time, resources, diet, relationships and career is particularly interesting but nonetheless, I’m consistently asked questions about my personal operating system (the way I manage my life and me, in the middle of that life). If you’re interested, this is the answer to some of those questions. If not, don’t blame you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Maskell is leading the evolution of functional medicine. His mission is to empower and build a community of 100,000 integrative practitioners to become leaders and change agents in the movement to accelerate the evolution of medicine, by providing them with the tools, technology, and resources to thrive in a micro-practice. He believes we can disrupt the current healthcare model, shifting the paradigm away from the over-dependency on an allopathic, disease-centred model, to create a more sustainable, preventative system. James believes community, not medicine, creates health. I love that medicine is an ever-changing landscape and this was a fascinating chat with a man on a medical mission. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After perhaps the best podcast debut ever talking about being and End-of-Life Doula, Nikki is back and this time we talk about her personal journey navigating life with an all-consuming eating disorder, body image issues, social anxiety, horrible self-esteem, obsessive thinking (and behaving) and lots more. Again, this might seem like a ‘downer’ of a conversation but on many levels, it’s actually uplifting, beautiful and empowering. It’s also wildly honest, brave and authentic. This is a great chat for people dealing with their own challenges but I also believe it will be enlightening and educational for people (without issues) who are interested in knowing and understanding more. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Testosterone. Dudes have it. Women have it (in small amounts). Teenage boys have truck loads of it. And it can have a profound impact on everything from risk-taking, empathy and communication to differences in socialisation, thinking, decision-making and even, cause of death (men are three-times more likely to die from an accident). This is an interesting chat with David Gillespie about a ubiquitous hormone that is often misunderstood and/or misrepresented. Oh, and wait till you hear the ‘origin story’ of testosterone therapy (I use the word ‘therapy’ very loosely). Enjoy. davidgillespie.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I recently chatted with Tiff over at ‘Roll with the Punches’ Central and not surprisingly, we took a deep dive into the human condition and chatted about all things mind, perception, metacognition, perspective, beliefs and reality. You know… the simple stuff. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Ric Charlesworth is a bloody ripper and it was a privilege for me to chat with a true legend of Australian sport. He is a Medical Doctor, Former Captain of the Australian Hockey Team and the Western Australian State Hockey Team and Cricket Team, having played hockey for Australia for a record 17 years and first-class cricket for nearly a decade. He was the National Coach of the Australian Women’s Hockey Team from 1993 to 2000 and between 2009 and 2014, he coached the Men’s team. In four World Cups and three Olympic Games as coach of Australia, Charlesworth’s teams won Gold on 6 occasions and once won bronze. They won 8 of 9 Champions Trophy tournaments and 2 Commonwealth Games Gold medals… this is a record never equalled in the sport. Between 1994 and 2014 Charlesworth was ‘Coach of the Year’ 8 times! Apart from being a four-time Olympian as a player, he’s also written five books, worked with Fremantle Football Club for two years as their high-performance manager and did I mention he was a member of Federal parliament for a lazy decade (pre coaching)? Amazing. Enjoy. riccharlesworth.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exercise Physiologist, High-Performance Coach and Educator, Russ Jarrett is back and for this episode, we revisit some the over-looked, under-utilised and misunderstood fundamentals of creating and maintaining a new-and-improved health state. Getting ‘in shape’ (whatever that means to you personally) is a bit about knowledge and a lot about what we do with that knowledge. In 2022, we’ve never had more information, inspiration and education but interestingly, we’ve never been in worse shape (collectively). The sooner we stop looking the quick-fix, shortcut and magic pill, and the sooner we start taking total ownership of our choices, actions and outcomes, the sooner the ‘magic’ happens. Funny that. russelljarrett.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people have been hoping that the ‘opportunity would knock’, that they would ‘fall on their feet’, that things would ‘work themselves out’ or that ‘their time would come’ for decades. So much hoping, wanting and waiting, so little doing. At the same time, some people have been creating their own opportunities, taking chances, doing the work and turning their ideas, plans and dreams into real-world success stories. This episode of TYP is a conversation for people who might (at some stage) want to consider creating their own small (or big) business, brand, product or service. It’s full of ideas, stories, advice, warnings and encouragement. Enjoy. @PilatesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TYP regular Patrick is traversing the globe in pursuit of all-things tech and for this episode, we caught up with him in Bath (the town in the UK, not the thing you wash in). It was a different but fun conversation, covering everything from Tai Chi in Germany and a geek convention in Amsterdam to the latest iPhone, the Queen’s passing and Patrick being catapulted off a treadmill as a teenager. Ok, somewhat eclectic. Enjoy. genesisfx.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Death. There.. I said it. In almost a thousand episodes, this is best debut (never been on a podcast) by any TYP guest. Not only has Nikki Morrison not been on a podcast but she’d never even listened to one until yesterday (in preparation for our chat). Nikki and I went to Uni together (my first time around) and since then, she’s filled a range of fascinating roles, done some amazing work (it’s more of a calling) and has dedicated herself to a life of love and service. I don’t want to give too much away but I will say that these days Nikki works with a broad range of people going through grief and loss, as well as being an end-of-life Doula, supporting people who are dying (literally being by their side until their last breath). Despite the subject matter, I found this to be a beautiful, compassionate and uplifting conversation about something that is an inevitability for all of us. Oh.. and by the way, I’m pretty sure she’s an actual angel. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I almost wasn’t smart enough to have this conversation but I just managed to hang on by the skin of my metaphoric teeth. Dr Norman Swan, trained in paediatrics, was one of the first medically qualified journalists in Australia, with a broadcast career spanning more than 30 years. He currently hosts Radio National's ‘The Health Report’ and co-hosts ‘Coronacast’, which has 2.6 million monthly downloads. He also reports on the ABC TV's 7.30, is a guest reporter on ‘Four Corners’; appears on ‘The Drum’ and is an occasional host of Radio National Breakfast. His last book ‘So You Think You Know What's Good for You?’ became a bestseller in 2021 and his latest book ‘So You Want to Live Younger Longer’ is flying off the shelves (both physical and virtual). Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicho Plowman is a Vedic Meditation teacher and the co-founder of Insight Timer who, at one stage of his journey, was a high-flying, hard-living entrepreneur heading down a path of personal (mental, emotional, physical) destruction. Fortunately for him (and us), he turned the crazy-ness around and I got to have a fascinating chat with him at TYP Central. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Amanda Ferguson is back at TYP Central and this time we discuss having a litmus test for friends, differentiating between familiarity and friendship, why marriage might be on the slide (as a cultural norm), how people rationalise suicide, understanding the role of the conscious and subconscious mind, clinical hypnotherapy vs. performance hypnotherapy, keeping our mind and brain young (in terms of cognitive performance and function) and lots more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Compounding Pharmacist and TYP regular Nima Alavi is back, and this time we do a deep dive into the ongoing mental health consequences of covid, the why, how and what-to-do about erectile dysfunction, the idea (and potential industry) of ‘feel good’ prescription drugs, psychedelics being used to treat mental health issues (they’re doing trials at my Uni - Monash), testosterone therapy (the pros, cons, misinformation and hysteria), boosting our immune system naturally, the tanning peptide with the ‘side effect’ of making people horny and lots more. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

High Performance (the term) can mean a myriad of things, depending on context, situation, task, environment and the individual aiming to be a high performer. When I talk about high performance (as a Coach), I’m talking about our willingness (you and me) to do the best we can, wherever we are, with whatever we have available to us (knowledge, skill, talent, genetics, resources, energy, time). In popular culture, high performers are often identified as the uber-talented, successful, intellectual, athletic, beautiful and of course, rich. But then there’s the group I inhabit (maybe you do too).. the “I’ll never win a Nobel Prize, Olympic Final or Grammy Award” group. What about us? Can we be high performers? The answer is, absolutely yes. This is an interesting conversation about the psychology, process and practice, of high performance. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jacqui Cooper is a five-time World Champion aerial ski-jumper, five-time Olympian, Corporate Speaker, Mum of three, wife of one, ex-athlete of mine, hi-energy, perfectionistic, obsessive, OCD… maniac (self-described). Someone once referred to her as ‘madder than a cut snake’. She doesn’t disagree. This chat was funny, inspirational and surprising. We spoke about maximising potential, the importance of managing our mind, self-regulation, white-line fever (she still has it), her 32 injury-related surgeries (not a typo), the risk, fear and logistics of flying off a ramp at 70kph and being the first woman in history to do a triple twisting, triple somersault with skis strapped to her feet(!), her (metaphoric) sh*t-shield, her inability to meditate (there’s a shock) and lots more. Enjoy. *Oh BTW, after we signed off at the end, Jacqui told Melissa and I a killer story, which we decided to include, so stick around after we say good-bye. jacquicooper.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patrick and Tor are back talking about tech that can make our lives better and sometimes, worse. This time we speak about why touch screens in cars are way more dangerous and distracting than old-fashioned knobs and buttons (to do the same jobs), technology helping people with dementia, companies integrating batteries into the actual frames of their electric cars, Elon Musk getting fat shamed, how our brain responds under fMRI when we think about the different people in our lives, power-saving mode on my (your) phone (apparently I need to use it), the things that chew up phone battery and for some reason, we talk about the very non-tech topic of intermittent fasting. Enjoy. oksmartass.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TYP Favourite David Gillespie is back, and for the first time, he’s answering a bunch of questions from our listening audience. Among other things, we explore Paleo (pros and cons), beating sugar addiction, dietary fibre (important or not?), allergies, intermittent fasting (yes or no?), cholesterol, saturated fats, suggested supplements, the calories in-out debate, sugar addiction, hair-loss in women, how to find reliable (unbiased) research, reading food labels, belly-fat post menopause and of course, why he and his entire family haven’t washed their hair for over four years (really). Enjoy. The Minnesota Experiment The Cochrane Collaboration See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Tahnee Bridson is a psychiatry doctor originally from a small country town in Far North Queensland, who’s best known for her work to reduce stigma, improve help-seeking and promote mental wellbeing. Tahnee experienced shame and stigma firsthand when she was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa as a university student but grew through adversity and defied the odds by graduating top of her class. Her personal experiences were the inspiration behind her organisation, Hand-n-Hand Peer Support. This was an interesting, fun and dare I say, therapeutic conversation for both Tahnee and myself. Although we’re quite different people, it seems we’ve shared some very similar experiences. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Darren Hicks (OAM) is an Australian Paralympic cyclist who has won medals at several World Road and Track Championships, including two gold. His right leg was amputated above the knee as a consequence of a road crash in 2014. At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, he won a gold and a silver medal. I’m not sure if Darren is a maniac or complete inspiration, so I’m going with inspirational maniac. He recently rode 205 kms in just under six and a half hours at an average of 32kph powered only by his left leg. I’m an Exercise Scientist and I had no idea that was (is) even possible! This was an interesting chat with a bloke who’s been through some serious sh*t but has come out the other side and pretty amazing human. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Virtual reality, augmented reality and actual reality; it can get very confusing, very fast when you start exploring the ‘what is reality’ question in a physical world that’s becoming increasingly intertwined with a virtual world. Especially when we’re in a VR scenario (room, place, experience, situation) and in-the-moment, our brain can’t differentiate between a virtual snake slithering towards us and an actual one… leading to a very-real psychological, emotional and physical reaction from something that doesn’t actually ‘exist’. I’m equally excited and cautious about the ever-evolving technology-driven landscape that we all inhabit and while I think that much of what we have at our disposal is incredible and potentially life-improving, I’m not sure that ‘technological advancement’ always equates to human advancement. This was a fun chat with Patrick. oksmartass.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TYP Fave Geoffro is back philosophising the sh*t out of me from his rural haven (aka dog heaven), down-loading his wisdom, insight and dare-I-say spirituality (his version anyway) in his own unique bogan-meets-motivational-speaker-meets-Dalai-Lama… style. Enjoy. @geoffjowettSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was recently on young Tiff’s show (Roll with The Punches) and while I can’t exactly remember (word for word) what we spoke about, I do remember it as one of our more profound chats and an episode I really enjoyed. So, rather than writing an overview of a conversation I had a week ago, I thought I’d cheat and use Tiff’s (synopsis)… *Harps is back and after a little light-hearted banter and exploring how we embrace conflict, confrontation and difficult conversations, our interest moves back to one of our favourite conversational places... the soul. Harps shares some seriously heart-warming (and heartbreaking) experiences of his that shaped his perspective and to be honest, shaped mine hearing about it too. This conversation left me thinking perhaps it's time to park our goal-setting and success-seeking and simply submit to our soul journey (nice copy Tiff). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Researcher, Author, Psychologist, Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher, Psychedelic Adventurer and all-round Good Bloke, Dr. Richard Chambers, is back at TYP and this time we chat about his upcoming trip to ‘Burning Man’ (Google it, if you’re unfamiliar), the pros and cons of the ego, the limitation of words (people using the same word but talking about different things), his wild days of raves, drugs and mayhem, self-actualisation, lifestyle medicine, having no agenda (is it possible?) and the idea of having a mobile, global office (he calls it his laptop lifestyle). Last time the Doc and I spoke (not long ago) he was in Sweden, this time Italy, in between, he’s been working in Portugal and next week he’s off to spend nine days in the Nevada dessert for a little spiritual and psychedelic odyssey. It’s tough for some. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For someone who’s done a lot of amazing stuff from a really young age, Nat is grounded, humble, very self-aware and surprisingly, not totally exhausted! This was a high-energy, interesting and funny chat with a brilliant young woman, who has infections enthusiasm and passion. BIO: Natalie Kyriacou OAM is the Founder and CEO of My Green World, the Creator of World of the Wild mobile game app, and a Management Consultant at PwC. For over ten years, Natalie has been driving positive change worldwide; her approach has been to inspire curiosity. As CEO of My Green World, Natalie created inclusive youth education programs and technologies to increase access to wildlife and environmental conservation and sciences. In addition to this, Natalie is a Board Advisor at the Women Leaders Institute. For her work in the environmental space, Natalie has received the Medal of the Order of Australia, a Forbes 30 Under 30 honour, a Finalist for the UNEP Young Champion of the Earth Prize, and a Probono Impact 25 Award Recipient. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is ‘Baby Brain’ a thing? According to Dr. Sasha Davies, the quick answer is.. yep. That is, being pregnant can have an impact on cognitive function (memory, processing speed, decision-making). I found this conversation wildly interesting (but I am obsessed with the mind) and the good Doc’s research and findings will resonate with a lot of people. BIO: Dr. Sasha Davies is a Lecturer in the Graduate Diploma of Psychology Sciences and Bachelor of Psychology and Counselling programs at the Cairnmillar Institute. Sasha’s PhD research applied a mixed-method approach using both psychophysiological and behavioural cognitive approaches to investigate if and when pregnancy causes subtle changes in the neural indices of women's executive functioning. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patrick and Tor are back and this time we chat about the happiness-money correlation, needing stuff vs. wanting stuff, how we waste money on subscriptions (and how not to), the results of Patrick’s road test on his cheap ($39.95) ‘smart watch’ (spoiler alert.. I was very surprised), the de-extinction of animals (Tasmanian Tiger anyone?), poverty in Australia (how the poverty line is determined), banning phones in schools, the death of point-and-shoot cameras and lots more. Enjoy. oksmartass.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TYP favourite Bobby is back sharing his considerable brain with us and this time we chat about self-help clichés, the theory vs. reality of changing a habit, grown-ups seeking attention and approval, when support (from others) becomes a dependency (a new problem), the attraction (and commercial potential) of quick-fixes and reward-without-work products, self-awareness and self-management, the challenge (as a speaker and coach) of sharing the popular (feel good) message vs. the uncomfortable truth, the phases of change and stupid (but widely used) generalisations about complicated, multi-dimensional (human) issues. Enjoy. theselfhelpantidote.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brenton Sanderson spent almost three decades as a professional athlete and coach. Now, he’s neither. He played AFL footy for Adelaide, Collingwood and Geelong (209 games), won a B & F with Geelong, was an assistant coach at Port Adelaide, Geelong and Collingwood, was the senior coach of the Adelaide Football Club (2012 – 2014), won the NAB Cup in 2012 and was sacked with the second highest winning percentage of all Adelaide Coaches. This was a great chat with Sando and we covered everything from footy, business, coaching, tough crowds (as a speaker) and life beyond sport (for athletes and coaches) to mental health, mindset, blokes being vulnerable, the changing culture of footy, asking for help, his personal battles when he was sacked from the Crows, his current gig and lots more. Enjoy. evolveperformance.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In instalment three of our listener Q and A extravaganza, I explore the way that individual perception shapes personality reality, the possibility of global peace (okay, there were some deep questions), whether any guest (on TYP) has changed my mind about something, the space between ‘you’ and your conditioning, how to optimise the remainder of 2022, the idea of ‘life purpose’, how I decide which ideas to put into action, the ideas (projects, endeavours) I’ve had that didn’t work, getting past our own BS, good and bad foods, self-sabotage and the idea of ‘getting people to listen’. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Lillian is back at TYP and this time we chat about procrastination, my teenage obsession with music, excuses vs. reasons, Psychologists with issues (they’re only human), creating long-term change (most people don’t), the convenience mindset, feeling guilty, types of exhaustion, work ethic and lots more. Enjoy. drlilliannejad.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This episode is primarily about sleep but I chose this title to plug the amazing resource that David (and lots of volunteers) have created to help Australian students successfully navigate their secondary school journey. It’s brilliant and totally free. Okay, on with the show… In this episode of TYP, we chat about why we need to sleep (it’s probably not what you think), powernaps (do they work?), melatonin, how lack of sleep makes you stupid (reduces cognitive function), teenagers and sleep, being unconscious for a third of our lives (seems dangerous), shift workers, the relationship between addiction, anxiety, depression and sleep, jet lag and dodgy butchers who soak meat to make it weigh more (yes, super random - lol). Enjoy. freeschool.org.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Libby Weaver (PhD.) is a Nutritional Biochemist, thirteen-times bestselling Author, Speaker and Founder of the food-based supplement range, Bio Blends. She’s also fun to chat with and in this episode, we spoke about her chickens that behave like dogs, food boundaries, conscious eating, the metaphoric wagon (the one people allegedly fall off), food information vs. food marketing, calorie requirement variability, RDI’s, biofeedback, how we unintentionally put ourselves in a fat-storing state, the rise of allergies (nut anyone?) and lots more. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The reason for the title of this episode unfolds during our chat but rest assured, it’s not a conversation about bums. Or bum issues. Thankfully. So, the Olympic Gold Medallist, PhD. Researcher, Academic, Author, part-time Urban Ninja, Mum of two, Wife of one and Corporate Speaker, is back. This time Lauren and I chat about the way she approaches everything from parenting, study, lifestyle and business, to training (at 48), competition, finding balance, intuition, obsession, knowing who to trust and broadly speaking, all-things self-management. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In instalment two of our listener Q and A extravaganza, I chat about internal voices, the psychology and science of ageing, staying focused and productive when we’re not ‘feeling it’, my thoughts on ‘fitting in’ to a group, the likelihood of Tiff coaxing me into a Zuu workout, my (brief) thoughts on the current reality of health care (from an industry, societal and individual perspective), the pros and cons of competition, the six famous people I’d have at my dinner table, life ‘getting in the way’ (does it?) and idea of identifying our values and whether or not they change over time. And it goes without saying (yet hear I am saying it – lol) that these episodes are not intended to be personal advice or any kind of prescription but rather, me thinking out loud about some interesting questions. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Well, my simple idea to do a listener Q and A episode turned into an avalanche of questions and a three-part poddy. So, in part one I explore the following questions… *What’s the best advice you’ve been given? *How to stay motivated and on track when you have adult adhd? *What legacy do you want to leave? *Your favourite books that have had a profound impact (non-fiction/non-fiction)? *What is the biggest change you might anticipate in your life after you achieve your PhD? *Generally (in your extensive experience), what is a person’s first domino (a behaviour alteration that leads to change)? Of course, I digress and wander off the conversational path but mostly, I stay on topic. Enjoy (Parts 2 & 3 to follow). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

And before you ask, not only did I have Jon’s consent to go with that title but he used the term in our conversation. He threw himself under the one-nut bus. Classic. Jon Summers is leading the charge when it comes to opening up the conversation around infertility for men. Just like women, men can experience a fertility diagnosis. And just like women, that diagnosis brings it uncertainty, fear, guilt and all sorts of emotional turbulence. Gonna be honest, this topic isn’t really my area of expertise (at all) and it’s fair to say that Jon had his work cut out getting me up to speed. I loved his laid-back, self-aware, no-ego communication style and his ability to make this a fun and fascinating chat. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was recently on the ‘Simply Practically Human’ podcast with Mark LeBusque and as is often the way, we opened the door on the never ending ‘how do I manage me and not f*ck up my life?” question. You know the one. We had fun. Enjoy. The Simply Practically Human PodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rob Dickson was my mate. But then, he was a mate to a lot of people. Everyone loved him. At school (and beyond), he had an ability to make me feel valued, special and connected - to him. But in truth, I wasn’t special, he was, because he made everyone feel the same. It was a gift. He was a gift. He had an undeniable energy that people wanted to be around. He was simultaneously charismatic, creative, cheeky, annoying, hilarious and undeniable. He got away with sh*t that I still can’t comprehend. After school, he went on to become a helicopter pilot (at the age of 17) working for the NSCA, an AFL player (Hawthorn and Brisbane), the winner of ‘Survivor Australia’ season 1, an incredible film maker (with his brother, Pete) and most importantly, a loving husband and dad. Tragically, Rob and his two boys passed away in 2009 as the result of a car accident, leaving his beautiful wife Dusty without her husband or children (a pain I can’t even begin to comprehend). I know it seems like this chat with Pete Dickson might be super-sad but it’s not. It’s thoughtful, uplifting, insightful, funny and at times, emotional. It’s not always easy talking about death, trauma and grief but these conversations also present an opportunity to talk about healing, vulnerability, communication and love. Enjoy. *Pete’s book about Rob, ‘He Was My Brother’, is out now via his website (public launch soon). dicksonfilms.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So, I made a new friend. Dr. Amanda Ferguson and I hit it off from the get-go and had a fun conversation, discussing burnout (from work, roles, situations, life), jobs having a use-by date, the flawed ‘work-life balance’ theory, the importance of unlearning, sharing complicated information in an uncomplicated manner (as a teacher, writer, speaker, coach), the benefit of getting ‘out of our mind’ and all-things self-management. On a lighter note, we also spoke about the career she almost had as an opera singer (for real), her floating meditation centre (yacht) and my complete ineptitude as a sailor. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More than thirty-five years ago, Max Peggie walked into the gym I was managing, we chatted and about ten minutes later, I had my first Personal Training client before PT was even a thing; no course, no regulations, no industry. To be honest, I didn’t even have an official name for what I was doing; I was just training him three times a week and he was paying me three-times my hourly (gym instructing) rate. Giddy-up, I was rich. For me. Little did I know what would come from that conversation; the infancy of an industry, twenty-five years of owning studios, educating thousands of trainers (and employing hundreds), personally completing more than forty thousand PT sessions, speaking all over the world, radio, TV, working with elite athletes and lots more. Without Max, my story may have been very different. He was an important influence, mentor and support system in my journey and growth and all these years later, we got together to talk about the lessons and laughs, the student and teacher (he taught me business, I taught him body) and of course, the mutual sh*t-slinging. Enjoy. *Note: Max’s first book (out now) is called ‘I Didn’t Ask to be King’. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patrick is back and this time we ditch the tech talk and open the door on being single without being lonely, careers and relationships that have a use-by date, where and how we invest our emotional energy, why I would have made a crap soldier (probably), Melissa’s capacity for catastrophising (I was four minutes late for the recording and she thought I’d had a heart-attack), Patrick’s cold shower update, being a billionaire and lots more. genesisfx.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Karen Eber is the CEO and Chief Storyteller of Eber Leadership Group. She helps build curious and empathic leaders and teams, and healthy cultures. Karen and I are on the same page in that, we both work with businesses without really talking about business. We talk about the people stuff in the middle of the business stuff (systems, processes, KPI’s, rules, roles). In this episode, we spoke about culture, communication, unnecessarily long (and boring) meetings, self-indulgent bosses (over-talkers), unaware leaders, the value of story-telling in the workplace, keeping staff happy and how to create a work environment that people want to be in. Enjoy. kareneber.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TYP fave David Gillespie is back and this time we chat about a very common drug (you probably use it) that reduces empathy (really!), Melissa’s OCD, good addictions (are they a thing?), David’s real motivation for coming on the show (it’s not me) and once again, we open the psychopath door. So to speak. Enjoy. davidgillespie.orgSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heston Russell is a Retired Special Forces Major, who after 16 years in the military and over 100 combat missions serving within the Special Forces, found his way to TYP Central for a chat and it (the conversation) was a revelation, inspiration and in some ways, not what I expected at all. I thought it would be good but it was brilliant. He was brilliant. We chatted about the mindset, morality and ethics around killing people when it’s part of your job (weird, I know), performing under the ultimate pressure (someone shooting at you), returning to ‘normal life’ after combat and some fascinating stuff that I don’t want to share in this overview because it will ruin the listening moment. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.