The You Project

Tommy Jackett is back at TYP Central and this time we wax lyrical about ‘self-help’ the product versus self-help, the practical process. We also discuss self-criticism, self-awareness and self-regulation, the value of lists and preparation, being taught ‘what’ to think versus ‘how’ to think, the enormity of conformity, the opposite of boredom, my numerous surrogate sons (I have a few) and lots more. vidpod.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I could tell you that this episode is a mind-blowing, life-changing conversation with some world-renowned Guru, where we unpack the secrets of the Universe, but it isn’t. Surprising, I know. Instead, it’s Melissa and I riffing about some random human stuff like, love languages, why we get offended, navigating political correctness, life in the echo chamber, people we love but don’t always like and the time I almost went on a TV dating show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I am not enough”; such a common, disempowering and unnecessary belief. Going in to this episode, I wasn’t sure that I would resonate with Marisa’s philosophy and approach to therapy, treatment and change but not only did she resonate with me, I learned a bunch, she’s an awesome story teller, she made total sense, challenged some of my thinking (in a good way) and lastly, she’s a bit funny, so.. winner! *BIO: Marisa Peer is a world-renowned speaker, Rapid Transformational Therapy trainer and best-selling author. She has nearly three decades of experience as a therapist and has been named Best British Therapist by Men's Health magazine and featured in Tatler's Guide to Britain's 250 Best Doctors. Marisa uses her experience of treating clients including rock stars, CEOs, elite Olympic athletes, royalty and Oscar-winning actors to inform her life-changing speeches and lectures. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Not surprisingly, this is a conversation about the tendency many of us have to waste our considerable potential. In it, we explore the psychological, sociological, behavioural and practical variables which influence the way in which we use or don’t use (exploit or squander) our creative, physical, intellectual, professional and personal potential. As someone who isn’t naturally gifted, brilliant or exceptional, my drive to explore and exploit my ‘what’s-actually-possible-for-me’ list, is an every-present challenge. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This was an interesting chat with former professional ‘Big Wave’ surfer and Red Bull Athlete, Mark Mathews. Through his experience as a pro athlete, Mark has become obsessed with the relationship between personal growth, high performance and fulfillment. In this chat we talked about self-management, preparation and the perception (and it's effect) of anxiety in high performance sports and competition. Mark is fascinated by exploring the drivers behind what it really takes to be a high level athlete. Enjoy!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voted one of the most influential female entrepreneurs in Australia, Penny Locaso is the world’s first Happiness Hacker, on a mission to teach 10 million humans, by 2025, how to intentionally adapt in order to future-proof happiness. Penny is an international keynote speaker, educational innovator and author. Like me, Penny is super chatty and we had fun. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I loved this chat. It triggered so much thought and curiosity for me. Among other things, Michol (Mish-ol) and I went deep on the idea of a government, industry and medically supported health system aimed at the prevention (mitigation, reduction) of illness and disease; not to replace our current model but rather, to complement it. Potentially, a state and national system (programs, resources, infrastructure) designed to keep our population healthy and functional for as long as possible. So many potential medical, financial and, of course, personal benefits. We often talk a big game about being proactive with our health but the truth is that, on many levels (individual to collective) our operating system is largely focused on disease management, not prevention. Oh, and we also spoke about why crying is awesome for you (really), future-proofing, the limitations of will-power and discipline, hitting the pause button on our Groundhog Day(ness), turning ideas into action, the impact of loneliness and of course, creating a ‘new normal’. Enjoy. instituteofmotion.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, the TYP Geek and I wax lyrical about hackers, scammers, fake emails, online puppy and romance scams, Melissa’s addiction to Apple (the brand, not the fruit), dodgey links, cybersecurity, weird numbers calling your phone, Patrick’s issue with iPhones (I still won’t be switching), oldie’s getting ripped off, creepy Alexa with the potential to speak in the voice of people you know (even dead people) and lots more. Enjoy. oksmartass.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is self-awareness, why does it matter, what role does it play socially, how does it impact personal and professional relationships, is it a crucial piece of the self-improvement puzzle, is it trainable and if so, how can we improve it? In this episode, I open the door on the self-awareness conversation in some depth, using relevant and important questions as the conversational springboard. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Canna Campbell is unintentionally hilarious and revealing in her first two minutes of this episode. It’s not often I’m (almost) tongue-tied but her debut caught me by surprise. Canna is a financial expert, keynote speaker, best selling author of The $1000 Project and Mindful Money, founder of the financial media platform SugarMamma TV and she regularly appears on Channel 9 as a financial commentator. She is also passionate about educating, inspiring and empowering every individual to create financial harmony, freedom and independence in their lives. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pharmacist Nima Alavi is back at TYP and this time we chat about nutraceuticals, psychedelic drugs being used clinically, strengthening our immune system, finding the ‘right’ dose (for everything), how many mice equal one Craig (it’ll make sense), how giving up dairy improved Nima’s health, physical vs. psychological addiction, the health benefits of social connection, when ‘drugs’ become medicine, how medicines are ‘scheduled’ and lots more. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let’s be honest, there aren’t too many Aussies who have ever played Major League Baseball (MLB). Well, Trent Oeltjen (pronounced Ol-chen) is one of an elite group who turned his childhood dream (obsession) into the real-world experience of playing his first MLB game in front of fifty thousand people. Trent’s career as a player includes making multiple State, Representative, National and World Cup Teams including the 2004 Australian Olympic Team, in which he helped capture the Silver Medal and his MLB career saw him play for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers. Post playing career, Trent founded Legacy Sports; an elite wellness-first, high-performance program that holistically develops the complete athlete both on and off the field. Trent is a ripper and we spoke about the triumphs and troughs, lessons and letdowns, pain and pleasure of life in elite sport and beyond. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ashton Applewhite is the author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism and a leading spokesperson against discrimination on the basis of age. Ashton has been recognized by The New York Times, National Public Radio, the New Yorker and the American Society on Aging as an expert on ageism. She has written for Harper’s, the Guardian and The New York Times. She has been named as a Fellow by the Knight Foundation, The New York Times, Yale Law School, and the Royal Society for the Arts. As someone who is fast approaching middle-age (if I live to 120), I totally enjoyed this chat with Ashton. She explains ageism (and many other ‘isms’) in such an interesting, funny and provocative way, that she is undeniable. Her messages are powerful and insightful and I loved her energy and attitude. Enjoy. thischairrocks.comoldschool.info@thischairrocksSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our favourite geek (Patrick) is back and to be honest these episodes are as much fun and silly-ness as they are grown-up tech talk but nonetheless, this episode we manage to explore café robots serving customers (they’re here), the pros and cons of electric cars (explained for non-geeks), why I definitely need a drone, a phenomenon called ‘the doorway effect’, some of the wild advances being made in the tech space, how and why tech gets cheaper over time (100 inch TV anyone?), the growth and potential applications of VR (virtual reality), Ron’s (dad) first time wearing expensive over-ear headphones (priceless) and lots more. Enjoy. oksmartass.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seamus Evans has worked successfully as a TV and radio presenter, comedian and corporate speaker, despite living with Tourette Syndrome, ADHD and a few other not-insignificant personal challenges. I enjoy exploring life through the eyes, understanding and experiences of other people and this chat, was definitely that and more. Among other things, we spoke about Seamus failing school and being in the ‘wrong’ academic model (for him). He told us about hiding his Tourette’s when casting for a TV show (at 18), only to have it discovered not long after he got the gig. We spoke about being stared at, misunderstood, judged and avoided. We also discussed the pros of being neuro-diverse and how his ‘different’ brain can be something of a superpower when it comes to all-things creative. I enjoyed this. *A few facts about Tourette Syndrome: it is a neurological condition made up of both motor and vocal tics. 1 in 100 kids are diagnosed with it. TS is more common in males than females. There is no cure for TS, just awareness. Most children with TS have above normal or high intelligence levels. The condition is named after French Neurologist, Gilles De La Tourette. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 843 Episodes, I can say that this chat goes straight into my all-time top ten. It won’t (be top ten) for everyone but it is for me. I absolutely loved it. For a range of reasons, this conversation resonated powerfully with me, challenged me and made me realise a lot of things about myself that I wasn’t fully aware of, hadn’t acknowledged and maybe didn’t even understand. Like, how I learn best. And what would have been an ideal learning environment and model for me, when I was kid. Gavin McCormack has been a teacher for more than 25 years, working in countries throughout the world and building many schools in the Himalayan regions of Nepal. As a Montessori ambassador for Australia and the co-founder upschool.co and Educationinfluence.com, Gavin has worked tirelessly for 25 years to change the face of education for those before him. He has trained teachers all over the world and currently runs the two largest teacher training centres in Nepal. Enjoy. XxSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mercedas Taaffe-Cooper (Merc) is a registered Psychologist (M.Sc. Clinical Psych), qualified Sports and Exercise Scientist (B.Sc.), former elite kickboxer (having won both European and World Championships) and an International Boxing Coach, with forty years of experience. These days Merc combines her vast knowledge, experience, skill, education and passion to improve the lives of young people, with her unique program called CounterPunch. Enjoy. counterpunch.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Managing ‘me’ and getting the most out of my genetics, potential, intellect, creativity, time, resources, energy and opportunities has been an ongoing experiment since I was the fat 14 year-old. Trying different things. Seeking my own truth, insight and discoveries by being both the researcher and the ‘researched’ (participant) in my own project. N=1 and I am the ‘n’. You can be too. Creating simple experiments. Observing outcomes. Interpreting data. Building your own understanding, awareness, knowledge and insight, through trial and error, personal experience and effort. I’ve done it with my genetics, the various evolutions of my career, my nutrition, values, lifestyle, sleep, recovery, energy optimisation, finances, my development as a speaker, author and podcaster, my study protocol, finding my optimal physical environment and lots more. This is a chat about the idea of strategic, practical, life-improving self-experimentation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For me, this episode was super interesting, partly because of the conversation itself and maybe even more because of who I chatted with. Andy J. Pizza is a highly successful illustrator and speaker who has written kid’s books and comics and done client work for the likes of The New York Times, Apple and Nickelodeon. He also inspires people from stage with his unconventional and interactive presentations, while navigating life with ADHD and in his own words, ‘a different kind of brain’. Rather than pretending he’s something he’s not, Andy leans into his neurodiversity and has a unique energy, insight and like-ability, which is why this scheduled 45-minute chat, became a two-parter. Not only is he ‘quirky and creative’ but I absolutely loved the way he sees, processes, navigates and explains the world, as he experiences it. Enjoy. andyjpizza.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For me, this episode was super interesting, partly because of the conversation itself and maybe even more because of who I chatted with. Andy J. Pizza is a highly successful illustrator and speaker who has written kid’s books and comics and done client work for the likes of The New York Times, Apple and Nickelodeon. He also inspires people from stage with his unconventional and interactive presentations, while navigating life with ADHD and in his own words, ‘a different kind of brain’. Rather than pretending he’s something he’s not, Andy leans into his neurodiversity and has a unique energy, insight and like-ability, which is why this scheduled 45-minute chat, became a two-parter. Not only is he ‘quirky and creative’ but I absolutely loved the way he sees, processes, navigates and explains the world, as he experiences it. Enjoy. andyjpizza.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ex Journo, Researcher, Tech-Nerd, Fellow Podcaster and long-time Mate, Patrick Bonello is back and I gotta say, podcasting with him is the conversational equivalent of talking shit, eating Twistie rolls (with butter), devouring chocolate Big M’s and hanging out with my mates at lunch time in year 8. In other words, fun. We covered a lot of ground, including.. dumb people (me) with smart technology, in-home robots (they’re here), A.I. becoming sentient (thinking for itself), lifelike humanoids working in customer service and nursing, robots being deployed into homes to provide ‘company’ for lonely people, emotion recognition technology, AI and ‘sexual wellness’ and lots more.  oksmartass.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Fitzgerald, is a renowned and respected Australian property expert with over 40 years’ experience in residential and commercial real estate, property development and property investment. After completing high school at 17, he hitchhiked from Melbourne to the Gold Coast with $200 in his pocket, started working in real estate, quickly mastered the art of building wealth and by 25, he owned over $1 million in net property assets (back when a million was plenty!). These days John is a wildly successful business bloke who has personally bought, sold and developed over 10,000 properties and while he’s great at ‘making money and teaching others to do the same’, he’s even better at serving, empowering and equipping  people who society and/or systems have put in the too-hard basket. He is the chairman and founding benefactor of Toogoolawa Children’s Home Ltd, which has fostered over 1,580 youth at risk or wards of the state. He also established and runs a unique school for boys (currently with 118 boys enrolled at no cost to them or their family) who have learning and behaviour problems, which make them no longer welcome in mainstream schools. This was an uplifting and inspiring chat. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Axle Whitehead is an interesting bloke, with an interesting background, who has, for reasons both good and.. er, interesting, caught the public eye as a talented singer, musician, actor, TV host and occasional wild man. Apart from his musical achievements, Axle has worked on Home and Away, Shameless (US TV series), The Wall (a game show he hosted), Video Hits (TV host), World’s Strictest Parents (TV host) and quite a few more. While I try to go into every chat with an open mind, I will say, I may have had an impression of what and who to expect. I was quite wrong. In fact, we’re catching up next week for coffee and a chat, because we’re both fascinated with human behaviour and the mind. And we like coffee. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Beau Lotto is a neuroscientist and world-renowned expert in perception. His research explores the ways in which we experience the world through our own versions of reality. As Beau says, "the brain never sees the world as it actually is, only the world that is useful to see." By illuminating these principles of perception he has helped individuals and companies transform their approach to creativity and innovation. Beau is also the founder of the world’s first neuro-design studio, Lab of Misfits. Part lab, part creative studio, Lab of Misfits takes a disruptive approach to research, partnering with brands to blend science, art and performance to explore pivotal principles in current culture. Their "experiential experiments" invite consumers to engage with brands and offer brands science-backed insights that foster innovation. beaulotto.comlabofmisfits.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Beau Lotto is a neuroscientist and world-renowned expert in perception. His research explores the ways in which we experience the world through our own versions of reality. As Beau says, "the brain never sees the world as it actually is, only the world that is useful to see." By illuminating these principles of perception he has helped individuals and companies transform their approach to creativity and innovation. Beau is also the founder of the world’s first neuro-design studio, Lab of Misfits. Part lab, part creative studio, Lab of Misfits takes a disruptive approach to research, partnering with brands to blend science, art and performance to explore pivotal principles in current culture. Their "experiential experiments" invite consumers to engage with brands and offer brands science-backed insights that foster innovation. beaulotto.comlabofmisfits.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people think I’m weird. And depending on whose definition of normal, conventional or weird we’re going by; they may well be right. Some people struggle to comprehend that a 58 year-old, never married, non-smoking, never used recreational drugs or drunk booze, gym-going, motorbike-riding Aussie bloke, who’s lived alone for 41 years, could somehow be functional, fulfilled and genuinely happy. Many times people have told me (a year or two down the track) that when they first met me, they thought I was weird, not because of anything I did or said (to them) but rather, because of how I live. This four-part (that’s not a typo) TYP instalment is the result of hundreds of questions I’ve received from people wanting to know more about behind the scenes me. I honestly don’t think it’s fascinating but according to Melissa, some of you will be interested. I open the door wide on a lot of things I’ve never spoken about to an audience. Thanks for supporting the show everyone. I appreciate you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people think I’m weird. And depending on whose definition of normal, conventional or weird we’re going by; they may well be right. Some people struggle to comprehend that a 58 year-old, never married, non-smoking, never used recreational drugs or drunk booze, gym-going, motorbike-riding Aussie bloke, who’s lived alone for 41 years, could somehow be functional, fulfilled and genuinely happy. Many times people have told me (a year or two down the track) that when they first met me, they thought I was weird, not because of anything I did or said (to them) but rather, because of how I live. This four-part (that’s not a typo) TYP instalment is the result of hundreds of questions I’ve received from people wanting to know more about behind the scenes me. I honestly don’t think it’s fascinating but according to Melissa, some of you will be interested. I open the door wide on a lot of things I’ve never spoken about to an audience. Thanks for supporting the show everyone. I appreciate you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I liked my first chat with Kute Blackson but I loved this one. This is the bloke who walked away from his church upbringing (and his likely life as an evangelist) after preaching to an audience of 3,000 at 8, being an ordained minister at 14 and being the son of a Japanese mum and a famous Ghanaian preacher father, who had a clear plan for his son’s life. Well, in this chat Kute dropped some knowledge, wisdom and inspiration and (for the woo-woo brigade) a few spiritual insights (like the concept of the mind serving the soul). We also spoke about.. structure and planning vs. freestyle and instinct, the myth of logic, keeping others happy, the nature of the ego, personal reality, confirmation bias, surrendering, conditional love (which isn’t actually love), the mind as a tool and a barrier and lots more. Enjoy.  kuteblackson.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Jemma King has a PhD in Human Behaviour, is a Stress and Emotional Intelligence expert, works as a specialist advisor to the Australian Defence Force, the Australian Institute of Sport, the Australian Olympic Swim Team and global management consultancy firms. Other than all that, she’s a dud (lol). I enjoy chatting with academics who can share their vast knowledge in a manner which is user (podcast listener) friendly and not overly academic. Jemma certainly delivers and there were some gems in this chat. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are times when life is about navigating detours, solving problems, inhabiting uncertainty, dealing with pain (of all kinds) and being the calm in the chaos. It could be argued that this is much of life. This conversation with Kristina Mand-Lakhiani is largely about these very human challenges. Kristina is an entrepreneur, international speaker, author and the co-creator of Mindvalley; a global educational organisation providing training for peak human performance to hundreds of thousands of students all around the world. We also spoke about.. what time of the day we’re most productive, how our thinking and priorities change as we age, judgement (of self and others), perfectionism (that’s a self-created burden), self-acceptance, giving things meaning, being wrong, what is truth? (that’s a slippery slope), cognitive dissonance, her recent conscious uncoupling with her husband and finally, living in Estonia (bordering Russia), which she does with her two young kids. Enjoy.  @kristinamandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We all want to belong, to be part of something bigger than us, to be connected with others and to be part of a ‘tribe’ (group, club, team, family, organisation, family, religion). And while this all makes sense because we humans are social creatures, what are the potential risks of desperately wanting to belong? These days there’s a lot of discussion around the virtues and values of being part of a tribe. But is it true? Are all tribes love, light, puppies and unicorns? Are they altruistic and well-meaning? Are they about the welfare of the individuals or the welfare of the group (brand, profit, growth)? In order to belong and make no waves, are you periodically required to over-ride your own thoughts, insights and instincts because they don’t align with the group’s ideology, philosophy and/or theology? Without giving to much away, I think belonging to a tribe can be both good or bad, depending on a bunch of variables. Some groups might save your life, some might ruin it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of TYP, our legal drug dealer is back and this time, we talk about the current flu that’s doing the rounds, Monkeypox (I think I may have it), anti-inflams (the good, bad and cautionary), building a tolerance to prescription medication, Nima’s thoughts on appetite suppressants, using antidepressants and anxiety medication safely (is that possible?), melatonin for sleep issues, over-the-counter cocaine and shady characters with dodgy scripts. As always, we had fun. Enjoy. comocompounding.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people think I’m weird. And depending on whose definition of normal, conventional or weird we’re going by; they may well be right. Some people struggle to comprehend that a 58 year-old, never married, non-smoking, never used recreational drugs or drunk booze, gym-going, motorbike-riding Aussie bloke, who’s lived alone for 41 years, could somehow be functional, fulfilled and genuinely happy. Many times people have told me (a year or two down the track) that when they first met me, they thought I was weird, not because of anything I did or said (to them) but rather, because of how I live. This four-part (that’s not a typo) TYP instalment is the result of hundreds of questions I’ve received from people wanting to know more about behind the scenes me. I honestly don’t think it’s fascinating but according to Melissa, some of you will be interested. I open the door wide on a lot of things I’ve never spoken about to an audience. Thanks for supporting the show everyone. I appreciate you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people think I’m weird. And depending on whose definition of normal, conventional or weird we’re going by; they may well be right. Some people struggle to comprehend that a 58 year-old, never married, non-smoking, never used recreational drugs or drunk booze, gym-going, motorbike-riding Aussie bloke, who’s lived alone for 41 years, could somehow be functional, fulfilled and genuinely happy. Many times people have told me (a year or two down the track) that when they first met me, they thought I was weird, not because of anything I did or said (to them) but rather, because of how I live. This four-part (that’s not a typo) TYP instalment is the result of hundreds of questions I’ve received from people wanting to know more about behind the scenes me. I honestly don’t think it’s fascinating but according to Melissa, some of you will be interested. I open the door wide on a lot of things I’ve never spoken about to an audience. Thanks for supporting the show everyone. I appreciate you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Jason Sonners is the Clinic Director of NJ HBOT and HBOT USA and a Certified Hyperbaric Practitioner. He supports patients with a variety of autoimmune and neurological conditions, allergies, autism, cancer and many others. He combines Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, Nutrition, Exercise, Detoxification programs and much more to help naturally support patients and guide them through their health challenges. I learned a lot in this chat. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tim Reid is the founder and host of Australia’s most popular marketing podcast, The Small Business Big Marketing Show, author of The Boomerang Effect, accomplished corporate speaker, marketing guru and legit funny bugger. He and I had an almost-adversarial (but totally fun) conversation, which had very little to do with marketing. And while it sounds unreasonable to say, he may even be looser (not loser) than me. Among other things, he pointed out my propensity (capacity, tendency, inclination) to speak in lists (see what I did there). Enjoy Tim. I didn’t but you might (lol).  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Helen Street is one of Australia’s most highly respected educators. With a passion for educational reform and for challenging the status quo, she has become known as a powerful advocate for children’s rights as well as a pioneer in the support of learning engagement, motivation and wellbeing in schools. In 2009, Helen and Neil Porter founded the Positive Schools Initiative which advocates for educational reform to better support equity, motivation and wellbeing in young people. This chat was super-interesting, entertaining and broadly relevant and the good Doc is a delightful mix of cheekiness, down-to-earth-ness and inspiration. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeremy Meltzer is a socially and environmentally conscious entrepreneur and he is the Founder of i=Change (the world’s first cause-marketing platform and Australia’s fastest-growing social enterprise tech start-up). Through i=Change, Jeremy has created an amazing model where companies (lots of them), donate one dollar for every online sale (without marking up their products) and the best bit is, the customer gets to decide where (which charity or cause) that money will go. Among others things, we discussed empathy and kindness in business, career vs. purpose, our growing disconnection from both nature and other humans, an amazing bloke called Dr. Barry (great story), ethical condoms (ergo, the title), being on the telly with Martha Stewart, life-shaping moments (we all have them) and lots more. I really enjoyed meeting Jeremy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Denise is back and true to our historical form, this was a conversational fruit salad. We spoke about… how hugging can produce good and bad chemical responses, depending on the hugger and huggee (is that a word?), the role of pheromones in physical attraction, couples you think won’t last but do (and vice-versa), white coat hypertension (Denise and I both have it), caffeine and anxiety, why Denise wants her bloke Ryan to be more like her (hilarious), how human connection affects physical health, moving past mistakes, knowing vs. doing, cold therapy and lots more. Enjoy. drdenisefurness.com.auFacebook Group: Your Genes and Nutrition CommunitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Denise is back and true to our historical form, this was a conversational fruit salad. We spoke about… how hugging can produce good and bad chemical responses, depending on the hugger and huggee (is that a word?), the role of pheromones in physical attraction, couples you think won’t last but do (and vice-versa), white coat hypertension (Denise and I both have it), caffeine and anxiety, why Denise wants her bloke Ryan to be more like her (hilarious), how human connection affects physical health, moving past mistakes, knowing vs. doing, cold therapy and lots more. Enjoy. drdenisefurness.com.auFacebook Group: Your Genes and Nutrition CommunitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Darryl Lovegrove is a blend of corporate speaker, entertainer, storyteller, stage performer, musician and full-contact opera guy (it’ll make sense). He is one of Australia’s most in-demand speakers, headlining many Top 500 company conferences, including the famed ‘Million Dollar Round Table’ in the USA. Inspired by the world’s greatest opera singers The Three Tenors, Darryl and his business partner established the operatic corporate entertainment phenomenon ‘The Three Waiters’ which quickly became the most performed corporate entertainment act in the world, experienced by over three million people in 70 countries. Darryl was in the original Australian casts of ‘Les Miserables’, ‘Chess’ and featured with Sarah Brightman and Anthony Warlow in The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. He received critical acclaim for his portrayals of John Lennon in ‘Looking Through a Glass Onion’ and Jesus in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The collective noun for a group of rhinos is ‘crash’ (for real). You’re welcome. And zebras? A ‘dazzle’. And hippos? A ‘bloat’ (also real, also hilarious). And finally, tigers? A ‘streak’. Totes true. All of it. I learned all this and more talking with Ian Schubach. Some people are just really interesting to chat with and this bloke is one them. I try not to plan or research too much before I talk with a guest, partly because I’m lazy but mostly, because I want a genuine, unscripted and organic conversation, that just happens to be recorded. Chatting with the former African safari guide and adventurer was both fun and educational. I loved it and learned plenty. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Gillespie is annoyingly smart. Sometimes I think I’ve almost got him (with a question) when in fact, he’s got me. Nonetheless, I love our encounters and I enjoy his mind and vast knowledge. This time we discuss doing a speaking gig with an interpreter (which I did today), the idea of having nothing to worry about but worrying anyway, his definition of success (it is like none I’ve heard, of course), how trauma lives in our brain chemistry and ‘remembers’ even when our mind doesn’t, how we’re addicted to dopamine, how marketing companies and social media platforms are using brain science to sell us stuff, manipulate us and get us addicted. Other than that, it’s all good news (lol). Enjoy. davidgillespie.orgThe Little Albert ExperimentSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This chat starts well but gets progressively better. The last third of this conversation was touching, inspiring and emotional. I genuinely loved this episode. Ryan Campbell was born to fly, with a passion for aviation running deep in his family. At only six, on his first commercial flight, he knew what we wanted to do for the rest of his life. He could fly a plane before he could drive a car and at 15 Ryan became the youngest pilot in Australia, at 18 he had a commercial pilot’s licence and a little over a year after that he made international headlines. In June 2013, just 19 years old, Ryan set off from Wollongong in NSW in a bid to become the youngest pilot – and first teenager – in history to circumnavigate the world solo in a single engine aircraft. Seventy days later, on 8 September 2013, after stopping 34 times in 15 countries and covering more than 24,000 nautical miles, Ryan’s Teen World Flight became a reality. Just two years later, the young Australian’s world changed in an instant. While piloting a vintage biplane, Ryan suffered a mechanical failure that left him paralysed. Ryan’s story of how he has defied the odds to walk and fly again is truly inspirational. It’s a story of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and how determination and courage can drive success. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tiff and I sat down and did our best to simplify and answer the ‘how do I change stuff and keep it changed’ question. It’s kind-of a mini-workshop and I may have hogged the conversation (shocker, I know). We unpack a relatively simple (but effective) process for stepping out of the cycle of ‘almost’ getting stuff done. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some people will love this chat and some will be… “nah, Bro.. too weird, cosmic and spiro for me”.. and I get it. See you next ep. I guess the first twenty minutes (or so) are pretty ‘normal’ (by TYP standards) but after that, we do unpack a few curly questions like.. What is the mind? Where does it live? What does inexplicable (and sometimes, spontaneous) healing from (apparent) ‘incurable illnesses’ tell us about human potential and how much we don’t (actually) understand? Can wisdom, awareness and insight come from somewhere other than the mind? Can we know things that we’ve never been taught, told or trained to know? Is ‘spirituality’ real or is it a creation of the mind, that gives us a level of comfort? And what about the ‘soul’.. is that a thing, or is it just a feel-good concept created to fit a religious narrative? What is the role of faith? Is it okay to believe in the power and potential of something we don’t fully understand? And finally, can we tap into that ‘something’ to help us navigate life, even though we don’t really comprehend it? I’m not sure that we came to any life-changing conclusions or revelations in this chat but at the very least, we provided some food for thought. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nutritionist Matty Lansdown is back and this time we talk about meal frequency (is 6 smaller meals better than 3 bigger ones?), flawed science (BMI, RDI and other acronyms), calorie counting (good or bad?), lazy PT’s and lazy programming, being under-muscled, managing blood sugar, why walking is awesome, binaural beats (they’re a thing), hunger vs. craving and lots more. Enjoy. mattylansdown.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Jodi is back and this time we explore weird (like, totally weird) thoughts and where they come from, the good and bad of stress, conflict between our thoughts and values, suicidal ideation, dragging our past into the now, obligatory guilt, defining anxiety (are we all talking about the same thing?), positive and negative rituals, becoming the observer of our thoughts and lots more. Enjoy. drjodirichardson.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Lindstrom is one of the world’s foremost branding and business transformation experts. He's also the author of 8 New York Times best-selling books, translated into 47 languages, with sales well in excess of one million copies. This dude is super interesting and we went deep on everything from defining happiness, to neuro marketing (it’s a thing) to being given the responsibility of branding an entire country (changing their global image and the country will surprise you), to the relationship between famous brands (and logos) and people’s self-esteem (it’s probably not what you think), to why smoking warnings on packaging don’t work (at all), to the value of disrupting your life, to ethical marketing and lots more. I learned a lot in this chat. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our resident pharmacist Nima Alavi is back and this time we talk about the old days when heroine and cocaine were over-the-counter products (Sigmund Freud used and promoted cocaine as a tonic to cure depression and sexual impotence). We also talk broadly about compounding medicines, evidence-based medicine, fasting, smart drugs, alcohol and tolerance, my experience with Lyrica (a drug to treat nerve pain), opiates, why I’d be a one-beer drunk and lots more. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.