The You Project

In this episode Craig gets raw, real and vulnerable sharing insights, stories, lessons, triumphs and fuck-ups from his own journey. Lots of light bulb moments in this one.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Network Ten’s Jason Cunningham (and TYP’s unpaid money expert) is back to help us navigate the murky waters of generating, spending, saving, investing and maximising our hard-earned. This is a user-friendly conversation for people (like Craig) who are not ‘experts’ in this space.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Craig is a life-long learner. The eternal student. Not the best student, but a committed and enthusiastic one, nonetheless. In this conversation with Dr. Richard Huysmans, the boys discuss Craig’s impending PhD. journey and explore the numerous cognitive, emotional and practical benefits of stepping into a structured learning situation, be that a short course to become a barista, a certificate 3 in fitness, a basic book keeping qualification or a million other possibilities, through to something closer to the tertiary (University) end of the scale. Apart from the emotional benefits (self-esteem, confidence, joy, satisfaction), that come with learning, gaining a qualification and successfully navigating any kind of academic journey of any length, at any age, there’s also irrefutable evidence telling us that the longer we continue to consciously learn new things, the ‘stronger, fitter and healthier’ our brain will be into older age.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What’s the differences between being kind-of uncomfortable (but still capable of much more) and working to our absolute threshold? What’s actually possible when we push through the self-limiting thinking, the fear, the perceived barriers and our addiction to comfort? In this episode, Craig talks about the difference between ‘perception and reality’ when it comes to exploring our performance limits. *This brief episode (just over 20 minutes) has been taken from Craig’s Renovate Your Life audio program (available via his site).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apart from representing Australia at 3 Olympic games, being awarded an Order of Australia Medal, working in the media for decades, being on the board of Swimming Australia, raising three kids and running the AFLW, Nicole’s life is pretty dull. In this episode, Craig and Nicole explore everything from raising twin sixteen year-olds, being insecure, managing self-doubt, navigating social media and helicopter parenting, to being told you’re too fat (as a young athlete), being told you’re not ‘fresh enough’ (for an on-camera media role in your early 40’s), to running one of Australia’s fastest growing, high profile organisations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you an addict? After this fascinating conversation with Mick Hall, Craig thinks he might be. The lads explore the emotional, psychological, physiological, sociological and cultural issues around addiction and along the way, Mick shares some deeply personal stories about his darkest moments navigating the mayhem of crime, prison, addiction, fatherhood, recovery and redemption.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this freestyle coaching session, Craig goes off like a self-help frog in a sock and outlines the model he uses (personally) to turn his ideas, intentions and goals into practical real-world results. It’s like a ‘how-to guide’ for turning the theoretical into the practical and for creating lasting transformation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Team from Oncore Nutrition are back and in this episode, the girls talk with Craig about becoming more mindful, conscious and aware regarding our eating habits, rituals and social behaviours.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gary Wilson is a former member of the elite Special Operations (Anti-Terrorist Group) in the Victoria Police. He has been part of the bomb squad, the anti-terror unit, worked in witness and personal protection and been a bodyguard to people like Pope John Paul II, Charles and Diana, Claudia Schiffer and many other high profile people in dangerous situations around the world. This conversation is equally fascinating, entertaining and terrifying.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 18, Cameron Schwab was an office boy at Melbourne Football Club and six years later (at 24), he was the CEO of one of Australia’s most famous sporting teams; the Richmond Football Club. Cameron’s amazing journey saw him at the helm of three AFL clubs (Richmond, Melbourne and Fremantle) for a total of 25 years and in this enthralling conversation, he and Craig explore everything from leadership, experiential learning, emotional intelligence, identity and winning, to purpose, self-management, happiness and the importance of family.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is failure? Is it a number? A certain metric? A particular result? Is it the same for everyone or is it different things for different people, depending on their beliefs, thinking, standards, goals and programming? Is it an idea? A label? Is it a story we tell ourselves about certain outcomes? Is it a literal ‘thing’ (like a brick, chair, hat or tree) or is it more of an individual mental construct? Perhaps it’s a meaningful reaction to an otherwise meaningless event. Could the same result (a ‘B’ on an exam, for example) equal success for one person and failure for another? Perhaps failure is a self-created experience. So many good questions! In this episode, Craig puts on his story-teller cardigan and explores the personal nature of failure through some of his own experiences. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you're like Craig, then you and food have had an interesting relationship over the years. In this episode, he explores the emotional, irrational, self-destructive, self-sabotaging and let's be honest, stupid shit we do around food. Oh, and he also shares some ideas and strategies on how to create a healthier and more sustainable model for eating.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you ever feel like you’re busily achieving not much at all? Lots of action but very little traction? Lots of effort and energy for very little return? Welcome to the club. In this episode, Craig explores seven ‘efficiency’ questions and also shares some of his personal experiences and stories about creating a better ROI (return on investment) in his own life. If your productivity and efficiency need to improve, this is worth a listen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to Doctor Kal Fried, we’re getting it wrong. Well, a lot of it. Pain, that is. Kal is a Sports Physician who tells a different story about the way pain should be managed, treated and understood. He believes that much of the current thinking, practice and treatment is flawed and at times, dangerous. This is an enlightening conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Craig recently caught up with Tommy and Josh from the Daily Talk Show in front of a live audience at his Melbourne HQ. The conversation might have gotten a little unruly and loose. Maybe don’t have the kids in the car for this episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of TYP, Craig chats with Dr. Richard Huysmans about all things learning, upskilling, research, business development, career change, academia and the trauma of Craig’s first semester of University (at 36). The lads explore everything from getting back into study (as an adult) and navigating the terror and confusion of becoming a student (again), through to the many levels of learning from the ‘Google Classroom’ all the way up to gaining a PhD in something you’re passionate about. So inspired was Craig, that (with Richard’s guidance) he’s thinking about tackling a PhD in Philosophy (his passion), using his work as the basis for his thesis and area of research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Craig intended to explore the remaining Ten questions from his new book. He didn’t do it. Mainly because he’s super chatty and has no idea of brevity. After some side-tracking and detouring, he manages to navigate his way through four of them: (1) micro and macro reality (2) the slippery-ness of success (3) people-pleasing and (4) listening to our body. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Craig delivers a ‘virtual workshop’ (with some help from Melissa) around some of the key themes, ideas, messages and of course, questions, in his latest book.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is more of a Podcast-ette. Towards the end of a podcast a few weeks ago, I soap-boxed the f**k out of everyone with a ten-minute impromptu, evangelical monologue about stepping into your power, potential and possibilities. Well, it seemed to resonate with more than a few people, including Jo Quested (a follower), who shared that she made her husband and three sons listen to my pep-talk over dinner last night. Sorry lads. Anyway, I’ve decided to publish it as a stand-alone recording, in the hope that someone who needs to hear it, will. Love you to share it. Thanks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AFL Legend and all-round good bloke, Nathan Burke, is back to talk Leadership, High Performance, Mental Toughness, Emotional Intelligence, Effective Coaching and the evolution of AFLW.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TV presenter, breakfast radio host, singer, performer, world’s best Kylie Minogue impersonator (as voted by the real Kylie), mum and self-proclaimed over-thinker… and in the middle of it all, Lucy Holmes is trying to live her values, make a few bucks, be a great human and stay sane. Sometimes, she pulls it off.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a fascinating chat about the dichotomy of a high profile person’s internal and external realities; the internal sh*t-fest in the middle of an external success story. The boys cover everything from Danny's coaching and playing days, to his media work, the Essendon drug scandal (when he was CEO of the AFL Coaches Association), spud farming, bullying, his nervous breakdown, eighteen months of severe depression and darkness and his subsequent journey into self-awareness, slowing down, healing and happiness.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Episode, Craig steps into Exercise Scientist, Conditioning Coach and Personal Trainer mode and talks all things fitness, exercise, function, frustration, program design, biofeedback, time-wasting, fitness scammers, training gizmos and gadgets, fitness testing, exercise diaries, progressive overload, body-fat vs. body composition, what ‘fitness’ actually is, mindset in training, perceived threshold vs. actual threshold, machines vs. free weights vs. bodyweight, chronological vs. biological age, how bodies adapt, intensity guidelines, training with injuries, obsession vs. discipline, why people fail (and how not to) and how to find a great PT.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This time on TYP, TV Presenter, Journalist and trainee Podcaster, Brad McEwan, swaps places with Craig, with Brad hosting and Craig occupying the guest chair. For the first half of the show, the boys discuss the value of story-telling as a tool for teaching, coaching, creating connection and sharing important messages. Along the way, the conversation turns to mental and emotional health, with the last half hour (or so) of the show being absolutely fascinating. In it, both Brad and Melissa (who produces the podcast) reveal their life-long challenges with severe OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and how they both still manage and navigate life with, what can be, a debilitating mental health issue. Curiously, Brad and Melissa only learned about each other’s (almost identical) condition during the recording of the Podcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bacon will kill you. Well, kind of. Maybe. This podcast was a sad moment for Craig the bacon lover, who discovered that one of his favourite meats could kill him! As could ham, salami and many other processed meats, which are all classified as Class 1 carcinogens (bad!) by the World Health Organisation. Good grief. Apart from this depressing news, Elise and Lauren from Oncore Nutrition also educate Craig about optimal pooing strategies, paleo, intermittent fasting, good and bad fats, glycemic index vs. glycemic load, good and bad calories (nutritional value), which bread to buy, alcohol and on a more serious note, eating to prevent cancer.Note: the food discussion can be a Pandora’s box of theories, bro-science, emotion, interpretation and of course, legitimate science, research and evidence. Keep in mind that this episode is a conversation in a studio and in no way, a prescription or personal recommendation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Haters, Saboteurs, Self Doubt and Wasted Potential. What started out as a simple Q and A, turned into a high intensity inspiration session as Craig whipped himself into a coaching frenzy! If you're after a self-help cuddle, don't listen to this. If you're sick and tired of fucking around, tune in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let me say up front that this conversation is way more fun than it sounds! A week or so back, I was on a new podcast called ‘The Mental Health Project’ with a bloke called Tristan Simmons and I’ve decided to share our chat here because I think there’s value in it for my audience. I knock back most Podcast offers (for time reasons) but knew a little about Tristan, so wanted to support his foray into the space. He has a history of mental health challenges and this Podcast is part of his own healing and a way of connecting with others dealing with similar issues. I loved this chat. BTW, if you enjoy ‘The You Project’ please tell your friends. And if you haven’t subscribed yet, hurry up!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 15, Jack Nagle was a six foot six elite athlete, from a loving middle-class family being groomed for professional sport. A few years later, he was a 62 kilogram self-destructive, psychotic, skeletal ice addict stealing from anyone and everyone to feed his habit. At 28, he’s been clean for seven years and in this episode of The You Project, Craig and Jack explore some of his fascinating experiences, stories and insights. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Champion netballer, business woman, speaker, author, recent competitor on ‘The Block’ and now host of Channels Nine’s ‘Women’s Footy’ show, Bianca Chatfield is back discussing all things performance, purpose, passion, persistence and a few things that don’t start with ‘P’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The You Project, Craig chats with one of the world's best Bodybuilders, the freaky Josh Lenartowicz about all things bodybuilding, competition, mindset and life. It was a fun chat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on The You Project, Craig speaks with former golf pro and current radio host Mark Allen about failure, success, sport, mindset, competition, maximising talent and life. Fair to say, there weren’t many gaps in the conversation because they’re both a little…chatty.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Craig recently caught up with the boys from the Daily Talk Show (Josh and Tommy) on their Podcast and as always, it was a verbal fruit salad of everything from psyllium husk protocol, to how ‘Whiteboard Lessons’ became a thing, to hobbies and side hustles, to his new book, to his take on social media, to the meaning of life… and as always, they had fun. Obviously, this is a ‘shared’ podcast (thanks lads).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Episode, Craig chat’s with young entrepreneurs Brad and Carly Cunningham from The Fit Shop, who at the ripe of old age of twenty-something, have seen more, done more and learned more than many people twice their age. Three kids, one marriage, multiple businesses (good and bad), breakdowns and breakthroughs, a failed partnership, eviction notices and a myriad of lessons in business, brand, customer service, judgement, timing, awareness, failure, success and of course, life. It was an interesting conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For nearly twenty years, Craig saw Brad McEwan most days. On his lounge room wall. Specifically, the television on his lounge room wall. Informing him about the goings-on in the world of sport. As one of Australia’s most laconic, likeable and listenable journalists and presenters, Brad has been a fixture of Australia’s sporting media landscape. Which makes his decision to walk away from it all (while still a ‘required’ employee) to explore something totally different, a very interesting conversation. At forty-seven years young, he’s exploring his purpose, passion and path and is totally committed to helping others do the same. The boys had a great chat about all things personal growth, happiness, passion, health and life. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week Craig chats with extreme human Matt Daniels, who explores his physical and mental outer limits by doing crazy shit like running 55 marathons in 55 days and 535 half-marathons in 535 days.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an interesting (and fun) one. Craig went deep, exploring (1) what it means to ‘live our values’ (2) his thoughts on intimate relationships (good grief) (3) starting a speaking career (4) when to ‘unfriend’ in the real world (5) managing our mind (6) creating habits (7) fear of injury (in training) and lots more….See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Managing You: Looking for Process, Meaning, Purpose, Alignment and Happiness. This episode is a little different. Over the last month I’ve been recording an audio program (which will go on sale soon). This episode is a section of the program that I won’t be using because there’s too much overlap (repetition) with some other sections. This is the raw audio without the polished editing, so you’ll hear some occasional breathing, sniffles, pauses and other normal human stuff. Nonetheless, I think you’ll find it valuable. Perhaps listen to it with a pen and paper as I ask some questions. Enjoy, Craig.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Episode is about turning and idea into a thing. An intention into an action. It’s about exploring talent and potential. Developing skill. Creating opportunities. Navigating professional relationships. It’s about vision, passion and energy. It’s about two young creatives building a business, brand and team. It’s about Josh and Tommy who have hilariously and ironically called their small media company, Big Media Company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this Episode of The You Project, fellow Podcaster Hayden Wilson interviews Craig about his personal journey from fat, insecure, over-thinking fourteen year-old to mildly-successful, lean, insecure, over-thinking fifty-five year old.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Josh and Tommy from TDTS are back chatting to me (for their podcast) and seeing as (1) I’m super lazy and (2) we had a great chat, I thought we’d Podcast-share (it’s a thing). In this Ep. we talk about everything from building a business and brand, to purpose and passion, to Elon Musk and other socially awkward people, to the future of blogs and podcasts, to the development of my cult and the day fourteen people showed up to one of my events with cheesecakes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

So Australia’s No.1 Pro Bodybuilder and Gentle Giant is back to talk all things mind, body and life. Joining us in the studio was Josh’s physiology, biochemistry and nutrition guy, Daniel Veneziano. We had a great chat.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is not a ‘place’ I go too often these days but after thirty-five years of working with thousands of bodies (and the beautiful but complicated creatures who inhabit those bodies), I have a few thoughts on the multi-layered process of creating lasting physical transformation (the common goal). In this episode, I begin the conversation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My intention with this Podcast was to share from my last book and freestyle around it a little. I say, intention. What actually happened, once the mic was on, was that I broke into a spontaneous coaching session covering everything from motivation, mindset, decision-making and the messy-ness of life to the inevitability of discomfort, doing the work, why knowledge is not the answer and my personal hatred of stretching. If you’re in need of a gentle kick, I think you’ll enjoy this.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I was recently interviewed on the Australian Fitness Podcast with Russell Jarrett and we had a fun chat around all things health, fitness, mindset and success, so I’ve decided to share it through The You Project platform. And BTW, yes I’ve been a slack Podcaster and yes, I’ll be back with a new episode every week from now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the You Project, Craig answers listener questions, covering everything from kids lifting weights (yes or no), helping someone ‘find their way’, getting ‘in the zone’, advice he would give 15 year-old him, who he’d love to interview, his greatest achievement, dealing with an overwhelming task, the limited value of willpower, his top 3 health non-negotiables and lots more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Media personality, elite athlete, Australian representative and now 'Block' competitor, Bianca Chatfield and Craig go deep on all things happiness, purpose, life, professional sport and of course, the behind-the-scenes goss on the this year's instalment of the Block.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Craig chats with ‘The Bachelor’, Sam Wood about building a business and brand, his time working with Craig (at Harper’s), making and losing money, fatherhood, finding love on national TV and the behind the scenes lunacy of a reality show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back by popular demand, Mick Hall. This week on The You Project, one of our most popular guests returns. Alcoholism. Drug addiction. Prison. Father at 17. Violence. Loneliness. Depression. Psychiatric hospitals. Recovery. Hope. Radio host. Business owner. Brand builder. Functional human. It’s been a crazy ride. In this episode, we continue our fascinating conversation from episode 3.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Ep. of TYP, Craig gets educated, inspired and mildly confused with Professor Sharon Ricardo (Regenerative Medicine, Monash University), who’s clearly smarter than him. No surprise there. They cover everything from strength training, optimal nutrition and mindset to anti-aging, genetic manipulation, stem cell therapies and growing replacement organs in dishes. Like actual organs! Kidneys, brains… ‘n stuff. Weird.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the this episode of TYP Craig goes deep with Australia’s best Pro Bodybuilder, humble giant and all-round nice human, Josh Lenartowicz. They cover everything from body dysmorphia, competing in the Mr. Olympia, insecurity, self-doubt and being a giant freak on the streets of Japan (scaring children) to training in a prison gym for three years, building a personal brand, Josh’s off-season basketball head, his love-hate relationship with the Stairmaster and his aspirations to win the Mr. O.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.