The High Performance Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Will Ahmed (Whoop founder) on building a multi-billion dollar business - Handpicked Mar 01, 2024

Show notes

In this episode, Jake handpicks one of his favourite episodes with Whoop Founder and CEO, Will Ahmed.

Jake and Damian reflect on the key lessons from Will’s episode, including how to manage having multiple big goals and the challenges of building a 3.6 billion dollar business. They also discuss how to overcome the challenge of doing the right thing during overwhelming moments and taking a moment for yourself to recharge, even when it’s difficult. Having built multiple businesses, Jake reflects on the advice given by Will and what aspects he applies to his business decisions moving forward.

Listen to the full episode with Will here: https://pod.fo/e/f256a

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessica Ennis-Hill: Don't let anyone push you around (E242) Feb 26, 2024

Show notes

Reflecting on her career, Jessica Ennis-Hill offers a glimpse into the life of an Olympian, inspiring listeners to pursue their dreams by building mental strength and resilience whilst keeping a steadfast focus on what truly matters.

Olympic legend Jessica Ennis-Hill delves into the highs and lows of her illustrious career. Jessica is a retired track and field athlete, specialising in the heptathlon and 100 metres hurdles. As a competitor in heptathlon, she is the 2012 Olympic champion, a three-time world champion, and the 2010 European champion.

In this episode, Jess opens up about what it was like being the ‘face’ of the 2012 Olympic Games and how she dealt with the immense pressure that brought; highlighting the crucial role of sports psychology to help athletes block out distractions.

With her degree in psychology, Jessica reflects on how her understanding of the human psyche has transformed her approach to training and communication. She acknowledges the invaluable support of her team and loved ones, emphasising the significance of their consistency in her path to success. They also discuss the importance of laughter and finding humour during tough moments.

Jessica discusses how her career changed after the birth of her son in 2014, and going on to become World Champion soon after. She shares her advice for young athletes and why happiness will always be her top priority. From overcoming career-threatening injuries to embracing the joys of motherhood, Jessica's journey is one of resilience, determination, and continued passion.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Finding reasons to live with Lindsey Burrow - Handpicked Feb 23, 2024

Show notes

Damian shares one of his favourite episodes, an honest conversation about life and death with Lindsey Burrow.

Lindsey is the wife of former professional rugby player Rob Burrow. In 2019, Rob was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. Lindsey cares for Rob full time, whilst looking after their children and working as a physiotherapist for the NHS.

This was a very powerful episode and many of the lessons Lindsey shared have stayed with Damian since. He goes through these lessons with Jake, detailing how her outlook has inspired and transformed how he takes on life challenges.

Listen to the full episode with Lindsey here: https://pod.fo/e/149343

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why optimism can be your secret superpower with Sahil Bloom (E241) Feb 19, 2024

Show notes

This episode explores the foundational principles that have guided Sahil’s journey towards personal growth and meaningful relationships.

Sahil Bloom is an investor, entrepreneur and writer, known for his newsletter The Curiosity Chronicle. In this episode, Sahil discusses with Jake why prioritising important relationships over career-driven success has been a crucial and formative decision. Sahil expresses his belief that the beauty of relationships can be found in the struggle, through overcoming hardships with a partner, you can find a new, more deepened strength.

He shares his method to achieving personal goals, how to analyse whether you’re going in the right direction and the important of patience. They debate the concept of luck, and the difference between acts of God and luck that can be influenced by our actions and awareness. Sahil shares an innovative approach to goal-setting, by introducing the ABC method as a framework for managing expectations and driving progress. A represents the aspirational, B the baseline and C the critical must-do level.

This episode is a reminder that true success lies not in financial, or career, gain but in the immeasurable value we bring to our relationships and communities.

During the conversation, Sahil refers to an op-ed written by a man who'd lost his son to a rare form of epilepsy, you can find that here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/its-later-than-you-think-j-r-storment/

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crisis Management with Damian Feb 16, 2024

Show notes

Inspired by the ITV show Mr Bates vs the Post Office, Damian reflects on the correct way to handle a crisis.

Detailing a study by Kim and Lee on the Johnson & Johnson Tylenol crisis, Damian explores the lessons we can learn from their response to disaster and how we can utilise them in our everyday lives.

These approaches include:

* Swift and decisive action

* Communicating transparently

* Cooperating with others

* Reapplying learnings

* Emphasising the rebuilding of trust

* Learning from the experience

This episode offers a new insight into how we can respond to crisis in a more effective way.

Download the High Performance app and join Plus to access the rest of the 'Thoughts from Damian' series.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Petr Čech: Record breaking goalkeeper on how to keep coming back stronger (E240) Feb 12, 2024

Show notes

Petr Čech is a former professional footballer, regarded as one of the greatest Premier League goalkeepers of all time. During his 20-year career he played for Arsenal, Chelsea and for the Czech Republic national team. This episode is a deep dive into Petr’s illustrious career and the drive behind his unwavering consistency.

Jake, Damian and Petr discuss the concept of commitment and how daily improvement and learning are essential components of his routine. He reveals the steps he takes to ensure consistent peak performance, whilst highlighting that performance should not be solely measured by outcomes.

They explore Petr’s early days at Chelsea and his unique perspective on working with legendary manager Jose Mourinho. Petr provides insight into the intense training culture Mourinho instilled, making training emulate game days through rigorous repetition. Reflecting on the importance of fostering an honest culture within a team, Petr shares how this allows individuals to openly share their struggles. He also opens up about the near-fatal incident on the football pitch, recounting the moment he realised something was wrong.

Petr delves into his experience navigating managerial changes at Chelsea and how he successfully dealt with change. He reflects on his relationship with Arsène Wenger and the profound impact it had on his career. This episode explores resilience, commitment, and triumphing over challenges.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why living Alcohol-Free unlocks High Performance, with Ruari Fairbairns (One Year No Beer) (E239) Feb 09, 2024

Show notes

Ruari Fairbairns is the founder of One Year No Beer, an initiative that provides challenges, coaching programmes, courses and support to anyone who's looking to change their relationship with alcohol. OYNB uses cutting-edge behaviour change science, a robust technology platform and has a highly engaged community. In this episode, Ruari shares the personal experiences that led him to question his relationship with alcohol and how reducing alcohol intake has changed his life.

They discuss the ways in which alcohol negatively impacts our lives and why we should all try to cut down on our consumption. Ruari breaks down and explains the myths behind alcohol like “red wine is good for you” and “a beer at the end of the day will help you relax”. With a wealth of insights, he discusses the pervasive effects of peer pressure and what we can all do to prevent it.

Ruari explores the impact of Covid-19 on alcohol consumption, revealing a staggering 20% increase in the United States. The conversation touches on the psychological and tribal aspects of alcohol consumption, and Ruari explores alternative tools we can utilise to manage stress effectively. Ruari offers practical insights on preventing alcohol abuse to ensure individuals never reach a breaking point.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Heavyweight boxer, Francis Ngannou: How I took responsibility for my own destiny (E238) Feb 05, 2024

Show notes

Sharing his extraordinary life journey, Francis Ngannou delves into the layers of dedication, discipline and motivation it took to achieve his dreams.

A formidable force in both mixed martial arts and boxing, in 2021 Francis Ngannou became the UFC Heavyweight Champion. In this episode, Francis reflects on his childhood in Cameroon marked by financial instability, his parents’ divorce, and feeling like a “black sheep” in his community.

Francis shares how he was different from his peers at a young age, and how having his own vision of the world made his upbringing even tougher. He opens up about how creating an imaginary family provided the best coping mechanism to the loneliness he experienced as a child, and how this difficult upbringing provides constant strength.

At the age of 9, Francis began working in a sand-mine, before migrating from Cameroon to Paris at age 22 to begin his MMA and boxing career. Francis delves into what fuelled his drive and determination throughout those difficult but transformative years. He discusses how his life transformed after moving to Paris, allowing him to finally pursue his dreams.

Francis also reflects on losing his fight with Tyson Fury to a split decision, and how he sees it as a win. As he prepares for his upcoming fight with Anthony Joshua, Francis lifts the lid on his motivations and determination to win.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to have a High Performance Holiday Jan 31, 2024

Show notes

Rest and relaxation is a key component of achieving high performance, but it often sits at the bottom of our priority list. In this episode, sponsored by British Airways, Jake and Damian explore the benefits of making time for holidays, how to recognise when you need a break and the key lessons they’ve learnt from taking time away.

Looking back at advice from previous guests, Jake and Damian discuss how we can prioritise rest. Joe Wicks shares how he utilises mini retirements to ensure he gets quality time with his family, and Peter Attia offers his technique to not over-working and much more.

Nearly 50% of employed adults don’t use their entitled annual leave; ensure you’re making time for yourself this year and book some time away to rest and re-engergise.

Special thanks to British Airways Holidays for partnering with us on this bonus episode, they are encouraging everyone to prioritise their well-being by taking their holidays seriously. Search Ba.com/holidays for more.

Previous episodes mentioned:

Joe Wicks: https://pod.fo/e/11450c

Peter Attia: https://pod.fo/e/1e7be5

Alex Scott: https://pod.fo/e/14421c

Shane Parrish: https://pod.fo/e/1ff000

Holly Tucker: https://pod.fo/e/1943f

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Walking away from Mercedes to risk everything for Williams, with F1 Boss James Vowles (E237) Jan 29, 2024

Show notes

Percival x High Performance Range - https://www.percivalclo.com/collections/percival-x-high-performance

This episode offers a rare glimpse into the mind of a Formula 1 leader on building culture, pushing boundaries and cultivating discipline.

James Vowles is the Team Principal of Williams Racing, joining the team in January 2022 after leaving his position as Motorsport Strategy Director at Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team. James’ motorsport career has spanned over two decades and began with him writing letters to F1 teams whilst at university, offering his skills for free.

In this episode, James explores the core elements that distinguish a championship-winning team, with people and culture being paramount. He delves into the challenges faced during his career, including dealing with significant job losses, and why it’s crucial for him to earn his place within the team.

Offering a unique perspective into the F1 world, James details his experience managing the egos and expectations of generational talents including Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher. James also reveals his reason for leaving Mercedes at the top of their game to join Williams as Team Principal, sharing the difficulties of that transition and how he overcame them.

Achieving such consistent success demanded sacrifices; James reflects on how this has strained his relationships throughout his career, and whether he would make the same sacrifices if given the chance to do it all over again.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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