A Bit Of A Boost (George Anderson)

When you think about resilience, mindset or mental toughness it's important not to see them as fixed qualities but rather attributes that you can develop - or cultivate.

In this episode I explore this simple idea and look at the many ways we have to do just that, through deliberate day to day actions that we are in control of and then reframing situations where we perhaps feel less in control.

I believe that there's practical application of this idea for all of us so as you listen think about how you could apply it to your own life.

A lot of conversations with clients and audiences recently have been about consistency.

Starting a new habit is one thing, sustaining it takes a whole other set of strategies.

This episode gives a few insights about how to achieve this, and find a level of consistency that keeps you on track for continual progress.

- Why small actions can make a big difference

- The anatomy of a habit and what that's important for consistency

- How to avoid being Derailed by slip ups

- Creating habits that serve rather than enslave you

- Why it is essential to acknowledge the wins along the way

If consistency is one of your priorities for this year then this episode may be just what you need for a bit of a boost!

If you drop your toast on the floor and it lands jam side down, do you automatically assume that this is how the rest of day is going to go?

Are you a glass half full or glass half empty kind of person?

Today’s we're getting into the topic of optimism. What is it, why it is helpful, and how can we build a more optimistic mindset?

In this episode I explain the '3 dimensions of optimism', and how a pessimistic or optimist mindset might view positive or negative events

If I look back at my life it’s been relatively straight forward. There was a bit of a course correction after I graduated with an engineering masters and moved into personal training, but from there on it’s more or less been a series of variations on the theme of wellbeing.

I’m always fascinated by people who have lived a more unconventional life and finding out what makes them tick and I was delighted to be joined on the podcast by the ex-Scritti Politti drummer, Rockstar Activator Tom Morley.

I met Tom at an event a few years ago and am a big fan of his work. His stories reel you in and give you snippets of a life spent crossing paths with cultural icons.  We talk in this episode about creativity, tribes and story telling rhythm, identity and human connection, and how it all relates to our wellbeing and sense of place.

I asked him to send me a bio to make sure that I got everything right and he replied with this:  

“Tom Morley has just sent me this. He says, "I don't want people to follow me, or pass my details on to anyone, or think of me in any way that's business related. My whole way of being is serenading serendipity, chanting to chance and drumming up a storm for social justice.

All else is confetti in the wind. I've talked with the social media gurus and I wish them well. 

During the pandemic the world moved to a different paradigm. You either feel it or you don't. I'm not out to teach anyone anything. I'm just saying, "OK, here we are on this day. Let's see what we can do together. Given the skills we have and the time we've got let's create something.

That's it."

This is what we created last Thursday, I hope it gives you a bit of a boost!

You can follow Tom on social media and his website:

https://tommorley.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tommorleyrockstar

Have you ever fallen off the wagon and told yourself you’ll start again on Monday? 

Or started a new exercise habit and said ‘this time I’ll make it stick’… only to find yourself getting home from work the next night exhausted and stressed and opting for a night on the couch instead of going to the gym?

We all have our own narratives that have the potential to derail us and my guest today is somebody who’s unpacked her fair share of them, both personally and with her coaching clients.

Sonia Jhas is a mindset coach, speaker, and author of the book, “I’ll start again tomorrow (and other lies I’ve told myself)”. I’m fascinated by the power our inner voice has to either encourage us towards our goals and growth or hold us back and Sonia’s approach to understanding and gently changing this narrative is refreshing and honest.

We talk about how to identify limiting beliefs, (which can be a challenge when we… well, believe them!), then how to start chipping away at changing them.

Sonia shares her alternative approach to practicing gratitude, and how to balance holding ourselves to account with enough self-compassion that we don’t feel crushed or inadequate when we miss the mark.

There’s a ton of useful insights and techniques you can take away from this conversation and Sonia has really made a name for herself with not just her content but also her personality, energy and ability to connect with her audiences so I know that this episode is going to give you a bit of a boost!

Connect with Sonia here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soniajhas

Website: https://soniajhas.com

I’m keeping it in the family for today’s episode, as I’m joined by Kenneth Keavey, my brother-in-law and founder of Ireland's largest organic box delivery scheme Greenearthorganics.ie. We talk about repairing our relationship with food, understanding where it comes from, the benefits of keeping it local and what lead to the breakdown of the supermarket supply chain 12 months ago.

My first guest of 2022 was also my first guest of 2021, and I’m thinking maybe this will become a thing as long as he’s happy to keep coming back on!

James Stott, AKA the Magic Marine joined us last time to talk about motivation, and he returns today with to talk about adventure, magic, myths and motorcycles. We also talk about taking ideas we read about in books and applying them to our own lives. 

James is an ex-Royal Marine turned professional close up magician and if you want to see some of his skills in practice make sure you take a look at his Instagram account:

https://www.instagram.com/themagicmarine

Who doesn't love a great big long list of things! Sitting down at the end of 2020 I wrote this list of some of the lessons, habits, and revelations that I took from the year and this is the list that I'm sharing with you today.

2020 was a challenging year for most of us but I was determined to draw out some positive lessons from it, and in the process of making this list I felt a tremendous rebalancing boost.

From the nutrition and exercise that's been working for me, to mindset and more practical techniques that have become established parts of my life, I'm sure there'll be something in here for everybody!

Do you ever feel like you’re stuck and unable to find a way forwards? Do you procrastinate, self-sabotage or hold yourself back some other way?

If so then you are in the right place as my guest on today’s episode has over 25 years of experience helping people with overcoming precisely these challenges.

Moira Geary is known as the Recombobulator. She spoke at Momentum last month and her presentation on the subconscious mind, fear and positivity was a huge hit so I invited her on the show to dive a little deeper into some of these topics.

With a background in nursing, Moira has been in the personal development space for over 25 years and among many other qualifications holds a Master Practitioner in NLP and a masters in psychotherapy.

In today’s episode we chat about where fear comes from, the different ways it shows up and what we can do to create a better understanding and response to it.

Moira shares a number of simple tools and techniques that can help us deal with overwhelm and stuckness, as well as some powerful reframing methods that allow us to work with some of the more negative emotions such as fear, anxiety and worry.

Moira’s no-cost Positivity Project is worth checking out if you want to find out more about her work and discover more of her tried and tested strategies.

https://www.moirageary.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/moirageary

https://www.facebook.com/recombobulator

If you're a fan of A Bit Of A Boost you've probably read your fair share of personal development books, listened to other podcasts or watched inspirational and uplifting videos.

But how much of it do you put into practice when the right moment arises?

Personal development is less about the accumulation of knowledge and more about the implementation of new approaches.

To do that we need to be able to quickly access these tools, and my guest today is somebody who helps with exactly that.

Hannah Wilson is an illustrator and creator of Quoted Visually, and produces the most amazing, powerful illustrations that condense big ideas into simple and memorable takeaways.

She's amassed over 100k followers on Instagram and her work is regularly reshared by the likes of Dragon's Den star and host of the Diary Of A CEO podcast Steven Bartlett.

We talk about the kinds of the ideas Hannah shares, what draws her to them, and how it was her dyslexia that motivated her to start illustrating in the first place as a way to help her recall information for exams.

Some really interesting insights in this conversation and I highly recommend giving Hannah a follow to beef up your own toolkit for life.

Hannah's website - https://www.quotedvisually.co.uk

Instagram  - https://www.instagram.com/quotedvisually

Twitter - https://twitter.com/quotedvisually

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/quotedvisually

NSDR, or Non-Sleep Deep Rest, is a relaxation technique where you bring your mind and body into a state of deep relaxation, somewhere between being awake and asleep.

NSDR is a term coined by Dr Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology and opthamology at Stanford University and it's similar to a form of yoga called Yoga Nidra.

It brings numerous benefits that I’ve been enjoying recently and I want to share it with you today.

NSDR is a powerful stress-buster as it activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which is the opposite to your fight and flight stress response. Any time you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed out and you need to take a moment to reset yourself, this tool can be great way to accomplish that.

NSDR can also help clear your mind, opening you up to fresh ideas or inspiration. I sometimes do this in the mornings immediately before a bout of journaling, and always find that I can think much more clearly and have more ‘ah ha’ moments.

It also helps to embed new information as a part of the learning process, and this is another areas that I have found it to be particularly valuable.

If you struggle to get to sleep or fall back to sleep once you wake in the night, it can be a great help with this. Even though it’s called ‘Non-Sleep Deep Rest’, it will move you away from ruminating and dwelling on worries, and towards a state of relaxation that will help you get back to sleep again.

As you work through the 10 minute NSDR that I’m going to share with you today your brainwaves will slow down similar to how they would in a state of deep sleep, yet you remain conscious throughout. In fact I encourage you to set your intention to stay awake right at the start.

But that said, this is definitely not a podcast episode to listen to if you are driving, operating heavy machinery, or in water. You want to find yourself a quiet space where you won’t be disturbed for at least 10 minutes.

References:

Huberman Lab podcast: https://hubermanlab.com

We all know people who are the absolute masters of their craft, whether that’s as an artist, in sports or in their job.

We look at people who make it look so effortless and ask the question ‘how on earth do they do that!’, yet often when we have mastery of an aspect in our lives we dismiss it or don’t even notice it as being anything exceptional.

Parenting, in our relationships, in our own approach to exercise or perhaps an aspect of our own jobs, there are likely to be areas that we have achieved a level beyond ‘consciously competent’.

My guest on today’s episode is William Buist and he talks about intentional mastery and the stages that go before it. The area that he specialises in is small business mentoring, but the concepts and strategies that he offers are translatable to almost every other aspect of our lives.

William and I have worked together in the past and I recently read his new book by the same name - Intentional Mastery - and I was intrigued to see an entire chapter devoted to the importance of ‘Self’, where he discusses emotional wellbeing, physical wellbeing and mental resilience.

William also has his own inspirational story of making changes in his life to reflect the need to take better care of his health and energy, and I ask him about how he started on his journey towards losing 2 stone and keeping it off.

If you’ve ever yo-yo’ed with your weight loss in the past I think you’ll find this particular section of interest.

You can find out more about William's work (and the book) through his website or LinkedIn:

https://www.williambuist.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/wbuist

I'm joinined this week by mindfulness coach and ex-RAF helicopter pilot Sarah Furness to share her insights into mindfulness.

It's a topic that can divide opinions, but Sarah's approach to practicing and using it is highly practical and no-nonsense.

Today we talk about what mindfulness is and isn't, and situations in every day life where it can be helpful to have more presence and awareness.

Sarah has been on the podcast previously about a year and a half ago and talking about resilience and control and much of her work as a coach and speaker is now centred on the topic of mindfulness.

I recently read her first book 'Fly Higher - train your mind to feel as strong as you think' which among other things details a number of different approaches, some of which we get into talking about today.

The book is available on Amazon and Sarah's website:

https://sarahfurness.com

Also make sure you connect with Sarah on LinkedIn where she regularly shares insights and reflections that make you stop and think!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-furness-7173a538

When it comes to physical wellbeing, one of the most important habits we can try to create is around getting a good night’s sleep.

We all know that this is important, and I’m sure we’ve all experienced the fall out of a bad night’s sleep, but it’s easier said than done.

My guest today is sleep expert and author of ‘Navigating Sleeplessness’, Dr. Lindsay Browning. We talk about how to improve the quality as well as quantity of your sleep, the different stages of sleep and some of the common myths.

How Covid has affected our sleep patterns, caffeine, shift work, getting up in the night for the loo…

It’s a packed session and if you do ever have trouble sleeping - that’ll be nearly all of us then! - then definitely make sure you have a pen and paper to hand as you listen.

You can find Lindsay on her website and social media at the following links:

https://troublesleeping.co.uk

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08SMSPGX5/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/drbrowning

https://twitter.com/DrBrowningSleep

https://www.facebook.com/DrBrowningSleep

https://www.instagram.com/drbrowningsleep

Following a bit of a break from the podcast over the last few weeks I have a new series of interviews and solo episodes lined up.

But first though I thought I'd start with a topic that's always top of my mind around this time of year (September - though it's relevant whenever you're listening to it!): resetting your 'environments'.

We have several environments that I touch on in this episode; notably the internal and external ones.

Every year as a personal trainer I saw a significant increase in enquiries in September as the chaos of summer gives way to a more structured and predictable few months to the end of the year.

It's like the new year, but without the pressure.

A good time to make a few changes, reclaim a few good habits and get set for some change.

I've personally I've always found it a good time to review goals, make plans and get organised, which itself can lead to a nice boost of motivation.

So in today's episode we get into this topic, and some of the things you might want to consider.

I would also love to hear from you if you have suggestions for future episodes. Books you may have read and want to know more about, challenges you've been experiencing, things you've heard about but don't fully understand...

Drop me a line at george@bygeorgeanderson.com or connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachgeorgeanderson and let me know! 

I hope you enjoy this episode and that it gives you a bit of a boost! 

“I know what to do, but I just don’t do it!”

If you’ve ever found yourself saying these words to yourself then you’re not alone. With so many things that you could be doing to help boost your physical and mental wellbeing, it can feel overwhelming when there’s no structure.

This episode outlines a series of points in the day where a set of behaviours can be turned into routines, rituals and habits that have a positive impact for minimum effort. The idea isn’t to try and do them all, but rather to find the ones you think will be sustainable and have the biggest difference.

Pick 5-10 new things that you want to try and add in, then set up a tracker so you can note your progress. Don’t worry about missing a few days here and there, but try to build up a picture of the changes you are making and what differences you’re noticing.

You can download a copy of the notes for this episode with all of the habits and behaviours briefly described by visiting the website bygeorgeanderson.com/podcast

This is a direct download with no email-opt-in required, though whilst you're over there you wish to sign up to my occasional email musings anyway!

Pat Divilly is one of Ireland's leading resilience and wellbeing coaches, a sought after corporate speaker and host of The Pat Divilly podcast. We've been friends for many years and for the last 5 have hosted the annual Momentum New Year kick off alongside Gerry Duffy.

Pat runs meditation, journaling and personal development programs, retreats, mountain expeditions, and puts on hugely popular sell-out events in the personal development space.

He's also in the process of finishing off his 4th book which will be published in December 2021, and we spend a bit of time getting into what it's about in our conversation today.

There's so much I could have spoken to Pat about, but I decided to keep it fairly broad and talk about the subject of personal development. When we've realised that it's possible to work on ourselves, the next obvious question is 'how?'

We explore this question and Pat being the natural teacher that he is, shares some real gems of wisdom right from the start of this podcast.

I highly recommend checking out Pat's website https://www.patdivilly.com, and subscribing to The Pat Divilly Podcast for a weekly dose of inspiration!

I hope that today's episode gives you a bit of a boost!

Ultra runner and co-founder of 33Fuel, Warren Pole is one of the most positive and optimistic people on the planet. So when he suggested 'embracing negativity' as a topic for our conversation today I was intrigued! Turns out that throwing yourself a private pity party and having a bit of a moan, can actually be a great way of giving you back your mojo! Although this technique comes with plenty of warnings, Warren manages to turn the subject of negativity into something incredibly positive. 33Fuel.com

Whether it's a new weight loss program or writing a book, sometimes getting started is the biggest hurdle. We busy ourselves with planning and preparing for the perfect time to start, but when it comes to taking the action we need something stops us. The fear of starting is often the fear of judgement or the fear of rejection. Although this fear is there to keep us safe, understanding it can help us overcome it, and make a start.

My guest today is clinical psychotherapist Emma Reed Turrell, who I first heard being interviewed on one of my favourite podcasts, How To Fail with Elizabeth Day.

Emma was talking about her new book ‘Please Yourself’ - ‘how to stop people-pleasing and transform the way you live’.

In our conversation today we talk about the 4 people pleasing types that Emma has identified through her clinical practice, and how most of us will have tendencies towards each one in different situations.

I asked her about some of the steps we can take to start saying 'no' and set up firmed boundaries, but without swinging so far the other way that we end up throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

I was also interested in Emma's views on people pleasing in men, as this isn't just a female trait (I personally identified with many of the stories she shares in the book!).

I highly recommend reading the book, which is available from all good book stores.

Emma also puts out some great content on Instagram and you can find her here:

https://emmareedturrell.com

https://www.instagram.com/emmareedturrell

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-reed-turrell-mbacp-accred-42328436

https://twitter.com/etcounselling

My guest on today's episode - the first of 2024 - is a very special friend of mine, Heather Barrett.

Over the years we have had so many conversations where we've got to the end and said 'we should have recorded that!', so I'm delighted to have finally managed to do exactly that.

Heather is an executive coach and author, and over the years she's been my go-to whenever I'm stuck, struggling or have an idea I want to develop.

One of the things I was keen to talk to Heather about for this podcast was her deep sense of intuition which has always been something that has intrigued me.

I wanted to dig into this and find out how she developed it to become one of her superpowers, and how the rest of us can do so as well.

This was the first 'long form' podcast that I have recorded, and we covered a lot of ground in the 2.5 hours that we talked for.

Although intuition was the main topic I wanted to explore it lead us to talk about the following as well:

- Setting intentions

- Giving yourself permission

- Vulnerability and self-compassion

- Gremlins and negative self-talk

- Creating an infrastructure for success

- Consistency

- Underestimating the things that come most easily to us

- Creating boundaries

- Finding purpose

- Imposter Syndrome

- Comfort zones

I hope you enjoy this episode and that my conversation with Heather gives you a bit of a boost!

There are 5 Roles that we all have to play in our lives. Not roles for other people, but roles for ourselves - Director, Manager, Worker, Coach and Administrator. I've been using this basic framework to help me get clarity on which of the roles needs attention or support. In today's episode I explain each of them, and discuss how articulating your principles can help you more closely stick to them.

Welcome to A Bit Of A Boost; I'm George Anderson and I’m a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.

Today's solo episode shares a simple strategy that may help you in those moments when you feel you're lacking motivation: take action FIRST!

Putting action ahead of the need for motivation can have a surprising effect, and although some may call it simply lying to yourself, I've found it to be an effective method of getting more done even when I don't really want to.

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson

I’m a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.

I’m delighted to welcome back to the show one of my favourite guests, David Robson who previously joined me back in February last year after I had read his book The Expectation Effect.

I’ve just finished reading his latest book and I think you’ll find our conversation about it today both interesting and informative.

The book is called The Laws Of Connection and is really a play book for how we can build deeper and more meaningful relationships with the people around us, and also some of the more unexpected benefits from doing so.

David also unpacks some of the research that shows how we may be better at socialising than we may think, talking about phenomena such as the Liking Gap.

Of course, I highly recommend you have a read of the book itself which is out this week, but in this podcast we get into several of the 13 strategies and learn many new things:

• how asking for help benefits you and the person you’re asking
• how to express gratitude and pay compliments effectively
• and why a strong social network even improves our ability to fight off illness.

I think you’re going to enjoy this one, so get ready for a bit of a boost!

The book is available on Amazon and all good book stores.

Read more about David on his website here: https://davidrobson.me

Is it possible to become more positive? Is it a habit that we can cultivate? I believe that it is! Nothing can guarantee that you'll never have another negative thought or emotion (and neither would you want it to), but there are certain things we can do to boost our positivity, optimism and sense of hope. Here, in this episode, are 5 such habits.

In 2014 I ran 10 marathons in 10 days. My cover story was that it was for charity, but I knew there'd be something in it for me as well.

What I got were a number of lessons that transcended the domain of running and positively affected every other aspect of my life.

I reflected on 10 of these lessons after the event and wrote 95% of a piece of work that I never finished.

When I came across them the other day I realised how much I have applied the lessons in the 8 years since the marathons, and I recorded them to share with you on this week's episode of the podcast.

In the world of ultra endurance, one thing I’ve come to realise is that no matter how much you’re doing or how far you’re going, there’s always somebody doing more or going further.

Logically then, there must be a person who is doing the most and going the furthest, and it’s quite possible that this person is my guest on today’s podcast, Adam Holland.

We recorded this episode on a Monday, the day after he had completed a 24 hour ultra marathon. I’ve done a couple of these in the past, and I can tell you I was good for nothing for more than a few days!

This particular ultra marathon - which he won with over 118 miles of running - was preceded by cycling over 500 miles as a part of another challenge.

He’s run over 1000 miles in 28 days, he holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest half marathon on a treadmill, and also the record for the fastest average time for 10 marathons in 10 consecutive days.

And he does all this whilst holding down a full time job and raising a family.

In our conversation we talk about motivation, comparing ourselves to others, how 10 back to back marathons becomes ‘easy’ after you’ve done it a few times, and how you would even start preparing for the next challenge he has his sights set on… which will be bigger than anything he’s done before, if you can imagine that such a thing exists!

You can find more inspiration from Adam over at his Facebook page.

This week I’m joined by Jack Kavanagh to talk about resilience, inspiration, grief and change.

Jack’s a pharmacist and speaker on health & wellbeing and his personal story is simultaneously tragic and uplifting.

In 2012 he suffered a life changing spinal cord injury leaving him with just 15% muscle function, and as he shares his story there’s a real honesty and vulnerability that comes through as you realise this is a guy has really had to do the work to get to where he is today with his outlook and determination.

When we’re going through challenging times in our own lives it can sometimes feel like there’s a pressure to ‘be resilient’, to bounce back or stay positive but that’s not always the case.

Jack shares the ups and the downs, and how he moved through this unimaginable change in his life and there are many lessons that we can all take from this.

As always, when it comes to inspiration it’s about your own personal change. I hope that you listen to this podcast and today’s episode in particular and are moved to make some small change in your own life, whether that’s a behaviour you do or a belief that you hold.

Find out more about the work Jack is doing on his website:

jack-kavanagh.com

Or follow him on LinkedIn, Instagram or Twitter.

Part 2 of the mini-series of mindset strategies, is the 'Fertile Garden'.

This comes straight from a Bruce Lee quote where he says “The mind is a fertile garden – it will grow anything you wish to plant – beautiful flowers or weeds. And it is with successful, healthy thoughts or negative ones that will, like weeds, strangle and crowd the others. Do not allow negative thoughts to enter your mind, for they are the weeds that strangle confidence.” 

In this episode I get into why this quote is so powerful as a mindset strategy, and how it can be used in every day life.

For a decade and a half exercise was more than just a passion, it was also my career.  

I trained clients as a personal trainer and boot camp coach, and also taught on PT diploma courses and delivered masterclasses to other trainers.

I was fully immersed in it and although my work these days is more holistic, it’s still clearly an important topic for me and I’m pleased to have the opportunity to share some of my philosophies, insights and approaches to exercise.

In today's episode I talk about 

- The motivations to exercise

- The difference between activity, exercise and training

- The 5 minutes a day exercise approach that can bring surprising results

- The 10000 steps a day myth and what to do instead

- Exercise calories and the after burn effect

- Benefits and approaches to fasted exercising

- The importance of a flexible plan

- The best time of day to train

- The ultimate motivation for exercise

I’ll also share a few answers to some of the most common questions I’ve been asked over the last 20 years.

Program references:

Strong Arm Solution

https://bygeorgeanderson.com/strongarm

The Glute Plan

https://bygeorgeanderson.com/glutes

To The Core

https://bygeorgeanderson.com/core

Continuing our series of interviews with people out there in the real world using their powers of resilience, wellbeing, mindset and motivation in their day to day jobs, this week we have Gökhan Nazenin, the MD Europe at Paycore.

We set out to talk about motivation as this is a topic that has come up in a couple of our conversations over the last couple of years since we first met, but as predicted we move along all kinds of tangents.

We talk about the importance of building habits and systems, how to cultivate confidence and overcome the fear of rejection, the dangers of toxic appreciation and finding the balance between holding yourself to account and being self-compassionate.

The subject of motivation is such an interesting one as it's 'easy' to be motivated when things are going well, but how about when they're falling apart?

How do you stay on track and motivated to keep going in those conditions?

Dive in and find out, and don't forget to connect with Gökhan on LinkedIn to follow his posts:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/g%C3%B6khan-nazenin-86aa365b

Known as ‘The Five Element Wellness Woman’ Rhiannon is an acupuncturist, coach, and host of the Sacred Rest Retreats and Powerfully Gentle podcast. She has such a calmness about her and her and in our conversation we talk about why so many people struggle to give themselves permission to slow down and just be, what the benefits are and actually HOW to do it. We talk about burnout, listening to your body and living more in sync with the seasons.

Part 3 of the mini-series of mindset strategies is 'cast a vote'.

This phrasing comes from the book Atomic Habits by James Clear, where he talks about 'casting a vote for the person you want to be'.

In this week's episode we take a look at how we can use small habits to reinforce a part of our identity that is important to us. Related quotes that we dig into is Aristotle's 'we are what we repeatedly do... excellence, therefore, is a habit, and not an act' (though it turns out this wasn't actually an Aristotle quote!), and Admiral William McRaven's 'make your bed' from his famous commencement speech.

You've got to love a quote, but to lift them off the bumper sticker and into our lives we need to look at how we can apply them in reality and that's exactly what this episode (and all the episodes in this series) aims to do.

A bit of an unusual episode this week as it was produced in two parts. I interviewed a friend of mine, Mat Poole, a couple of days before he departed for the Sahara desert to take part in the infamous Marathon des Sables.

At the start of this episode I share the notes I made during this call with Mat, where I asked him about his hopes and fears, logistics and expectations of the event.

Then in the interview itself we find out how it went, and how close to his expectations it came!

In a challenge like this there are always lessons to be learned and I was interested to try and extract them in a way that could be useful to you and I in more day to day areas of our lives.

Mat was raising money for the charity Walking With The Wounded who support mentally, socially and physically wounded veterans.

For a few more weeks following the publication of this episode the Just Giving page will be open should you care to donate:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/matp

In fact stress is the very thing that enables us to perform at our best but if the pressure grows too much we can slip into a paralysing feeling of overwhelm.

In today's episode I explore some of the areas that a state of overwhelm can impact, and some practical techniques to bring you back to a more grounded, action-oriented state.

To find out more about the 6 Week Boost fitness challenge I mention in this episode, head over to the website for more information (starts June 13).

bygeorgeanderson.com/boost-challenge

If you've ever found yourself at a fork in the road, needing to make a decision - or the default of NOT making one - then this strategy might come in handy.

It's a simple thought exercise that can bring clarity to the decision, and ensure that you won't look back at a later date with regrets.

Hindsight can mess with our memories and what seems obvious now we assume must have been obvious back when we made our choice.

This method prevents this from happening and can help give you the confidence to make the call.

We all know that feedback is valuable. It can lead to growth, accelerated improvement and see things from different perspectives.

But it can also feel uncomfortable and we put up defences that stop us from benefitting from it. 

Whether it's solicited or unsolicited, the 6 steps I talk about in today's episode will increase your chances of getting the best from what's being offered.

I’m joined on the show today by a senior director of customer success at the software company, ServiceNow, Damien Davis.

I haven’t known Damien for long but whenever we have spoken I’ve come away feeling like I’ve had a bit of a boost so it just made sense to invite him on the podcast!

Damien shares stories of both triumph and tragedy.

We talk about perspective, impact and workplace culture, Mental health and wellbeing, and the challenges of integrating these into a high pressure role that involves International travel.

*** Our conversation does also touch on the topic of suicide ***

Damien really is a positive energy radiator, and I hope that listening to this conversation will give you a bit of a boost!  

Connect with Damien on LinkedIn here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/damiendavisuk

Today I am delighted to welcome on the show co-founder of Huel and nutritionist of over 30 years, James Collier!

James recently published his first book - Well Fed - which is a very different kind of nutrition book where he introduces the idea of Contemplative Nutrition.

In our conversation today we get into the 5 pillars that underpin this food philosophy, and some of the challenges that I know clients of mine have struggled with over the years.

One of the major challenges is the amount of conflicting and misinformation readily available, with social media influencers hard at work to earn their sponsorships, and just the vast number of different approaches you can take with nutrition.

We talk about how to navigate this sea of information and decide what’s right for you and your family.

One of my favourite things was discovering where the word ‘lunch’ comes from, and how our culture of 3 square meals a day is rarely questioned despite not always being optimal.

Even the etymology of the word ‘culture’ comes up as James is a self-confessed word geek, and I promise you the links he makes are both fascinating and insightful.

We talk about Huel itself, ultra processed foods, balance, mindful and intuitive eating and a whole lot more.

Make sure you check out James’ book Well Fed and follow him on all the socials:

Well Fed (Amazon.co.uk)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescollierrnutr

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamescollierrnutr

Much as I love the holidays I know that I'm at my best when I have routine in my life!

In today's episode I share 5 of the key areas of my life I regularly reset. Not just after a break, but any time I sense they're starting to drift away.

1) Morning routine

2) Planning

3) Training

4) Evening routine

5) Goals

You may have other areas that benefit from a bit of a reset, but the principles I share in today's episode can be applied anywhere.

I'd love to hear from you if you have any comments or questions from today's episode - please get in touch by emailing me at george@bygeorgeanderson.com

My guest on this week’s episode is mental health nurse, speaker and educator, Alex Williams.

Alex has almost 2 decades of clinical experience working with patients suffering from severe cases of mental ill health. Over the years as he has helped these people he has made a number of observations about mental health that don’t often get discussed.

He also has a powerful personal story of overcoming significant trauma as he was growing up, and just a few years ago his own mental health was at it’s lowest ebb.

In our conversation Alex shares some of his insights into mental health, including an outline of what he calls ‘the 3 Rs of getting back up, when life knocks you down'.

For such a deep and potentially difficult topic, Alex has a knack of talking about it with a real positive energy and sense of optimism.

Links to follow Alex's and the work he is doing:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thealexjwilliams

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thealexjwilliams

Website - https://thealexjwilliams.co.uk

in April 2020 Robert Glynn was given 12 months to live following a terminal cancer diagnosis, 2 months after losing his father to cancer.

He was also offered the chance to be a part of a trial treatment at The Christie hospital, which he 'jumped at', and at the same time made some big changes to his lifestyle through nutrition and exercise.

Two years later and Rob is not only still with us but his cancer is all but gone and he has a completely new approach to life.

Speaking to Rob I wanted to find out how he managed the mental pressure, and what some of the changes were that he made to his lifestyle.

He details the research he did into diet and countries with low cancer rates, and the specific foods he cut out of his diet to help 'create a hostile environment for the cancer', losing 31kg (5 stone) in the process.

Being given 12 months to live is a bit of a hyperthetical scenario sometimes posed with the purpose on focusing your attention on what you'd do differently with your life.

For Rob it was very real and we talked about how his attitide to life has changed over this period.

We talk about the importance of having support around you, speaking to friends about your inner struggles, and finding beauty and happiness in every day moments of life.

Why do we have to wait until our health is in jeapoardy before we reevaluate our lives and make course corrections?

Maybe we don't have to. Maybe we can choose to do exactly that today.

Often on A Bit Of A Boost I have guests who are experts in their field, sometimes guests share their inspirational stories, and other times I invite people who have developed certain wellbeing and performance strategies that they are effectively using in their every day personal and professional lives.

Today’s episode is one such person: Sukhraj Takhar, who is the non-financial risk director at Direct Line Group.

I interviewed Sukhraj for another piece of work I was involved with and felt that his philosophy and approach to his life was something that I wanted to share with you.

So I’m delighted that he’s come back to delve deeper into some of our conversation about wellbeing and high performance and some of the habits he has adopted over the years.

One of the main topics that we get into in today’s podcast is meditation.

Sukhraj describes the unexpected influence that got him started, some of the challenges faced by many when it comes to incorporating it a regular practice, the techniques involved and the benefits that keep him coming back to it as an essential daily ritual.

We cover other topics such as self-awareness, metacognition & cognition, identity and having better conversations.

This is a fascinating conversation that I was delighted to be able to record and share with you, and if you'd like to connect with Sukhraj you can find him on LinkedIn here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sukhraj-takhar-3ab02526

Freddie is a coach, speaker, and host of the Over The Influence podcast. In our conversation today he talks candidly about his mental health struggles, and own transformation from stressed-out city boy with an alcohol addiction on a fast track to oblivion, to an ultra running, world-record holding adventurer. We talk about these polar opposite lives, but crucially I wanted to find out how he started to make the changes in his life.
Check out freddiembennett.com for more inspiration

Last summer I realised my screen time was out of control. I was constantly distracting myself with an endless loop of checking messages, social media, news and email and I was clocking up an average of 6.5 hours a week on my iPhone. I knew I had to get a grip and over the course of the next few weeks I brought it down to a much saner 3-3.5 hours, which is where it still sits now. Our devices and the apps we use are addictive, and for all the value and convenience they can bring to our lives unless we pay attention it can quickly spiral out of control. In this episode I share some of the strategies I used to restore more of a digital balance to my life, without having to 'give up' using my device.

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson

I’m a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.

My guest on today’s podcast is author of the book The Curveball, Colby Sharma.  

Colby shares his own personal story of growing up and having to overcome adversity, and how this experience lead him on the path not only succeed in his education and a career in law, but ultimately to become a real motivator and expert in resilience.

During the course of our conversation we get into the 4 central messages in his book, and what I love about the way Colby describes them is the way he makes them so practical.

It’s very easy to think of resilience as quite an abstract quality, that we maybe know we should have more of or be better at, but how exactly do we do that?

We talk about breaking big challenges down into manageable steps, how to get better at controlling our response to difficult situations, prioritising the rituals that lead to our best performance and building a team around us that can support us through anything.

We both end up sharing personal experiences through the course of our conversation, and some interesting insights came through for me right here within the interview which was a reminder in case I needed it that we are all always learning.

Colby's book 'The Curveball' is available from Amazon:

https://amzn.eu/d/2xPW83L

Connect with Colby on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/colbysharma

When many of us define success we think of things such as those that we are able to have or to do, but my guest on today’s episode has a different take.

Jennifer Merritt is a success mentor, and after a successful corporate career you might expect her to fall in line with the traditional society views of what success is.

Although she sees success as something we can all create as a feeling, it’s not something that needs to diminish our drive to strive for more.

In our conversation today she shares some of her top tips for reframing success, how to put yourself first, and why it’s so important to be clear on why something is important to you if it stands any chance of bringing you any kind of happiness.

Jennifer also shares some of her own incredible story, about burnout, about loss, and about a life changing medical diagnosis just before she got married about 10 years ago.

This episode is packed with inspiration and information, and although Jennifer and I clearly share lots of similar ideas and philosophies, her approach is unique and there are many ideas you can take aways and start applying to your own life today.

Find out more about Jennifer and her work on her website:

https://www.jennifermerritt.com

My guest on today's episode is Jess Robson, mental health activist and creator of the global movement 'Run Talk Run'. Jess is doing some tremendously important work in the world of mental health, and has created a space for a growing number of people to talk about their mental health in a supportive and positive environment.

I asked her about her own mental health journey and some of the strategies that have helped her over the years, and the power of saying ‘no’ which ironically is how Jess came onto my radar in the first place.

Visit the Run Talk Run  website for more information

TW: Episode continues references to eating disorders 

Setting big goals is the bread and butter of ambitious people. But when you are solely focused on 'what's next', it can push happiness out to a future that keeps moving further away.

On the other hand, you may not want to 'play small' and get too content with what you have in case it diminshes your drive and ambition to become all that you can.

So how do we tackle this conundrum?

My guest on today's episode is Kate Trafford, a coach, speaker and author of the book 'Get There, Love Here! The busy professional's guide to authentic, enjoyable success'.

Kate helps successful professionals wrestle with these seemingly opposing attitudes and helps her today she shares some of her insights.

We talk about authenticicy (and what it really means), purpose, courage and character strengths, and why for some people 'getting there and loving here' may require a change of job or even career, for most of us it can be achieved with a few tweaks to the current role.

A lot of the conversation today is about quite high level thinky topics, but Kate brings it back to practical steps we can take to boost happiness in the present whilst accelerating towards our most meaningful goals.

Connect with Kate on LinkedIn here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katetrafford) or check out her website where you can buy her highly recommended book (https://www.katetrafford.com).

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-There-Love-Here-professionals/dp/1912300869

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson

I’m a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.

My guest on today’s show is Cath Bishop, a personal trainer and women's wellness coach who has a deep passion and commitment to self-healing.

We get into a number of different topics in our conversation today, including inflammation, menopause, fibromyalgia and plant-based nutrition.

Cath shares some really practical ways to reduce inflammation and why it can be beneficial, and some of the other ways that she works with her clients to help them boost their wellbeing and energy.

She has a brand new online wellness programme – the ‘Complete Body Reboot’  - which specifically helps menopausal women regain control of their health, as well as live lunchtime workouts and a whole range of other useful resources on her website

I think you’ll find today’s episode interesting and uplifting, and packed with ideas to give you a bit of a boost.

Connect with Cath on all the socials:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MenopauseResetCath

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menopause.reset

Website: https://www.menopause-reset.com/online-wellness-programme

Reboot30 Live workouts: https://www.menopause-reset.com/live-lunchtime-home-workouts

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson

I’m a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.

My guest today brings with her a combination of deep wisdom and powerful mindset messages, all underpinned with a truly inspirational story.

I’m delighted to welcome the host of Mindset Kitchen, Dajana Paliokaite to the podcast to share her story and unpack some of the lessons she has learned over the years.

We talk about navigating change, both the kind that you intentionally bring into your life, and the kind that happens to you.

Dajana talks about how she dealt with the grief of losing her husband to cancer at a young age, including how she connected to the spirit world and trained as a medium, which opened up some really interesting insights.

On her own show Mindset Kitchen she asks her guests to share their 3 mindset messages and I was lucky enough to be invited on recently to share mine - make sure you check out that episode to find out what they were!

What was clear from the conversations I’ve had with her in the lead up to our episode and this podcast is that she has plenty of her own powerful and positive messages and she shares many of them with us today.

As well as exploring her approach to grief and all the change that came with losing someone, I ask her about how she built the vision and belief for something like Mindset Kitchen, given that she had no experience, connections or any sort of a clear plan of how to get there - her previous career was in investment banking which couldn’t be further away from what she is doing now.

Dajana talks about how she built this belief and some of the stumbling blocks and challenges she had to overcome along the way.

Towards the end of the podcast I ask her what’s next, having realised the initial vision of bringing Mindset Kitchen to life. She describes her goal of having the show turned into a production for Netflix and discussed the importance of being clear about what you want and communicating that to people around you.

Some will laugh or try to tell you why you can't do it, others will support and encourage you, and one or two might just be able to give you practical help and connect you with somebody who can help you on your way.

I’m excited to share this conversation with you today, and I know that it will give you a bit of a boost!

Connect with Dajana on her Mindset Kitchen website (subscribe to her emails) >>

Follow on Spotify >>

Connect on socials:

LinkedIn >>

Instagram >>

TikTok >>

YouTube >>

Facebook >>

My guest today is former World Rally Championship driver Penny Mallory, who became the first woman in the world to drive a Ford Focus World Rally car.

I met Penny at an event a few years ago and having seen her presenting numerous car-related programs on TV and listening to her talk about her specialist topic of mental toughness, I knew she’d make a great guest for the show.

We talk about her own incredible story, of homelessness and hopelessness, to winning trophies skidding around forests in high powered cars.

I asked her about her own mental toughness and where it came from, and how she encourages other people to develop more of it in the 4 key areas of control, commitment, challenge and confidence.

Penny has worked with hundreds of corporate teams over the years since hanging up her driving gloves, and we also talked about some of the insights she’s gathered in that time, in particular what some of the biggest challenges are that professionals are facing today when it comes to their mental toughness.

As well as being a champion racing driver, Penny has turned her attention to marathon running, triathlon, mountain climbing and even boxing, and the tools and techniques she developed behind the wheel are equally as applicable in any high pressure situation.

You can find out more about Penny's work as a speaker and coach through her website and LinkedIn profile:

https://www.pennymallory.co.uk/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pennymallory/

Her book '365 Ways To Develop Mental Toughness' is due for publication in November 2022:

https://www.pennymallory.co.uk/product/365-ways-to-develop-mental-toughness

One of the things you hear a lot about when it comes to motivation, goals or high performance is the importance of mindset. 

But what is mindset and how do we make sure that we have the right one?

My guest today to discuss this topic is a man who I’ve learned a lot from over the years, business psychologist and coach Bret Freeman.

I know Bret through Toastmasters International and he’s forged a strong reputation for facilitating change and development programs in some of the world’s largest organisations.

We talk about mindset, why it’s important and how to spot when your thinking is holding you back.

Bret also shares a few tips for how to cultivate a non-toxic positive mindset and how to use implementation intentions to do more of the things you want to do.

We also get into the subject of unconscious bias which is another of his specialist areas. 

The recent International Women’s Day theme was ‘beat the bias’ so we get into discussing how we can try to uncover our own biases that crop up in all sorts of areas of our life.

This is a great episode packed with insights and tips and if you’re interested in mindset and performance then I know you’re going to love Bret’s approach.

You can connect with Bret through his website or LinkedIn:

https://bizvroom.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bretfreeman

My guest on today’s podcast is Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, Chris Fensom. We’ve known each other for a long time now and he’s a real goldmine of wisdom and insights. When I was going to his classes he would regularly drop a thought bomb that would stop me in my tracks, and I wanted to see if we could capture some of that essence in today’s conversation.

Typically, Chris came to the interview armed with questions for me! So what you’re about to listen to is very much a 2 way conversation which was great fun to record!

They say that a BJJ black belt is a white belt who never quit, as it typically takes over 10 years to get there. Chris is also an analyst for Battle Arena TV on Sky, a former ISKA British MMA Champion at middle weight and light heavy weight, coaches more than 200 kids in karate, and is a proud father to 4 of his own.

We talk about failures and mistakes, ego and the Beginner’s Mind, Stoic philosophy and SAS Who Dares Wins, parenting and why I never post pictures of my kids on social media - which was one of his questions!

Find out more about Chris's classes here:

https://a1martialarts.co.uk

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson

I’m a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.

I went to the National Sales Conference in June and one of the highlights for me was seeing Jim Steele delivering his keynote.

Jim is described as a ‘holistic performance strategist’ and as soon as the conference ended I was straight over to invite him on the show!

This conversation was a real treat for me as bounced around ideas for high performance, motivation and wellbeing, many of which are described in more detail in Jim’s book ‘Unashamedly Superhuman’.

We talk about a wide range of topics including:

• The simple formula for performance - event plus response - outcome.

• The importance of active recovery and mental fitness.

• The link between our mindset and the conditions we find ourselves in, and the 4 quadrants of performance.

Jim also explains what he means by ‘unashamedly superhuman, and shares some of his favourite tools that he uses personally as he strives towards this.

There is a ton of great ideas and insights in this episode but if you’ve not had enough by the end of it make sure you check out Jim’s website hplab.co.uk, the book itself and some of the other resources and courses he offers.

Follow Jim's work on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jswsteele

Get the book here:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119828511

Website: https://hplab.co.uk

Most of us are familiar with the expression 'use it or lose it', but my guest today is a man who has been living by that mantra for almost a century.

I first met Garry Garretts at a Toastmasters speakers club meeting last year, which he had recently joined because he wanted to 'keep his mind active'! 

In our conversation today Garry shares some of the other things he does to stay physically and mentally fit, and why at the age of almost 99 (it's his birthday next month!) it's even more important now than ever.

His stories of being blown up as he tried to put out a German fire bomb in the Blitz (before returning to work 3 days later once they had removed the 19 pieces of shrapnel from his legs!) and joining the RAF on his 19th birthday are both inspiring and grounding.

If I have half the spirit, energy and enthusiasm for learning new things when I'm nearly 100 years old as Garry does, I'll be more than happy!

If you want to find out more about Garry and his 30 year career in the RAF (including flying on the Berlin Airlift), Legasee have done a nice series of biographical videos you can access from here:

https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/garry-garretts/

Welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson

I’m a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.

My guest today is described as a Mother, Marketer, Mariner, Motivator. 

Felicity Ashley has an incredible and inspiring story and I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing her for this episode and extracting some of the lessons  

Whenever I speak to somebody like Felicity, what interests me most isn’t just the things that have happened but how they have responded to them.

You and I may never have a hip replacement in our early 40s, decide to row across an Ocean or have a potentially life changing medical diagnosis, but we will have our own versions of these challenges and there’s so much we can take from how others like Felicity - whose story includes all of these episodes - have responded to them.

Make sure you take a look at Felicity’s website felicityashley.com and follow her on the socials for more of her inspiration but for now, I hope this conversation gives you a bit of a boost.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/felicityashley

https://www.instagram.com/mothership_twac

=================================

Connect with me:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachgeorgeanderson

https://bygeorgeanderson.com

I speak at conferences, away days and bespoke events on wellbeing and performance-related topics - email george@bygeorgeanderson.com to schedule a call to find out more!

Part 4 of this mini-series of mindset strategies is another one that can be boiled down to a short and snappy phrase: control the controllables. It’s one that could application across many different aspects of your life, particularly when you find yourself feeling overwhelmed.

We’re going to take a look at what it means, where it comes from, and how adopting it could potentially benefit you.

Today’s guest is a friend of mine and fellow fitness enthusiast, Greg Williams, who has established himself as the go-to guy for everything and anything related to Hyrox - the emerging sport of fitness racing.

Greg is the man behind the RoxLyfe website and YouTube channel, and as well as sharing information on tips and techniques to train for and approach a Hyrox event he has interviewed some of the sports biggest stars.

I took part in my first Hyrox event in Birmingham in October 2022 with my training partner Martin Shipperley, and we were delighted to come 5th in our category and qualify for the world championships taking place later this year in Manchester, and used Greg's blog extensively as part of my preparation.

In our conversation today I ask him about some of the things he’s learned from talking to some of the elite competitors, as well as explaining what Hyrox and fitness racing is all about, why it’s suddenly exploded in popularity, and we even get into a discussion about Stoicism towards the end.

Maybe you’ll feel inspired after listening to today’s episode to get out there and 'get your Rox on' with your first Hyrox event, but even if this isn’t your thing there’s plenty of the good stuff in our conversation to give you a bit of a boost…

Roxlyfe blog >>

Roxlyfe Instagram >>

Roxlyfe YouTube channel >>

Hyrox main website >>

In 2014 I wrote the book 'Beginner's Luck Guide for Non-Runners' and since then it's helped thousands of complete beginners build the confidence to go out enjoy all of the benefits of running.

In today's episode I introduce 3 practical tips that many beginner runners seem to find useful, as well as 3 mindset tips and 3 common mistakes.

It's a bit of a niche episode and if running isn't your bag then you might want to skip over this one, but if you've secretly wanted to learn how to run for a while now, this could be just the start that you need!

I’m joined today by the chief operating officer at Genistar - one of the fastest growing financial services companies in the UK - Michael Cody.

But you’re not going to hear us talking about financial services, or even his role as a COO, but you are going to hear about his incredible transformation over the last few years.

At the end of 2020 Michael weighed over 32 stone - that’s 451 pounds or 204 kg and a BMI of over 60.

Today he weighs under 18 stone, having lost - or as he puts it - ‘released’ - over 14 stone which is just about how much I weigh and I’m not particularly light.

The real gold in this conversation isn’t the mechanics by which Michael achieved this, but the mindset he has adopted that has allowed him to be so consistent.

We talk about identity and beliefs, the way you speak to yourself, self-compassion, being intentional, self-leadership and sovereignty, the importance of your environment, and designing systems into your life that allow you to succeed.

Michael shares the impact that this has had on so many areas of his life, and of course I ask him about his energy and how he feels since adopting new habits and upgrading his life systems.

This interview is packed with wisdom and inspiration and yes, some of the actual changes that Michael made in order to lose the weight but that really is secondary to the deeper inner work that I hope this inspires for you as well.

You may not be on a weight loss journey but the principles of mindset changes when you embark on any major goal are relevant regardless of the context.

Today’s guest is a lady who I came across in a Facebook group for marathon runners, and after reading some of her jaw dropping story I knew that she’d make a great guest for the podcast.

Rachel Kennedy is a runner, and just a few short years ago she was a complete beginner. In fact, she describes how she despised anything related to athletics - at school she was sick a lot with asthma, was - as she put it - the theatre nerd - and thought sports were a joke.

I’ve spoken to many people over the years who have been put off physical exercise during their school career so the story so far isn’t particularly unusual.

But then in 2018 she decided to try running and was delighted to eventually complete a run without having an asthma attack.

She stuck with it, started entering races, half marathons, then marathons, and made a few other changes to her lifestyle along the way. 

Fast forward to today, and she’s running marathons in elite times, and is currently eyeing up the qualifying times required for selection by the US team for the next Olympic Games.

Her trajectory has been astonishing, and of course we get into some of the details of this in our conversation, but I was most interested in how she shifted her mindset - and even her identity - to shake off old stories and begin a brand new one.

I get the feeling that right now we’re parachuting into the middle of Rachel’s story: even since recording this at the end of 2022 she has been setting yet more personal best times and has been invited to join the elite field of a major event in the US.

There’s a huge amount of inspiration to be found in listening to Rachel share her story, but some practical tools as well. We all have our own stories and some of these may well be holding us back. We might not all be vying for a spot at the next Olympics, but some of these ideas may help us unlock a little more of our own potential.

Check out Rachel's Facebook profile to follow her incredible journey

********** NEW FOR 2023 **********

Join the weekly Boost Bulletin, exclusively for professionals working in high-pressure roles and receive a copy of '7 Quick Wins for Busy Professionals To Boost your Energy'

The short weekly email is delivered on a Saturday morning and contains an immediately applicable strategy, tool or resource, and takeaways from recent podcast episodes.

Sign up for free at https://bygeorgeanderson.com/bulletin

How you talk to yourself matters and having a few set phrases to say to yourself can act like your inner coach who kicks you into action.

Through 2024 I will be publishing a number of short episodes with ideas, insights or thoughts that you may be able to apply in your own life.

Today's episode gets into the topic of mantras, and how they can be potent triggers to take a pre-agreed course of action.

I’m joined this week by life coach and author Simon Ong, who’s new book Energize has just been published.

We talk about the subject matter of the book and the importance of optimising your energy. This is a topic I’m passionate about and active with in my own work, and it was great to get Simon’s take on it.

He shares some of his own journey through a decade in the corporate world and into the world of personal development and coaching, what he’s learned and how he applies it.

I love it when my guests share tips and tools, and Simon is very generous with some real crackers so this is a truly high-value episode for you today.

https://getenergizebook.com

https://www.simonalexanderong.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonalexanderong

https://www.instagram.com/simonalexandero

I hear a lot of people talking about the non-negotiables in their lives, usually habits around exercise or sleep or other areas of wellbeing that make a huge difference in their lives.

And whilst I am clearly an advocate of having these routines, I don't personally have any 'non-negotiables' with any of them.

I was asked what my non-negotiables were in a recent panel discussion at a wellbeing event, and figured why not share my thoughts on the topic here as well :)

In this short episode I talk / ramble about:

• Why I don't have non-negotiables
• The difference between a STANDARD and a non-negotiable
• The importance of TOLERANCE
• Why our habits should SERVE you and not ENSLAVE you
• Why it's better to be DELAYED with your progress rather than DERAILED

If you'd like to connect with me on LinkedIn where I post some of these musings through the week, it would be great to see you over there...

https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachgeorgeanderson

And if you have a corporate event coming up that you think could benefit from a bit of a boost, drop me a line and find out about my masterclasses and conference keynotes! 

Have you ever come away from an event with loads of ideas but then gone back to your day to day and not done anything with them?

Or perhaps you've listened to a podcast, read a book or watched a video and felt motivated and inspired to put things into action but struggled to bridge the gap between knowing and doing.

Today's short episode is dedicated to the simple idea of implementation, not just information. 

Creating movement, not just consuming content.

It's about progress not perfection, and how even just a small amount of action can build momentum.

It's about the journey from data > information > knowledge > wisdom.

It's simple but powerful and the question at the end is worth considering.

One tool that's massively changed things for me in the last few months has been my approach to planning, which has elevated my sense of effectiveness and productivity from 40% to 80%. In today's episode I outline the different elements of my personal process and why I include them. My system may not be the perfect solution for you, but my hope is that there are a few elements you can take and experiment with, and experience some of the same benefits that I have enjoyed.

Save or favourite this episode as it's one you may want to return to.

The 5 senses mindfuness technique is a fantastic way to quickly bring your awareness and attention to the present moment and practice mindfulness in a meaningful way.

The script itself is only 4 minutes long and we get into it pretty quickly.

Although you can take this and use it any time, any place, without having to rely on accessing the recording, this guided version is best used either sitting or lying down somewhere comfortably (definitely not driving a vehicle or operating heavy machinery!)

The 5 senses can be used as a regular practice to help hone and strengthen your mindfulness muscle, or in those moments where you really need to create a few moments of calm.

In today's solo podcast I get into the vast topic of exercise. With so many different approaches, is it really possible to claim one way is the 'best'? And what 'results' are we looking for anyway?

We talk about the difference between activity, exercise and training, the WHO recommendations and what they really mean, the FITTA principles of exercise, the 5 components of physical exercise, the strength / endurance continuum, and why some people are 'low-responders' to exercise.

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Check out the 6 week Spring Boost fitness program starting Monday 17 April

If your fitness and exercise routine has hit a bit of a plateau or decline lately, this could be the perfect way to get back on track and build some positive habits.

https://bygeorgeanderson.com/spring-boost

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I've been having an increasing number of conversations lately with people telling me they've noticed their fitness either in a bit of a rut or declining.

Although I've covered exercise on this podcast before I've not tackled the topic of fitness directly, so wanted to pull together a number of related topics that could become a useful resource for you.

In this episode I cover:

- Getting clear about what fitness means to you (without this clarity it can be very difficult to make any real progress)

- The 5 elements of physical fitness, cardio endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility and skill

- How we get fitter: stimulus, adaptation, super-compensation and the overload principle

- Some of my favourite ways to build overall fitness rapidly and efficiently, minimising time spent in the process

- How to eliminate or reframe the discomfort often associated with exercise

- Different ways to measure fitness and the one we should all be using

Nothing can beat the feeling of being physically fit, and you're the only person who can do it for yourself.

Define what fitness means to you, build the habits that will get you and keep you there, and enjoy the feeling along the way!

IF you want to find out more about the 6 week Spring Boost, check out the website at https://bygeorgeanderson.com/spring-boost for more information and to register.

On today's episode I speak to mental health campaigner, adventurer, speaker and coach Dan Keeley. I almost met Dan recently at an event we were both speaking and was intrigued enough by the title of his talk to get in touch with him afterwards. After our initial 'virtual coffee' I knew I wanted to get him on the podcast to share his story, and also ask him a few questions about his work.

Dan had a 5 year battle with bipolar, and I realised that I knew embarrassingly little about this mental health issue, so I figured this was my chance to ask!

We talk about the power of vulnerability, what it was like to run from Rome to London in 63 days, and a shared favourite Viktor Frankl quote that made it into the title of this episode.

I also wanted to get Dan's opinion on HOW to ask for help or talk to somebody when we're not feeling great. We know that we SHOULD talk more, but I wanted to hear about some of the ways we can do this practically without the fear of being invalidated, judged or even worse (for me anyway!), fixed.

This is such an inspiring story and I know that you'll be drawn to Dan's openness and generosity with his answers to my questions.

You can find out more about Dan and the work he does to promote mental health awareness and action through his website https://www.dankeeley.co, or on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram at @iamdankeeley.

I'm joined on the podcast today by love and relationship coach Heather Garbutt to talk about the 5 Love Languages (and the additional 6th that Heather also talks about).

Love Languages is the work of marriage counselor Dr Gary Chapman published in his 1992 book and Heather integrates it into the work she does with individuals and couples as part of her psycotherapy practice.

It's not just romantic love from a partner, but also from parent to child or even appreciation between colleagues at work.

This is a really interesting topic because it gets right into what’s at the heart of all relationships which is communication.

We talk about expectations, assumptions, and of course the inner narrative that accompanies all of the beliefs we hold about what people should be doing or how we should be acting.

If this is the first time you’ve come across the Love Languages I’m sure there will be many lightbulb moments as you listen to our conversation, and if you’re already familiar I’d encourage you to listen to the discussion against the backdrop of some of your own relationships.

You can find out more about Heather and her work on her website https://heathergarbutt.com or visit her LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-garbutt-44a62b22

In the first episode of A Bit Of A Boost, I kick off with a look at motivation, and 5 simple ways to give it a boost. This is a topic we'll be coming back to throughout the series, as I ask guests what motivates them personally. I wanted to start with a quick introduction to the podcast, and share some ideas that could be of use.

There's been a bit of a pause on the podcast these last few weeks because my father sadly passed away at the beginning of the month.

In today's episode I describe the process that has been helping me navigate the challenging landscape of grief in what feels to me to be a healthy and adaptive way.

Often in times like this we know that we should 'take the pressure off' or 'go easy' on ourselves, but this can be a difficult thing to do in practice. On the one hand we don't want to let people down or let our high standards slip, and on the other we know that something has to give in order to create the space and time necessary for grieving.

Giving a eulogy at his funeral a week ago also gave me the chance to put into words some of the many life lessons he taught me through his life, and I share a couple with you today in the second half of this episode.

A couple of resources I mention in the episode include the book 'On Grief & Grieving' by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross & David Kessler, and this Huberman Lab episode on grief which I had been listening to on my several trips up to Manchester to be with my dad in his final days.

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson

I’m a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.

After a short break from the podcast I'm back, with a look at INNER performance... what it is,  how to measure it, and how and why to improve it.

Usually when we think about performance our thoughts run to the external markers; the KPIs at work, the times we run or the weight we lift in our training, or generally the results we're getting in life.

But all of these are outcomes that are influenced by our inner performance.

Your focus, clarity, empathy, mindset, optimism, energy... all of these (and many more) elements will have an impact on your behaviours which in turn largely dictates your results.

If you're enjoying A Bit Of A Boost and would like to leave a review or rating, I would very much appreciate the support. Equally if you give the show a follow or subscribe and share your favourite episodes with your friends, all of this helps me to spread the word and reach more people.

For today's episode I'm joined by TV star Vicky Pattison, I'm a Celebrity winner, Masterchef finalist, author and host of the Vicky Pattison: The Secret To podcast. Our conversation revolves around the subject of the inner critic - that niggling, annoying little voice inside your head that chastises you, judges you and puts you down. We talk about her relationship with her inner critic, how it's evolved over the years, and how she deals with real life critics. Check out @vickypattison on Insta!

How are you doing today?

If you answer is 'fine thanks', 'ok', or maybe 'not too bad', then you DEFINTELY need to listen to this week's episode!

My guest is Michael Heppell, an author, coach and speaker who has made it his mission to help more people strive for BRILLIANCE.

I read his book 'Flip It' over 10 years ago and recently read How To Be Brilliant, and I loved the strategies and ideas behind it.

In our conversation Michael shares his thoughts on the power of language, including the impact that throw away responses like 'I'm busy', or 'I don't have the time' can have on our energy and motivation (and what we say instead!)

We discuss the power of certainty and beliefs, both limiting and limitless, and how we can start to identify, challenge and change them. 

Beliefs, confidence, stories we tell ourselves, motivation...  and the BIGGEST consequence of living your life through limiting beliefs.

There's a ton of gold packed into this episode.

You can find out more about Michael and his work on his website:

https://www.michaelheppell.com

Or find him on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelheppell

His new book Write That Book is available on Amazon or through his website:

https://shop.michaelheppell.com/wtbbook

I’m joined today by the chief business development officer at Exness, Artem Seledtsov who I met during a wellness consultation as part of the Senior Executive Program at the London Business School.

As we spoke that day it soon became clear that he already had a number of high performance wellbeing habits and in our conversation today he shares what some of them are.

Arty also talks about what life was like for him in his 20s when he was out of shape and struggling with his weight, and the pressure of conforming to a corporate culture that had a very narrow view of what success looked like.

Now, as an advocate for wellbeing and a true example of how to combine healthy habits with a high-pressure role he walks us through a typical day and some of the non-negotiable features that enable him to perform at a consistently high level.

His approach to switching off at the end of the day, scheduling in time for himself during the day including exercise and eating, and defending his time in a way that boosts his effectiveness and productivity.

Arty shares how he started the process of making these changes 12 years ago, some of the challenges he faced and how he overcame them.

And with a team of 350 people, we talk about his approach to motivation, mindset and leadership, in the context of managing a remote workforce spread across the globe.

Connect with Arty via LinkedIn here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/artemseledtsov

In 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine, Tetiana Fomenko's life changed forever.

A qualified pharmcist, she had forged a successful career as a sales leader for global pharmaceutical companies and had recently launched her own business as a health coach whilst living in Kiev with her husband and son.

It soon became clear that remaining in Kiev wasn't an option and so eventually Tetiana and her son moved to the UK which is where I met her at a Toastmasters meeting in Oxfordshire.

Listening to her stand up at the front of the room and share not only her story but the philosophy and mindset she embraced was inspiring and moving and I'm delighted to have her on the podcast as a guest to explore this more.

In our conversation Tetiana shares what it was like to move out of her family home and to leave behind the life and goals she had, and start again in rural England.

We talk about control, change, stress, mindset, motivation and goals, all set against the backdrop of some of the most significant world events in the 21st century.

Tetiana has a masters degree in pharmacy and is currently studying naturopathic medicine at the London College whilst working as a pharmacy specialist as part of her goal of launching her health coaching business here in the UK.

You can follow Tetiana's journey via her Instagram and LinkedIn profiles:

https://www.instagram.com/tetiana_s_fomenko

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tetiana-fomenko-8b01691b8

A Bit Of A Boost has had a bit of a break for a couple of months but we're back with a short series of mindset strategies that have helped me over the years. Some may resonate, some may not, but they're all practical with real world application.

This week's episode descibes a strategy called 'Get Out Of The Chair', which I frequently call on when I'm tackling some big project or task.

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson

I’m a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.

10 years ago I was mid-way through running 10 marathons in 10 days and it felt fitting that I record an episode on the topic this week as I reflect on this challenge.

There were 10 big lessons that I took away from this challenge that I recorded soon afterwards, and reading back over them recently made me realise how many of them I have ingrained into my life.

This episode delves into each of these lessons and how they apply to a variety of different aspects of life beyond running or sports, and then as I went to upload the episode I realised that I did actually record a similar episode about 2.5 years ago!

The one that seems to resonate in particular is 'you can only run the road that you're on', hence the name of this particular episode.

So here we have it, my updated version, possibly with a few new reflections in case you're feeling short changed by having a repeat topic to listen to!

You know how important mindset is to you approach to challenges and other situations, but how do you go about improving it?

It's about more than 'being more positive', and the more awareness and understanding you have about your mindset the easier it becomes to start making changes that will benefit you.

In this episode I describe the 4 Peak Performance Mindsets, how to spot them and what you can do to start developing them.

I have developed a free self-diagnostic tool you can use to determine your Performance Mindset Score, and see how you are doing for each of them 4 Mindsets individually.

bygeorganderson.scoreapp.com

This will give you a starting point to start developing them in day to day situations, so that they become your defauly mode of operation.

There is also a brand new Mindset Boost program available on the Boost Wellbeing & Performance app, that guides you through the process of strengthening each of the 4 Mindsets:

bygeorgeanderson.com/mindset-boost

I was introduced to QiGong last Summer by a friend of mine, and started doing a regular class over Zoom. I've really benefitted from this very practical way to slow down, and I've my preconceptions blown away by it!

My guest on this episode is Tom Watson, a practitioner and lecturer in acupuncture and Chinese medicine in North London, who has been teaching Qigong for over a decade and has been practicing Taoist arts for almost 20 years having first come to the practice through martial arts. 

I ask Tom about the difference between QiGong and Tai Chi, the benefits, what draws him to the form, and why it isn’t ‘just for old people!

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson

I’m a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.

There's a 'mild to moderate controversy warning' for today’s episode, as we get into the topic of stretching… not ‘the best ways to stretch’, but exploring the question ‘should we be stretching at all?’

As trainers we're taught the importance of stretching as part of a warm up routine to help avoid injury and to enhance the performance of your body during the workout.

Then at the end it’s essential to stretch the muscles to return them to their original length, reducing muscle soreness and tightness the next day.

Then of course it’s important to include developmental stretches in your routine so you can increase your joint range of motion and maintain flexibility through your life.

My guest today is Ryan Phillips, a personal trainer and Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) expert and in 2008 we sat side by side in our very first seminar on MAT at a fitness convention where we learned that maybe all wasn’t as it seemed with these so-called ‘rules’ about stretching.

For me it was interesting, for Ryan it was the start of a long journey into his education in MAT, and a successful practice that he now combines with personal training.

In our conversation today we start off by talking about some of the changes we’ve both seen in the fitness industry over the last 2 decades, and get into a topic I find fascinating which is why some people are ‘low responders’ to different types of exercise.

If you’ve ever wondered why some people get far better results than others despite doing the exact same training, this will give you some interesting insights!

And then we really get into MAT, what it is and even some simple ways you can start applying the principles today.

We discuss why, if stretching is so ineffective - or even BAD for us - it can feel so good?

Ryan explains what’s actually happening to our muscles and joints when we stretch, and the role the nervous system has to play in muscle tightness.

Ryan is a true master of the work that he does and his Instagram page @muscleactivation is packed with education, case studies and tip to help you move better, get stronger and reduce injuries.

Have a go at some of the exercises and movements that Ryan suggests during our interview, and notice what a difference it makes. 

As well as Instagram, you can connect with Ryan and find out more about his 'Get Activated™️ Programme of Isometrics' on his website:

https://www.phillips-fit-brighton.co.uk/get-activated

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Some of the research that Ryan mentioned in our interview is listed here:

I live just outside a little town called Thame in Oxfordshire and one of the many things I love about the place is the independent health food store, Planet Health & Organics.

It’s run by Nutritional Therapist and Practising Naturopath Peter Dewdney, and over the years we’ve had many a long conversation about wellbeing, supplements and health and I was delighted to get the opportunity to record some of his wisdom for today’s episode of the podcast.

Supplements is such a vast topic and I wanted to find out how much it’s changed over the last 15 years that I’ve known him.

We talk about why somebody might want to supplement their diet and what some of the most common ‘cover your bases’ options are.

Peter is also an expert in gastro intestinal illness, fertility and end of life care and will be qualifying as a phlebotomist from the London Medical School in summer 2022.

He practices from Thame Therapy Clinic (http://www.thametherapyclinic.co.uk/therapies/peter-dewdney) and you can also find out more about his work and shop in Thame from his website:

https://www.peterdewdney.co.uk

Peter also owns and runs Planet Health and Organic, 8 Greyhound Walk, Thame, which is open 6 days a week and if you’re passing pop in and say hello!

Every year I've had some process for looking back over the previous 12 months and then setting goals and making plans for the next 12.

This year I developed a new framework and it's one that I'll be using much more frequently through the year.

The 5Rs are Review > Reflect > Reconnect > Refine > Realign

In this episode I describe each element, why it's important and how to use it as part of an annual check in and also through the year.

Whatever your 2023 has been like I hope you're looking forward to and lining up for a big 2024, and I'll be right here alongside you ready with A Bit Of A Boost when you need it!

My guest on today’s episode is double Paralympic gold medalist archer Danielle Brown.

After becoming disabled as a teenager, Danielle realised that even in adversity we have a choice. Choose to let the things outside your control defeat you, or choose to control your response to it.

Taking up archery on her fifteenth birthday, Danielle made the Great Britain team three years later, jumping straight in as world number 1. She hung onto that position for her entire career. Danielle is a five time World Champion and 2 time Paralympic gold medallist, winning gold in Beijing 2008 and retaining her title on home soil in London 2012. She also became the first disabled person to represent England as an able-bodied competitor at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, where she won gold.

Danielle was awarded MBE in 2013 and now works as a keynote speaker and mentor. She specialises in helping others unlock their potential, break through barriers and achieve more. Always wanting to put something back, she is very passionate about helping young people achieve all that they are capable of and develop strong foundations for success.

I got to know Danielle through her work as a speaker and she has such an amazingly positive mindset I knew she’d be a brilliant guest and I certainly wasn’t disappointed.

In today's interview we talk about the book and some of the incredible stories she shares in it, as well as her mission to educate boys and girls, men and women about the importance of inclusion.

I ask her about archery, and what kept her going after back for more her first experience despite not being a 'natural'. Oh, and we clarified that the middle bit isn’t actually called the bullseye as I originally thought!

This conversation is really all about resilience and mindset, put into practice in the most stunning of ways.

Danielle's published works include:

• Be Your Best Self: Life Skills For Unstoppable Kids
• Run Like A Girl: 50 Extraordinary and Inspiring Sportswomen
• One Hundred Reasons To Hope, curated with Captain Tom Moore’s family’s support

You can find out more about Danielle and her work here:

https://www.daniellebrown.co.uk

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-brown-mbe

https://www.instagram.com/daniellebrownmbe 

https://twitter.com/danibrownmbe

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NEW: Boost Performance app

Delighted to finally launch this 6 week course designed to nudge positive wellbeing and build better habits.

Download on iOS or Android

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Do you have clearly defined goals that you’re motivated to achieve? Turns out that most people do not, and my guest today shares some of his insights into why that might be the case, and what to do about it!

Steve Judge is a professional speaker, author and resilience coach and his mission is to deliver his story that took him from wheelchair to world champion and beyond. 

His story is inspirational, but what’s even more impactful is how he addresses some of the specific challenges so many of us face when it comes to achieving what want in our lives.

Steve's new book - GOLD - gives you five winning ways that will unlock the power of your potential so that you can achieve the GOLD in your life: Goal – Opportunity – Love – Dream 

Available on Amazon or through Steve's website.

Connect with Steve on LinkedIn or through his website

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-judge-908293b1

https://www.steve-judge.co.uk

My guest today is a Katherine Blackler, CPO Certified Professional Organizer, a London-based decluttering expert who was the first certified professional organiser in the UK, and for the last 3 years has been president of the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers. Yes, such an organisation exists and has been enjoying a period of tremendous growth over the last few years.

In our conversation we talk about the difference between tidying up and decluttering, why some people have tendencies towards hoarding or just general untidiness, and the reason I started folding my underpants in a ‘special way’ a few years ago.

Katherine is a goldmine of life hacks and ideas to help create the systems that make it easier to maintain order and calm and she shares a ton of useful ideas in this conversation.

If your life could do with a bit of extra order and little less ‘stuff’, you’re going to love today’s episode.

You can find out more about Katherine on her website SortMySpace.co.uk and to find a helping hand in your area go to APDO Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers

www.findanorganiser.co.uk

Katherine can also be found on social media here:

Facebook: @sortmyspaceuk 

Instagram: @sortmyspaceuk 

Twitter: @sortmyspaceuk 

LinkedIn: @katherine-blackler-sortmyspace

It’s another podcast first for me today, as I welcome not just one but TWO guests to speak to! In 2019, Nigel Pattison, Steven Gregory & I completed the Frog Graham Round, a 42 mile ultra marathon in the Lake District that included swimming across 4 of the lakes.

These guys have been hugely inspirational to me both for a long time, and I gain a lot by watching their approach and attitude to whatever they take on. They’re both fitness industry pros (Steve runs a local gym (https://www.fitlife.co.uk) and Nigel is an exceptional personal trainer and class instructor) and they share their enthusiasm and passion for fitness and wellbeing with everybody around them.

They’re both currently  training for Iron-distance triathlons, and I wanted to ask them some questions about their sources of motivation, and what changes they’ve seen in the world of fitness over the last 14 months.

It’s quite possible that you’ll want to get up and go for a workout or sign up for a marathon after listening to these two guys, but for now get ready for a bit of a boost of motivation!

https://www.instagram.com/fitlife.steve

https://www.instagram.com/nigelpattison

Some of my own big fitness goals recently have been just that - fitness goals. Not so much the running or the swimming, but all round fitness that includes strength, endurance and power.

But how do you motivate and test yourself with these less linear goals?

Well for me, Turf Games came along and gave me the answer.

My guest on the podcast today is Turf Games founder Andy Manteit, who tells us more about what the Turf Games involves, who it’s for, and some of the benefits.

We talk training and competing, motivation, community and teamwork, and at the end of the interview I give Andy some quick fire exercise-related questions!

There may be a bit of less-than-common terminology in this episode so here are some explainers:

AMRAP

A workout where you complete As Many Reps (or Rounds) As Possible in a given time

EMOM

A workout where you do an exercise for a given number of reps Every Minute On The Minute for a prescribed number of minutes

Ski Erg

An indoor cross country ski machine like this one: https://www.concept2.com/skierg/concept2-skierg

Double Unders

Skipping rope exercise where you pass the rope underneath your feet twice for every jump

Clean

Bringing a barbell (or dumbbell or kettlebell) from the floor to the front rack position on the shoulders

Snatch

Bringing a barbell (or dumbbell or kettlebell) from the floor to an overhead position

D-Ball to shoulder

A D-Ball is a heavy medicine ball that lands on the ground with no bounce ('dead'). In the D-Ball to shoulder exercise you pick the ball up from the floor and place it on one shoulder before returning it to the floor

The Worm

A long, heavy sandbag typically lifted by 2-4 people at a time. Coordination and teamwork are everything! https://youtu.be/VykOrx4c-q8

If you train in a gym and haven’t yet discovered Turf Games get yourself over to their website once you’ve listened to today’s episode.

And even if ‘putting yourself in the bin’, as they say, isn’t for you, then still listen in because I think you’ll find it interesting to hear how this fitness-as-competition movement is gathering momentum.

https://turfgames.com

https://www.instagram.com/turfgames

For today’s episode I’m joined by the award-winning host of the Game Changers podcast, Sue Anstiss MBE to talk about women in sport.

Sue has been a major player in driving change in women’s sport for over 30 years. She’s a founding trustee of the Women’s Sport Trust and co-founder of the Women’s Sport Collective and was recognised for her services to women’s sport with an MBE in 2018.

More recently though, she has written a book that charts the history of women in sport and exposes many of the inequalities that are still hiding in plain sight

I was lucky enough to have a read of ‘Game On: The unstoppable rise of women's sport’ ahead of publication and I can honestly say that my eyes have been opened!

I was delighted to have this opportunity to interview Sue and ask her some questions about the book, and of her own experiences of sport.

We talk about how girls are so often put off sport and exercise in general at a young age, both through practical barriers but also societal beliefs about things like femininity and acceptability.

I asked Sue about how the media and major sports sponsorship are helping or hindering progress, and the role that men have to play in actively supporting and encouraging, but also calling out inequalities that simply don’t make any sense.

Whether you’re a man or a woman, a participant or a spectator, Game On is a fascinating read and I hope that you find it as enlightening as I did!

'Game On: The unstoppable rise of women's sport' is available on Amazon and all good book stores from September 2 2021:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Unstoppable-Rise-Womens-Sport/dp/1800180624

Sue's website https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk is the access point for more information about the book, her 'Game Changers' podcast, and all the other work and services she offers as part of her mission to promote and bring equality to women's sport.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sueanstiss

https://twitter.com/sueanstiss

https://www.instagram.com/fearlesswomen__

“Vague wishes to improve my work life balance which have been in my mind for the last 5 years, have now been clearly detailed and actioned”

This was part of a review somebody left on this podcast a few weeks ago and it really intrigued me.

How many of us have listened to a podcast, or read a book or watched a video and felt motivated or inspired to do something, but then nothing changes.

We can’t (and don't need to!) put absolutely everything that we learn into action, but I also know that the thing most of us struggle with is bridging the gap between knowing and doing. Doing things differently enough such that it brings about positive change.

I was delighted to track down the lady who wrote those words, Karen Gibson, and was even more grateful that she agreed to come on as a guest herself!

In our conversation she explains a little more about what she did, what had stopped her in the past, how she started to put the ideas into practice, and the difference it’s made to her.

Everybody’s situation is different of course, and there are plenty of general lessons in this that could be applied to yours.

A couple of weeks ago I was in the North East visiting my mum and I dropped my friend Dean Coulson a line to see if he was around for a workout.

Dean is a coach and trainer with a very similar set of beliefs to me when it comes to how to approach holistic wellbeing, and our training sessions are always peppered with fascinating conversations.

I knew Dean would make a great guest for the podcast, and the timing was perfect as his brand new book THRIVE! is published today! (July 22 2021)

Dean’s personal story is inspiring, and he ended up leaving a career in IT to open a gym and become a lifestyle coach working predominantly with men. He’s been practicing martial arts for 30 years and we talk today about some of the lessons he’s taken from the sport that other non-practitioners could also benefit from.

We get into talking about Dean’s 4 elements of health and wellbeing - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual - and keep coming back to a central question that we are always asking ourselves - though usually subconsciously - “am I safe?”

The answer to this question is often the reason why we struggle to do the things we said we were going to do, and keep repeating patterns of behaviour that we know are harming or limiting us.

As well as delving into the book, I wanted to make sure that through our conversation we extracted a few solid takeaways that you can begin to apply immediately to your own life.

You can order a limited edition hardback copy of THRIVE! from Dean's website here:

https://www.theleanwarrior.com/thrive-pre-order-page

You can also follow Dean on social media here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deanncoulson

https://www.instagram.com/dean_n_coulson

https://www.facebook.com/DeanNCoulson

Journaling is one of those things that lots of people know they could probably benefit from, but struggle to get started and turn it into a habit.

I've been writing in a journal since I was about 13 years old and these days it's one of my most important tools for maintaining my motivation, performance and personal development.

A couple of years ago one of my coaching clients Alexa Whitten - herself a book coach and author-maker and another avid journaler - approached me to suggest we collaborate on creating our own journal.

Fast forward almost 3 years and we published the wonderful Work In Progress journal - essentially a beginner’s guide to building a journaling habit.

In today’s episode, which is being sponsored by the WIP journal - available from mywipjournal.com! - I speak to Lex about journaling.

Not just the WIP, but her own experiences of journaling and how she uses it.

I always find it fascinating that despite having many similar beliefs about the value of journaling, we have very different ways of using the tool!

We discuss some of the common challenges that many people face when it comes to starting to journal, and how you can overcome these blocks.

If you’re already journaling then hopefully this episode will reinforce this wonderful habit, and if you’re just curious about it or have struggled in the past to keep it going then perhaps this will be the beginning of a long and positive relationship.

The Work In Progress is available from the website here:

http://mywipjournal.com 

And the WIP Insta is here:

https://www.instagram.com/wip_journal

You can also find out more about Alexa Whitten and her work as a book coach and 'author maker' here:

https://www.thebookrefinery.com

And her 'Pen To Published' podcast is another great resource for anybody interested in publishing their own book:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-pen-to-published-podcast/id1565327859

Chocolate, ice cream, alcohol, smoking, checking social media… most of us have something we indulge in a little more than is really good for us.

The level of indulgence will determine how much - if at all - it is a problem for you but even if you’re not quite at the stage of sleeping on a park bench with a bottle wrapped in a brown paper bag, there’s a chance that overindulging could be having a negative impact on your life.

My guest on the show today is coach and speaker Duncan Bhaskaran Brown who doesn’t just have a remarkable story of getting over his own unhealthy indulgences, he’s literally written the book about it!

We talk about some of the most common indulgences, why they’re so common, and how to start the process of breaking a habit that is no longer serving us.

We unpack willpower and how it’s possible that strengthening our resolve in one area of our life can have a positive knock on effect in others.

We also talk about self-compassion and forgiveness as a critical starting point for boosting our ability to get over indulgence, along with all the usual fun chat that’s become a part of these interviews!

Whatever your vices or indulgences, no matter how rampant or inconsequential they may seem, I hope you’ll find there’s something of value in this episode for you.

https://www.bhaskaranbrown.com

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Over-Indulgence-Control-Stress-Free/dp/1999966570

Over the last few years there’s been an explosion in the number of wearable health monitoring devices, gathering data on our heart rates, movement, and even sleep quality.

One of the less well known variables is heart rate variability, which I had never come across until a few years ago when I saw today’s guest giving a talk at Lords cricket club. Simon Shepard is a chartered physiotherapist, and he’s been head of health and performance at Lords cricket for the last 30 years.

In our conversation today we get into what HRV is and how it differs from HR monitoring, what it tells us about our stress levels, and what we can do about it. Optima-life.com

On today’s episode I’m joined by fellow coach Laura Brunton to talk about living life more authentically and as ‘Totally You’.

When I first met Laura a few years ago she was in corporate and you wouldn't have known it to look at her but she was on the brink of burnout.

We talk about some of the things that aligned for her to help her realise how she was holding herself back, how she was misaligned with her priorities and values, and what she did to start bringing about some pretty big changes into her life.

As well as values, beliefs and burnout Laura shares some tips and techniques for identifying and challenging the stories we tell ourselves that could be limiting us, and how to get a grip on those moments in life when things feel like they’re just overwhelming us.

Whenever I read one of Laura’s posts on LinkedIn or watch one of her videos it always gives me a boost of positivity and energy so I knew that she’d be a perfect guest for the podcast… she’s one of those people who I can have an ad hoc conversation with and think to myself afterwards… ‘that would have been awesome to have recorded and shared with other people!’… and now we’ve done just that!

You can find out more about Laura and her work (including her incredible Spring 2022 offer!) on social media and through her website:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-brunton-71b9289

https://membership.totallyyou.me/membership

https://www.facebook.com/laura.mccourt.7

https://www.instagram.com/totallyyoucoachlaura

Today's interview with co-founder of Wolfhound Fitness in Mullingar, Katie Murphy, is absolutely jam packed with insights and nuggets of wisdom to give you a bit of a boost of motivation and positivity.
We talk about how our values can influence our resilience, what it was like being given a life expectancy of just 13 years, and why the biggest compliment Katie ever received was ‘I didn’t notice you at all’. Follow Katie on Instagram at @Wolfhound_Katie and check out her website wolfhoundfitness.ie

If you've ever thought to yourself "I wish I'd been more confident!", or "I shouldn't have got so angry...", then being more intentional could help shake you out of your default reaction patterns.

In this short solo episode I share some of the ways that being intentional can help you show up as your best self more consistently, and improve the way that other people (and you!) experiences you.

We take abstract 'showing up words' and turn them into real world demonstrations of how you want to be, and look at a number of different scenarios where this technique can be helpful.

Being intentional is like an antidote to autopilot as it makes you more mindful and deliberate about the way you choose to respond. You won't always get it perfect, but being intentional vastly increases your chances!