Rates of anxiety were rising rapidly before the pandemic – and have shot up since the world changed in 2020. In 2021, 'anxiety' was chosen by children as their word of the year. It’s clearly a huge issue. One of the most powerful tools to counter anxiety is a counter-intuitive one – acceptance. So many of us distract ourselves from our feelings - not least with the help of our digital devices - but distraction is not a long-term solution. We need to move towards our feelings, not away from them....
Jan 24, 2022•49 min•Ep. 88
Just how did Joe Wicks harness the power of social media to become the 'Nation's PE teacher'? It's all about authenticity, consistency - and ignoring the naysayers. When Joe started posting content in 2014, there was no master plan. He just loved doing it. His mates told him to give the videos a rest, but he ploughed on and eventually broke through. It's a story that is often repeated in seeming 'overnight successes' - that ability to keep on going when the rewards are not forthcoming and people...
Jan 21, 2022•12 min•Ep. 87
"Intuition is a powerful thing. More powerful than intellect." - Steve Jobs "The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift." - Albert Einstein The power of intuition is a difficult thing to quantify, but numerous hugely 'successful' people have sworn by it. In this week's full length conversation, Jimmy Chin spoke about how he chose to follow his intuition against the wishes of his par...
Jan 14, 2022•11 min•Ep. 85
How walking more will boost your brain, body and creativity with professor Shane O'Mara. Most of us do it - but almost all of us don’t walk enough. It's hardly news that we are, as a species, too sedentary, and that has only increased since the pandemic hit. The fact is that we were not designed to spend as much time as we do sitting - and by upping our step count, we can enjoy huge benefits for body and mind. Follow me: on instagram https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ on twitter https://twit...
Jan 07, 2022•13 min•Ep. 83
Bradley Simmonds is one of the most in-demand fitness trainers in the UK. The list of well-known people whose physical and mental health he has helped improve includes John Terry, Louise Redknapp, Brendan Rodgers, Niall Horan, Olly Murs, Declan Rice and Maya Jama. Bradley says embracing consistency is the key to reaching your goals - don't rely on motivation as that will definitely wane. He also shares nuggets on creating opportunities for yourself and picking yourself up when 'Plan A' goes awry...
Jan 04, 2022•50 min•Ep. 82
We live in highly polarised times, where largely impenetrable tribes have formed around certain beliefs and world views – so having a guide to help us communicate effectively with people who don’t share our opinions is priceless. Tim Harkness does a great job at outlining how to navigate the difficult conversations that persistently have negative effects in our personal and professional lives. He’s the author of the excellent book ’10 rules for talking: An expert’s guide to mastering difficult c...
Dec 13, 2021•1 hr 47 min•Ep. 81
David Hamilton PHD is one of the world’s foremost experts on the scientific benefits of kindness, and author of the best selling book ‘the 5 side effects of kindness’. In this bitesized episode, we talk about how kindness positively effects the alarm system of the brain - the amygdala - as well as the prefrontal cortex which is associated with decision making, impulse control and attention. It's all to do with the 'kindness hormone' - aka Oxytocin ** Follow me: on instagram https://www.instagram...
Dec 09, 2021•18 min•Ep. 80
Owen Eastwood is one of the world’s top performance coaches. He worked alongside Gareth Southgate as England prepared for this year's Euros, and Team GB ahead of this summer's Olympics. He's also worked with the Scotland rugby squad, the South African cricket team, as well as the royal ballet school and the command group of NATO. Owen set out the thinking behind his success in his excellent book Belonging – the ancient code of togetherness. He shares ideas around belonging, the power of a shared...
Dec 06, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 79
Dedication often beats talent, and application trumps genetics. Character is key - and it's what took Alex Danson-Bennett to the top of her sport as she became Team GB's top goalscorer as they won hockey gold at the Rio 2016 Games. ** Follow me: on instagram https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ on twitter https://twitter.com/simonmundie And for the 'Mundie on Monday' newsletter - featuring three of the best Life Lessons from three years and more than 150 of these conversations - head to simonm...
Dec 02, 2021•11 min•Ep. 78
Laurence Halsted - who competed at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics in fencing and was a European silver medalist - believes sport is falling short of its potential. The pervasive 'win at all costs' mentality has led to problems like doping, corruption, inhumane training cultures and mental health difficulties among athletes at all levels. Laurence argues that a significant issue is the failure of sportspeople and organisations to identify - and then live in accordance with – their deeper v...
Nov 29, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 77
Self-doubt is part of the human experience, but we don't have to let it dictate our actions. One of the greatest rugby league players of all time - Jamie Peacock MBE - explains how he overcame self-doubt to reach the top of his sport. ** Follow me: on instagram https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ on twitter https://twitter.com/simonmundie And for the 'Mundie on Monday' newsletter - featuring three of the best Life Lessons from three years and more than 150 of these conversations - head to sim...
Nov 26, 2021•13 min•Ep. 76
Amy Williams MBE became the first British athlete to win Gold at a Winter Olympics in 30 years at Vancouver 2010. Her event was Skeleton - which basically involves lying face down on a small sled, hurtling down an icy track at speeds upwards of 80 miles an hour. Not for the faint of heart. It took self-awareness for Amy to climb to the top of her chosen sport. Describing herself as shy and introverted, Amy stepped out of her comfort zone to even start Skeleton, and then worked hard at building h...
Nov 21, 2021•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 75
We live in the age of the smartphone. While there are huge benefits to this, it also comes at a cost. We are more distracted and our brains are not getting the opportunity to power down as they need to. But also, it is having a significant impact on the quality of our communication and our relationships. A simple tip then - put your phone away when possible when you are in company. Going out for dinner? Leave your phone in ypur pocket or bag rather than face down on the table. Research shows eve...
Nov 18, 2021•7 min•Ep. 74
Bill Beswick is one of the world’s top sports psychologists. He worked at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, as well as at many other top football clubs and in other elite sports. He has also worked individually with elite athletes including Adam Peaty. Bill is chock full of wisdom and fantastic advice. The theme is taking personal responsibility – but Bill shares actionable life lessons galore. We also discuss recognising and processing emotion, consistently raising our level on those d...
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 73
Jason Fox is a former marine who was discharged from the army with PTSD. After coming close to suicide, Foxy started 'looking inwards' to process his trauma and work on rediscovering a childlike love of living in the present. The work he did was hugely rewarding, and since recovering he has gone on to forge a hugely successful career in the media, as star of 'SAS: Who Dares Wins' as well as on Netflix’s 'Inside the Real Narcos'. He is also the author of books including Battle Scars - which looks...
Nov 08, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 72
Anxiety is a very common experience, and clearly an uncomfortable one. The typical response to the feeling of anxiety in our bodies - and the accompanying racing thoughts - is to try and get rid of them, or distract ourselves from them. The problem is that may actually add fuel to the fire and perpetuate the feelings. If instead we can be brave enough to turn and face the feelings directly - not as a way to get rid of them - but with genuine curiosity and compassion, then we can lessen their pow...
Nov 05, 2021•11 min•Ep. 71
What are the keys to good leadership? According to England Rugby Head Coach Eddie Jones, it's about setting a vision and working backwards, planning well, being adaptable and inspirational - which can simply stem from the way you care for people. Clear and concise communication is key, as is being a keen observer of what is happening around you and making sure your team masters the basics. Eddie Jones is one of England's most successful head coaches, having led his team to a Grand Slam, a calend...
Nov 01, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 70
Why being true to yourself is vital to both success and happiness. It is easy to try and fit the mould of how we think we should act - particularly at work, but in any and all life situations. Often that means conforming to how we imagine others think we should be, taking us into the risky realm of 'mind-reading'. The answer? Be yourself as fully as you can be, not least because - as the cliche goes - you are unique. It's the best way to truly stand out and make a good impression. Former Wales c...
Oct 27, 2021•7 min•Ep. 69
Everyone knows the mainstream narrative around elite athletes – that they are superhumans capable of achieving the truly incredible. True in many ways – but perhaps not the whole story. What if - in many cases - the drive required to become the best in the world comes from a place of internal disquiet? Dr Amy Izycky is a clinical psychologist and psychodynamic psychotherapist with a major interest in sport and author of the paradigm shifting book Skewed To The Right – Sport, Mental Health and Vu...
Oct 24, 2021•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 68
Imposter sydrome is where we feel like a fraud and don't deserve the success that comes our way. It is often accompanied by uncomfortable feelings like anxiety and thoughts like "I'm not good enough" or "I don't deserve to be here". The key insight from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is that uncomfortable thoughts and feelings are normal and to be expected. It is our desire to get rid of them, or to not recognise them for what they are - simply thoughts and feelings that come and go irr...
Oct 21, 2021•17 min•Ep. 67
John Barnes is a former Liverpool, Watford and England footballer who would like people to think hard about discrimination and its origins. He has a new book out - The Uncomfortable Truth about Racism - which explores the human propensity for creating illusory hierarchies in our minds and putting people on pedastals. John's point is - whatever our background - deep down we are all the same. While we are all prone to mental conditioning, we can move beyond it. *** Follow me: on instagram https://...
Oct 17, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 66
Do you believe you will be happy and fulfilled at some point in the future - perhaps when you get the right job, relationship or house? Or maybe you will find lasting fulfilment when you do something really special - like win a World Cup... Jonny Wilkinson reached the pinnacle of his sport in 2003 aged 24, when he kicked England to World Cup glory. But, rather than being left with a sense of lasting peace and fulfilment by fulfilling his ultimate goal, Wilkinson's body and mind soon began to suf...
Oct 15, 2021•8 min•Ep. 65
Professor BJ Fogg is one of the world's top experts when it comes to behaviour change. He has spent 20 years researching and teaching insights about human behaviour, and is the author of the New York Times best-seller Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. In this episode, we discuss why forming a new habit doesn't take place in a certain number of days. The research shows repetition has nothing to do with it, and willpower isn't a factor either. The key is to tap into emotion - ...
Oct 10, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 64
Why when we eat may be more important than what we eat. PLUS - why going outside to get natural light in the first half of the day helps a multitude of things including your mood and your sleep, while getting blue light at night - from your phone for example - has the opposite effect. As the days get shorter, this episode has some simple to implement but seriously powerful tips to help improve your health and wellbeing ** Follow me: on instagram https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ on twitter ...
Oct 08, 2021•17 min•Ep. 63
Will Greenwood is one of England's greatest ever rugby players. He played centre and was a key member of the 2003 World Cup winning side. His crucial try helped turn the game when England were trailing Wales in the quarter-finals, and one of the most memorable photos taken after England were crowned champions feautured Will and Jonny Wilkinson in a euphoric embrace. It has been nearly twenty years since England won the World Cup, and in that time Will says he has evolved hugely as a person. You ...
Oct 03, 2021•49 min•Ep. 62
What can you do to help someone who is battling addiction, and what are the ways we rationalise addictive behaviours? Tony Adams - who recently celebrated 25 years without a drink - helped set up the Sporting Chance treatment clinic two decades ago. In this episode - he shares wisdom around dealing with addiction. This episode is being released in response to the large number of messages and emails we received after Paul merson spoke about his battles with addiction in the last full-length episo...
Oct 01, 2021•14 min•Ep. 61
Paul Merson – the ex Arsenal, Villa and England footballer turned Soccer Saturday regular has battled issues for years with drink, drugs and gambling, which he considers to be the cruellest of the lot. Paul is currently clean and doing his bit to help others – not least through his new book Hooked: Addiction and the Long Road to Recovery. It’s a stark and at times brutal account of the damage addiction can reek, and in this episode we talk about what Paul has learnt along that long road to recov...
Sep 27, 2021•50 min•Ep. 60
Everything you experience - like thoughts, feelings, sensations and perceptions - come and go. But do you come and go with them? To help answer this question is philosopher Rupert Spira, who walks us through a simple but powerful process of 'self-enquiry' ** My debut book - Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself - is available to buy from January 18. Drawing on some of my favourite interviews from this podcast over the last five years, I want to challenge our ideas about ...
Sep 23, 2021•14 min•Ep. 59
Most of us believe that there is a 'thinker' in our heads, who is thinking all our thoughts. My guest this week Sam Harris - neuroscientist, philosopher, New York Times best-selling author, host of the Making Sense podcast, and creator of the Waking Up app - argues that this is an illusion. Sam says if we can clearly see this, we can largely bring an end to our own suffering. Not pain – which is inevitable – but the psychological suffering that occurs BECAUSE we identify with our thoughts. Thoug...
Sep 19, 2021•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 58
At Wimbledon this year, newcomer Emma Radacanu reached the fourth round, but had to withdraw with breathing difficulties. It was - it seemed - a 'bad' thing. There was concern for her welfare, and questions as to whether it would impact her future Grand Slam chances. Emma then proceeded to produce one of the all time great Grand Slam performances on the way to winning the US Open as a qualifier - without dropping a set. That experience at Wimbledon hadn't been 'bad' after all, it had been a lear...
Sep 17, 2021•15 min•Ep. 57
