The You Project - podcast cover

The You Project

Craig Harperwww.craigharper.net

The You Project is a 30-90 minute dose of inspiration and education hosted by Craig Harper with great stories, ideas, strategies and lessons from high-performers in sport, business, science, media and health.

 

Episodes

#1861 The Woman Who Can Smell Parkinson's Disease - Dr. Bill Sullivan

Yep, you read that title correctly. This is a very different and super interesting chat with Dr. Bill about.. well, you read the title. So many interesting factors, considerations, research options, medical possibilities and stories to come out of this woman's fascinating superpower. Enjoy. **Bill Sullivan, Ph.D., is the author of 'Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs, and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are'. He is an award-winning professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine, wher...

Apr 21, 202550 minSeason 1Ep. 1861

#1860 Instinct, Intuition & Inexplicable Knowledge - Harps

There's a kind of knowing that doesn't come from books, degrees, research papers, TED Talks or even, good-old TYP. It's not downloaded from the internet. It's not something you can Google. You didn't 'learn it’ somewhere. It doesn't ask for permission. It doesn't speak in paragraphs. It whispers. Nudges. It tugs at your sleeve. And sometimes it punches you in the gut. It's not always logical, but it's often right. It's the insight, understanding, knowledge, awareness that you somehow have,...

Apr 20, 202526 minSeason 1Ep. 1860

#1859 Riding Robot Wolves & Chatting to Dolphins - Patrick Bonello

According to Patrick, in the near future he and I will be buying twin four-legged, hydrogen-powered, robots designed by Kawasaki to be ridden by humans. He calls them 'rideable robotic wolves'. At this point I'd rather be sitting on a good old-fashioned noisy dirt bike that can't think for itself but I guess we'll see how it all goes. We also talk about speaking with dolphins (thanks to Al), modern Monopoly (the kid's game), the dangerous games and toys that existed when I was a kid, tech to hel...

Apr 19, 202555 minSeason 1Ep. 1859

#1858 Neurosis, Anxiety & Trust Issues - Bobby Cappuccio

Surprising I know, but Bobby and I have issues. There I said it. Shocker. And in this TYP instalment we talk about the pros and cons of trust, being driven by anxiety (for good and bad), navigating life with Tourette's (Bobby), the irony of people who don't have their sh*t together teaching people how to... get their sh*t together, reading between the conversational lines, surviving the occasional existential crisis, our first paid speaking gigs and lots more. Enjoy.   See omnystudio.com/li...

Apr 18, 202551 minSeason 1Ep. 1858

#1857 The Wisdom Of Your Body - Dr. Jodi Richardson

In some ways, Dr. Jodi and I are peas in a metaphoric pod. We've both had our battles with food, exercise, weight, body image, self-esteem, self-worth, eating issues and all the psychological, emotional and sociological stuff that intersects with the 'body' stuff. As is often the way on TYP, this conversation was not the one we intended to have, going in. Fortunately, I think it was better. Enjoy. drjodirichardson.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Apr 17, 20251 hr 6 minSeason 1Ep. 1587

#1856 Relationships Are Tricky - Harps & Tiff

Tricky. Complicated. Devastating. Healing. Painful. Joyful. Personal. Silly. Serious. Professional. Strategic. Selfless. Stagnant. Dynamic. Relationships are an ever-present part of the human experience (of course) and when we throw in all the psychological, emotional, physical, personal, professional, financial and practical variables, well... no wonder they're easier said than 'done'. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Apr 16, 20251 hr 1 minSeason 1Ep. 1856

#1855 What is Trauma? - Dr. Sarah Woodhouse

Hi Team! Life at TYP central is mayhem at the moment, so we’re delving into the archives to share one of my favourite episodes with you. I will be back tomorrow with a freshie. See you then, Harps. *You wouldn’t think a conversation about trauma could be uplifting, entertaining and even fun, but this chat with Dr. Sarah Woodhouse (trauma expert, research psychologist, author and coach) is all that and more because not only is she a high level academic with a great understanding of th...

Apr 15, 202556 minSeason 1Ep. 1855

#1854 Politics & Purpose - Zoe Daniel

Can't say that I've interviewed too many politicians but you'll (probably) be pleased to know that this was anything but a political interview, and Zoe and I went deep down the conversational rabbit hole talking about everything from parenthood, leadership, communication and her childhood dream of becoming a Vet, to mental health, self-regulation, working in high-pressure situations (war zones etc.), dealing with haters and navigating the mayhem that is, politics. *Zoe Daniel is an Australian po...

Apr 14, 202531 minSeason 1Ep. 1854

#1853 Progress Over Perfection - Harps

How's that 'perfection' thing working out for you? You know who you are. You know the frustration, anxiety, disappointment and pressure that comes with chronic perfectionism. It's crippling. It's a self-created psychological prison and it's more likely to lead to misery than it is, joy. Maybe 'better' (not best) is a healthier goal? Progress, not perfection? This episode is a chat about all that. Enjoy.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Apr 13, 202526 minSeason 1Ep. 1853

#1852 The Other Version Of You - Bobby Cappuccio

Bobby's back and this time we talk about the value (or lack thereof) of 'self-help', our own humble and unremarkable beginning in the world of motivating, educating and coaching, the challenge of learning how to learn optimally, understanding what works for our brain and mind, what lives at the intersection of frustration and curiosity, a very famous Harvard study that happened to be a scam and lots more. Enjoy.  theselfhelpantidote.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Apr 10, 202555 minSeason 1Ep. 1852

#1851 Temporary Psychopaths - David Gillespie

According to David Gillespie (and some very reliable research studies), good old-fashioned Paracetamol (Panamax, Panadol, Tylenol) can create the interesting 'side effect' of making people temporarily less empathetic or as DG suggests, “temporary psychopaths!” We also chat about why (and how) Al might soon make 'The You Project' (or at least, the host) redundant. As always this was super interesting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Apr 09, 202528 minSeason 1Ep. 1850

#1850 Goal Setting Simplified - Harps

People make goal setting harder than it needs to be. And while it's not always a metaphoric cake walk (especially when it comes to the 'doing' part of the change process), the actual strategising, planning, time-lining and prioritising (the theoretical component) can be a relatively straight forward and uncomplicated process. This episode is a brief coaching session for those of you who might need some help in getting a little more practical and strategic about the things you want to do, be, cre...

Apr 08, 202529 minSeason 1Ep. 1850

#1849 The Coach's Coach - Dr. Iain McCormick

Dr lain McCormick is a total newbie to TYP and he's a ripper. He has a beautiful ability to translate science, research and academic jargon into user-friendly (listener-friendly) stories, metaphors and lessons, that we can all turn into action (should we wish to do so). In broad terms, we spoke about understanding our own mind and the minds of others, subjective and objective reality, living up to the expectations of people we don't want to disappoint (shout out to dad - lol), finding a good coa...

Apr 07, 202555 minSeason 1Ep. 1849

#1848 Don't Believe Everything You Think - Corey Jackson

In this episode of TYP, Corey Jackson and I explore the human condition (physical, mental, emotional and social) through the lens of science, philosophy, psychology, Buddhism and real-world lived experience. Corey is fascinating, I loved him and you will too.  coreyj.substack.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 06, 202556 minSeason 1Ep. 1848

#1847 Anti-Ageing, Placebos & Stem Cells - Dr. Jeff Gross

The super smart, congenial, and down-to-earth Dr. Jeff Gross slides back into TYP Central and as always, he delivers as we open the conversational door on all-things health, wellness, human optimisation and integrative medicine.  Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 05, 202556 minSeason 1Ep. 1847

#1846 Self-Driving Cars Are on the Way - Patrick Bonello

On this episode of TYP, we chat with our resident Technophile Patrick (and Tiff) and we explore self-driving cars (they're on the way), Tesla bonfires, creepy glasses that film people unknowingly, "hi Mum" phone scams, Apple vs. Microsoft, iPads for cat therapy (really), Al designed to replace creative humans doing creative jobs, 23andMe go broke and people worry about their private data (DNA stuff!) and lots more. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Apr 04, 202552 minSeason 1Ep. 1846

#1845 Lily's Story - Lily Rychter

About thirty years ago, a new client called Lily showed up at my gym. She was (in her own words) obese, terrified (of me and the gym environment), embarrassed, insecure and desperate to re-invent herself. And she did. Reinvent herself, that is. With a suboptimal lifestyle (very sub), terrible eating habits, genetic challenges, zero fitness and no idea of what she was doing as her starting point, Lily lost over thirty kilos and made amazing fitness and strength gains in a relatively short period ...

Apr 03, 20251 hr 5 minSeason 1Ep. 1845

#1844 Stoicism: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Chaos - Harps

Hi Team, this episode I dive into something I think everyone should at least learn about (if not, practice): Stoicism. Not because it's trendy, or philosophical, or looks good on Insta but because it's practical, effective and bloody useful, even in 2025. Especially when life gets messy, unpredictable, or just plain difficult. I talk about what Stoicism actually is and isn't, where it came from, why it still matters today, and how you can use it in real life - not just as a theory, but as a legi...

Apr 02, 202535 minSeason 1Ep. 1844

#1843 Q&A with Perry & Harps - Perry Venakis (PT2)

Perry Venakis (B.App.Sci, M. Nutr.) is back and the bald Greek and I go far and wide answering listener questions. BTW, we chatted forever... so it's a two-parter but I think most of you will really enjoy it. n90.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apr 01, 202548 minSeason 1Ep. 1843

#1842 Q&A with Perry & Harps - Perry Venakis (PT1)

Perry Venakis (B.App.Sci, M. Nutr.) is back and the bald Greek and I go far and wide answering listener questions. BTW, we chatted forever... so it's a two-parter but I think most of you will really enjoy it. n90.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 31, 202545 minSeason 1Ep. 1842

#1841 The Hedonic Treadmill - Harps

In this solo episode, I unpack the sneaky psychological pattern known as the 'hedonic treadmill' - the reason we feel amazing when we hit a goal, and kinda flat not long after. We discuss why we keep chasing the next shiny thing. Why our wins wear off so fast. Why happiness doesn't keep up with our progress. Why and how our brains adapt to both the good and the bad. Why contentment often feels just out of reach, and - most importantly - what we can actually do about it all.This episode is part n...

Mar 30, 202525 minSeason 1Ep. 1841

#1840 Efficient Or Just Busy? - Harps

So much busy-ness, so little efficiency. Such a big investment of time, effort, energy and resources, such a poor return on that investment. So much potential, so little success. Ever had someone say "busy" when you ask them how they are? Me too. Ever had someone say "efficient". Me either. This is about that. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 29, 202531 minSeason 1Ep. 1840

#1839 What if the Drug is You? - Harps & Tiff

Among other things, this episode is a chat about tricking your mind into believing something that isn't real, in order to create an outcome that is both amazing and real, with your body. The chat revolves around some fascinating research that was conducted over fifty years ago involving one significant lie, fifteen athletes, fake steroids (placebos), and some mind-blowing test results. I love this story. Enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Mar 28, 202542 minSeason 1Ep. 1839

#1838 Building Resilience & Other Hard Things - Bobby Cappuccio

Bobby is back and this time we talk about the difference between self-care and self-indulgence, the intersection of frustration and curiosity, whether we have beliefs or they have us, doing meaningful work, opinions about opinions, training for mental fitness, finding the right protocol (for each of us individually), resilience, doing scary sh*t and lots more. Enjoy.  theselfhelpantidote.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Mar 27, 202550 minSeason 1Ep. 1838

#1837 Ozempic: Magic or Madness - David Gillespie

Of course Gillespo has written an article (on Substack) about the world's most controversial, talked-about and in-demand drug. So of course we chat about the magic product(?) that tells your brain you're full (so you eat less), slows down digestion (so you stay full longer) and lowers blood sugar levels (helps diabetics manage insulin). We should probably also mention the potential side-effects of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, stomach pain and bloating, loss of appetite, fatigue, bur...

Mar 26, 202531 minSeason 1Ep. 1837

#1836 The Inappropriate Bogan - Harps

Some people think I'm too blunt. Too direct. Too unsophisticated. Too bogan. Sometimes I agree with them. Some people resonate with my approach to personal development, human behaviour and the psychology of change and some don't. Of course. It's to be expected. And of course, I'm okay with that. I'm not trying to be all things to all people. In this brief solo episode, I chat about why I talk, write and teach the way I do. It's not a 'defence' but rather an insight into the rationale and reasoni...

Mar 25, 202521 minSeason 1Ep. 1836

#1835 What's Your Sh*t Threshold? - Dr. Jodi Richardson

Mary wouldn't like this title. Shh.. don't tell her. Dr. Jodi returns for another laid-back conversation with her calming voice, comforting energy, beautiful vulnerability and super-smart mind. Apart from lots of other interesting things, you'll learn about your sh*t threshold. Enjoy. drjodirichardson.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mar 24, 202553 minSeason 1Ep. 1835

#1834 The Sleep Episode - Dr. Cam McDonald

This episode with Dr. Cam was my all-time favourite (with him) and it was f**king fascinating, broadly-relevant, enlightening and super practical. Having said that, it's a little sciencey in parts but I'm sure it'll resonate with the vast majority. If you struggle to sleep well, this is for you. Among other things, we talk about the impact of inadequate sleep (volume and/or quality) on cognitive function, mental health, hormones, immune function, recovery, sporting performance, energy levels, he...

Mar 23, 202551 minSeason 1Ep. 1834

#1833 The Terror Of Stand-Up - Bobby Cappuccio

l've always loved comedy and wanted to give stand-up a try for years. Having said that, there are two key reasons I haven't and won't; (1) I'm too scared (2) I'm not funny enough. Bobby - who's clearly braver than me - has done it and survived to tell the tale, so l'll just live vicariously through him. Apart from comedy (and my cowardice), we also chat about the idea of 'getting ready to get ready' (a very common avoidance tactic), emotional contagions, resolving ambivalence and lots more. Enjo...

Mar 22, 202550 minSeason 1Ep. 1833

#1832 Zero Gravity - Patrick Bonello

The band's back together talking tech and this time we discuss the physical impact of living in zero gravity for a long time (after SpaceX just retrieved the stranded Astronauts), a new Chinese EV that can be charged for a driving range of 400km in just five minutes, car companies that are reverting to using actual buttons, switches and knobs (instead of screens only), Deepfakes being used to scam unsuspecting oldies (Ron and Mary types), a wearable camera that helps blind people 'see', Patrick'...

Mar 21, 202553 minSeason 1Ep. 1832