Advertise on podcast: The High Performance Podcast

After hundreds of conversations with extraordinary people, Jake and Damian stop and ask a question they've been circling for a while prompted by a recent social media post from Rob Beckett: how has High Performance changed since it started and are we part of the 'grindset' problem? When the show began, they were fascinated by winning: routine, sacrifice, discipline, marginal gains. Jake once wrote a post about getting up at 5am that he now calls one of his biggest regrets. In this episode they play back their own early conversations, including Jake's advice to Steven Bartlett and Ant Middleton's definition of high performance from the show's second episode, and ask what they'd still stand by and what they've changed their minds about. The shift started with Jonny Wilkinson, who told Jake that suffering doesn't lead you to joy. It just builds stronger habits of suffering. From there they get into the difference between high standards and grind culture, what the Special Forces told them about never feeling like they'd done enough, and whether the people who change the world are driven by obsessive or harmonious passion (they don't fully agree). Mark Manson and Jimmy Carr help them land it. As Jake puts it: high standards ask something of you. Grind culture asks everything of you. If you've ever wondered whether you're doing enough, or whether "enough" is even the right question, this one's for you. Clips featured (full episodes linked below): Steven Bartlett https://pod.fo/e/16ca9 Ant Middleton https://pod.fo/e/15f9f Jonny Wilkinson https://pod.fo/e/9cca4 Mark Manson https://pod.fo/e/15bfe7 Jimmy Carr (released on October 26th!) AG1 👉 Grab the Autumn Wellness bundle at http://drinkag1.com/highperformance - Get a free welcome kit and shaker, a month's supply of Omega 3 capsules, a bottle of Vitamin D3K2 and five travel packs, plus an extra £10 off Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alessandro Benetton knows what it means to challenge an established order. When the Benetton family entered Formula 1 from the world of fashion, the paddock laughed. But rather than trying to fit in, they rewrote the rules, and went on to win world championships. Alessandro joins us to reflect on the decisions that changed everything, from recognising Michael Schumacher’s extraordinary talent before the rest of the sport caught on to standing by his team when allegations of cheating threatened the family’s reputation. He shares why backing your instincts, challenging convention and trusting the people around you can matter most when the pressure is on. This is an insight into the advantage of being an outsider, the courage to make unconventional decisions, and why sometimes the best way to get ahead is to stop following the crowd. Alessandro Benetton Bio: Alessandro Benetton is Chairman of Edizione and Mundys, and the founder of 21 Invest. He began his career in Formula 1, taking over the Benetton team at just 24 and becoming the youngest chairman in F1 history. Under his leadership, the team won two drivers’ championships with Michael Schumacher and the 1995 constructors’ title. The documentary 'Benetton Formula' is available now on Sky in the UK and NOW in Germany AG1 👉 Grab the Autumn Wellness bundle at http://drinkag1.com/highperformance - Get a free welcome kit and shaker, a month's supply of Omega 3 capsules, a bottle of Vitamin D3K2 and five travel packs, plus an extra £10 off Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dame Jess Ennis-Hill is one of Britain’s greatest athletes. A triple world heptathlon champion, European champion and Olympic gold medallist, she reached the absolute peak of her sport. But behind the medals was a very different story.... We revisit this incredible conversation where Jess reveals what it was like to become Britain’s “Golden girl” ahead of London 2012, carrying the weight of huge public expectations and feeling that anything less than gold would be seen as failure. She opens up about the injury that cost her an Olympic opportunity, returning to elite competition after becoming a mum, and the challenge of accepting that her body and training had changed. Jess also explains how sports psychology, visualisation and blocking out the noise helped her perform when the pressure was at its highest, why having the right people around you matters, and why she ultimately believes happiness and balance are at the heart of high performance. This is the story behind the medals, and what it really took to become an Olympic champion. XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB_HPP_AU Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've sat down with hundreds of high performers. These are five sentences we've never heard a single one of them say... "I'll start when I'm ready." "That's just the way I am." "It's not fair." "I've done enough." "I did it on my own." None of them is a character flaw, but each one quietly pulls you away from where you want to be. From the High Performance archive, Keely Hodgkinson explains why she puts her success down to 90% mindset, in a year when almost nobody believed she'd make the Olympic team. Matthew Syed remembers bombing a talk at Goldman Sachs and then going to Toastmasters every fortnight for three years. Joe Hart talks about England's Euro 2016 exit to Iceland without blaming a soul. Alun Wyn Jones explains why complacency was his biggest fear, and Laura Kenny shows why her story was never a solo effort, starting with setting fire to a jacket potato in Belgium at 18. Along the way, Damian brings in the research on "if-then" plans that help you follow through, the labels we let others stick on us, why growth mindset might matter less than we've been told, and the difference between harmonious and obsessive passion. Jake questions whether never having "done enough" is healthy at all, and explains why the people who made your life hardest helped shape you too. Full episodes links for the guests featured: Keely Hodgkinson https://pod.fo/e/252844Matthew Syed https://pod.fo/e/164cec Joe Hart https://pod.fo/e/24b0f2Alun Wyn Jones https://pod.fo/e/2b6885Laura Kenny https://pod.fo/e/249586 XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB_HPP_AU Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Linford Christie didn't just race his opponents, he tried to beat them before the gun even fired. The Olympic champion reveals the psychology behind his ruthless approach to the 100m, and the mindset that allowed him to keep pushing when most would have stopped. Linford reflects on the hunger that drove him to the top despite starting his international career later than most, and why winning Olympic gold in Barcelona felt more like relief than celebration. He also opens up about the pressure of constant scrutiny, the emotional armour he built throughout his career, and the personal cost of never allowing himself to show weakness. Now in his 60s, Linford shares what he's learned about achievement, vulnerability and finally being able to appreciate what he's accomplished. XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB_HPP_AU Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Robin van Persie captained Arsenal and won the league with Manchester United, but for years he says his hardest opponent was himself. We re-visit our classic episode with Robin where he talks about the letter he wrote to himself that he didn't believe when he read it back, the childhood friends he let go at 24, the Arsenal exit he'd handle differently and the advice to his son that Jake calls the whole podcast in two minutes. Our partners in this episode: AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB_HPP_AU Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most of us are waiting for someone to tell us we're ready. This week, Jake and Damian argue that moment never comes, and that the people we admire most simply stopped waiting. You'll hear from George Russell on the email to Toto Wolff that started his Mercedes journey, Robin Sharma on why it pays to be "a bit of a pirate", Alain de Botton on why the world is built by humans, not gods, and Adam Grant on the feedback that nearly made him quit public speaking. Francis Ngannou, Shane Parrish and Tom Kerridge unpack what it really means to take full ownership of your life, and Holly Tucker explains why there's never a perfect time to start. Along the way, Damian brings in the research on self-efficacy, why we underestimate how willing people are to help us, and why amateurs wait for inspiration while professionals just get on with it. Then Dame Amanda Blanc complicates everything: sometimes, all it takes is someone else believing in you first. Listen to the full episodes: George Russell https://pod.fo/e/1527c9 Robin Sharma https://pod.fo/e/23512b Alain de Botton https://pod.fo/e/1f5db0 Adam Grant https://pod.fo/e/1546d4 Francis Ngannou https://pod.fo/e/21a419 Shane Parrish https://pod.fo/e/1ff000 Tom Kerridge https://pod.fo/e/22356e Holly Tucker https://pod.fo/e/1943f Dame Amanda Blanc https://pod.fo/e/1419c7 Thanks to our partners: AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB_HPP_AU Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donate 👉 Sir Kevin Sinfield's 7 in 7: The Grand Finale https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/7-in-7-the-grand-finale England Rugby coach and MND campaigner Kevin Sinfield has spent years running into pain, not away from it. In memory of his friend Rob Burrow, he has pushed his body to its limits, finding in the suffering a way to carry some of the emotional weight of the families he meets. In this episode, Kevin shares the lessons Rob taught him without saying a word: what matters, what doesn't, and how to live with more courage and compassion. He also reveals what high performance really means to him, getting the best from people while caring for them. This is a conversation about purpose, resilience and the power of showing up for others. Because for Kevin, it has never been about the miles. It's just running for a mate. Our partners in this episode: AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB_HPP_AU Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're revisiting this extraordinary conversation with one of our most-requested conversations - Usain Bolt. Usain reveals the failures that changed the way he thought about performance, including the Olympics in Athens where he failed to make it out of the first round. He shares the moment his coach told him he simply wasn’t working hard enough, and the painful realisation that followed. Usain opens up about the power of consistency, learning how to lose, handling pressure, competing with scoliosis, dealing with global fame, and the mindset that helped him win eight Olympic gold medals. He also explains why he learned to “don’t think limits”, how he stayed calm before the biggest races of his life, and what high performance actually meant to him after dedicating his entire life to it. Daniel's latest book Fed Up is out now https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/59539/daniel-lieberman AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why is sport still drinking? For decades, alcohol has been part of sporting culture. Team nights out, beers after games and stories of legendary drinking sessions have become part of the mythology of elite sport. But is that culture changing? And if it is, what are we replacing it with? Jake and Damian explore why alcohol has played such a powerful role in sport, from helping teammates bond and break down hierarchy to simply giving people permission to switch off. They discuss the pressure of constant optimisation, why high performance can become exhausting, the darker side of celebrating destructive drinking stories, and what modern teams can do to create connection without relying on alcohol. They also explore what elite sport can learn from women's sport, the importance of shared experiences, and why sometimes the thing we need most is simply permission to stop performing. A conversation about alcohol, sport, connection, pressure and the importance of knowing when to switch off. If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol, visit Drinkaware for advice and support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Evolutionary biologist Daniel Lieberman challenges one of our most persistent beliefs about weight loss: that if you can’t stick to a diet, you simply need more discipline. He explains why our bodies evolved to hold onto fat, why willpower can only take us so far, and how diet culture has turned eating into a cycle of guilt and shame. Daniel also shares the story of his own mother, whose obsession with avoiding fat came at a cost later in life, and introduces a simple way to spot bad advice: are you thinking like a fox, embracing nuance, or a hedgehog, convinced one idea explains everything? His message is simple: there is no perfect diet. There are only trade-offs, and understanding them might change the way you think about food, health and your own body. Daniel's latest book Fed Up is out now https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/59539/daniel-lieberman AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB_HPP_AU  Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a revisit of the conversation we previously had with Toto Wolff, Mercedes’ Team Principal and CEO, and it remains one of the most revealing interviews we’ve ever recorded. Toto opens up about the childhood experiences that shaped him, losing his father at 15, being forced to grow up quickly and the financial hardship his family faced. He also speaks candidly about periods of depression from the age of 18, seeking professional help and the feeling that he was alone with what he was experiencing. He explains why he has always “stared into an abyss”, how self-doubt drives him and why he believes questioning yourself every day is essential to improvement. We also get inside Toto’s leadership mindset, including the mistakes he made during Mercedes’ difficult years, how he learned to control his emotions and why he believes leaders should blame the problem rather than the person. And, of course, we revisit 2021, Lewis Hamilton, Abu Dhabi, Silverstone and the extraordinary pressure of that season. A deeply personal conversation with one of Formula 1’s most recognisable figures, and a reminder that the person behind the calm exterior has faced his own battles with doubt, failure and adversity. AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB_HPP_AU  Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What do you actually feel when you win? Jake and Damian explore one of the strangest patterns they've noticed across more than 400 High Performance conversations: so many people reach the top of their mountain, only to wish they'd enjoyed the climb a little more. Damian unpacks the hedonic treadmill and arrival fallacy, and asks what we're actually optimising our lives for when every achievement simply moves the goalposts. Because if the next win is always more important than the one you've just achieved, when do you ever get to enjoy where you are? Along the way you'll hear Rio Ferdinand on winning the Champions League and immediately asking who Manchester United were signing next; Jonny Wilkinson on discovering that years of suffering had only created stronger habits of suffering; Stephen Hendry on being back at the practice table the morning after winning; Jill Scott on putting the process ahead of the result; Dan Carter on the one word he wrote in his notebook before a World Cup final: "enjoy"; Ryan Yates on his laid-back cousin who has no desire to achieve more; and Ali Abdaal on the question we should all ask ourselves: would you fast-forward through your life? Winning matters. But so does being there for it. AG1 👉Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former British Army paratrooper Josh Boggi’s life changed in 47 minutes when he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan, losing both legs and his right arm. But surviving was only the beginning of learning who he was going to become. Josh opens up about the five-minute conversation with a fellow triple amputee that gave him a new roadmap for life, and how sport helped rebuild his confidence, identity, and sense of purpose. He also reflects on surviving a second near-fatal accident years later, an experience he describes as mentally harder than Afghanistan. From competing at the Invictus Games to now helping others navigate life-changing injuries, Josh shares how he found purpose in becoming for others what that fellow amputee once was for him. This is a conversation about identity, purpose, and the choices we make when life takes us somewhere we never expected to be. The Invictus Games Foundation is a global charity using the power of sport and community to support the recovery of wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans, creating year-round opportunities that help people rebuild confidence, connection and purpose. In July 2027, the Invictus Games return to the UK for the first time since 2014, with Birmingham welcoming competitors, families and friends from around the world for a week of adaptive sport, recovery and connection. Tickets go on sale this October: https://www.invictusgamesfoundation.org/ AG1 👉 Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB_HPP_AU  Vitality 👉 We've partnered with Vitality because our philosophies align perfectly: healthy habits build high performance and can lead to a healthier, longer life. Find out more about health and life insurance with Vitality: https://highpfrmc.com/vitality-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Global music icon Anastacia has faced breast cancer twice, first diagnosed at just 34 at the height of her career and again ten years later. In this special episode, created in partnership with Postcode Lottery, she joins Jake to share how those experiences shaped her outlook on life. Anastacia opens up about taking back control, the optimism that has carried her through difficult moments, and why early detection remains so important to her. The conversation also highlights the work of Breast Cancer Now and the difference funding raised by Postcode Lottery players helps make. Anastacia kicks off her UK and European tour on 15th September, including a show at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on Saturday 26th September. Tickets available from Anastacia.com/live. Postcode Lottery manages lotteries for 20 charities. A minimum of 30% of each ticket price goes to charity. 18+, conditions apply. Not available in Northern Ireland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.