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115. How to Use AI as Your Ultimate Competitive Edge with Earl Waud | How to use AI In this episode, Ricky Locke sits down with AI educator, author, speaker and “Hindsight Mentor” Earl Waud to explore how artificial intelligence can help you think bigger, act faster and transform your life and business. If you’ve ever wondered: “Is AI going to take my job?” “Will it make me less human?” “How do I actually use this stuff without feeling overwhelmed?” ...then this episode is for you. Earl shares how a near-death experience reshaped his mission, how he became a bestselling author using AI, and how he now teaches entrepreneurs, speakers and creators to use AI as a superpower rather than a threat. Together, we dive deep into: What AI really is (in simple terms)How to stay ahead in the new AI-powered worldThe skills that will matter most in the next 5 yearsWhy people who use AI will replace those who don’tHow to keep your voice, authenticity, and humanity while using AIThe four pillars Earl teaches to help people gain their ultimate competitive edgeWhether AI will replace creative jobs (editors, designers, writers)How to use AI daily in practical, stress-free waysEarl’s favourite tools, prompts and productivity tricksHow AI can help you write books, create content and build your brand fasterThe truth about deepfakes, fake news, and the future of trustWhy curiosity, courage and communication still matter more than ever This episode will shift the way you think about AI, from something to fear, to something that can unlock your potential and elevate your success. Key TakeawaysAI doesn’t replace humans, it replaces people who don’t use it.Your competitive edge will be your ability to prompt, adapt and apply AI.Authenticity isn’t lost with AI, it’s amplified when you train it in your voice.You are one tool, one prompt, one skill away from transforming your business.The future belongs to the curious, not the fearful. Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Jasmine Barnes, Chloe Wilmot, Sara Kay, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott, Chris Lovett & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED!

114. 5 Ways to Use Humor to Connect at Work with 7× Emmy Winner Beth Sherman | How to use humour in presentations In this episode, comedy writer and humour strategist Beth Sherman, a seven-time Emmy Award winner known for her work on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Letterman, and The Tonight Show shares how humour can transform communication in professional and personal settings. We explore how to use humour not to entertain, but to connect, build trust, and communicate with impact. Beth explains why “truth is funny,” how to find your authentic comedic voice, and the importance of reading the room. She also breaks down what makes humour inclusive, how to balance professionalism with playfulness, and why humour truly is a love language. Together, we discuss practical ways to use humour as a communication tool, from leadership to public speaking and how anyone (even non-comedians) can develop a more relatable, engaging style at work. Chapters 00:00 The Power of Humour in Professional Settings 04:40 Beth Sherman's Journey to Comedy Writing 08:03 Inside the Writer's Room: Collaboration and Competition 12:03 The Pressure of Deadlines in Comedy Writing 17:09 Finding Humour in Truth and Specificity 24:49 Using Humour as a Love Language in Communication 29:52 The Power of Acknowledgment in Communication 34:19 Choosing the Right Humor for Professional Settings 38:02 Using Humor as a Tool for Connection 41:22 Finding the Balance: How Much Humor is Too Much? 44:15 Quickfire Humour Tips and Misconceptions About Comedians Key Takeaways takeaways Humor should be used to connect with others.The best humour reflects truth and authenticity.In a writer's room, collaboration is key to success.Deadlines can foster creativity in comedy writing.Self-awareness enhances the effectiveness of humor.Humor can diffuse tension in professional settings.Truth is the foundation of effective storytelling.Humor is seasoning; it should complement the main message.Understanding your audience is crucial for humor.Using humour can demonstrate resilience and approachability. Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Jasmine Barnes, Chloe Wilmot, Sara Kay, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott, Chris Lovett & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! TRANSCRIPT

113. 10 Tips to Build a Thriving Business with Faye Cornhill | Challenge Your Beliefs & Unlock Success In this episode, Faye Cornhill shares powerful tips to help you grow with confidence, attract high-paying clients, and challenge the beliefs that may be holding you back. Whether you're a solopreneur, wedding business owner, or creative entrepreneur, these mindset shifts and business strategies will help you overcome fear, redefine success, and take your business to the next level. Don't let self-doubt stop you—embrace your potential and start thriving today! Connect with Faye at: www.fayecornhillcoaching.co.uk www.theweddingbusinessclub.com www.livesinfocus.org.uk Chapters 00:00 Introduction and the Power of Belief 03:01 The Catalyst for Change 09:12 Early Entrepreneurial Spirit 15:19 Support and Belief 18:32 Challenging Societal Norms 23:21 Creating Your Own Path 27:38 The Power of Beliefs 29:33 Embracing the Temporary 30:28 Breaking Free from Societal Expectations 36:12 Pushing Through Challenges 49:00 Challenging Limiting Beliefs Takeaways -Surround yourself with people who believe in you and your dreams. -Challenge societal norms and create your own path to fulfillment. -Being true to yourself and making choices that align with your values is -key to finding purpose and success. -Fulfillment can be found in both entrepreneurship and being a stay-at-home parent. -Beliefs have a significant impact on our lives and businesses. It's important to choose empowering beliefs that support our growth and success. -The belief that everything is temporary can help us navigate both the good and the bad times. It reminds us to keep striving during the good times and to persevere through the difficult times. -Societal expectations should not dictate our choices. We have the power to choose our own path and pursue our goals and dreams, even if they go against societal norms. -Pushing through tough times and challenges can lead to personal growth and a sense of accomplishment. We are capable of more than we often give ourselves credit for. -It's important to challenge our limiting beliefs and question who is telling us that we can't achieve something. By taking action and saying 'yes' to our aspirations, we can overcome self-doubt and achieve great things. Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Jasmine Barnes, Chloe Wilmot, Sara Kay, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott, Chris Lovett & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! Ricky (00:00.098) When you feel low emotionally and physically, that is when you are most susceptible to believing things that you don't believe are true. Like you can do those things. I'm not saying you have to go and do crazy things like climb mountains or whatever, but you are capable as your beliefs will let you be. And so why not change that? Like why not instead of, yeah, but I couldn't do that. Says who? Ricky (00:43.406) Welcome to the Unlocked podcast, Faye Cornhill. How are you? I'm really well, thank you. Thank you for having me. Pleasure. Yeah, finally, after boiler attempts to get that replaced and I lost my voice, I think it was on the other time, wasn't it? I had no voice, couldn't do the recording. So we're finally here now after years of talking about this. So this is an absolute pleasure, Faye. There'll be a lot of listeners that listen to my podcast that will recognise you. But for those who don't know who you are, Faye, tell us who are you? Do you know what? When people introduce themselves as really slick, like one -liner, I think, they've got it down. So for anyone listening, I don't have that down. So prepare for the waffle. I am a business coach. So I help people grow and scale their businesses. A very, very quick potted history is that 15 years ago, I started my first business, which was my wedding photography business. I just plucked the idea. literally out of thin air and started a business and it kind of went quite well. It went really well in fact and that sort of unbeknown to me grew into something that enabled me to help and support other people to do the same. I now run four different businesses all kind of with roots in the wedding industry. I am mum to two teenagers, can't believe that. Where did the time go? I live in the countryside, I have two dogs and I quite like watching films and chilling on my sofa. That's nice, that's nice, that's not waffle at all, that's lovely. Yeah, that's very good. Well, I'll you, I'm really interested to get you on here because for a multiple of reasons really. Obviously we've known each other for about four years now, I think, through the wedding business club and through... Online shows, remember those days? Wow. When we were in lockdown, they were good. That was good that and obviously the BBC as well. So one of the things that I'm really eager to talk about is your journey. And particularly on this podcast, we talked to like amazing individuals of how they've got to where they've got to start to unlock that or unpick that and understand what it takes for someone to get to just extraordinary, awesome things. And I'm genuinely intrigued about your journey, because I think it will be a similar pathway to me one day. You know, some of the thoughts and feelings that I'm having right now about Ricky (03:01.324) children and how that can massively throw off your plans and your dreams, but also still in, you know, we still got to keep it on track. Right. So I'm genuinely really interested about this. Go back to early days. You obviously have had a wonderful career through you can us a little bit about, you know, obviously full time employment and obviously creating a bit. So let's talk a little bit about your story from being young. Was it a dream or did you aspire to go into photography? Never photography. No, I was. I always, always had this feeling that I would have my own business. And I don't really know where that came from because I don't come from a family of entrepreneurs. know, a lot of people say, I learned what I know from my dad or from my mom or from my grandma, but actually nobody in my family was self -employed. In fact, quite the opposite, I would say. I come from an upbringing of actually really hardworking people. all who worked hard for somebody else. And I think that is inspirational in itself. My dad worked for his whole life for Clark Shoes. My dad was an engineer. He was also a part -time fireman. And he worked, yeah, making the tools that make shoes that are on our school kids' feet. And he worked for them for years. And I have to say, I think I found that in equal parts. inspirational, like someone can stick doing the same thing for that long. And also inspirational not to actually repeat that because I get bored really easily and the idea of going to the same place of work every day. mean, my dad would have started there, I guess when he was like 16 when he left school and left at retirement age, the thought of that kills me actually. I don't think I've thought what it takes to do that. So I wasn't, I haven't been brought up to run businesses in my sleep, but I was always really curious about the idea. I remember as a kid, I would sell stuff in the playground, like not bad stuff. I went to a nice little village primary. Dodgy DVDs and stuff like that and videos. actually the first thing I ever sold was headed letter paper. And so we bought a computer. Ricky (05:25.366) which was a big, big deal for our family. I mean, it couldn't do anything apart from like write a document and print it. And even that was quite bad. And it had clip art. And I would sell to my friends, like, do you want a dolphin or would you like a butterfly? And I would write their name and I would print them letterhead. And then they could write their thank you letters for their Christmas gifts on fancy letterhead paper. And so I made some cash from that, which was fun because... You know, I didn't pay for the ink or paper. Nice. was good. was good. overheads then. I've always been deeply curious about making money. And I don't think it comes from a place of materialism. I've honestly never really been materialistic. I wasn't as a kid. I'm not now. I say I'm less now than I ever have been. But I just thought it was a really fun game. thought it was really fun. you know, what I grew up in a, in a West country, like very normal place to grow up, a very normal upbringing where people

112 How to Improve your sleep with Ryan Snell of Unstoppabl | The key to high performance In this week's episode I am joined with Ryan Snell of Unstoppabl and we dive into the critical role of sleep in enhancing high performance, discussing the alarming statistics of sleep deprivation and its economic impact. Exploring the health risks associated with insufficient sleep, including its effects on decision-making, productivity, and overall well-being. We discuss the importance of understanding sleep's functions and the significance of maintaining a healthy circadian rhythm to optimise sleep quality and health. We also discuss the challenges of modern life and how they impact our sleep and overall well-being and how to align with our natural circadian rhythms, offering practical strategies to improve sleep quality. Find out more about Ryan at https://unstoppabl.com/about-unstoppabl Chapters 00:00The Importance of Sleep in High Performance 02:55 Sleep Deprivation and Its Economic Impact 06:07 Health Risks Associated with Lack of Sleep 08:53 Understanding Sleep and Its Functions 11:55 The Role of Circadian Rhythm in Sleep Quality 15:03 Navigating Modern Life's Challenges 16:28 Understanding Circadian Rhythms 18:39 Strategies for Aligning with Nature 20:20 Creating a Sleep-Conducive Environment 22:55 Setting Boundaries for Better Sleep 25:31 Optimizing Your Sleep Space 28:41 Investing in Sleep Quality 29:15 The Impact of Caffeine on Sleep 30:52 Parenting and Sleep Challenges 34:04 Mental Health and Sleep 35:18 Practical Sleep Tips for Parents 39:02 Taking Responsibility for Sleep Improvement takeaways One in five people are not getting enough sleep.Sleep deprivation costs the UK economy around 40 billion pounds annually.Lack of sleep can lead to poor decision-making and productivity loss.Individuals getting less than six hours of sleep lose about six working days a year.Sleep is crucial for recovery and overall health.Arianna Huffington's experience highlights the dangers of sleep deprivation.Circadian rhythm plays a vital role in sleep quality.Sleep debt cannot be recovered; it accumulates over time.Prioritizing sleep is essential for personal and professional success.Healthy sleep habits are foundational for long-term health. We need to switch off from constant attention demands.Modern life challenges our natural rhythms.Aligning with circadian rhythms can improve sleep.Morning sunlight exposure is crucial for alertness.Creating a sleep-conducive environment is essential.Setting boundaries helps improve sleep quality.Avoid screens for at least 30 minutes after waking.A cool, dark, and quiet bedroom promotes better sleep.Regularly assess and update your mattress for comfort.Simple strategies can lead to significant improvements in sleep. Investing in a good mattress is crucial for sleep quality.Caffeine can significantly impact sleep; a cutoff time is recommended.Parents should maintain a consistent wake-up time regardless of sleep quality.Napping can help offset sleep deprivation, especially for parents.Mental health is closely linked to sleep quality; lack of sleep increases anxiety and depression risk.Setting boundaries around work and technology use is essential for better sleep.Morning sunlight exposure can help regulate circadian rhythms.Creating a calming bedtime routine can improve sleep quality.Nutrition and hydration play a vital role in overall health and sleep.Taking responsibility for sleep habits can lead to better health outcomes. Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Jasmine Barnes, Chloe Wilmot, Sara Kay, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott, Chris Lovett & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED!

111 How to become an olympian and The Link Between Mental Health and Performance with Leon Taylor | Best self improvement podcasts In this conversation, Leon Taylor shares his journey from a challenging childhood to becoming an Olympic diver. He discusses the importance of pursuing meaningful goals, the challenges of maintaining motivation, and the significance of commitment over fleeting motivation. Leon emphasizes the mental state required for high-performance diving and the balance between individual and team dynamics in synchronized diving. He also reflects on the importance of identity beyond sports and the impact of external pressures on mental health. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the complexities of mental health, particularly in the context of competitive sports. They discuss personal experiences with mental health challenges, the evolution of diving codes, and the importance of physical movement for mental well-being. The dialogue emphasizes the need for athletes to prioritize their mental health and the significance of savoring moments in life. The speakers also reflect on the legacy they hope to leave for future generations, encouraging a balanced approach to performance and fulfillment. Connect with Leon Taylor at https://leontaylor.co.uk/ Chapters 00:00 The Pursuit of Meaningful Goals 01:57 Journey to Becoming an Olympian 10:38 The Challenge of Consistent Motivation 11:40 The Importance of Commitment Over Motivation 15:58 Mental State on the Diving Board 23:50 The Balance of Individual and Team Dynamics 28:39 Navigating Mental Health Challenges 30:55 The Evolution of Diving Codes 35:02 Breaking Barriers in Competitive Diving 36:42 The Link Between Mental Health and Performance 40:23 The Importance of Physical Movement for Mental Health 46:30 Finding Ease in a Fast-Paced World 51:10 Leaving a Legacy for Future Generations Takeaways -Give people the chance to not give themselves a hard time. -The pursuit of goals can sometimes feel meaningless. -Physical activity started early in life for me. -I didn't know the Olympics existed until I saw them on TV. -Training for the Olympics requires immense dedication and sacrifice. -Motivation can be fickle; commitment is more reliable. -The environment you train in shapes your performance. -Mental state is crucial when performing under pressure. -It's important to evaluate performance without catastrophizing. -Your identity should not solely be tied to your sport. Navigating mental health requires honesty and communication. -Physical movement significantly impacts mental health. -The evolution of diving codes opened new opportunities. -Breaking barriers in sports can change perceptions. -Mental health issues are common among athletes. -Savoring small moments can enhance overall well-being. -It's important to find ease in a fast-paced life. -Athletes should not solely focus on outcomes. -Legacy involves imparting wisdom to future generations. -Fulfillment comes from the journey, not just achievements. Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Jasmine Barnes, Chloe Wilmot, Sara Kay, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott, Chris Lovett & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED!

110 10 Vocal exercises for a more confident voice | Mastering Vocal Techniques for Confidence with Kaffy Rice Oxley of Voice Confident In this episode voice coach Kaffy Rice Oxley discusses the importance of vocal training, breath control, and the science behind voice production. The dialogue explores how first impressions are significantly influenced by vocal qualities, the mechanics of the vocal instrument, and practical techniques for improving vocal performance. Key topics include the role of diaphragmatic breathing, the significance of pauses in presentations, and effective breathing exercises for vocal endurance. We delve into various vocal techniques and exercises aimed at enhancing vocal performance and resilience. We discuss the importance of vocal warm-ups, hydration, and managing stress to maintain vocal health. The conversation also touches on practical tips for public speaking, including how to handle nerves and dry mouth, as well as daily routines to keep the voice in top condition. The speakers emphasize that confidence in speaking can be developed through practice and awareness of vocal techniques. Find out more about Kaffy at https://www.voiceconfident.com/ or connect at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaffyrice-oxley/ Chapters 00:00 Jaw Release and Vocal Freedom 01:18 The Importance of First Impressions 02:35 Understanding Your Vocal Instrument 04:57 The Science of Voice Production 07:25 Breath Control and Its Significance 12:43 The Role of Diaphragmatic Breathing 16:27 The Power of Pausing in Presentations 20:49 Resetting with BiSpec Technique 22:08 Breathing Exercises for Vocal Endurance 23:44 Vocal Warm-Up Techniques 35:15 Maintaining Vocal Resilience 41:46 Managing Dry Mouth and Nerves 45:57 Daily Voice Care Routine Takeaways Jaw release techniques can help loosen the jaw for better vocalization.First impressions are heavily influenced by vocal cues, accounting for up to 38% of initial judgments.Everyone has the same vocal instrument, and with training, anyone can improve their singing ability.Breath control is essential for effective communication and vocal health.Diaphragmatic breathing is crucial for maintaining a strong and stable voice.Pausing during presentations can enhance audience engagement and reduce speaker anxiety.The BiSpec technique (Breathe in, Smile, Pause, Eye contact) helps reset the speaker's focus and connection with the audience.Understanding the mechanics of voice production can improve vocal performance.Breathing exercises, such as box breathing, can enhance vocal endurance and control.Practicing breath control can alleviate anxiety and improve overall vocal quality. Vocal warm-ups are essential for preparing the voice.Articulation exercises can improve speech clarity.Hydration is crucial for vocal health.Chewing gum can stimulate saliva production.Avoid whispering as it adds stress to the vocal folds.Confidence in speaking can be learned and developed.Daily voice care routines can enhance vocal performance.Understanding vocal placement can reduce strain.Managing nerves can prevent dry mouth during presentations.Using varied vocal tones makes communication more engaging. Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Jasmine Barnes, Chloe Wilmot, Sara Kay, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott, Chris Lovett & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! Speaker 1 (00:00.278) So jaw release is good, so you have to sort of let your face go soft, that's right, and then sort of manually, so you're finding this gap of your jaw, and you're gonna sort of manually open your jaw with your hands, so kind of go. Am I doing this right? No, no, right, so don't, yeah, there was massage, but to release the jaw, so put your, put the balls in and then just relax your face and you're gonna literally, manually open your jaw. okay. Like that? Yeah, with your hands. then if you do that few times, then when you talk, you will feel that your jaw feels looser and you're able to talk more freely as well. Speaker 2 (00:40.302) Yeah, yeah, I can feel it. It's like a bit of numbing sensation as well, but it's more open. can open your mouth and you can have a nice rich tone, a breath supported tone and you're articulating correctly. The sounds that we make are made in all different areas of the mouth depending on which muscles and everything they're using. Speaker 2 (01:18.478) Research shows that first impressions are formed within the first seven seconds and vocal cues are a substantial part of this. Studies indicate that a person's voice can be up to 38 % of the initial impression made during a conversation, which includes qualities like tone, pitch and speech rate. So because this is really important, let's have a little bit of discussion about our voice. Welcome to the show, Cathy Rice Oxley. How are you? I'm good, thank you Ricky, I'm all good, yeah, nice to be... to be here. Yeah, lovely to have you here. So, Cathy, obviously you're a voice coach at Voice Confident. Tell us just a little bit about what that is that you do. in all areas of voice training and as you say the voice is something that people do judge us on and if people are going to judge us on our voices then really we want it to be something which really represents us advocates for us that we like the sound of ourselves because you know if you don't like the sound of your own voice your voice allows you to give physical manifestation to your thoughts so if you don't like your voice then that's going to you know put barriers between what you're thinking and how you're able to communicate with people so yeah so I help people with their speaking voices and also with all of the presentation things around, that's all the non-verbal, the posture and the gestures and the face expressions, everything else that we're doing when we're speaking and communicating with people. Speaker 2 (02:35.63) Brilliant, and I'm really, really interested in this because, I mean, we've known each other for almost a year now. And obviously when I met you, there was lots of like synchronicity, synergy, however you want to describe it, because we both do presentation training. And one of the great things that we often talk about is in the Confident Club, we talk about the tools in the toolbox and about how we can make more impact. And I think it's just something that we often see in presentations that people just... We speak in that kind of modulated tone in that same voice and just we believe that that's all we can speak about and that's all that's how we speak. But my question is this, Kathy, could I sing like Beyonce? That's a really difficult one. I'm tempted to say... You are male, so this is a difficult one. But you're actually right. So your voice is an instrument. We've talked about this. Your voice is an instrument. Your voice can do amazing, amazing things. Most people with their spoken voice, they're only using a fraction of what this instrument is capable of. And I always say to people, have to think that your vocal instrument is the same as... all the great singers, all the opera singers, Beyonce, Whitney, you your vocal instruments the same as all the great singers who've ever lived, all the great actors, all the great impressionists. mean, think of all the actors we know on TV that can show up in completely different ways just by changing their accent and the voice and the way it's produced. We all have the same vocal instrument. So it's just a series of, you know, muscle movements and, you know, things interacting in this very complicated instrument and habits, physical habits. So yeah, you can pretty much learn to do whatever you want with your voice. Singing, absolutely everybody can sing. It is physical, it's just a case of learning how everything works and learning to produce things in a certain way. So all this, can't sing, I've never been able to sing, rubbish, everybody, everybody can sing and everybody should sing because it's really good for you, it's good, it's good for the soul to sing. Speaker 2 (04:27.15) Oh, thank you. You fulfilled my dream now because I used to believe like, you know, like it's one of those things like, you know, you're from Lincolnshire. You can't you can't sing, you know, in those tones that you have. obviously, yeah, absolutely. We can write. We've all got the same thing. So I'm interested to talk about. know that this is a big impact. So first, let's just t

109 Introverts, Extroverts And The Balance of Ambiversion with Ashley Griffiths | Ways to improve your confidence In this episode, Ricky Locke interviews Ashley Griffiths, a video expert and NLP practitioner. They discuss Ashley's struggle with being an ambivert, finding balance between introversion and extroversion, and the power of silence. They also explore the strengths of introverts and the importance of embracing growth and change. Ashley shares his journey of self-discovery and offers insights into how to connect with him. Takeaways Being an ambivert means having both introverted and extroverted qualities.Introverts can be excellent public speakers and have their own unique strengths.Silence is powerful and allows for deeper processing and understanding.Finding the balance between introversion and extroversion is an ongoing process.Embracing growth and change is essential for personal development. Chapters 01:06 Introduction and Background 2:06 Discovering Ambiversion 034:18 Balancing Introversion and Extroversion 06:55 The Power of Silence 09:08 The Strengths of Introverts 10:41 Struggling with Finding Balance 13:06 Embracing Growth and Change 15:18 How to Connect with Ashley Find out more about Ashley and his podcast here https://ashv5.podbean.com/ Or head to https://subscribepage.io/Lm3DfV Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Chloe Wilmot, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! Ricky Locke (00:00.987) Hey, welcome to another episode of the mini series of the Unlocked conversation cards with the Diary of a CEO conversation cards. Today, I am joined with my good friend Ashley Griffiths. Hello, mate. How's it going? Ash (00:14.158) It's going fabulous. How about yourself Mike? Ricky Locke (00:16.763) Always fabulous, especially talking to another podcaster and video superstar media expert. My long list of words for you there, but yes, tell us a little bit about you and what is it that you do? Ash (00:31.054) Well, I quite like your intro actually. So, right. So what is it I do? Ultimately, I work with clients to get them out of their heads and out into the world. So dropping all the shoulds, all the musts, have to's, I need to be a guru, I need to sing, I need to dance. And I help them focus on who they are. what they're all about and then getting that across via video and out into the world so they can market their business and start attracting more of the sort of clients that light them up. Ricky Locke (01:06.427) I like that. Very nice. Very nice. Well, I'm looking forward to this one. So obviously we met through the wonderful van der Voel, sorry, I should say the van der Voel, Vaga, van der Voel, and through NLP because we're both NLP practitioners. So this will be a very interesting conversation. Are you ready for your question, Ashley? Ash (01:16.972) Yep. Yes, we are in date. Ash (01:25.71) Oh, I'm a little bit nervous, but let's do it. Let's do it. Ricky Locke (01:28.219) All right. Here we go. So your question is, what is the unobvious thing that you struggle with? Ash (01:38.7) Oh my life. Ricky Locke (01:39.195) What is the unobvious thing that you struggle with? Ash (01:42.702) The unobvious thing I struggle with. Ricky Locke (01:45.083) Yeah. Ricky Locke (01:48.571) Deep question that one. Ash (01:48.782) Okay. I suppose. Yeah. I think actually, I think the people are often surprised. Anyone who's met me, anyone who's been in a room with me, anyone who's seen my videos are often surprised to find out that I'm not a natural extrovert. I'm actually quite shy. Um, I recently discovered, well, recently, probably less two years ago that I'm an ambivert. Ricky Locke (02:10.243) Oh. Ricky Locke (02:18.829) Oh, okay. And just for clarity for listeners, what does that mean? Ash (02:19.278) So there are time. So I have both strong introverted and extroverted qualities. So that's why when you see me on video, if you see me in front of a class or a workshop, I'm bouncing around, I'm confident, I'm talking to everybody and all of that. But what you don't see is the next day I don't talk to anyone. Okay. So I need that space, but I also need. Ricky Locke (02:29.659) Okay. Ash (02:50.606) that environment where I can be social, where I can be around people, where I can be that center of attention and loud and bouncing around. Um, and I was just thinking about this yesterday actually, cause on Monday, um, one of my other hats that I wear is I work with kids that don't go to school. And Monday's quite a people -y day. So I'm talking to people from half nine in the morning. Ricky Locke (03:18.715) you Ash (03:19.566) all the way through until, yeah, seven o 'clock at night. And then on Tuesday, you're lucky if you get a word out of me until about four o 'clock in the afternoon. I literally just sit in a kind of daze until around lunchtime. And then I'm like, suppose I should probably talk to people again now. Ricky Locke (03:40.275) Nice, yeah. So interesting then. So where do you think that comes from then? Ash (03:47.118) What the ambivalent, I think I've always been quite insular in nature. I was always quite shy, but I was always fascinated with people. Always. And I liked observing and I liked sitting and I was often thinking, I'm not going to say anything unless I've actually got something worth saying. Um, so I, especially at school, I'd often sit, watch, and then whenever I was ready, I would pipe up. Um. But yeah, I was, I was very shy as a child. Very shy. Um, the work that I do now, all the public speaking I've done, if you'd have said that even to my teenage, possibly even to my 20 year old self, that I would be doing that, I'd have been like, shut up. There is no way I'm doing that in front of all those people. Nah, thanks. It was too, it was too high stakes. Um, so I think there was probably a self -esteem. Um, issue there for sure. Um, but over time, I think it just changes. I think you, I think one of the common misconceptions as well regarding that regarding introversion, extroversion, ambiversion, whatever is that to be a good public speaker, you need to be an extrovert. I think that's, that's some of the best public speakers in the world have been introverts. Um, so I think it's. Ricky Locke (05:04.539) Yeah. Ricky Locke (05:10.043) Yes. Ash (05:13.582) And also I think sometimes, you know, we live in a world that's determined to make everything binary. And it's just not that simple. I think we can flip between the two quite comfortably. I know I do. Ricky Locke (05:19.161) Yeah. Ricky Locke (05:23.131) Yeah. Yeah. Ricky Locke (05:28.187) Yeah, we have a belief in the Confident Club, same as you, that we believe some of the best speakers in the world are introverted people. But quite often the society norms is that you've got to be this great gregarious person on stage, you know, like Tony Robinson, you know, like, but actually it's the more measured approach, the people that have gravitas that can hold a room, you know, in the power of a pause. Ash (05:37.292) Hmm? Ash (05:43.246) Meh. Ash (05:50.7) Hmm. Ricky Locke (05:55.931) and taking people on a journey. Introverts, I think, are absolutely fantastic. So the fact that you have a balance, it's like a superpower. It's like your Clark Kent Superman, isn't it? I can kind of flick between the two. So that's a really good skill to have. Ash (06:09.838) I think again, yeah, with the, with the introversion, I like just kind of like come back to a point you said there about the silence, really the power of silence. I think we live in a society where that is being drastically diminished. Um, if you look at say social media with the way videos are put out, where you've got literally fit in your life story into a 30 second clip and the way that people edit that it's like, sounds like they're being bloody remixed. Ricky Locke (06:16.315) Yeah. Ricky Locke (06:39.611) Yeah. Ash (06:39.854) There's no room for the words to breathe. And, you know, purely from a processing power, a brain processing power, we need that time to let the words sink in and like figure out, okay, does this actually mean something to me? So silence is super powerful. I think in my teaching career, silence was crucial because sometimes teachers, I think like, okay, well, Ricky Locke (06:55.961) Yeah. Ricky Locke (07:00.555) Yeah. Ash (07:07.95) I asked a

108 Unobvious Struggles And Asking For Help with Bev Holden | How to improve your confidence In this episode, Ricky Locke interviews Bev Holden, co-founder of the Clear Thinking Partnership. They discuss the unobvious things that Bev struggles with, focusing on confidence and asking for help. Bev challenges the concept of confidence, stating that it is not a real thing and that she doesn't believe she needs it to accomplish tasks. She also shares her difficulty in asking for help in certain situations, often due to a fear of judgment or a desire to maintain a certain perception. The conversation highlights the importance of questioning societal conditioning and living in the present moment. Takeaways Confidence is not a prerequisite for success; it is a concept that can be challenged and redefined.Asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it is an opportunity for growth and connection.We create our own conditions and constraints in life, but we also have the power to question and change them.Living in the present moment allows us to let go of past and future worries and focus on what truly matters. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to episode 01:00 Background 02:40 The Unobvious Thing: Confidence 05:21 Struggling to Ask for Help 10:57 Takeaways and Conclusion Find out more about Bev & Kate at Clear Thinking at https://www.clearthinkinguk.com/ Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Chloe Wilmot, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! Transcript Ricky Locke (00:00.61) Hello and welcome to another episode of the mini series of the Unlocked Conversation Cards with the diary of a CEO Cards, where I interview a guest and ask them a question. I'll have a deep dive and connection with them today. I've got a very special friend. I've mentioned this wonderful lady on the podcast many, many times, but welcome again. I think second, third time, maybe. I'm not sure, but welcome to the show. Bev Holden, how are you? Bev (00:24.283) Thank you very much. I'm really good, thank you. Thank you for having me. Again. Ricky Locke (00:27.37) Oh, good to see you again. And I feel like we have many conversations like this. It feels like just like a normal office meeting. Bev, tell the listeners if they haven't heard of you, who are you and what do you do? Bev (00:39.071) Yeah, so I am Bev Holden. I'm half of the Clear Thinking Partnership. We make people think by what we do, so we facilitate and we coach. And when I say we, it's me and my partner, Kate. And we've been doing what we do since 2007. And we are approaching our 17th birthday on Thursday. So, cards, candles, fanfares. Thank you very much. Ricky Locke (01:02.658) Happy birthday. Yeah. Happy birthday. Well, yeah. Have a wonderful time. Make sure I have some cake. Bev, as part of the series, the ideas I'm going to ask you a question. And for clarity, you have no idea. Well, this question is we've not prearranged anything before this. Bev (01:07.587) Thank you. Bev (01:17.343) No, is that like one of those tricks where you say, I don't know you, do you, and would you like to pick a card? Yeah, okay. But no, genuinely, and I've never seen the card, so this is a complete mystery. Ricky Locke (01:20.53) I'll pay you later. Yeah. Ricky Locke (01:27.218) There was a big smile on your face like, should I say yes or no? Okay. All right. Bev, here is your question. Are you ready? What is the unobvious thing that you struggle with? Bev (01:30.155) What? Bev (01:33.728) Yes. Bev (01:40.071) Oh my goodness, what is the un- Who asked that question? Ricky Locke (01:44.35) It was Max Lugavere. I couldn't tell you who that is though. Unfortunately, I'm not sure. Bev (01:48.835) What is the unobvious thing? Ah, okay. Okay, so the unobvious thing. So it is something that... So it's not a real thing because I don't actually believe it's a real thing, but it's a thing that people talk about quite often and it is confidence. So the reason I say it's not a real thing is I don't think I need confidence nor does anyone else to be able to do something. It's kind of a made up concept. But I noticed that... people will say that they see me as being very confident in certain situations and that they are not. So they're fearful of certain situations that don't feel as though they could handle it, but they see me doing it. And their assumption is that I don't feel, we'll call it lacking in confidence or wobbly or unsure or anything. So I think probably that's the first thing that springs to mind because I wouldn't say but I notice it sometimes. And it's one of those things that it's not a debilitating thing at all. And I don't acknowledge that it exists. And actually that's been a really good strategy for me. So, you know, when people say, and you probably come across this quite a lot in the work that you do, and people say, I'm nervous or I haven't got enough confidence to do that, particularly in presenting and speaking. And I have never ever, apart from once, acknowledged that might be a thing for me. And so it's not become a thing, which I think is just, it's really interesting how our brains work around this stuff and how we turn the thing that we think into something that is real and we act as if it's true. So it's not so much a struggle thing, but it is just something that I notice and it catches me unawares. So I will be doing something that I'm really ordinarily sure of and then I just have a sensation or a feeling and it would be very easy to misinterpret that feeling and think that it's a bad feeling but more often than not I get it right and I interpret the feeling well so it doesn't get in the way of me doing what I do. I'm just thinking if there's anything else that I ask me the question again. Ricky Locke (04:08.234) Yeah, sure. Yeah. What is the unobvious thing that you struggle with? Bev (04:16.819) Mmm. Gosh. Ricky Locke (04:21.197) It's a different one, that one, isn't it? Bev (04:23.187) It is a tough one. And so I also think it might be contextual. So there are situations I think where I maybe find it difficult to ask for help if I'm struggling with something. Interesting, the struggle word, that was in the question. But if I am finding something difficult, depending, there are some situations where I have almost a default reaction, where I go, ah. this is a time to ask for help from other people who may know better or have more experience to share or who I can just rely on and lean on. And then there are some situations where I think, oh, probably people would expect me to be able to handle that and so I shouldn't ask. And it's that whole thing of maintaining a perception that people might have of you. But it's not true. And it's much easier to go through life, I think, without all those masks on. but I don't always remember that. It's all very well thinking you know what the dream is, but living the dream is something different. So I think that might be something. So asking for help at the right, asking for help consistently and being interested in what the people see that I can't see in myself. Ricky Locke (05:37.838) Hmm Ricky Locke (05:44.99) Yeah, particularly what is it about asking for help that is the struggle? Bev (05:55.159) I think it is maintaining that perception, you know that judgment that we often do to ourselves where we think, oh I should know better, I should know this. It's not even necessarily that I think other people will think, because I'm a terrible mind reader, I think most of us are. So I can't possibly imagine what it is that somebody is going to be judging me on. But it's that I think that's the thing. thought that creeps in and it's the, I should know better, I should know how to do this. And that is probably the thing that stops me from asking for help. But it is an interesting question because it's making me think about times when I've rushed into going, right, help me now, I'm stuck, I'm struggling, I don't know what to do. And people's response is always so helpful and so encouraging. Ricky Locke (06:32.535) Yeah. Bev (06:50.955) that there's never any need to say that you can't, to believe that you can't ask for help. Ricky Locke (06:56.654) Does that come to a surprise then, when people are so eager to help you? It's like, well, why was I worrying about this, asking for help when people are so actively wanting to help? Bev (07:07.792) Yeah, I sti

107 Embracing Wonder and Amazement in Life with The Digital Circus Life Podcast | Living a Life Aligned with Your Values This week, I'm shaking things up by sharing an episode where I was the guest on The Digital Circus Life podcast. I share my journey of breaking free from a small village mindset and pursuing a fulfilling life of wonder and amazement. We discuss the desire to be on stage and make a difference in people's lives. We emphasise the importance of learning, taking action, and embracing failure as a learning process. We talk about living a life aligned with our values and constantly striving for growth. I also reflect on the idea that there is no defined endpoint in this journey, but rather a continuous pursuit of a fulfilling life. Takeaways Embrace a mindset of wonder and amazement in lifeDon't be afraid to fail, as it is a learning processLive a life aligned with your values and prioritize fulfilmentConstantly strive for growth and be open to new opportunitiesThere is no defined endpoint in the pursuit of a fulfilling life Chapters 01:00 Breaking Free from a Small Village Mindset 03:49 Creating a Fulfilling Life of Wonder and Amazement 10:31 Embracing Failure as a Learning Process 15:40 Living a Life Aligned with Values 32:11 Reflecting on the Journey and Encouraging Younger Self Find out more about Yellow Tuxedo and about building your online ecosystem. 👉https://www.yellowtuxedo.co.uk/so-you... 💛Get the YT newsletter in your inbox 👉https://www.yellowtuxedo.co.uk/stay-i... Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Chloe Wilmot, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! Ricky (00:00.078) My life was very much a case of, and no offence to my mum and dad at all, it was very much a case of a small village mindset of, you'll go to school, Ricky. They didn't say you won't achieve much, but university wasn't on the cards, because the money wasn't there. It would be like, Ricky, you might go to school. You've got to get a job, Ricky. You've got to get some money. And I could see my life being played out in that way of, it'll be very small, in a sense, comfortable. And I was always the, why? I don't like that. When we first met Ricky Locke on Instagram, we knew he was someone we wanted to be involved with. This was about three or four years ago now. And ever since that, we've done quite a lot of projects together. So it was fascinating today when chatting to him to hear things we'd never heard before. The desire to be on stage, to perform, to entertain people started at a very, very young age when no one else in his family was a performer or doing anything like that. And how... He wants to fail. He's happy to fail. For him, it's just a learning process. And for someone who truly believes that, it was fascinating to kind of hear that perspective. If you've never met Ricky before and you don't know who he is, then his links are in the description below. And if you're new here and you're watching this for the first time, please do subscribe to our channel. It means so much to us as a small business, as we grow and we're trying to achieve what we're trying to achieve. Thank you so much for watching. Please allow me to introduce you to... Ricky Locke. Right, Ricky, you know I'm one of your biggest fans. We've known you since pretty much the beginning of the Yellow Tuxedo adventure. So it's real privileged to get to talk to you today on the Digital Circus Live podcast, but we have to start at the beginning. And the beginning for everyone is we're trying to understand what you're trying to achieve, whether it be for your personal life or your business, or the blend of both of them together, life. What are you trying to achieve at this point? At this point? At this point? It's a fantastic question. Amazing question. So what I'm trying to achieve. Well, I guess there's a plethora. There you go. Nice word there. Plethora of different things. Loads of different things to achieve. I think in the last two or three years, it's probably niching it down into something that's wholesome, that's fulfilling, that... Ricky (02:20.686) creates wonder. The biggest thing I think every day is that, and we've mentioned this before about this question, is this action going to produce the outcome I'm looking for? So everything I do, I have to ask myself that question, but I just have this massive, you know, a bit like a glass thing, you know, the glass, is it fill in my cup? You know, I think that's everything I'm trying to achieve. So whatever it is that I do, whether it's, you know, interactions in life, whether it's personal life, business, magic, confident club. is it filling my cup? And if it isn't, then it's not part of that achievement in life really. So I think that there's a lot of things that I could kind of digress and go on further. But the main thing really, I think is to achieve just this fulfilling life of amazement and wonder. And, you know, I think one of my things I'm very conscious of is that I am, you know, I'm in my early 30s and I'm very, so old. Yeah. I'm very impatient because I'm a millennial, you know, I grew up with the world of, you know, internet and everything. So I'm very impatient. I want things fast now, you know, that kind of thing, because I don't know where life will be. So I do try to, you know, make everything intentional, the old 4 ,000 weeks, you know, of an average human life. So everything I try to do, I guess, to achieve, your answer question would be a fulfilling life. Yeah. So would you say your cup is a pint glass or a shot glass? I think we know the answer already. I'd like to say it'd be like a porn star martini glass. That'd be quite fun. Exotic. That is way cooler, isn't it? Yeah. It doesn't take too much to fill it up. There we go. No. You know what? I read this. So obviously with my daughter, I read this. Is it the Fox, the Mole by Charlie magazine? Oh, the boy and the horse. Yeah. With an Oscar as well as the video version. That's right. Yeah. And I think one of the questions was, is I think the horse says to the little boy, is your... glass half full or half empty and the boy says, I think I'm just grateful to have a glass. It's great, isn't it? You know, like I think I can't remember the answer, the question now, but what was your question, Emily? There we go. I was getting off the side track. It was how big was your cup? I was going to say who cares? Just tell us what you want to tell us Ricky. We're enjoying listening. Yeah. Do you know what? I think, I think the cup never ends and I think that's because my interesting life, I'm sure it, I think it's a polymath. Ricky (04:43.726) is the word I've correct me if I'm wrong. Maybe you can edit that in if not. I think a polymath is somebody that is just interested in everything. Yeah, I'm fascinated with the wise and and the house of everything. So I think when I look back in my life and everything I've ever done with with magic, with playing instruments, with doing things and just learning stuff, I'm on this massive journey about learning. I love learning, I love growing. So I'm always interested in things. You know, curiosity, I think, is a massive value to me. So I think this cup is just growing all the time as I get older. Who knows, maybe it will get to the point where I turn 60, 70, and then, you know, like old people just put the sign on the door saying, do not disturb, do not talk to me. Maybe that'll be it. That's my question. In the pursuit of filling up your cup, which from the kind of high level feels very good, fulfilling purpose, direction and everything else. But also that means you're taking action all the time. That means you're trying to find things to fill your cup. And that means actually who's designed, you know, you have said it's a porn star, Mark Seeley, a bottomless brunch. This is bottomless, Ricky. So, so how do you know when you've achieved it? So one of the things about goals we all know is you need to be able to benchmark it. You need to be able to know when you're achieved it. So how, when does that stop? I mean, you've just talked about being old and shut in the door. So are you ever going to have achieved it? Yeah. So this goes back to, I remember like back in. corporate days before I went full time in the business. We did this like define your purpose day, you know, which I think is incredible.

106 How to be your authentic self with Alan Braithwaite of Yellow Tuxedo | The Diary of a CEO conversation cards In this mini series of The Diary of a CEO conversation Cards, Ricky Locke and Alan Braithwaite discuss the common misconceptions people have about Alan and how it makes him feel. They explore the importance of being authentic and prioritizing fun in social situations. They also discuss the expectations people have of public figures and the responsibility to be polite and genuine. The conversation highlights the power of making a positive impact on others and spreading positivity in everyday interactions. Takeaways Be authentic and prioritize fun in social interactions.Recognize and challenge misconceptions about yourself.Understand the expectations people may have of public figures.Spread positivity and make a positive impact on others. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Tone 01:07 Question: Common Misconception About Alan 03:02 Being Authentic and Prioritizing Fun 05:27 Adapting to Different Social Situations 08:29 Misconceptions and Expectations 10:52 Authenticity and Responsibility 12:31 Expectations of Public Figures 16:00 Impact and Significance 18:59 Desired Impact on Listeners 21:39 Spreading Positivity and Making a Difference 21:45 Conclusion Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Jasmine Barnes, Chloe Wilmot, Sara Kay, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott, Chris Lovett & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! Transcription Ricky Locke (00:00.785) Welcome back to another episode of the Unlock podcast in my mini series where I dive deep into the diary of a CEO conversation cards to unlock some deeper levels of connection. And today I've got a great friend and a returning guest, Mr. Alan Braithwaite. 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (00:16.594) Thank you, mate. Love being like this doesn't feel like a podcast I'm just having a chat with my mate Ricky. Do you know what I mean? And if it's just fab to be with you as always Ricky Locke (00:22.035) Yeah, I know. Well, as my brain was going, just going to go off the cuff here and introduce, and I'm brave about it, I felt like then I need to probably post edit this and go, explosions there, you know? I think, yeah. 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (00:32.934) Always explosion. Is there anyone who doesn't need more explosions in their day to day? Surely we all do Ricky Locke (00:38.409) Well, I agree. Yeah. Especially on a Thursday morning when, like we said, we could do a bit more energy, right? Anyway, Alan, as the premise is, we've got a question for you selected for you. Now, obviously you have no understanding, no awareness of what this is about. You got literally no idea. So, and that's just off the cuff. Yes. Brilliant. Brim. Yeah. It does sound, doesn't it? Like a, like a magic trick. Like you have no, you know, anyway. 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (00:45.282) Yes. 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (00:57.67) Yes, correct. I can confirm Ricky the magician. I can confirm. I do not know what you're about to do Ricky Locke (01:07.177) Alan, I've got a couple of questions selected, so we'll see if we get time and have some fun, but are you ready for your question? All right, here we go. The question is this. What is a common misconception that people have about you? And how does it make you feel? 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (01:11.891) Yes, mate. Let's do this. 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (01:24.05) Oh, common misconception about me and how does it make me feel? Um, I think I can answer the feel part before the misconception part. So the feel part is quite easy. I spend quite a lot of time kind of in my own head, thinking, working through stuff, I enjoy it a lot. So I think the feel part is I don't feel anything about the misconceptions. Cause I think if there is a misconception, it's usually because of what I'm putting out. Ricky Locke (01:34.617) Okay. 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (01:52.494) Um, so I'm, I'm kind of okay, but I own that misconception, if that makes sense. So, so there's no point me feeling unhappy about what someone might think about me and everything else. The other part is, and there are misconceptions which I'll come to, because I understand what I put out years and years and years ago, like decades ago, when I was younger, I remember. You know what you'll know? Well, I say you'll know what it's like. You may know what it's like. There was always your mates, right? When your mates were with you together, when you were with your mates, your male friends, right? You'd be like that. The second anyone was with their girlfriend or a girlfriend was there, everything changed, right? Everything changed. And I remember sometime in my early 20s, late teens going, why does everyone change? Ricky Locke (02:28.213) Yeah, yeah. 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (02:34.25) Why wouldn't you want to be the same person regardless of whether you're girlfriend, because that means either your mates aren't getting the genuine you or your girlfriend's not getting the, or they're getting a version of you. Right. And, and, but I understand the kind of topics and conversations and language might be subtly different, that's different, but fundamentally there were people who were massively different. Right. And I remember looking at them and you know, everyone's in their own life. It's fine. And I remember thinking, I don't want to do that. So, um, other than a few subtleties, pretty much I'm the same person with my friends and Emily, now my wife, which comes back to, I guess, the misconceptions part is I feel sometimes there's a misconception about me, but so because I'm rather gregarious and loud, the, the more kind of deep thinking overthinker I don't always think comes out because I don't want it to, because I want to prioritize fun. Um, so I, I wonder, I wonder, I don't really know. No one's ever come up and when I was wrong about you, Alan, I wonder if that kind of the, the deeper side of me that I may keep for conversations like this doesn't always come out and some people may have that misconception, but fundamentally I've made a choice to be like that, so I'm okay with it. Does that make sense? Ricky Locke (03:49.253) Mm, yeah, brilliant. Yeah, a little bit. Yeah. So to tell us a little bit more about that, then. So does it does it affect you? So just to clarify again, like, how does that make you feel when people have that misconception? 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (04:03.626) It doesn't make me feel anything because I've chosen to be in certain a certain way. And because their misconception will be based on what I'm putting out. So I'm kind of, I don't feel anything. Sometimes I might go, okay, I probably need to be a little bit less of a joker for a period of time. And perhaps a bit more kind of this kind of conversational Alan. Which interesting, if you get me by myself, you tend to get, if I'm with Emily. then Emily's the straight person and I'm the joker or the d******d, whatever you want to call it. And I'm okay with that because I feel there is an element, a balance and in a conversation like this, it's like when we do the digital circuits, we have walk on music, right? So when we open the doors on Zoom and everyone comes into music, if Emily's there, I'll be kind of singing, dancing. I'll bring my microphone down, pretend I'm a superstar DJ or an Oasis or something. If Emily's not there. Ricky Locke (04:37.482) Yeah. 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (04:59.73) I actually feel a bit awkward and go, oh, hello, everyone. Welcome, welcome along, you know? So it's, I guess it's just a bit like that, but going back to how I feel, no, I'm okay. Because I think these are conscious choices I'm making and neither of them are, I'm gonna say bad, but I don't think that's the word. Neither of them are not nice versions, if that makes sense. They're all the same version. I just sometimes put that switch up more than that switch and bring that switch down. Ricky Locke (05:04.352) Yeah. Ricky Locke (05:08.973) Yeah. Ricky Locke (05:23.341) Yeah. Ricky Locke (05:27.229) Yeah, like a thermostat, isn't it? Like you might have to heat up a little bit, cool it down a little bit and tailor it a little bit, but it's still you. 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (05:28.983) So I don't know if anyone... 💛 Alan @YellowTuxedo (05:35.306) Yeah, yeah, of course. I mean, it's got to be the same like as a magic show, right? You know, you're

105 The Power of Belief: Lessons from Glen McCoy | Diary Of A CEO Conversation Cards In this episode, Ricky Locke interviews Glen McCoy, a scriptwriter and creative. They discuss the belief or behavior that has positively impacted Glenn's life in the past 12 months. Glen shares his belief in allowing things to happen rather than forcing them, and how this belief has led to positive changes in his life. They also explore the idea of living in a virtual simulation and the power of believing in the ability to change one's circumstances. The conversation concludes with a reflection on choices and the importance of connecting with one's inner child. Takeaways Allowing things to happen rather than forcing them can lead to positive changes in life.Believing in the possibility of change can open up new opportunities.Challenging the belief that life is set in stone can empower individuals to make meaningful changes.Connecting with your inner child and reflecting on your past aspirations can inspire personal growth. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:24 The Belief that Positively Impacted Glen's Life 05:00 Challenging the Belief that Life is Set in Stone 08:12 Reflecting on Choices and Making Changes 09:35 Connecting with Your Inner Child 10:32 Wrap-up and Where to Find Glen McCoy Find out more about Glen and his work at https://www.linkedin.com/in/glenmccoy/ Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Chloe Wilmot, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott and Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! Transcript Ricky Locke (00:00.977) Welcome to the Unlocked podcast in my mini series where we're using the diary of a CEO conversation cards to unlock some deeper levels of connection. Today, I've got a very special guest. Welcome Glenn McCoy. How are you, Glenn? Glen McCoy (00:15.982) Very well, Ricky. Thanks for inviting me. Ricky Locke (00:18.289) I'm really excited for this. Good to see it. And Glenn, just for the listeners, if they haven't heard of you or not met you before, tell the listeners who are you and what is it that you do? Glen McCoy (00:28.174) So I'm Glenn McCoy. I am a script writer, writer and creative in general, and I write for television, but also the corporate market. Ricky Locke (00:39.955) Yes, and I believe is there a couple of films or TV series that we are quite familiar with, I believe. Glen McCoy (00:46.894) Yes, if I mentioned them, I'd ruin my street cred immediately. However, you may have heard of EastEnders and Emmerdale. So that's where I cut my teeth writing on the soaps. Ricky Locke (00:50.419) Yeah Ricky Locke (00:55.067) Yes. Yes, very, very good. Well, Glenn, as I've mentioned and for familiar listeners, this is where we're going to dive into just a random card for clarity. I know this sounds like because I'm a magician. This sounds like really forced, but you have no idea what we're about to say. I have not pre set this up with you, correct? It's a very classic magician line, that one. But I'm going to ask you the question. Are you ready for your question, Glenn? OK, Glenn, here is the question. Glen McCoy (01:13.486) No idea. That's absolutely correct. Ricky Locke (01:24.979) What is the one belief or behavior that has positively impacted your life in the past 12 months? Glen McCoy (01:36.27) Yes, I would say the belief that most impacted me is how I've noticed where I have arrived in the last 12 months. So in other words, in the last 12 months, I've moved from somewhere in the country that I was living for about 16 years. My decision to do it was on a whim and I now move north and I live in Clitheroe. in Lancashire, and I reflect on the number of other changes that have happened to me, which all align with my purpose and the things that I want out of life. And I kind of think to myself, my belief structure around this is that the harder you try and make things happen, the worse it is. If you can kind of relax and lay back and... still know what you want, but allow it to happen. In other words, don't chase it so much. It's more likely to come into your direction. Ricky Locke (02:45.523) Interesting. Now that I mean, obviously that sounds kind of counterproductive there, you know, by having a relaxed attitude towards it that things are likely to happen. So why has that happened for you? Glen McCoy (02:58.51) Because if you pressurize your belief system and you do put it under pressure, I don't think it functions as well as still maintaining the belief, but having that confidence and expectation that it will happen anyway. Ricky Locke (03:16.755) Interesting. So what are those beliefs that's positively impacted? Is there anything specifically? So you mentioned obviously about obviously working hard, you've moved. So what are those beliefs? Glen McCoy (03:29.294) Well, I've been looking at a lot of well -known scientists who are more like astrophysicists. And if you can go and check this out yourself. But a lot of the top people in this realm have come to the conclusion that we live in a virtual simulation. That kind of thing, yeah. Now, whether we do or whether we don't doesn't really interest me. Ricky Locke (03:52.595) Like the Matrix. Yeah. Glen McCoy (03:59.064) However, my thinking around it is that what if it was true that we are in this virtual simulation, it must therefore mean that you can construct just about anything you want in the future, because it's the nature of a computer program. You know, you kind of write the code, pop it in, and out comes the outcome or the result. And by having that belief, I feel I've covered more ground and got more things done than having the belief that this is all very real and you can't change it and you are kind of there because someone's put you there and you have to just cross your fingers and hope for the best. That is kind of pushing your beliefs, but having the belief that you can change things suddenly makes it easier for you to have the confidence. to make those changes happen in reality. Ricky Locke (05:00.755) I think that's fascinating. Yeah. And I agree. There's, there's a lot of, um, there's a guy, I can't quite remember his name now. He's very big on TikTok social media. And he interviews people in the street and says, what's your dream in the street? And they're like, completely like they're in the matrix completely, but in the opposite sense of like, their heads down blinkered, like, this is my life. You're right. So it's fascinating. But one of the things that is like, I think it's really difficult is a lot of people, you know, and I'm not going to name names here, but I know especially, Glen McCoy (05:15.95) Mm. Ricky Locke (05:30.259) family members, friends that have a belief that I can't change things, that my life is set in stone, cause and effect, right? I live at the effect of this. So for those people listening, it might be very easy for people like me and you who live in that world where, you know, we're an LP trained, we are big fans of learning development. But for those people that are listening that, no, no, I don't get it. I don't believe that. I believe that my life is set in stone. That is it. What would you say to them about giving them Glen McCoy (05:54.486) Thank you. Ricky Locke (05:59.379) belief that they can change things in their life, what they need to do. Glen McCoy (06:04.014) Reminds me of the very old movie Shirley Valentine, I don't if you've ever seen it. But there's... Ricky Locke (06:09.683) I'm a bit young Glenn, but yeah, I do know. Yeah. I think I remember. Yes. True. Yes. Yeah. Glen McCoy (06:13.618) Age aside, you can always do it tomorrow. You get that movie out and look at it. You've, without giving anything away that will spoil it for you, you've got a woman who is locked into a belief system created by her husband. And the... Ricky Locke (06:31.333) Wait, hang on a minute. I might remember this because I think Glenn and hopefully I'm not going to spoil this, but my mum used to love Shirley Valentine because is this the lady that goes abroad and lives in a... Okay, cool. Go for it. Sorry. Carry on. I know who it is now. Yes. Glen McCoy (06:40.494) Yes. Now she got to a stage where she had to make a decision. She could either carry on and make sure her husband gets his meat and veg on a Tuesday and fish on a Friday, or she could go off into the sunset and do something completely different. It's not that she,

104 Why Mental Health Matters with Alex Williams | Ways to improve your mental health | Mental health awareness week In this episode, Ricky interviews Alex Williams, an emotional resilience coach and registered mental health practitioner. Alex shares his personal story of overcoming trauma and discusses the epidemic of mental health in society. They explore the importance of taking responsibility for our responses to challenges and finding meaning and purpose in life. Alex emphasizes the need for society to prioritize mental health and provides practical tips for building resilience, including focusing on the basics of sleep, nutrition, exercise, and surrounding oneself with good people. They also discuss Alex's Three Rs framework: release your pain, take responsibility, and develop real self-belief. In this conversation, Ricky and Alex discuss strategies for overcoming setbacks and building a fulfilling life. They emphasize the importance of taking responsibility for one's own direction and adopting a resilient mindset. They also explore the idea of aligning one's life with personal values and finding happiness in the present moment. The conversation highlights the need to prioritize self-care and surround oneself with good people and good experiences. By listening to this episode, you will UNLOCK... Mental health is a significant issue in society, and it is important to prioritize our own wellbeing.Taking responsibility for our responses to challenges can empower us to overcome adversity and create a fulfilling life.Building resilience requires focusing on the basics of sleep, nutrition, exercise, and surrounding ourselves with good people.Finding meaning and purpose in life can help us navigate difficult experiences and maintain mental wellbeing.Supporting Gen Z in building resilience involves validating their experiences, providing support, and helping them develop healthy coping mechanisms. Take responsibility for your own direction and approach setbacks with resilience.Build a life that aligns with your values and brings you fulfillment.Prioritize self-care, surround yourself with good people, and enjoy good experiences.Listen to yourself and find happiness in the present moment, rather than comparing your life to societal expectations. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 02:50 Alex's Personal Story 07:09 The Epidemic of Mental Health 13:19 Taking Responsibility for Our Responses 22:13 Finding Meaning and Purpose 27:27 The Impact of Society on Mental Health 32:47 Supporting Gen Z in Building Resilience 39:47 The Basics of Mental Wellbeing 43:33 The Three Rs Framework 45:24 The Three Rs to Getting Back Up 46:23 Building a Life that Aligns with Your Values 48:19 Listen to Yourself and Find Happiness Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Jasmine Barnes, Chloe Wilmot, Sara Kay, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott, Chris Lovett & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! Transcript Ricky (00:00.206) The World Health Organization defines health as a state of physical, mental and social well-being. There is a huge epidemic of mental health out there, and I wanted to explore this issue further from dealing with my own mental health struggles over the last couple of years, and also try and understand how can we use this information to unlock the best version of ourselves. So this week, I interviewed Alex Williams, who is an emotional resilience coach and registered mental health practitioner. from surviving a traumatic childhood led by abuse, which marked the murder of his own mother at the age of eight. He now is helping individuals to overcome those daily obstacles and hurdles and help them to deal with what he didn't have when he was young to help them understand how they can focus on their own wellbeing. It's a fantastic episode and we really deep dive into mental health and how we can apply some basic principles to start focus on our wellbeing. Now, if you haven't subscribed already, please hit that subscribe button and leave us a review as well. It helps this podcast get shared to more people. But without further ado, enjoy the episode with Alex Williams. Alex, good to see you, mate. Welcome to Unlocked. How you doing? Yeah, really good, Ricky. Thanks for having me today. Good to have you. And obviously this is probably world first as well because obviously this is gonna be out to the world, but some exciting news has just happened for you. Yes, yes. Had my first baby. Not me, literally. my girlfriend did but yeah, first girl came into the world last week so she'll be seven days old, 11 48 so now one of these parents who yeah people who is describing how old their baby is by days and hours so yeah but yeah it's amazing. Nice yeah yeah. Welcome to the club my friend, welcome to the club. Your iPhone or Android phone whatever will be full of every photo of the world, every angle now of your child so yes and a little girl was it sorry? Yes a little girl called Rosie yeah. Yeah, this could be who knows Rosie might listen to this one day in the future the very first time you did a podcast when she's born Yeah, well, you know that I was I have been thinking about I think what am I putting out into the world now that my girl Is gonna see and yeah, this might be I'll say to her one day You only seven days old when I recorded this so hopefully you've learned something from it. It's not terrible advice, but I'm sure we could make well. Well, yeah, thanks mate for coming on really interested to talk about this You know Ricky (02:22.498) the epidemic of mental health and how I remember as a kid, it wasn't much about this. It was just like book your ideas up son, get on with it. We don't really talk about feelings in this household. But before we dive into it, because I think we're gonna go into quite a lot, I'd love to hear just for the listeners, tell us a little bit about you and tell us a bit about your personal story. So I'm Alex Williams. I am, my background is a... registered mental health nurse for 19 years now. But I also on the side am a speaker and emotional resilience coach. I mean, essentially, it's all the same thing. It's just I use different tags depending on different environments. I mean, yeah, my background is 19 years working in the NHS clinically, which working with people with severe and enduring mental illnesses, assessing, treating, signposting, kind of just find general support. helping people to recover from the things that essentially knock us down in life that can affect our mental health. From a personal perspective, what I add in with my speaking and my coaching aspect more so is that I share my own trauma that I went through. When I was a kid, I grew up in a domestically abusive household. This is following my mum and dad splitting up. My dad had an affair, so my mum fell into an abusive relationship. Witnessed a lot of domestic abuse, especially around him beating up his own children and they were kind of threats towards me and my sister, which my mum managed really well. But by the, when I was at the age of eight, I was kind of living in this household, sleeping kind of in a way you don't realise this is stuff sort of going on. Very naive. It was the middle of the morning, police burst into my bedroom. And I, I'm going to be honest, Ricky, I was, I was, I feel for my mom because I was a nightmare when I was a kid. But I think probably in retro, when I look in hindsight, it was probably because the environment I was in, but I was, you know, I just misbehaving a lot and stuff. So I kind of was like, well, these police, they might be here, you know, because I thought police were just there to arrest bad people. I thought maybe I've done something wrong and they're here to nick me. And when they were taking me down the stairs in my pyjamas and they put me in the police car, took me to this police station. Ricky (04:45.878) and my sister was with me at the time. That's kind of what I thought was happening. I just had no idea what I was about to walk into. But then these police sat me down and said, um, your mum's dead, Alex. To me and my sister. And obviously I didn't know much at the time, but then a couple of days later from watching the news, I found out she'd been killed by my stepdad. So then my world kind of went from being a very, well, it wasn't normal because of the environment I was in, but. what felt like, you know, I ha

103 Doing nothing is the most productive thing you can do with Louise Miller | Ways to improve your productivity In this episode, Louise Miller, the productivity mentor, discusses her unique perspective on productivity and how it should be about creating space rather than cramming in more tasks. She emphasizes the importance of rest and taking breaks, challenging the notion that productivity is solely about doing more in less time. Louise also highlights the need to align productivity with personal values and regularly pause to reflect on goals and priorities. By slowing down and making intentional choices, individuals can achieve greater focus and fulfillment in their work. Takeaways Productivity should be about creating space and rest, rather than cramming in more tasks.Taking regular pauses and reflecting on personal values can help align productivity with what is truly important.Slowing down and making intentional choices can lead to greater focus and fulfilment in work.Productivity is not solely about doing more in less time, but about doing what is important efficiently. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Background 01:07 Controversial Idea on Productivity 02:56 Creating Space Instead of Cramming 06:13 The Power of the Pause 08:59 Balancing Productivity and Values 12:09 Reflecting on Productivity Find out more about Louise Miller and her work with productivity at https://www.bettylouonline.com/ Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Jasmine Barnes, Chloe Wilmot, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott, Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! Transcript Ricky Locke (00:01.438) Welcome to the Unlocked podcast in our mini series where I dive deep into the diary of a CEO conversation cards. And today, a very special guest. I have the wonderful Louise Miller. Hello, Louise. Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (00:13.838) Thank you for having me. Ricky Locke (00:17.088) Oh, my pleasure, my pleasure. I'm looking forward to this Louise. And I know that we were just discussing this just before recording about how excited we are about the unknown and the uncertainty of this. So looking forward to this. But first, if there's anyone that's listening who hasn't heard of you, who are you and what is it that you do? Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (00:32.91) So I'm Louise Miller, I am the genie for your genius. I'm a productivity mentor, founder of Make It Happen Club. I help solo business owners who have too many ideas and not enough time to stop faffing, stay focused, get the important things done and see tangible progress in their business. So yeah, that's me and what I do. Ricky Locke (00:52.096) probably do with your help actually to be honest after our conversation this morning when I said all these ideas in my head I need to overwhelm you're probably thinking yeah he's a perfect person for me we'll probably chat offline after this but anyway are you ready for your question? Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (00:53.518) I'm going to go to bed. Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (01:00.526) Yeah. Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (01:05.422) I'm ready, bring it on. Ricky Locke (01:07.616) OK, so my question I picked out for you is this. What is the most controversial idea that you believe that within your industry, most people disagree with? Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (01:22.35) or that most people disagree with. There's a count. So if we think about my industry and my world being the land of productivity, and I hate that word, which in itself is an interesting thing. I think my take on productivity, I don't know whether it's controversial, but it's certainly countercultural, which is that productivity, Ricky Locke (01:22.848) Controversial. Ricky Locke (01:28.19) Yes. Ricky Locke (01:48.384) Okay. Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (01:52.812) productivity's sake is a bad thing and that it should be about creating space rather than cramming in more and more doing and that one of the best things we can do for our productivity is actually to rest and that rest does not mean you're lazy. So I don't know whether that's necessarily controversial because I know a lot of people will agree with that in principle and will understand it in their heads but when it comes to actually doing it... not so much. Does that strike you as a controversial thing? Has that answered the question? Ricky Locke (02:27.776) No, I, well, I totally get it, totally get it. Cause there's that whole thing about, I'm going be really productive today and I'm going to smash through my emails. But you know that once you get through your emails, you get more emails coming back in because people respond and you think, so it is kind of productive really, isn't it? It doesn't really make sense because you think I'm going to get, like you just said, I'm going do more and more and more stuff. It doesn't make anything. But I love this idea of what you mentioned about creating more space. So tell us a little bit more about that and what that kind of means really. Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (02:56.046) Yeah, so I think if you asked anyone to define productivity, they would say it's about doing more in less time. And I don't like that. And it immediately makes me get into panic mode because it feels like you're setting yourself up in opposition to or in battle with time. And you're never going to win that one because time's going to keep on turning. So yeah, that whole thing just makes me go, no, constricted don't like it. So. Ricky Locke (03:17.674) Yeah. Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (03:25.422) And that for me made me ill when I was looking at productivity that way. I spent 15 years of my working life before I started my business running around like headless chicken, rushing about, trying to do all the things. The more I did, the more people gave me to do, going back to what you were saying about emails. If you're good at what you do and you get it done quick, they don't tell you to go home and have a rest. They give you more. So that was kind of my experience. And that led to me burning out and getting ill, being signed off sick by my GP, which is Ricky Locke (03:41.472) Yeah. Ricky Locke (03:47.328) Yes, yeah. Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (03:54.818) you know, in hindsight was a good thing because that's how I've come to be doing what I'm doing now. So when I did start doing what I do now, I had a bit of an existential crisis because I was like, how can I help people be productive? Because I know that's what I'm really good at when I don't like the idea of being productive, because that's what made me ill. So that I really have to dig deep and reframe productivity for myself and for the people I want to work with to make sure that I am able to support them. Ricky Locke (04:13.596) Yeah. Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (04:23.31) and help them get stuff done so that they can make the impact they want to make, but without it feeding into this narrative that your productivity is anything to do with your self -worth. So whenever I give a talk or anything like that, I always start by reframing productivity as being it is about doing what is important as efficiently as you can in order to create space for the life that you love. So you're getting things done not to do more doing, but to go and live your life and enjoy the life you're living now. Ricky Locke (04:49.856) Mmm. Louise Miller - the genie for your genius (04:52.152) rather than wait until you get to some mystical magical destination before you allow yourself to enjoy yourself. So yes, that kind of underpins everything that I do. Ricky Locke (04:58.366) Mm. Oh, I ain't. Ricky Locke (05:02.752) That's really interesting because I've been looking into some of this recently with so I'm a big fan of Oliver Bergman's model of the 4000 week model. And he had a course, I think, on BBC Maestro. I might have seen a while ago. And he talks about the idea of intentions and stuff like that. And it just seems that the world is rapidly busy, busy, busy, busy, isn't it? You know, I think about my day, there is moments in my day where it's like I plough through the emails to that and then. I'll quickly shiny magpie thing. Oh, quick. Go through Instagram, scroll through Instagram. And then just find that my day, even though like I'll say, I

102 Exceptional Drive & Ambition with David Thomas | Becoming a better version of yourself In this conversation, David Thomas shares his inspirational story of overcoming a difficult upbringing and finding success in memory competitions and personal growth. He discusses the drive and ambition that has propelled him to achieve exceptional feats, and the importance of surrounding oneself with ambitious people. David Thomas emphasizes the need for self-validation and the understanding that external validation is often fleeting. He also explores the competitive nature of life and the satisfaction of achieving the impossible. Overall, the conversation highlights the importance of personal growth and striving to be the best version of oneself. In this conversation, David shares his insights on various topics, including being a people pleaser, embracing change, respecting others' choices, legacy and impact, teaching and sharing knowledge, the pursuit of comfort, presentation skills for CEOs, advice to his 16-year-old self, and relationship advice. He emphasizes the importance of being there for others and having a wide perspective on life. David also discusses the impact of his work in helping individuals improve their presentation skills and make a greater impact in their professional lives. He concludes by sharing his thoughts on the significance of relationships and personal growth. TakeawaysAmbition and drive are innate qualities that cannot be taught or instilled in someone.Surrounding oneself with ambitious people can be motivating and inspiring.External validation is often fleeting and should not be relied upon for personal fulfilment.Personal growth and striving to be the best version of oneself can lead to a high quality of life. Being a people pleaser can be seen as a superhero skill, as it allows you to connect with and help others.Embrace change and take advantage of the opportunities that the world has to offer.Respect others' choices and be open to understanding different perspectives.Focus on the impact you have on others rather than material possessions.Teaching and sharing knowledge can have a profound impact on others' lives.Seek comfort and quality of life, but remember to share and give back.Presentation skills are crucial for leaders and entrepreneurs to make a lasting impact.If given the chance, reassure your younger self of your potential and drive.Take a breath before jumping into relationships and be mindful of personal growth.To learn more about David and his work, visit creatingpresentationrockstars.com. Chapters00:00 Teaser and why you should listen 02:27 Introduction and David Thomas' Achievements 03:55 The Perception of Achievements 04:52 David Thomas' Difficult Upbringing 05:50 Becoming a Firefighter 06:50 Discovering Memory Techniques 07:24 Competing in Memory Championships 10:32 The Drive for Personal Growth 11:32 The Rapid Improvement of Memory Skills 12:57 The Best Version of Yourself 13:57 Accepting Responsibility 15:54 The Drive and Ambition 16:52 The Competitive Nature of Life 18:43 The Challenges of the 40s 19:41The Impact of Hormones on Ambition 21:38 The Importance of Stress and Jeopardy 23:02 The Drive to Be Exceptional 24:36 The Best Version of Yourself 26:42 The Satisfaction of Achieving the Impossible 28:49 The Competitive Nature of Life 31:08 The Drive for Personal Growth 32:47 The Importance of Surrounding Yourself with Ambitious People 36:01 The Importance of Self-Care and Self-Validation 38:54 The Lack of External Validation 41:27 The Three Types of People 47:10 Adapting to Different Types of People 47:37 Being a People Pleaser 48:34 Embracing Change 49:17 Respecting Others' Choices 51:54 Legacy and Impact 49:16 Teaching and Sharing Knowledge 51:14 The Pursuit of Comfort 53:39 Presentation Skills for CEOs 55:43 Message to 16-Year-Old Self 01:00:03 Relationship Advice 01:01:09 Where to Find More Information Find out more about David's work at https://www.creatingpresentationrockstars.com/about Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Chloe Wilmot, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott, Chris Lovett & Rory Barnes! You are all amazing! Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! Transcript Ricky (00:03.13) Welcome to the show, David Thomas. How are you? I'm alright mate. Everything's cooking on gas, as we say up north. That's what we like. That's what we like. Now, David, I know we've had like a pre chat just before we press record it, but I'm going to read this out. I've got some amazing achievements. I've done my research on and this is incredible before we get into the actual talk. But if I've got this correct, David, world memory championship medalist, international grandmaster of memory. Guinness memory record breaker for reciting pie to 22 and a half thousand digits. I think I was back in 1998. World memory holder for memorizing reciting 100 packs of individually shuffled packs of playing cards. US memory record breaker for memorizing 160 digits in five minutes. And US memory champion in 2007. And obviously, quite recently as well, you've also become a competitive bodybuilder as well. That is an incredible. set of achievements there, David. I'm absolutely amazed into that. That's incredible. Well, now you mentioned it. Yeah, I am. I can't deny. Love it. Well, I'm quite interested, yeah. But it is quite interesting because I think when you do things, when you experience things, or when you have these amazing achievements, I mean, and everybody does, right? Everybody has some amazing achievements. When you do them, you don't always see them as amazing We always look at other people who do things like, you're a professional magician, you could do magic. And I'd be like, that's bloody brilliant. And you'd be like, no, dude, it's not that difficult. And then I go, all right, okay, maybe it isn't hard. But at the same time, we tend to have that mysticism that goes around things that we don't know or understand. And yet in reality, when we do it, we always pass it off a bit quick as... is not being great. And yet, you know, I have done some good stuff, yeah. Yeah, absolutely. You've got an inspiring story I'd love to hear. So obviously in the intro that's been a part of the top list about what you actually do, I'd love to dive into your inspirational story because obviously we have a mutual friend in Steve McDonough and as I said to you on the pre-chat, I feel like I know you because obviously Steve shares your story. It's a wonderful story. So would you mind sharing, David, a little bit about obviously what it is you do, Ricky (02:25.862) your inspirational story? Well, my background was a bit difficult growing up. I had a very tricky upbringing at the hands of an alcoholic mother and a physically abusive stepfather. My stepfather was 65 when I was six and my mother used to do crazy stuff in the house and things that I wouldn't, you know, it's all out there, but it was, kind of think the worst of the worst and that's what my mother used to do to me when she was drunk. And that just led to a very difficult kind of 10 year period, 12 year period between the age of four and 16. By which time I went off the rails and I started committing petty crime. I've got police caution, attempted suicide twice. I nearly killed a police officer one night coming out of a shop at three o'clock in the morning in Leeds. I got expelled from school and I got a criminal conviction. So at 16, my life was kind of down the toilet and the only job I could get was working in a factory, pound an hour, packing Christmas gifts into boxes. but I wasn't gonna go on the rock and roll on the dole as they said it back in the day. And I got myself a job and I did that, then became a firefighter. And really becoming a firefighter was probably the most significant thing that happened because at the age of 20, I was in a mess. I was drinking very heavily. I wasn't alcoholic, but I was spending more on alcohol than I was on food, living on my own in a tiny bed set. And then all of a sudden I applied to become a firefighter. And... only one in 40 got in back in the day and straight away I'm in the top two and a half percent and all my mates were brickers, sparkers, plasterers, working class manual guys and I'm a firefighter and it's like Dave's a fireman this is great and I got I had respect from other people but I also got a certain level of self-respect and that was utterly transformational and that th

100TH EPISODE with Guest Host Steve McDermott | Best self improvement podcasts In this episode, guest host Steve McDermott celebrates the 100th episode of the Unlocked Podcast with regular host Ricky Locke. They discuss advice for young people entering the world, the importance of living life according to your values, and the role of parenting and being a role model. They also share tips for handling discipline challenges and prioritizing mental and physical health. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the best books and quotes that have influenced their lives. Takeaways -Live life according to your values and do what makes you happy. -Be a role model for your children and lead by example. -Validate your child's feelings and understand their perspective. -Prioritize your mental and physical health to be the best version of yourself. Chapters 00:17 Introduction and Celebrating 100 Episodes 01:17 Advice for Young People Going Out into the World 03:49 Parenting and Being a Role Model 07:23 Discipline Challenges and Validating Feelings 11:53Advice for Mental and Physical Health 18:20 Best Book or Idea of the Year 23:45 Favorite Quotes 24:23 Conclusion and Farewell Patreon thanks! Shout out to the amazing Patron supporters for keeping this podcast going; thank you Ant Howe, Chloe Wilmot, Cheri Brenton, Steve McDermott and Rory Barnes! You are all amazing!  Come Join the UNLOCKED community where you can receive... Early access to episodesPatron shout outs and recognition at the end of every episodeExclusive backstage content and bonus episodesAsk me anything - have your questions answered onlineShape the future of the podcast with your requests.(Optional - become a sponsor of the show!)Exclusive giveaways and HUGE Discounts off my online courses and so much more... To be a Patron and support the podcast just head to this link or head to https://www.patreon.com/theunlockedpodcast I can't wait for you to be a part of this journey! Free Resources FREE Ebook 10 SIMPLE STEPS TO SELL WITH CONFIDENCE FREE Ebook 10 tips to improve your productivityFree Workbook : Understanding Your ValuesFREE EBOOK : Improve your confidence and create awesome videos with a smartphoneFollow me on Instagram & Facebook at: @rickylockemagic For more about me and what I do, check out my website PODCAST MERCHANDISE!!! It's officially here! Woohoo! You can now buy your own UNLOCKED podcast notebook. The perfect addition to share your thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from the podcast. Available here! A new episode is out every Wednesday. So make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any episodes coming soon. And, if this episode brought some value to you, or even a smile, then please leave a review or a rating. That would be amazing! Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoy this episode and I'll join you next week for another episode of UNLOCKED! steve (00:01.843) Hello and welcome to the Unlocked Podcast. Now you might have noticed this isn't Ricky Lock's voice. I'm the guest host, Steve McDermott, maybe more about me in a minute. And I've been invited in just for this one episode because we're celebrating 100 episodes of Unlocked, a podcast that helps you be the best version of yourself. And I'm very excited because I've got a very special guest who's in point of fact, the normal host of this podcast, Mr. Ricky Lock. Hello, Ricky. Ricky Locke (00:30.006) Weee! Hello mate, how's it going? This is quite cool, isn't it? A bit different. steve (00:31.091) Whoo good this is show other four isn't it? Yeah so what I like about podcasts right is to dive straight into the meat of it right so I'm just going to ask you a question because you're my guest right off the bat and it's at the front of my mind young person going out into the world for the first time so I don't know 16 maybe 18 what one bit of advice would you give them? Ricky Locke (00:36.869) Yeah, yeah, it's quite nice to sit here. Yeah, nice. Ricky Locke (01:00.906) Wow. Okay. That's a very good loaded question from the beginning, Steve. That's good. Okay. Wow. Let's get to me. Okay. So 16. So now putting my dad head on now, right. Thinking about Alma when she's older, right. Biggest thing piece of advice I think is to, I'm allowed to swear on my own podcast episode. Okay. We can do that. Yeah. I believe that because of what I've learned in and the last couple of years of doing these episodes, steve (01:05.264) innit? Let's get to the meat! steve (01:11.666) Yeah. steve (01:20.123) I don't think you can bleep it later. Ricky Locke (01:30.274) Fundamentally, this is all about living life to your values and just doing whatever fills your cup and not. And we'll talk about this probably a little bit later on, you know, the whole treading eggshells thing, as I mentioned. But this is all about fundamentally. F**k everything. Look at what you know, everything else we know, but I'll bleep that out. But this is just about fundamentally understanding that to be the best version yourself, you've just got to go out there and live your life to your values. not dictated by anyone else, not dictated by what we see society norms and all that, but fundamentally what makes you happy and doing the things that fill you with joy and fills your cup. Because I just believe that for so long, especially in my life as well from a lot of these episodes, that life is dictated by society, dictated by what we believe, which we know in what the work we do. Often it's not true. And actually you can just waste and coast so much of your life. worrying about things that aren't in control and doing the things that just don't make you happy. So why would you wanna do that? It's very easy said to do it, then it's easy to say that than doing it. steve (02:34.175) Yeah. Okay, I think I totally agree. My switch on it being a little bit older than you will be that most 16 year olds, including me, have no clue what gives them joy and what the values are. And your values change. But I think it's like having that in your mind and saying you might need to go out there and try out a load of stuff. So if you're asking me that question, if I say 16 year old, go look, you won't have a clue. You might think it's this that you want to do. Ricky Locke (02:47.298) Yeah, true, true. Yeah, true. Ricky Locke (03:01.535) Yeah, yeah, yeah. steve (03:04.147) might be chasing the car, the status, the whatever. You know this, if you've ever spoken in a school rickety right and there's a load again 16 year olds the only question they want to know is how much money do you earn? Comes up right they go well you know that's you got a fake mortgage but that's the kind of really low down on my thing so it's good advice i agree right so first question right and it ties in with the next one because what's in on my mind right now depending on when this podcast goes out Ricky Locke (03:09.442) Mmm. Ricky Locke (03:15.253) Yeah, that's it. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. steve (03:32.731) But as it's been recorded, we're two weeks away from my first grandchild. Ricky Locke (03:39.146) Oh, yeah. Yeah, of course. I thought you'd say two weeks away from my birthday. But yeah, that's important as well. Isn't it? Yeah. steve (03:41.263) And people, well, you know, so it might, you know, and it's interesting, a good friend of mine asked me, he said, I've been to see how you feel when your grandchild's born compared to how you felt when your three kids were born. That in itself is interesting. But the thing I was also reflecting on was, how, what advice would I give to my grandchild that I didn't give to my kids, right? So my next question is, how old's Alma now? Ricky Locke (04:08.802) She's two and three months or no, two and two months. Yeah. steve (04:12.087) Yeah, I don't know because I saw the little video on Instagram when you took a little adventure and you went to Bruce on your staff And he said that was it. I think he said the word fascinating, which is of course one of our favorite words in it, right? um, but knowing what you know now What would be your top tip to a? a parent What you believe makes a great parent and be a grandparent Ricky Locke (04:18.438) Oh yeah, yes, that's right, yeah. Ricky Locke (04:24.141) It was, yeah, yeah. Ricky Locke (04:34.412) Yeah. Ricky Locke (04:40.206) Oh, interesting, isn't it? Yeah. Okay. So let's go for that first one then for the parent thing. So for a lot of my studies in this personal development world and what we do, I've come to believe now through, I think just becoming a parent as you do, the question I often ask myself is what lessons am I teaching Alma? So whatever I do now, the thread that just runs through everything, if it's a piece of work that comes in, you know, one of our values is fun, right? We like working with fun people. If something comes in into the business and it's like, that doesn't feel like it's really fun, you know, I don't want to do that. And I wouldn't want Alma to like go off and do things. It doesn't make her happy, you know, fill a cup and all that sort of thing. But I've now come to this point where it's like, okay, so if everything is Fred is that is what lessons am I teaching my daughter? The advice for me is like to be a role model. I'm a parent now. I've got to be a role model. So I can't expect her to do any of these things if I'm not doing it myself. So I'm now starting to really practice, you know, be my own preacher and practice what I preach. you know, being a bit more honest, you know, my whole life as a kid, I was taught to say, yes, freebacks for we don't challenge stuff, Ricky, you know, just walk on eggshells. And it's just it just doesn't work. You know, it causes pain, anxiety, and all these sort of things. And when you then start self reflecting, go, God, the pain that I felt in my life, I don't want that on her. So the best tip I'd say about parenting is obviously, it's about role model, everything that you do now is askin