Often people think to achieve what they want in life is about finding a magic bullet, but as World Cup winning coach Sir Clive Woodward explains – frequently it’s just about understanding the basics. Those things you absolutely have to get right to succeed in a particular project or goal. This might sound obvious – but actually it turns out it is incredibly common for people within teams, businesses and organisations not to know the basics of what they are trying to do – and that even applies at the top level of elite sport. Full Length conversation: https://www.simonmundie.com/blog/sir-clive ..read more

Everyone is familiar with the phrase 'there are too few hours in the day' but one of my previous guests proved that emphatically wrong. In 2019 Jasmine Paris won the 268 mile Spine race – unquestionably one of the toughest endurance events in the world. Not only did Jasmine become the first woman to win the race, she smashed the men’s course record by 12 hours. Jasmine juggles her ultra running with being a mum, wife and a qualified vert. She truly has mastered the art of prioritising what is important to her in life. MyTwitter: https://twitter.com/simonmundie Instagram: https://www.instagram ..read more

How to transcend needless suffering & discover true happiness - with 'the Mind Architect' Above everything else, people want to feel happy – and to experience freedom from suffering. It’s not the car, the promotion or the relationship we really want – it’s the happiness we believe we will derive from it. But what if the very act of seeking happiness is exactly what is stopping us from experiencing true happiness? That is the essence of this week’s conversation with Peter Crone. He calls himself the Mind Architect, and he has twenty years of experience training and coaching elite athletes a ..read more

Are you a human being – or a human doing? Bill Beswick is one of the world’s most respected sports psychologists, having worked at Manchester United during Sir Alex Ferguson’s dominant reign as manager. Roy Keane and Gary Neville are among those who credited Bill with making a real difference to their ability to perform at the top. I talked to Bill during the covid pandemic – and he spoke about how it was an opportunity to reflect on how we want to live. The question is – have you done that? And if not, recognise the opportunity to reflect is still available at any moment ** MyTwitter: https ..read more

When I was the sports reporter for BBC Radio 1 for 8 years, I spent a lot of time talking to and hearing from an exhaustive list of Premier League managers. One of them stood out above the rest for entertainment value – and that was Ian Holloway when he was in charge of Blackpool FC. Ian Holloway is clearly a naturally funny man – and he also has a depth and emotional sensitivity that you can’t help but warm to. A driving theme of this podcast is ego – and not letting the idea you have about yourself get in the way. Ian opens up about how hard he has been on himself throughout his life, and se ..read more

There’s no doubt that meditation is good for body and mind, but a lot of people struggle with it. Perhaps they don’t think they’re doing it right – or just can’t turn it into a habit. But meditation is undoubtedly a hugely valuable habit to develop, and the research on its benefits is vast. And here to talk about the simple 'how-tos' of mindfulness meditation – is Headspace founder and former Buddhist monk – Andy Puddicombe ** MyTwitter: https://twitter.com/simonmundie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-mundie-89379114/ And for the ..read more

Perfectionism is often seen as a desirable trait in modern society. But, the reality is, it leads to procrastination - and mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and burnout. In a world that celebrates the idea of your 'Best Self', and always being better than you were yesterday – this conversation is about considering a healthier approach, one that acknowledges we are fine as we are now, and that we don’t always need to be striving for more and better. My guest is Tom Curran, the acclaimed professor of psychology at the London school of economics and author of The Perfection Trap: The ..read more

How often do we spend time continually looking to the future – while overlooking how far we have already come? Dr Dame Katherine Grainger is Britain’s most decorated female Olympian. She won rowing gold at London 2012 and silver at four other Olympic Games. We spoke about reflecting back on how far you’ve come – as well as what perseverance is all about ** MyTwitter: https://twitter.com/simonmundie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simon-mundie-89379114/ And for the 'Mundie on Monday' newsletter - featuring three of the best Life Lessons ..read more

Alberto Salazar was once the most revered running coach in the world, leading athletes including Mo Farah to the very top of their game. But, in 2019, Salazar was banned from athletics for violating anti doping rules. This week’s guest, Steve Magness, had worked alongside him at the Nike Oregon Project – and he was the whistleblower whose claims were followed up by a BBC Panorama and Pro Publica investigation, leading, ultimately, to Salazar’s downfall. It’s fascinating to hear Steve explaining his role in what is a truly incredible tale. While he says being a whistleblower led to a traumatic ..read more

Brad Smeele was a world champion wakeboarder – until he broke his neck performing a trick in 2014 which left him quadriplegic. Until that point, Brad had been pretty much living the dream, chasing summers around the world while earning money on the side as a model. His identity before the accident was closely bound up with his physicality, and coming to terms with the fact that that was no longer the case was a huge challenge. However – Brad has demonstrated a truly inspiring mentality toward his new life as a quadriplegic He has taken acceptance to a new level. For Brad it’s all about owning ..read more