The High Performance Podcast

Ex-NATO Commander: Why Britain Isn't Ready for the Unthinkable (E400)

When global instability dominates the headlines, it can be hard to know what to think...or how to lead. This week, Jake and Damian sit down with General Sir Richard Shirreff, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, to cut through the noise. With 37 years commanding British soldiers, Richard has led through some of the most complex and high-stakes environments imaginable - from the streets of Basra to the corridors of NATO headquarters. And his lessons aren't just for generals. In this episode, he breaks down the war-gaming mindset that every great leader needs, explains why the best decisions are built on intuition as much as information, and shares Field Marshal Slim's three components of morale — a framework as relevant in business as it is on the battlefield. Richard also makes the case for thinking the unthinkable - conscription, and challenges the narrative that younger generations lack resilience, and ends with a genuinely optimistic vision for what great leadership could unlock. This is a conversation about courage, preparation, and the kind of bold decision-making the world needs more of right now. Our partners on this episode: Heights 👉 Get 20% off your subscription by using Code: HP20 here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp_heights_au3  Visit Seattle 👉 Start planning your perfect summer of football by searching Visit Seattle on social media, or discover more at: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-visitseattle-au ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Mark Webber: The Truth About Vettel, Red Bull and Why I Was Never Their Number One

Mark Webber came from a small town in rural Australia with no money, no connections, and a body the wrong size for a Formula One car. He made it to the very top anyway, achieving nine Grand Prix wins, 42 podiums and World Endurance Champion - becoming one of the most respected drivers of his generation. We re-visit this conversation with Mark, where he opens up about the years at Red Bull when he believed his own team was favouring Sebastian Vettel at every turn. Engines allegedly turned down when he was catching his teammate. A new front wing arriving at the track and going to the other car. A World Championship slipping away in the final race of the season. It got so bad that Mark did something almost unheard of in Formula One — he wrote a private letter directly to the man who owned the entire operation. Our partners for this episode: Heights 👉 Get 20% off your subscription by using Code: HP20 here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp_heights_au3  Visit Seattle 👉 Start planning your perfect summer of football by searching Visit Seattle on social media, or discover more at: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-visitseattle-au ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

When a Team Stops Believing: Inside Tottenham's Freefall (ft. Tim Krul)

What happens inside a dressing room when a team loses faith in itself? Jake and Damian go beyond the results and the headlines to examine the psychology of collective belief failure — using Tottenham's historic 12-game winless run as the defining case study. Joined by goalkeeper Tim Krul, who has experienced relegation with both Newcastle and Luton, they explore what fear actually looks like on a pitch, why managers can lose a dressing room in 10 minutes, and what the Kinski substitution really said about Tudor's state of mind. Damian draws on his work with West Brom during a similar crisis to explain why the answer is almost never about fitness or tactics — and Jake reveals what Norwich City's sporting director said to Philippe Clement that convinced a Premier League-level manager to take on a Championship relegation battle. Plus: why Kimi Antonelli could be this season's Formula One world champion, lessons from the Gordon Ramsay Netflix documentary on the cost of relentless high performance, and what Paul McCartney's decade after The Beatles teaches us about identity and reinvention. Our partners on this episode: Heights 👉 Get 20% off your subscription by using Code: HP20 here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp_heights_au3  Visit Seattle 👉 Start planning your perfect summer of football by searching Visit Seattle on social media, or discover more at: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-visitseattle-au ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Cricket Legend Kumar Sangakkara: What You Do Is Not Who You Are (E399)

Kumar Sangakkara is one of cricket's greatest legends, known for his unparalleled skill, leadership, and transformative philosophy. In this episode, Kumar joins Jake and Damian to share the key moments and philosophies that shaped his career both on and off the field, offering a profound perspective on performance, identity, and resilience. Kumar explains how this philosophy shaped his approach to coaching and his own career, emphasising that separating who you are from what you do allows for greater perspective, freedom, and calm. He also discusses the dark side of excellence, revealing the personal sacrifices athletes make and how maintaining balance and relationships outside of performance is crucial for staying human. He shares the powerful lessons he learned during the 2009 Lahore attack, where he witnessed violence firsthand but emerged with a newfound perspective on gratitude. Kumar also reflects on his country’s unity through cricket, especially during the controversial Murali incident, and how that moment played a key role in shaping Sri Lanka’s identity.  This episode offers a rare and deeply personal look at what it truly means to be a world-class performer while remaining grounded in your humanity, showing how gratitude, balance, and perspective can guide us through even the toughest challenges. Heights 👉 Get 20% off your subscription by using Code: HP20 here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp_heights_au3  Visit Seattle 👉 Start planning your perfect summer of football by searching Visit Seattle on social media, or discover more at: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-visitseattle-au ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Your Attention is Being Stolen — and Here's How to Take it Back | Johann Hari

Johann Hari has spent years doing what most of us don't have time to do — travelling the world, interviewing the world's leading neuroscientists, psychiatrists, and Silicon Valley insiders to find out why depression, anxiety, and loneliness are rising every single year. What he found will change how you see your phone, your mind, and your daily life. Today we re-visit this impactful conversation with Johann, but it's not all doom and gloom! Johann is one of the most solution-focused thinkers we've had on the show, and he leaves you with concrete, practical steps you can take today. You'll hear Johann on: what the people who built Instagram and TikTok privately think about what they've created; the three things every parent should do right now about their child's phone use; and the leaded petrol analogy that explains exactly how we fix the attention crisis. Heights 👉 Get 20% off your subscription by using Code: HP20 here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp_heights_au3 ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.