Like myself and many of you, Ash Millo (and her body) have had a pretty interesting journey. Losing the best part of 70kgs, changing her thinking, habits, behaviours and lifestyle, undergoing surgery to remove loose skin, learning how to socialise without compromising her new health habits, building a different relationship with her body, recognising and changing destructive patterns and behaviours, the ever-present challenge of not allowing her body to become her identity and creating a personal operating that will work for her over the long term. This was a fun chat and I believe for some people, it will be helpful and insightful. Enjoy.

Good old Gillespo is back challenging convention, reminding me that psychology is BS, rocking the research boat and positing a new and fascinating theory on the most devastating of eating disorders; Anorexia Nervosa. Enjoy.

A few weeks ago, TYP regulars Brad and Carly Cunningham had their amazing Training Centre (The Fit Shop in Cheltenham) burn to the ground, losing their business and the amazing ‘third space' they had created for their members. This episode is a quick catch-up with Brad to see where things are at now and let's just say that their story is one of resilience, resourcefulness and the amazing kindness and generosity of awesome people ready to role up their sleeves, open their hearts and help a young family when they need it the most. Enjoy.  Event Tickets

I was recently on The Paul Taylor Podcast, chatting about my PhD research in the areas of metacognition, theory of mind, meta-perception and meta-accuracy, and as always, it was an interesting, intellectual and fun conversation. This episode is a co-share. Enjoy.

This is the episode I that really didn't want to record because, no matter the intention, the science, the data or the reason for the conversation, it seems that we live in a culture where some people will find a way to get offended, angry or hateful, no matter what. As an exercise scientist, educator, one-time morbidly obese child (teenager and adult), former gym owner and fitness professional who has trained thousands of people and dealt with his own body (and emotional) issues for decades, I have endeavoured to explore this topic through a lens of love, compassion, practicality and clinical research. 

In the field of medicine, Neil Nathan is both a Certified Family Physician and an unconventional thinker, practitioner and intuitive healer. He is also a world-renowned Author, Speaker and Educator who makes all the sense, and I loved chatting with him. Enjoy. 

I don't even know where to start with writing a synopsis for this episode, so l'm just gonna say that it was amusing, inappropriate, funny (IMO) and not particularly educational or life-changing. Let's call it edu-tainment. I will tell you that the conversation started with a d**k pic theme and spiralled from there. You've been warned.

Hi TYP’ers. I’m super busy this week so just for today, we’re revisiting a great chat I had with one of Australia’s most loveable chefs, winner of Australia’s favourite TV cooking competition (MasterChef), Julie Goodwin. Enjoy.

In this very practical and simple chat, I walk you through the idea and practice of introducing some simple scientific thinking and method into your day-to-day life, in order to produce better efficiency, productivity and outcomes on Planet You. And yes, it's aimed at a non-scientific audience. Enjoy.

This was an interesting and important chat with one of my mates and along the way we hit on a few current, topical and occasionally, divisive topics. Among other things, Francis and I spoke about 'mansplaining' (as per the title), the concept of 'enough' (when and what is it?), the burden of ambition, preparing for life after work, different kinds of 'wealth', outcomes and contentment, the lack of awareness and understanding men (often) have around women, social awareness, empathy and lots more. Enjoy.

'Improvise, adapt, overcome' is a term that's been linked to the US Marine Corps and also, it's a line from one of my favourite (old) movies; Heartbreak Ridge with Clint Eastwood, playing Marine Gunnery Sergeant, Tom Highway. Well, on Planet Me, there's been a little improvising, adapting and overcoming going on of late and in this edition of TYP, Tiff and I talk about recent trials and tribulations, the challenge of being objective, being authentic in front of a large audience and plenty more. Enjoy.

In the house-built-on-sand world of 'self-help' and 'personal development,' there's a lot of pseudoscience, rhetoric and bullshit masquerading as truth, wisdom and inspiration. If you want to know what makes my bullshit list, take a listen.

As I type this (April 27, 2024), I've been alive for 22,127 days and if I'm 'statistically typical', I have about 8,000 days left. And once again, if I'm statistically typical, a lot of those days will be sh*t, due to poor health. Obviously, my goal is to be atypical and to enjoy a long health-span but then, none of us know with certainty what the future holds. I believe this episode is one of the most important and powerful instalments of TYP I have ever recorded; not because of me or my skill as a thinker or speaker, but because of the content. Because of the important ideas, strategies, questions and information that get unpacked. After countless conversations over four-plus decades as a Coach, Educator, Scientist and Professional Speaker, it's my belief that many of us are living unnecessarily unfulfilling, unrewarding, unproductive and unhappy lives. I hope you enjoy this.

The title is in no way indicative of the majority of the conversation but Carly used the term in our chat and it made me laugh. Apparently, it's what she does when her husband (Paul) is away. And in more serious news... Carly and I chat about dealing with their son’s rare medical condition, raising an entrepreneurial daughter who started a proper business at 14 (and is now 18), the concept of can't vs. won't, good old-fashioned hard work, finding the ‘right medicine' (diet, psychotherapy, exercise program, lifestyle) for you, stoicism in the home, preparing for the inevitable sh*t-storm (it comes for us all), re-training in your 60's and the inspirational woman who just finished her nursing degree (and started nursing) at 70! Enjoy.

Did you know that, while psychopaths can understand the theory of empathy (that's a weird term isn't it?) and the social currency of being 'seen' as a kind and caring person, they don't actually have the capacity to experience empathy for others. That is, they can have the intellectual understanding (of it) but not the emotional experience (of it). Accordingly, they will often use their intellectual insight to 'role play’ (fake) empathy, all-the-while orchestrating some kind of social, emotional and psychological manipulation for their own benefit. Not scary at all! As David and I take a leisurely stroll down 'Psychopath Lane', we talk about gaslighting (and the origin of the term), the most-read book in the US prison system, a thing called consensus effect, the tell-tale signs of psychopathy and he offers five strategies for surviving personal and professional interactions with your garden-variety psychopath. Enjoy. davidgillespie.org

Let’s be honest, some of us have been waiting for the mystical, magical, mysterious ‘right time’ to change our lives (situation, circumstance, lifestyle, career, habits, health, outcomes) for decades. Wanting to change our reality for the better, while simultaneously doing stupid sh*t that actually makes our situation worse. Wasting time, talent, energy and opportunities in the ultimate act of self-sabotage and self-destruction. Maybe it’s time to stop?

This chat with Gavin McCormack and Dan Lakis about how to inspire, encourage, support and guide kids through an optimal learning experience is both enlightening and inspiring. They're both great blokes doing great work, having a big impact and shaping young lives in a powerful way. I love how they think, I love their energy and intent and I feel like we’re kindred spirits. Enjoy.

There's 'self-help' the product (book, program, course) and then there's 'self-help' the process; literally helping yourself by making brave choices, doing hard things, asking great questions, owning up to your BS, being resilient, getting back up when most would give up, being consistent with your effort and completely committing to the practical process of changing yourself and your life for the better, no matter how uncomfortable, uncertain, unfamiliar or inconvenient that journey may be.

Brad and Carly Cunningham are friends and regulars on TYP. They own an amazing business called 'The Fit Shop' and 6 days ago (as I type), their beautiful facility burned to ground, leaving them, their staff and their members 'homeless'. As I always say, bad things happen to good people and life gives no f**ks about you, your feelings or (in Brad and Carly's case) your business, financial security or the three young kids you have to feed. I think it's important to have conversations with people when things aren't going great. When stress, anxiety, uncertainty and fear abound. Why? Because it's real. It's where we spend much of our lives; in the mayhem, madness, unfairness and complexity. Despite their sh*t week, they have an incredible outlook and I think you'll enjoy this chat. thefitshop.com.au

Patrick's back talking about 'sharenting' (the practice of parents posting pics of their kids online), the drone version of home deliveries (it's happening), the comeback of vinyl records, the death of certain professions courtesy of Al, a paintball-blasting home security system (I want one), how insurance companies are using drones to find reasons to void your home insurance, our lunch 'date’ and lots more.

Hardiness (n): the ability to endure difficult conditions. Our favourite Irishman is back quoting the stoics (okay, mainly Epictetus), talking about raising hardy kids, Pollyanna Optimism, the impact of our thoughts on our body, embracing what most avoid, choosing the narrow path and in general, telling us why we need to harden-the-f**k-up. As he does. Enjoy. paultaylor.biz

At the youthful age of sixty, Tony Mantz (Jack the Bear) is figuring out what he wants to do with the rest of his life. The guy who once tipped the scales at 170kgs and consumed eight litres of coke daily (216 teaspoons of sugar), while having an actual coke (cocaine) habit is back and we had a great chat about reinvention, possibilities, ageism, retirement, getting better with age, the psychology of age, starting over, building a new career (at sixty) and lots more. Enjoy.

A hundred years ago (feels like) I read Stephen Covey's 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.' Habit 5 is the title of this episode and over the years this directive (to understand others) has proven to be one of the most powerful, relevant and helpful ideas across a broad range of situations, contexts and roles (for me). Not only has it been invaluable in my capacity as a Coach, Professional Speaker, Exercise Scientist, Business Owner, Author, and Podcaster, but also, it is the cornerstone of my PhD research; understanding ‘The You Experience' (for others). Keep in mind that 'to understand' does not mean to agree, align or condone; no, it just means to have (some) insight into the thoughts, feelings, drivers and actions of others. Enjoy.

Turns out that Cameron Schwab and I have a few things in common; (1) we were born in the same year (2) we're both fascinated with human potential and high-performance (3) we've both worked at AFL clubs (him in much more important roles than me) (4) we've both dealt with ongoing self-doubt and imposter syndrome (5) we've both led big teams/groups and (6) we've both felt (and maybe, been) wildly out of our depth, while trying to appear totally in control (lol). In a nutshell, two average blokes trying to do better than average.

And no, I'm not suggesting you take up smoking! This is another fun and insightful chat with Dr. Michelle Woolhouse where we explore the healing power of love, kindness and connection. We also chat about the social status symbol that is ‘the busy badge’, owning up to being part of the problem, the stories we tell ourselves and the impact those stories have on our health, healing outside of the traditional medical model, feeling guilty about resting or having a day off, moving the metaphoric goal posts, the epidemic of discontent and lots more.

This episode is essentially me sharing something that l have written over the last few days about gratitude, contentment, and the idea of 'enough’. When I started writing it, I had no intention of turning it into a TYP episode but as it grew, it became apparent that it was way too hefty (can words be hefty?) to be shared in written form on any of my platforms. So here it is in audio form; somewhat scripted, somewhat freestyle, and hopefully of interest and value. Enjoy.

The following excerpt is from David's latest article posted on World Parkinson's Day (April 11): “Imagine watching a loved one's hands tremble uncontrollably, their steps falter... This heartbreaking reality confronts the families of over 200,000 Australians battling Parkinson's disease. In Australia, someone is diagnosed with Parkinson's every 27 minutes. These aren't just numbers - they're stolen futures. This isn't a mysterious affliction, it's a mass poisoning, and the culprits line the aisles of every supermarket.” This is a terrifying and enlightening conversation.

This chat with Dr. David Wiss is an eye-opener and our deep dive into the psychology, sociology, physiology and practicality of the 'way we eat' was one of my favourite episodes this year. *Dr. David Wiss, Ph.D., RDN is the founder of Nutrition in Recovery and Wise Mind Nutrition, a group practice in Los Angeles specialising in substance use disorders, eating disorders, body image, mental health, and general wellness. If you have let's-call-them 'food challenges' (like me), you might love this conversation. I did. Enjoy.

Among other things, Cameron Schwab has been the CEO of Richmond, Melbourne and Fremantle Football Clubs. In 1988, he became the youngest CEO in VFL/AFL history at the ripe old age of 24 (at Richmond FC). This time around, Cameron and I chat about giving and receiving feedback, interpreting the 'data' in your life, turning the theory of success into a sustainable practice, his current work coaching Carlton coach Michael Voss (coaching the coach), the prevalence of successful people feeling like failures and frauds, the potential emotional and psychological letdown after we achieve a goal (what now?) and lots more.

I was recently on Tiff's show (Roll With the Punches) and naturally, I was the interviewee, not the interviewer. In this tables-turned version, she definitely seized her moment to ask some hard questions, push a few buttons and knock on a few personal doors that I haven't really opened on a podcast. I'm not sure that it's a particularly inspirational chat but it's about as vulnerable as I've been in any public interview. Hopefully there's some value in it for you. Enjoy.

Judoka Nathan Katz is a two-time Olympian, his brother is an Olympian, his mum is an Olympian and his dad is a Coach of numerous Olympians. In the world of Judo, the Katz family is something special. This chat with Nathan was an eye-opener into the world of an elite combat sport. Forget the training, the exhaustion, the injuries and the pain of being choked out by a gorilla, I couldn't even deal with the diet or the extreme weight-cutting. Enjoy.

If you're up for a mini workshop and some reflection on whether or not the things that you say matter to you (beliefs, values, goals, actions, purpose, etc.) align with your typical choices, behaviours, habits, communication and lifestyle, then this is for you. If not, see you tomorrow.

Mares Van Lambaart is back talking all-things mental health and it's fair to say that we covered lots of territory. 'Most people are familiar with the idea of physical first aid courses that teach the skills and knowledge required to recognise and respond to life-threatening emergencies and provide a first aid response across a range of different situations. Mental Health First Aid training adopts a similar approach. Using a practical, skills-based action plan, participants learn the skills to recognise and respond to someone experiencing a mental health problem or mental health crisis, until professional help is received or the crisis resolves. Individuals who complete Mental Health First Aid training are known as MHFAiders. Equipped with the skills to listen, connect, and offer support when it matters most, MHFAiders play a vital role in reducing stigma and promoting pathways to support for those experiencing mental health problems in our workplaces, communities, schools, and tertiary institutions.' *Copy courtesy of the MHFA website.

Dr Hannah Macdougall just got a new running leg. Apparently, it's fast. Which is good. Hannah is an elite athlete, dual Paralympian and Bronze Medalist, Inclusion Advocate, and has completed a PhD in Well-Being. Apart from being a world-class swimmer, cyclist and triathlete, she's also an educator, high-performance expert and great story-teller. She's also a little inappropriate (my favourite part). Enjoy.

In this episode... poisonous mushrooms, re-purposing your old phone, the joys of pinball, unread email risks, why ChatGPT might be making us dumber, why Patrick won't have an iPhone, the future of Chinese cars in Australia, why electric vehicles might not be the future, when Mother Nature destroys your solar farm, coconut milk and lots more.

Sam Bramham OAM, is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. He competed at the 2004 and 2008 Summer Paralympics, winning two gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze medal. In 2014 Bramham entered the eleventh season of Big Brother Australia and was a contestant in the first season of Australian Ninja Warrior in 2017. This was a fun chat with a fun bloke. Cheeky, charming, clever, curious, talented and a bit sweary; the perfect TYP combo. Enjoy.

Today's chat is with one of my friends and colleagues, Professor Peter Brukner and the following paragraph (which summarises our conversation) is from a recent article in 'The Australian' newspaper by journalist Natasha Robinson.. “The diet wars have been raging in Australia for decades. Experts are pitted against one another in acrimonious battles over what the evidence really says on low carb, meat, saturated fat, plant-based foods, and myriad other points of dietary contention. But now, consensus has emerged on one thing: low-carb is an effective approach to maximise metabolic health. And with the majority of Australians metabolically unhealthy, is it an approach that everyone should follow? In a highly significant move, the nation's peak body for diabetes, Diabetes Australia, has entered a partnership with prominent low-carb diet proponent Dr Peter Bruner to promote his low-carb program to its members via Brukner's charity Defeat Diabetes. Brukner reversed his own diabetes and lost a substantial amount of weight through the approach.

We humans hate being wrong. And we love being right. Especially when our thought, idea and/or belief is intertwined with our identity; our sense of self. In this scenario, when you attack my belief or ideology, you attack me and the platform from where I see, experience and understand the world. Being wrong, especially about something we've thought or believed for decades, is f**king terrifying for us, so we (can) shut ourselves down to any message or belief that doesn't endorse, support or align with, our own. And in a world where we  all get things wrong, the self-righteous, arrogant, echo-chamber approach, doesn't work.

Tansel Ali is really good at remembering stuff. Like the entire contents of two phone books (for a company’s marketing campaign). He is 4-time Australian memory champion but at the age of 24 had a terrible memory, until he figured out how to optimise his capacity for data storage and retrieval. This was a fun chat about the brain, mind, cognition, learning, storytelling and of course, improving memory.

This episode is an eclectic mix of divergent topics, themes and subject matter. That is, we rambled on about lots of different sh*t, including (but not limited to) snot blocks, Aussie slang and jargon, international actors trying to pull off an Aussie accent, becoming addicted to a Trainer, Coach or Therapist, creating an accountability system (why and how), the habit of trying to make people 'feel good in the moment' (and potentially handicapping them over the long term), the physical downside of living and working in a high-tech, comfort-obsessed world and lots more. 

New jobs are being born, old jobs are dying. For virtually all of human existence, podcasting wasn't a career option. Now it is. Gillespo is back at TYP Central and we explore the good and bad of the technology onslaught, Elon Musk's brain implant (direct internet access in your head), the energy cost of thinking (the brain uses a lot of calories), misleading nutritional labels, the dodgy science behind recommended daily intakes (RDl's), why and how ChatGPT is becoming friendlier and sounding increasingly human and David tells me why I'm probably not a psychopath (phew!). Enjoy.

She's a comedian, writer, speaker, story-teller and one-time Urban Princess (her words) but not anymore; now Rachel Berger is a chainsaw wielding, nature-embracing, tree-whispering, wallaby-feeding part of the nature she now co-exists with. She not only lives in nature, she IS nature. I love that. Nine years ago, Rachel walked away from her busy, high-profile urban existence on the 'mainland' and relocated to a beautiful seventy-acre rural haven in Tassie, away from the concrete, the mayhem and the noise. Exactly 1,000 days after her first TYP appearance Rachel is back (complete coincidence), and this was a fascinating chat. Enjoy.

Worry. We all do it. Rational worry. Irrational worry. Productive. Destructive. This episode is a chat with Dr. Lillian Nejad about the 'why, when, how and how not to' of worry. Enjoy. containyourbrain.com

These are questions that I have asked myself repeatedly over the years to find clarity, perspective, focus, meaning, momentum and purpose. They are questions which have helped me identify my reasons, goals, drivers and values and to build a corresponding operating system, in order to (hopefully) live an aligned, fulfilling and meaningful life. Sometimes I get it right. Sometimes not. If you're familiar with my work, you'll be familiar with most of the themes and ideas I explore but perhaps think of it as a repository of powerful questions which encapsulate my philosophy and might be valuable on your journey of self-discovery and personal empowerment. For your convenience, I will be posting a list of the questions on our TYP Facebook page. Enjoy.

But enough about my school reports. If this conversation could be represented on a map of Australia and our destination from Melbourne was Sydney, then Patrick and I drove to the Harbour Bridge via Perth. We eventually arrived at our intended verbal destination but only after we’d taken a swim at Cottesloe Beach. Enjoy.

These are questions that I have asked myself repeatedly over the years to find clarity, perspective, focus, meaning, momentum and purpose. They are questions which have helped me identify my reasons, goals, drivers and values and to build a corresponding operating system, in order to (hopefully) live an aligned, fulfilling and meaningful life. Sometimes I get it right. Sometimes not. If you're familiar with my work, you'll be familiar with most of the themes and ideas I explore but perhaps think of it as a repository of powerful questions which encapsulate my philosophy and might be valuable on your journey of self-discovery and personal empowerment. For your convenience, I will be posting a list of the questions on our TYP Facebook page. Enjoy.

Diet. Who to believe? So many experts. So many claims. So much contradiction. So many agendas. So many pills, powders, potions, programs, and products. In this episode, Nutritionist Perry Venakis and I do our best to sort through some of the myths, madness, and mysteries of food.

This is a departure from the normal TYP fare, with zero personal development, self-help or human behaviour discussion. As the title suggests, Tiff and I explore the practical process of setting up a podcast for the purpose of sharing one's thoughts, passions and genius with the world. I've been asked hundreds of times for advice about creating a show, so from now on I'll simply direct those enquirers to this chat. Enjoy.

Some people do well with traditional meditation. I don't. I love it as an idea (and have recommended it) but for me, I find working out, nature and music to be much more calming, aligning and meditative. For some people it's a very effective tool in the old mind-management toolkit but not for me. Some people get great results by sitting down with a professional and talking about their problems but I don't. I like to work through things myself. I don't pretend there's not an issue or problem but for me, talking about the problem is (typically) not helpful. And it's not that I'm against meditation or therapy (of course), it's just different things work for different people. Not good or bad, right or wrong, just different. This is a chat with Dr. Lillian Nejad about all of that. drlilliannejad.com

Brad Cunningham from the Fit Shop is back on deck and this time we talk about staying (or getting) functional, strong and healthy as we head into our 'mature' years. Part of my health mission is to encourage and support people in improving their strength, fitness and physical performance (capacity) at an age when some 'experts' would advise anyone over fifty to "go gently and age gracefully" (whatever TF that means). Personally, I'm more a fan of the disgraceful approach to aging.