9 ways to (actually) be helpful
Ever been the recipient of a 'let me know how I can be helpful?' It rarely results in anything. Ever said it yourself? Here are 9 things to do instead.
Sweeping the sheds, shagging, and creating culture by doing small things well
The best leaders don’t just nail the big moments - the town halls, the keynotes, the crisis calls. They nail the small ones. Day after day. Week after week.
BRAVERY (5/5): I refuse to talk about imposter syndrome (and you should too)
We invented the term 'imposter syndrome' in 1978, and then we talked about it so much we made it real. But feeling fear? Feeling like you don't belong? Those are normal - not a syndrome.
BRAVERY (4/5): The only 3 questions you need to make brave choices
Sometimes bravery is immediate - you have a moment to react. Sometimes bravery is long term - with days or years to make decisions and take action. Here's the tool kit for making those choices.
BRAVERY (3/5): Bravery is not a feeling, it’s a skill. 5 techniques to master it.
Most of us think bravery is a fixed trait - we have it or we don't. But research shows it's a trainable skill. And the bravest people in the world? They've trained the skill beyond habit, to identity.
BRAVERY (2/5): Bravery > Confidence. Don’t fear less, brave more.
We want to be fearless. We want to feel confident. Instead, what we should seek is more bravery. Courage comes before confidence, and is the greater virtue.
BRAVERY (1/5): World-first research on bravery. 7 findings that will overturn your beliefs.
What is bravery? Are there different types of courage? And how does your age, gender, race, and leadership style impact your bravery score?
You get 150 people in your life. A 6 step exercise to choose your tribe
Athletes get teammates automatically. It’s easy to have a tribe in sport. But outside of sport, we have to build our own. When was the last time you thought about who you want to prioritise?
I hate meditation. 27 tools elite athletes use to regulate emotions instead
It seems like everyone on the internet is advocating for meditation. I've never been able to make it stick. Turns out, there's a reason for that.
The quickest way to become world class: Get a COACH
Many of us think we can teach ourselves - on YouTube, with feedback among friends, or by studying others. Here's 10 reasons you should scrap those strategies and get a coach.
'Training for life' - Richard Branson taught me 4 lessons
Sometimes you meet your heroes and they disappoint you. Sometimes you meet your heroes and they inspire you even more. And sometimes you meet your heroes and they give you a triple beatdown.
Change your story. Own your words.
The very best leaders take extreme ownership. They view everything as their responsibility - including the language they use and the stories they tell. How will you change your stories?
MASTERY: What lies beyond unconscious competence
When learning skills we go from 'this will be easy', to 'oh crap, it's much harder than I thought' to 'I'm finally getting it'. Eventually we reach mastery. How can we go even further?
Making things stick: 6 ways to make doing hard things (like exercise) addictive
As an athlete everyone assumes we have crazy willpower to workout everyday. I'll let you in on a secret - it's not only habits, and not just discipline. We love hard things. Here's how you can too.
Fandom versus critics: Why being a fan is one of the biggest hacks to succeeding
How hyping up your friends, connecting them with opportunities, linking your reputations and being someone's number 1 phone call... actually helps you win.
What drives you? Process, Pressure, Perfection, or PLAY? (Part 4)
We're all driven by different things. My teammates motivated by a sense of PLAY are action-orientated, stay in the present moment, and are the hands-down the most fun.
What drives you? Process, Pressure, PERFECTION, or Play? (Part 3)
PERFECTION driven people are great at spotting errors, doing things the right way, and are driven to be the best - whatever it takes. Is this one of your drives?
What drives you? Process, PRESSURE, Perfection, or Play? (Part 2)
As an athlete, I always loved the big moments. The World Championships. The Grand Final. If you're driven by pressure, then chasing the impossible, with the pressure of an audience, will fuel you.
What drives you? PROCESS, Pressure, Perfection, or Play? (Part 1)
Motivation differs for all of us. PROCESS driven people love a detailed plan, to tick things off a list, and to know their purpose within the team.
Testing commitment
The further we progress in our careers, the more people ask us for help. Do you have an effective filter for deciding who to help? For me, the answer is burpees.
Moving up the curve: Are you chasing diminishing or compounding returns?
Humans project our progress out linearly, assuming next week or next year will look similar to last week or last year. But our brains have it wrong. Progress is curved.
Bring back your beginner mindset
Most of the time we are experts - putting our hard earned skills and knowledge to work. But rediscovering our beginner mindset means we can show up with more curiosity, empathy, and open-mindedness.
Go first
Going first - whether that means being the first to support a crazy idea or the first to say hi to a stranger - is scary. But we should do it anyway. It builds bravery and bolsters others.
STANDARDS: The single most powerful tool for raising team performance
Stronger than motivation. More powerful than goals. More useful than habits. More natural than KPIs. STANDARDS are the one tool I've used to drive every major increase in sporting and work performance.
6 ways to think about high performance that aren’t a gold medal
My mum always told me to 'have fun' at sporting competitions. 'Winning is fun,' I'd always reply. It's a mindset I've had to update.
The exact tactics to make NETWORKING your superpower: PART 2
What should your 1-line opener be when you go up to someone at an event? Does cold-outbound work? How can you make people want to do warm introductions for you? And ways to interview your heroes.
The exact tactics to make NETWORKING your superpower: PART 1
I am an introvert. 'Networking' always seemed a little mercenary, and a little unauthentic. But in the last 3 years I've met the thousands of phenomenal people. Here are the exact tactics I use.
4 types of CONFIDENCE and 3 ways to cultivate it
We've all heard the useless advice 'just be confident'. How though? And what kind of confidence are we even trying to create?
The coach-athlete bond: What ATHLETES do differently (that employees can learn from)
Athletes have a magical bond with their coach. What is it that they bring to the relationship that is missing from the manager-employee dynamic?
The coach-athlete bond: What COACHES do differently (that managers can learn from)
Coaches and managers have similar jobs - unlock the potential of their teams. But in practice, those relationships feel very different. Why? What do coaches do differently?
Mastering skill: Beyond unconscious competence
Elite performers spend their lives striving to reach mastery - or unconscious competence. Some of us reach it. What happens after that?
Retirement part 6: AFTERMATH
After you step away from your sport or startup - what comes next? What do you do with all that time you suddenly have? How do you move on?
Retirement part 5: EMOTION
Sport and startups are endeavours of emotional extremes - the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But when you step away, how do you fill the emotional void?
Retirement part 4: MASTERY
When athletes or founders step away from one endeavour at the top of their game, whatever comes next we face being complete beginners again. Mastery is a feeling we miss.
Retirement part 3: IDENTITY
If I'm no longer an athlete or a founder... who am I? Do I still matter? How do I even introduce myself? Am I a failure because I gave up? Here's how others are grappling with finding a new identity.
Retirement part 2: UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Athletes and founders are incredibly future focused. One goal done, onto the next. At the moment of retirement, there is always a goal left undone.
Retirement part 1: DECISION
When you are an athlete or a founder, making the choice to step away from your sport or startup is one of the toughest decisions you'll ever make. Here is how 8 people thought it through.
'No' to negative thinking
Racing thoughts, anxious stomach, feelings of stress? This is how athletes transform their thoughts from from unconscious thinking to unstoppable thinking.
The long tail: It's time for microinfluencers to have their moment in the spotlight
The future of marketing is social - buying from the influencers we trust online. If you are building a company that helps make this happen, please connect.
STANDARDS: The single most powerful tool for raising team performance
Stronger than motivation. More powerful than goals. More useful than habits. More natural than KPIs. STANDARDS are the one tool I've used to drive every major increase in sporting and work performance.
The exact tactics to make NETWORKING your superpower: PART 1
I am an introvert. 'Networking' always seemed a little mercenary, and a little unauthentic. But in the last 3 years I've met the thousands of phenomenal people. Here are the exact tactics I use.
4 types of CONFIDENCE and 3 ways to cultivate it
We've all heard the useless advice 'just be confident'. How though? And what kind of confidence are we even trying to create?
'Training for life' - Richard Branson taught me 4 lessons
Sometimes you meet your heroes and they disappoint you. Sometimes you meet your heroes and they inspire you even more. And sometimes you meet your heroes and they give you a triple beatdown.
Sweeping the sheds, shagging, and creating culture by doing small things well
The best leaders don’t just nail the big moments - the town halls, the keynotes, the crisis calls. They nail the small ones. Day after day. Week after week.
BRAVERY (1/5): World-first research on bravery. 7 findings that will overturn your beliefs.
What is bravery? Are there different types of courage? And how does your age, gender, race, and leadership style impact your bravery score?
I hate meditation. 27 tools elite athletes use to regulate emotions instead
It seems like everyone on the internet is advocating for meditation. I've never been able to make it stick. Turns out, there's a reason for that.
Testing commitment
The further we progress in our careers, the more people ask us for help. Do you have an effective filter for deciding who to help? For me, the answer is burpees.
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