Give Yourself The Chat!

What does an explorer, activist and would be astronaut do in lockdown? Turns out, pretty much like the rest of us really. Of all the challenges that Vijay Shah has undertaken in his life, raising a 10 month year old is probably right up there! In this episode we cover a diverse range of subjects including Vijay's passion for addressing climate change through activism, exploring the world's continents and just some of the challenges set as a candidate for the next european space mission. A rocket scientist by trade and free spirit by nature, Vijay views exploration as a mindset and not just about going on arduous journeys. Making it to the final 12 candidates to feature on the BBC series ‘Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes?', we also get a glimpse into the qualities and skills required to make it onto the space program. Who knew that origami featured as one of them?!

Watford FC legend and ex-professional footballer Paul Robinson took time out to chat with me about a career that spanned 22 years, 5 football clubs, 3 caps for England U-21s and one goal of the season; which for a defender is some accolade! For me, this has been one of the highlight episodes so far. I’ve been a Watford FC fan for over 40 years now, so to spend time with such a servant of not only my club, but also professional football in general was a real treat. In this episode we talk about life in pandemic, how Paul handled the passions of the crowd during his career, mentors that have guided and been the greatest influence on him and also the pressure of the ‘Great Escape’ season with West Bromwich Albion. Fiercely competitive and brimming with passion for the sport and the future generations, there’s something for everyone in this episode, regardless of whether you’re a soccer fan or not!

Working 80+ hours a week whilst snatching only 3-4 hours sleep, fuelled by an insatiable desire to hit revenue targets is only going to end up one way – burnout! That's what happened to this episode's guest, Glenn Tranter. In 2006 Glenn suffered a mental shut-down. No longer able to cope with the demands he was placing on his body, he was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. As it turns out, giving a label to the condition may have helped on an intellectual level, but not necessarily helpful in combating the underlying cause of his condition; the relentless desire to win. Perhaps at all costs! Thankfully, and in part due to an enigmatic encounter with a Vietnamese monk, Glenn found a way out of his personal nadir to emerge as a coach now focused on helping others find ways to achieve their outcomes without the personal cost. In this episode we explore basketball, hustle, ego and mindfulness. Oh…and you'll also find out what the monk said!

There's always a danger with inviting close personal friends onto your podcast that the pair of us would get lost in memories, experiences and ‘in' jokes that the listener won't get or care for. Thankfully, Mike Hogben and I avoid this trap and manage to chat just about anything and everything to do with life and philosophy! I first met Mike when we started out as cadets at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst some 28 years ago. We came from very different backgrounds and life experiences at that point and probably formed from the outside the most unlikely ‘couple'. As a soldier from the ranks, I taught Mike to iron his clothes and play the game in front of us in order to survive. Mike taught me how to think, how to challenge and also how to enjoy life and let go a little. Nearly 30 years on and we're still learning from each other. Our conversations have got deeper, our experiences more varied and our connection stronger. In this episode we explore philosophy, stoicism, buddhism, submarines, skydiving, monotheist religions and Patrick Swayze!

Uttam (aka Silky) and I met by chance at an airport on our way to the USA. Brought together by the over-sized baggage we were travelling in, we struck up an unlikely friendship as the worlds of Ironman triathlon crossed paths with the music industry! Silky is a DJ, producer and composer from the UK and now living in Venice Beach, California and has established a sterling reputation as an artist through an impressive catalogue of releases and a long list of club and festival appearances. In this episode we talk about dolphins, surfing, life purpose and creativity. A veteran of the music industry and House music in particular, Silky has been mentored by some of the founders of house music, including Frankie Knuckles. His passion is unrelenting, his talent undeniable and his productions are consistently picking up positive feedback from a long list of influential tastemakers.

Andrew wins the prize for being the guest who has ‘travelled' the furthest to be on this podcast and finds himself stranded in Melbourne, Australia en route to his home in Bali; thanks to the Coronavirus. A mindset and performance coach and something of a ‘digital nomad', Andrew helps executives and business owners be less stressed and achieve more. In this episode we explore the topics of fear, hustle culture and the ego. Delving into the esoteric and the scientific, Andrew presents a compelling way of looking at meditation and mindfulness through the practise of observation and a shift in consciousness; he teaches people how not to meditate! A straight talking, no nonsense kind of bloke, Andrew is someone I've never met in person, but if I can find a way of travelling to Bali to interview him again at one of his retreats, I'll be sure to do so. Just got to figure out a way to convince the accountant!

This episode is more than just your average discussion on setting goals and having a positive mindset. This one blows the roof on what is possible if you set your mind to it and have a strong enough ‘why?' Introduced to each other through social media, Kate discusses her life, it's traumatic events and how being defined by other's expectations of her was never going to be a healthy route to take. Likening her awakening to the advice you get from the doctor telling you something has to change, Kate gave herself the ‘life chat' and decided to take 100% responsibility and charge full steam ahead with her mission and passions. Not one to shy away from a challenge, Kate has been an age-group world champion at triathlon, but her next event is going to be a world's first. Not your standard swim, bike and run. Not even multiple Ironman races. This one is the biggie! A swim of the English Channel; a bike from coast to coast in the USA; and the ‘run' a summit of Everest!

Dan Cooke has lived a life full of adventure, adversity and service in his capacity as former teacher, fireman and latterly in the role of international search and rescue. Chance encounters with opportunity and strong mentors have set Dan on a life of serving others, with all the highs and lows that brings. In this episode we explore what it is to serve and how sometimes doing nothing is the best thing, despite the urge to rush to help. From dealing with death and devastation on a mass scale in Haiti to giving yourself the chat when diving with Tiger Sharks, Dan helps to strip back what it is to lead in uncertainty and facing fear. We also explore the subjects of learning, failure and what it takes to build a high performing team; be it working with the England rugby team or the co-ordination of effort with the volunteer men and women of ‘Serve On', a humanitarian response charity whose dedicated volunteers help communities in their hour of need, at home or abroad.

How has this lockdown period forced us to change our behaviours as leaders and individual contributors? What habits that have been developed through working from home do we keep and which ones don't serve us so well? And how are paperclips and Creme Eggs related? The answers to all these questions are explored with Annabelle Charman, divisional Chief Operating Officer with a FTSE 250 company, keen ultra marathon runner and graduate of one of my leadership programmes. And despite the latter, someone who has forged a great career for herself in the City! During the course of this episode we explore numerous subjects around the power of habit and what this current lockdown period has allowed her to integrate into life in order to lead her teams, manage her mental state and sustain her training despite most of her ultra marathon events being cancelled.