Changing 'negative' thoughts to 'positive' thoughts takes up a lot of energy and doesn't always work. But if we can recognise that having 'negative' thoughts and feelings is an entirely normal part of the human experience, we can stop resisting the inevitable. And when we stop resisting - they frequently unwind on their own.

My guest is the world-renowned ACT expert Dr Russ Harris, author of The Happiness trap and the Confidence Gap.

**

My book Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself draws on some of my favourite interviews over the last six years. In it, I seek to challenge our ideas about 'success', and where peace, joy and fulfilment are truly to be found.

'This book captures the magic of being in flow . . . Highly recommend' RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

'This book will challenge your thinking on what success truly is and will give you tools to "succeed" in life in the truest sense of the world. This is definitely not just another book about sport and those who happen to be good at it' -- GOLDIE SAYERS

'The intention behind this book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it' RUPERT SPIRA

'The best guide we have to what it means to be human' AMOL RAJAN

Order here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champion-Thinking-Success-Without-Yourself/dp/1526626497/

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Groundbreaking new study has found that MDMA shows great promise as a mental health treatment.

My guest today is a giant in the world of trauma and Mental Health: Dr. Bessel van der Kolk. He is a world renowned psychiatrist, and author of the seminal best seller about trauma called The Body Keeps the Score. This is Bessel second appearance on the show. In this episode, we revisit the basics of trauma and discuss his latest groundbreaking research about how MDMA, otherwise known as ecstasy, has shown huge promise in treating trauma and PTSD when coupled with talking therapies. Bessel recently invited me out to the trauma conference in America and we agreed to record this episode to discuss what are remarkable research results. But MDMA and other psychedelics are, of course, still illegal, so, we explore how this area of trauma treatment may evolve. And we also discuss some of the other treatments available now, including EMDR and EFT.

*WARNING* - this episode does include references to sexual violence and abuse

**

My book Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself draws on some of my favourite interviews over the last six years. In it, I seek to challenge our ideas about 'success', and where peace, joy and fulfilment are truly to be found.

'This book captures the magic of being in flow . . . Highly recommend' RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

'This book will challenge your thinking on what success truly is and will give you tools to "succeed" in life in the truest sense of the world. This is definitely not just another book about sport and those who happen to be good at it' -- GOLDIE SAYERS

'The intention behind this book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it' RUPERT SPIRA

'The best guide we have to what it means to be human' AMOL RAJAN

Order here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champion-Thinking-Success-Without-Yourself/dp/1526626497/

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I just admire people who are happy in their own skin"

It can be so easy to put so-called successful people on a pedestal, but the truth is many of them are driven by a sense of disquiet and fear. That’s not to cast judgement – it’s just a fact, as Adrian Chiles told me. The former Daybreak and One Show presenter hosts a radio show on 5Live where he interviews high performers, and that is certainly a phenomenon he has noticed too. So don’t buy into the hype that successful people are special, cos they’re not. And being successful is not the recipe for happiness. Flow on the other hand, when we lose our sense of self as we get absorbed in an activity that is enjoyable for its own sake, is inherently satisfying, which speaks volumes when you really explore why – as I have done elsewhere and in my book.

My book Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself draws on some of my favourite interviews over the last six years. In it, I seek to challenge our ideas about 'success', and where peace, joy and fulfilment are truly to be found.

'This book captures the magic of being in flow . . . Highly recommend' RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

'This book will challenge your thinking on what success truly is and will give you tools to "succeed" in life in the truest sense of the world. This is definitely not just another book about sport and those who happen to be good at it' -- GOLDIE SAYERS

'The intention behind this book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it' RUPERT SPIRA

'The best guide we have to what it means to be human' AMOL RAJAN

Order here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champion-Thinking-Success-Without-Yourself/dp/1526626497/

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all want to feel a sense of inner peace and happiness. The problem is we tend to equate happiness with things out there – like success, accumulation, approval etc. In reality, happiness is our deepest nature, and so typically people are looking in the wrong direction.

My guest is Francis Lucille – a teacher of Advaita Vedanta or non-duality, whose most well known student is Rupert Spira, who is of course a previous guest on the show. This episode is deep – and we do challenge some widely held beliefs. For instance, the idea that we all have our own separate consciousiness.

Yes, our thoughts, feelings and experiences ARE different. But there is no evidence that the consciousness that KNOWS our thoughts, feelings and experiences is not in fact the same consciousness. The implication of this possibility is profound, as we discuss in this episode.

While Francis and I see eye to eye on many things, our view of the power of self-inquiry is different, as in my view it is the most powerful practice anyone can do to awaken. We do discuss that and much more besides – and if nothing else, this episode should open you to the possibility of seeing yourself, other people and reality at large very differently

**

My book Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself draws on some of my favourite interviews over the last six years. In it, I seek to challenge our ideas about 'success', and where peace, joy and fulfilment are truly to be found.

'This book captures the magic of being in flow . . . Highly recommend' RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

'This book will challenge your thinking on what success truly is and will give you tools to "succeed" in life in the truest sense of the world. This is definitely not just another book about sport and those who happen to be good at it' -- GOLDIE SAYERS

'The intention behind this book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it' RUPERT SPIRA

'The best guide we have to what it means to be human' AMOL RAJAN

Order here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champion-Thinking-Success-Without-Yourself/dp/1526626497/

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most things are not black and white and there is huge value in embracing that.

Paul McGee is the best-selling author of SUMO - Shut Up and Move On - which has been selling like the proverbial hot cakes for well over a decade. In this bitesize clip, Paul cleverly illustrates that we need to recognise that people see things in different ways. Embracing different perspectives is a good and healthy thing.

Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself draws on some of my favourite interviews over the last six years. In it, I seek to challenge our ideas about 'success', and where peace, joy and fulfilment are truly to be found.

'This book captures the magic of being in flow . . . Highly recommend' RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

'This book will challenge your thinking on what success truly is and will give you tools to "succeed" in life in the truest sense of the world' GOLDIE SAYERS

'The intention behind this book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it' RUPERT SPIRA

'The best guide we have to what it means to be human' AMOL RAJAN

Order here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champion-Thinking-Success-Without-Yourself/dp/1526626497/

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is a titan in the world of British sport – Eve Muirhead, who of course won curling gold for Team GB at the last winter Olympics. Curling is that sport that absolutely grips the attention when the winter Olympics is on – and then doesn’t get quite the same level of coverage the rest of the time. This episode is really about understanding that gold medal winners – or successful people of any category for that matter – are still just normal people. Achieving success or fame or accumulating wealth does not actually change you in any deep fundamental way, although not everyone sees this clearly. I have been aware of many people who have taken their success personally and it has gone to their heads and created an inflated identity – but it’s a bit tragic when that happens, and is all really smoke and mirrors. And Eve definitely isn’t one such person. We also discuss getting over a fear of failure, and prioritising your own wellbeing – and much more besides.

**

My book Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself draws on some of my favourite interviews over the last six years. In it, I seek to challenge our ideas about 'success', and where peace, joy and fulfilment are truly to be found.

'This book captures the magic of being in flow . . . Highly recommend' RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

'This book will challenge your thinking on what success truly is and will give you tools to "succeed" in life in the truest sense of the world. This is definitely not just another book about sport and those who happen to be good at it' -- GOLDIE SAYERS

'The intention behind this book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it' RUPERT SPIRA

'The best guide we have to what it means to be human' AMOL RAJAN

Order here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champion-Thinking-Success-Without-Yourself/dp/1526626497/

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Human beings are animals, and as such we have typical mammalian impulses, like being tribal and territorial. These base impulses can get us in trouble, but in this bitesize episode Shane Parrish shares a brilliant way to embrace the power of self-imposed rules to stop you from doing or saying something you will later regret. The advice in this episode is brilliant, and references the brilliant author of Thinking, Fast and Slow Daniel Kahneman.

Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself draws on some of my favourite interviews over the last six years. In it, I seek to challenge our ideas about 'success', and where peace, joy and fulfilment are truly to be found.

'This book captures the magic of being in flow . . . Highly recommend' RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

'This book will challenge your thinking on what success truly is' GOLDIE SAYERS

'The intention behind this book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it' RUPERT SPIRA

Order here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champion-Thinking-Success-Without-Yourself/dp/1526626497/

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you know what attachment style you are? Whether you are secure, anxious, avoidant or a bit of a mix – your attachment style developed in childhood as a result of your relationships with your parents and primary caregivers, which then likely shapes what type of relationships you have for the rest of your life.

That is, unless you can become aware of an insecure attachment style, and work to heal it.

My guest is an attachment specialist Adam Lane Smith. In this episode you will learn about the different attachment styles - particularly the anxious and avoidant types, their impact on romantic relationships and why the 'anxious-avoidant trap' can be a blessing if you are willing to do the work, the scientific aspects of bonding and relationships, the roles of vasopressin and oxytocin in creating a sense intimacy as well as practical tips for improving emotional intimacy.

**

My book Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself draws on some of my favourite interviews over the last six years. In it, I seek to challenge our ideas about 'success', and where peace, joy and fulfilment are truly to be found.

'This book captures the magic of being in flow . . . Highly recommend' RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

'This book will challenge your thinking on what success truly is and will give you tools to "succeed" in life in the truest sense of the world. This is definitely not just another book about sport and those who happen to be good at it' -- GOLDIE SAYERS

'The intention behind this book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it' RUPERT SPIRA

'The best guide we have to what it means to be human' AMOL RAJAN

Order here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champion-Thinking-Success-Without-Yourself/dp/1526626497/

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“All of humanity's problems, stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” - Blaise Pascal

This bitesize episode is with Steve Magness, best-selling author of Do Hard Things. It's all about developing genuine resilience, but the beauty of this conversation is in recognising that one of the best ways of truly 'toughening up' is to sit still without distractions. To embrace simply being over continual and habitual doing.

So, don't just do something - sit there!

Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself draws on some of my favourite interviews over the last six years. In it, I seek to challenge our ideas about 'success', and where peace, joy and fulfilment are truly to be found.

'This book captures the magic of being in flow . . . Highly recommend' RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

'This book will challenge your thinking on what success truly is and will give you tools to "succeed" in life in the truest sense of the world. This is definitely not just another book about sport and those who happen to be good at it' -- GOLDIE SAYERS

'The intention behind this book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it' RUPERT SPIRA

'The best guide we have to what it means to be human' AMOL RAJAN

Order here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champion-Thinking-Success-Without-Yourself/dp/1526626497/

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Fox is a former Special Forces soldier, an adventurer, TV personality and author. This is Foxy's second appearance on the show, and in this conversation he shares what he perceives as the four life cycles we all go through, including periods of chaos and calm. How can we embrace and thrive in the former, while maximising our recovery in the latter?

Expect to find out about how to find hidden moments of calm in daily life, the importance of having 'missions' to make the most of your time, how to spot ego and rise above it, and much more besides...

My book Champion Thinking: How To Find Success Without Losing Yourself draws on some of my favourite interviews over the last six years. In it, I seek to challenge our ideas about 'success', and where peace, joy and fulfilment are truly to be found.

'This book captures the magic of being in flow . . . Highly recommend' RONNIE O'SULLIVAN

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

'This book will challenge your thinking on what success truly is and will give you tools to "succeed" in life in the truest sense of the world. This is definitely not just another book about sport and those who happen to be good at it' -- GOLDIE SAYERS

'The intention behind this book is beautiful, and I highly recommend it' RUPERT SPIRA

'The best guide we have to what it means to be human' AMOL RAJAN

Order here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Champion-Thinking-Success-Without-Yourself/dp/1526626497/

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonmundie/

Substack Newsletter: https://simonmundie.substack.com/

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices