The Life Lessons podcast has a simple mission: to have discussions that reveal something important about life and how best to live it. My guests range from the biggest sporting names on the planet, as well as neuroscientists, world-renowned philosophers, and psychologists – right through to Buddhist monks.

One of the key skills anyone can develop is to do what needs to be done, even when you don't feel like doing it.

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How to go from all-rounder to outstanding. Nick Matthew is the greatest squash player in English history - a genuine legend of the game who reached world number one and won both the World Championships and the British open (the Wimbledon of squash) on three occasions. To reach the top, Nick had to pivot and adapt on several occasions, eventually working out his 'super strengths' to be able to take him to number one. Nick had an incredible desire to improve, but underneath his drive and determination is a deep love for the sport, and the sense of transcendence it brought him. Since retiring, Nick has started developing the next generation of young talent - and has continued to evolve as a coach and person. He is full of valuable lessons anyone can learn from.

Nick's website and the Nick Matthew Academy: https://www.nickmatthew.co.uk/

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We are all aware of 'competitive sports parent' syndrome. It is a phenomenon I discussed with Gary Lineker - speaking about football specifically. Fair to say he's not a fan!

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How can you get what you really want? You may think it is the job, the relationship, the house or the substance you want - but fundamentally we all desire to be happy and feel fulfilled, and to avoid suffering. How we believe we will get those will differ for all of us. How then do we give ourselves the best chance of getting what we want, in any area of life?

This week's conversation is with Ben Hunt-Davis of 'Will It Make The Boat Go Faster' fame. Ben won Olympic gold at his third Games, having finished way down the field in both of his first two attempts. With two years left of his decade long pursuit of Olympic gold, Ben finally changed tac. By focusing specifically on the one thing that gave him the best chance of getting what he wanted, he was able to fulfil his dreams. He has since taken his Life Lessons into every other area of his life.

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Ben's Website: https://willitmaketheboatgofaster.com/

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Thinking Correctly under Pressure. Who doesn’t want – or need – to be able to do that?

TCUP – as Clive calls it – was fundamental in helping England win the rugby World Cup twenty years ago. Clive shares a couple of recent examples of how this works from sport and his own life. Really it’s about envisaging how things might go – so that when challenges arise, as they always do in life, you have considered how you might respond and are able to do so effectively

Full Length Episode: https://www.simonmundie.com/blog/sir-clive-woodward-culture

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And for the 'Mundie on Monday' newsletter - featuring three of the best Life Lessons from four years and 200 of these conversations - head to simonmundie.com (where you can also drop me an email)

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Want to know how to get your nervous system back into a state of relaxation and calm? TRE is a powerful, simple and effective way to release stress and tension from your body. My guest is the its creator, David Berceli.

Both humans and animals alike are born with a biological stress response known as “fight or flight”. We are also born with a natural trembling capacity that enables us to discharge accumulated stress, something we have in common with other mammals. Unfortunately for human beings, once the ego develops, it typically overrules this natural mechanism to stop us being perceived as 'weak', meaning stress and tension is free to accumulate in our nervous system, which can lead to a host of physical and mental problems.

TRE is a simple set of exercises that activates the body’s natural shaking or trembling mechanism – which helps to release deep muscular patterns of stress, tension and trauma.

YouTube video of my powerful TRE session guided by David is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyHYCjdPhoU

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I am a huge fan of TRE and do these exercises regularly, and it has definitely helped me in a big way. I am really keen to spread the word – as I truly believe these exercises could have a profound effect on people’s health and wellbeing.

In this episode:

-         How David’s work in war zones led to the creation of TRE

-         The relationship between the fetal position & the fight or flight stress response

-         Why & how human beings lose the natural capacity to tremble

-         The importance of letting go

-         Why the most resilient animals are those that know when to lose control of their bodies

-         How the ego gets in the way of our inbuilt release mechanisms

-         The importance of the PSOAS muscle and releasing tension from it

-         How the TRE exercises work and how often people can do it

The TRE website: https://traumaprevention.com/

David's website: https://www.david-berceli.com/

**

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And for the 'Mundie on Monday' newsletter - featuring three of the best Life Lessons from four years and 200 of these conversations - head to simonmundie.com (where you can also drop me an email)

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It is easy to take credit for our successes, and look down on others for their 'failings', without acknowledging the huge number of interrelated factors and events that first had to happen for them to come into being. We don’t choose our parents, our genetics, our personality traits, our talents, the time and place where we are born, or the experiences that shape us. If we really consider all of these things – and truly recognise how little say we have in the formative elements of our life – it is inevitably humbling.

And on the flipside, it can allow us to have more understanding and empathy for people who have lost their way. The famous psychologist Albert Ellis spoke about judging behaviour as good or bad – but not judging people, and that really points to this.

One person who powerfully illustrates this point is the Nike sponsored endurance athlete John McAvoy – who previously was sentenced to life in prison in his early twenties for armed robbery, before turning his life around.

Full Length Episode: https://www.simonmundie.com/blog/john-mcavoy-the-power-of-environment

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"Neuroscience research shows that the only way we can change the way we feel is by becoming aware of our inner experience and learning to befriend what is going on inside us"

Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a titan in the world of trauma research. He’s the author of the seminal best-selling book about trauma - The Body Keeps the Score - which has been published in 38 languages and read by millions of people around the world.

As the title of his book implies, trauma leaves imprints within our bodies and brains that can lead to physical and mental health problems.

Bessel has studied numerous ways that help us heal – and he splits them into three categories: Top Down, bottom up – and medicinal.

Top down processing involves things like traditional talking therapies.

Bottom up focusses on somatic, body based interventions.- as feeling safe within our own bodies is key.

Medicinal treatment is where SSRI anti-depressant medication comes in.

In this episode:

CAUTION: This conversation contains themes of an adult nature and references to sexual assault.

Bessel's website: https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/

**

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And for the 'Mundie on Monday' newsletter - featuring three of the best Life Lessons from four years and 200 of these conversations - head to simonmundie.com (where you can also drop me an email)

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If you are not open to new experiences, and stepping out of your comfort zone, you may miss out on some of your own discovering deep-seated passions and talents. One person who illustrates this brilliantly is the triathlon legend Chrissie Wellington, who was crowned Ironman world Champion on four occasions – despite only turning pro at the relatively ripe age of 30. She took a meandering route to an elite sporting career by trying new things and tuning in to her intuition, which eventually led her on a path which she had never anticipated.

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And for the 'Mundie on Monday' newsletter - featuring three of the best Life Lessons from four years and 200 of these conversations - head to simonmundie.com (where you can also drop me an email)

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This episode is all about the importance of diverse thinking. Matthew Syed explains how the FA embraced diversity off the pitch, which contributed to success on it, and how the tragedy of 9/11 could have been avoided had the CIA been less collectively blind because of a lack of cultural diversity. It's to do with 'homophily', which is our tendency to bond with people who are socially similar. And if you've ever thought that meetings at work are 'catastrophically inefficient', this episode will prove you correct.

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And for the 'Mundie on Monday' newsletter - featuring three of the best Life Lessons from four years and 200 of these conversations - head to simonmundie.com (where you can also drop me an email)

Please do share this episode - it makes a big difference in helping people find this podcast.

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