Joining in this episode is David Bott, the Associate Director of the Institute of Positive Education, based at Geelong Grammar School.

With a background in psychology and a thirst for challenge that has taken him to work in 3 different countries, David brings passion and insight to our conversation about flourishing, flow and overcoming adversity in our formal education and beyond.

David has been involved in training thousands of teachers from hundreds of schools around the world in designing, implementing and sustaining individual and whole-school approaches to wellbeing. I “met” David online, that is, when my school began adopting the curriculum of Positive Education to help our students be more self-directed and conscious of their skills, talents and wellbeing.

David also shares his tips for how to take care of ourselves and still try to be our best as we approach COVID normal.

Keep up to date with the show at the False Summits website or Facebook.
Review here - very much appreciated!

In this episode, I'm unpacking what it means to live a personal mission in life, career and weaving in between. Joining in this show are some voicemails from listeners with experience in virtuous leadership and youth development.

We sift through some of the grandiose language around mission, seeking humility and impact. Virtuous Leadership is a useful style of leadership for doing this, as it focuses on cultivating greatness of being, in order to serve others.

Keep up to date with the show at the False Summits website or Facebook.
Review here - very much appreciated!

Credit to Jaselle for facilitating the Personal Project which inspired this episode. The Personal Project is an initiative of the International Federation on Family Development. 

Interviewing Tash Rallios, founder of the startup Teambition Australia, which unleashes the ambition in young Australians through career workshops, advice and media. Tash focuses on giving back to the young people of today, helping them develop the enterprising skills, leadership and resilience necessary to thrive in the 21st century.

In this episode, we ponder the question, are leaders born or made? Of course, the news is encouraging! Tash also offers her top 3 tips on how to develop leadership skills now wherever you are.

Keep up to date with the show at the False Summits website or Facebook. 

To start a colony on the moon with an intelligent cockatoo? Why not dream big.
To navigate away from failure to attain a new job? Let's build resilience.

In this episode, I share some dreams from childhood, as well as current aspirations, and the failures and flexible learnings along the way.

Check out the False Summits Instagram page for upcoming video on motivation, scheduling and de-stressing, as well as inspirational quotes.

Reviews and ratings are super appreciated if you found something interesting on the show! Apple/iTunes is the best place even if you're listening somewhere else, so drop a line below...

Review here.

For extra resources and to learn more about the False Summits project, head to:

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This episode we're joined by Lisa Tran from Lisa's Study Guides: the "ultimate" destination for VCE English resources and tutoring. Lisa is an educator and entrepreneur, and host of active and popular YouTube channels that help thousands of people study better and more healthily.

We chat about the influence of family on our career and educational decisions, the importance of having a positive impact through one's work, lifestyle, knowing when to let go, and more.

Reviews and ratings are super appreciated if you found something interesting on the show! Apple/iTunes is the best place even if you're listening somewhere else, so drop a line below...

Review here.

For extra resources and to learn more about the False Summits project, head to:

The website

Or Facebook. 

Does the idea of having meaningful work actually become a form of pressure, and how do we navigate this?

How do we make decisions when we’re faced with many options or passions?

What value does a humanities education have for the development of self, society and career? Should you just go study law, like a fair amount of people say?

We explore these questions and more in this interview with Bridget Vincent, professor of literature at the University of Nottingham. Bridget founded the Australian Youth Humanities Forum, which sparked my interest for researching beyond conventional career advice, and for inquiring within.

She is also the author of a book coming out with Oxford University Press in 2020 called Moral Authority in Seamus Heaney and Geoffrey Hill, which consider the ethical and civic dimensions of these poets work.

Reviews and ratings are super appreciated if you found something interesting on the show! Apple/iTunes is the best place even if you're listening somewhere else, so drop a line below...

Review here.

For extra resources and to learn more about the False Summits project and community, head to:

The website

Or Facebook. 

Ever been told "find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life"?

Is this really true? I’ve recently been thinking a lot about this idea that skill is more important than passion when it comes to making decisions about your career. Can it be that simple?

This episode will take the form of a dialog with Cal Newport, author of the blog Study Hacks and three books on career and work habits. This episode in particular focuses on So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion In The Quest For Work You Love.

I try to clear away some of the clouds that have arisen for me both before reading his books and still after having read them, and offer some of the strategies I've adapted from his ideas.

Head to the False Summits website to learn more.

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In this episode, I interview Jai Villagonzalo, founder of The Salsa Foundation, on how to cultivate confidence and build community. Jai is a teacher, learner, businessman, family man and he has "the most fun job ever."

False Summits explores the how and the why of overcoming challenges, and using values as a guide in career, education, and life adventures. It's for the young and the young-at-heart looking to invest their skills and projects with more creativity, flexibility and autonomy.

The overarching question that animates this episode is how building confidence can help you connect with other people and create opportunities.

Salsa is a hobby of mine, and I've already learnt a lot about how to practice a skill and how to teach from attending classes at the Salsa Foundation.

For those unfamiliar: salsa is a very popular style of Latin dance, yet the stories and lessons we explore here can be applied in different skills, hobbies and projects.

Reviews and ratings are super appreciated if you found something interesting on the show! Apple/iTunes is the best place even if you're listening somewhere else, so drop a line below...

Review here.

For extra resources and to learn more about the False Summits project and community, head to:

The website

Or Facebook. 

Drawing on some of my own challenges and learning in education, I explore why we learn well through tackling problems. I address this question from both a neurological and a literary perspective and surprise myself a little along the way.

This episode is for anyone interested in how we learn and how we can create opportunities to stretch our capabilities, be it in study, work or personal projects.

Reviews and ratings are super appreciated if you found something interesting on the show! Apple/iTunes is the best place even if you're listening somewhere else, so drop a line below...

Review here.

For extra resources and to learn more about the False Summits project and community, head to:

The website

Or Facebook. 

Hey team I've compiled a few little clips here of what's to come on the podcast. Excited to have you on board!

Main themes I cover with my guest Jai from The Salsa Foundation include confidence and learning, while my episode will focus on overcoming challenges from neurological and literary perspectives. 

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