Hardiness with Dr Paul Taylor

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Most of us spend a lot of time listening to the voice in our heads, especially when it turns negative. This week Carly looks at what happens when you start answering back instead.

She explores research by psychologist Ethan Kross showing that talking to yourself using “you” or your own name helps you perform better under stress and see challenges as less threatening. She also looks at how Marcus Aurelius used his private journal to coach himself.

In this episode:

• Why we listen to our negative self-talk as if it’s the truth
• How using your own name creates helpful distance
• The sage and the gremlin
• A simple way to coach yourself in the moment

Sources:

• Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure (1965)
• Kross et al. (2014), “Self-talk as a regulatory mechanism: How you do it matters,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
• Moser et al. (2017), “Third-person self-talk facilitates emotion regulation without engaging cognitive control,” Scientific Reports
• Ethan Kross, Chatter (2021)
• Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

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Your attention is being hijacked every day, and it is quietly shaping the life you get. Dr Paul Taylor and Adam Williams reveal how to spot the hidden cost of distraction, reclaim control, and start directing your attention toward what actually matters. Adam Williams, author of Mega Focus: Join the Attention Revolution, spent 30 years working inside the attention economy in advertising, innovation, promotions, and events before switching sides when he realised he was checking emails instead of being present with his daughter.That shift led him to build a practical framework for understanding why we reach for our phones, why we avoid hard things, and why so much of modern life runs on autopilot. 

                                                                                                                                                             You will discover:

• Why attention matters more than talent, intelligence, or motivation
• The difference between the "builder" and the "architect" in your brain
• How the "attention tax" exposes the opportunity cost of distraction
• Why a quick email or "quick question" can destroy deep work for nearly half an hour
• How sleep, energy, and environment shape the amount of attention you really have
• The four core purchasing triggers that advertisers use to win your focus
• Why boredom, discomfort, and effort are not enemies, but the raw material of creativity and progress

Paul and Adam also unpack the psychology behind social media, status signalling, happiness chasing, and the arrival fallacy, making the case that contentment beats endless pursuit every time. If you have ever felt busy but not truly effective, connected but not present, or productive but strangely off-course, this conversation will hit hard. Perfect for anyone who wants to work smarter, think more clearly, and stop outsourcing their life to algorithms, alerts, and other people's goals. If you are ready to take back control of your attention, this one belongs at the top of your queue.

Time Stamps
03:23 - From advertising to studying attention
04:06 - The moment Adam noticed his own attention problem
06:07 - Attention audits and the idea of an attention heat map
07:00 - Calculating the lifetime cost of phone use
08:15 - What attention tax really means
10:21 - Why attention matters more than talent or motivation
11:53 - The hidden cost of workplace interruptions
14:25 - What drives distraction and comfort-seeking
15:15 - The builder and architect model of attention
16:38 - Three things the fast brain tries to do
18:22 - Why busywork feels easier than meaningful work
19:23 - Remove to improve
20:26 - Who am I, what do I want, what do I do
22:22 - Conditions of happiness and the arrival fallacy
24:24 - Why chasing happiness can backfire
25:30 - Relevance, signalling, and how attention is captured
29:51 - Frequency, timing, and context in advertising
32:43 - Reclaiming attention through awareness and alignment
32:51 - The four key purchasing criteria
37:44 - How emotion beats logic in buying decisions
39:54 - Giving attention versus getting attention
40:14 - Infobesity, infomania, and digital overload
43:06 - Why many people cannot sit with their own thoughts
45:21 - The dark side of getting attention online
48:03 - Why understanding your brain helps you take back control
50:00 - Satisfaction, contentment, and goals without deferring life
51:43 - Attention as the upstream driver of thought and action
53:48 - Mega Focus as macro and micro attention management
55:10 - Perfectionism, energy, and attention tax in daily life
56:13 - The end of effort and why hard things matter
58:26 - Tools, calculators, and exercises on Adam's website

Quote:

“Attention lives upstream of everything in your life.”

Resources  

Website: https://theattentionarchitect.au/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theattentionarchitect/

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What if one of the most effective treatments for depression and anxiety in young people needs no prescription, has no withdrawal and makes you stronger?

In this episode, Dr Paul Taylor unpacks a 2024 meta-analysis from Victoria University. It found that resistance training produced large reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms in people aged 26 and under. He then sets it against the largest analysis of its kind, a BMJ network meta-analysis of 218 trials and more than 14,000 people. In that analysis, walking, jogging, yoga and strength training matched therapy and outperformed SSRIs.

In this episode:

• Why strength training was overlooked for decades in mental health research
• The training “recipe” behind the biggest effects: sets, reps, intensity and duration
• Why harder exercise and clear structure produced better results
• How few young people in Australia, the UK and the US meet activity guidelines
• The case for prescribing exercise before medication for young people

Key studies:

• Marinelli et al. (2024). Resistance training and combined resistance and aerobic training as a treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms in young people. Early Intervention in Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.13528
• Noetel et al. (2024). Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis. BMJ. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2023-075847

Survey data:

• ABS National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey 2023
• Sport England Active Lives Children and Young People Survey 2024-25
• CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2025

This episode is for education, not medical advice. If you or your child takes medication, talk to your doctor before making any changes.

More at paultaylor.biz

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The biggest mistake in youth mental health? Treating kids like they’re broken instead of teaching them how to move, act, and build resilience. Mercedes Taaffe Cooper reveals why early intervention and education, not endless labels and talk therapy, are changing the game for young people. Paul  and Mercedes unpack the deeper problem with the medical model, how normal adolescent struggles get turned into diagnoses, and why that can create more harm than help. Mercedes shares the personal journey that took her from elite boxing and coaching the Irish team to clinical psychology, reality therapy, and ultimately building Counterpunch, a program designed to help kids learn through action, not just conversation.

You’ll discover:

• Why reality therapy and choice theory focus on doing rather than overthinking
• How the "front two wheels" car analogy helps kids understand thinking, feeling, and behaviour
• Why combat sports can be powerful tools for confidence, regulation, and self-awareness
• How a 24-week, three-phase program moves kids from connection to leadership
• Why peer mentoring is often more powerful than adult advice for adolescents

Mercedes also explains how Counterpunch works in boxing gyms and youth-facing settings, why it’s especially effective for kids who feel isolated, and how the program is now scaling online so more facilitators can deliver it. From goal-setting and embodied learning to social connection and self-efficacy, this episode makes a compelling case for giving young people practical tools before problems become crises. Essential listening for parents, coaches, teachers, and anyone working with young people who wants to create real change, not just another conversation. If you care about building confidence, resilience, and lifelong skills, this one is for you.

Timestamps
(02:11) Mercedas Taaffe Cooper’s background in boxing, coaching, psychology, and moving to Australia
(03:59) Discovering reality therapy and choice theory through research and training
(05:48) Building Counterpunch from pilot program to scalable youth model
(07:56) Reality therapy explained - focusing on action instead of just thinking
(10:19) Why action is the real engine of change for young people
(13:43) Why Mercedas rejected the medical model and built a strengths-based program
(15:05) The harm of overusing labels and diagnoses with kids
(18:05) The original research, the boxing component, and the first curriculum ideas
(20:21) Moving from government pilot to a private program in South Australia
(21:19) Taking the training online and building a replicable system
(23:03) What a Counterpunch session looks like from induction to a 24-week structure
(24:21) VSMART goals and linking values to physical progress
(26:16) The three phases - body awareness, relationships, and leadership
(27:13) Why martial arts and team sport build resilience and confidence
(32:38) Why group connection and peer mentoring matter so much
(34:15) Why combat sports work for youth communication and trust-building
(36:31) Battle in the Hills and using boxing as a progression pathway
(39:03) How embodied learning and physical challenge reinforce psychological tools
(42:11) Why boxing is used as a medium, not the end goal
(43:29) Why combat sports are different from professional violence
(45:49) Respect, manners, and life skills learned through martial arts
(47:15) Who the program is for and how youth-facing professionals can use it
(49:08) How to get involved and the four Ps for potential facilitators
(50:12) Final reflections on skills, not labels, for young people

Quote                                                                                                                                              “The biggest difference between reality therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy is that it very much focuses on the doing rather than the thinking.”

Resources 

Website: https://counterpunch.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercedas-taaffe-cooper-3b3623117/

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/counterpunchAU/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@counterpunchlife

Support the Podcast

If you found this conversation valuable, consider subscribing and leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us continue to bring you insightful discussions on important health topics.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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How often do we get caught up in our thoughts, emotions and the stories we tell ourselves about what's happening?

In this week's Mojo Monday, Carly explores how easily we can find ourselves fighting reality, whether it's uncomfortable feelings, other people's behaviour or situations that don't go our way.

Drawing on Japanese Morita Therapy, she shares why acceptance doesn't mean approval or giving up. It's about allowing our feelings to be there, seeing situations as they actually are, and choosing how we respond rather than letting our emotions make the decisions for us.

A simple reminder that we can't always control what happens or how we feel, but we can practise responding with greater awareness and intention.

Carly is a counsellor and coach who specialises in building psychological hardiness, which is the ability to navigate challenge, stay engaged, and take meaningful action under pressure. Her work integrates modern psychology with Eastern and Stoic approaches, helping people build resilience, live with purpose, and respond to life’s challenges with greater clarity, courage and steadiness.

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This podcast explores practical ways to protect your heart and support healthy aging. Dr. Paul Taylor talks with preventive cardiologist Dr. Ross Walker about the everyday habits that shape cardiovascular health, how to make sense of cholesterol and other risk markers, and where tests, medication, and supplements can help. Together, they cut through common health claims and discuss exercise, stress, diet, and emerging approaches to preventing heart disease.

The conversation focuses on practical prevention rather than late-stage treatment, with an emphasis on how much heart disease risk can be reduced before medication is considered. Ross explains what he thinks about cholesterol, coronary calcium scoring, statins, LP(a), MTHFR, and the future of cardiovascular medicine. It’s a wide-ranging, practical discussion for anyone interested in health span, not just lifespan.

Key topics

• Dr. Ross Walker shares his background as a cardiologist of 47 years who shifted into prevention about 30 years ago after seeing repeated cardiac surgeries without lifestyle change.
• The pair discuss his 80/10/10 model: 80 percent lifestyle, 10 percent orthodox medicine, and 10 percent evidence-based supplements.
• Dr. Ross Walker outlines his five keys to health:
• No addictions
• Good-quality sleep
• Simple nutrition
• Regular exercise
• Happiness and relationships

• Five categories of stress

  1. Emotional stress
  2. Mental stress
  3. Physical stress
  4. Pharmacologic stress
  5. Infective stress

  Metabolic syndrome markers

  • High triglycerides
  • Low HDL
  • High blood pressure
  • Belly fat
  • Insulin resistance or diabetes tendency
• Exercise is presented as one of the strongest interventions for heart disease, dementia, diabetes, depression, osteoporosis, and healthy aging.

Timestamps

(00:59) From 47 years in medicine to a prevention-first career
(02:31) The moment he realized surgery without prevention was not enough
(03:54) Why his 80/10/10 approach puts lifestyle first
(04:23) The five keys to health: sleep, food, exercise, happiness, and no addictions
(06:22) Why relationships and social connection matter for longevity
(07:46) Why exercise may be the most important topic in the whole discussion
(09:10) Sarcopenia, frailty, grip strength, and resistance training in older adults
(10:37) Exercise as an antidepressant and the brain benefits of training
(11:15) The Dallas bed rest study and how fast the body deconditions
(12:42) Why aging is a disease process and exercise must be adjusted over time
(14:29) How much exercise is too much and the risk of overdoing it
(16:12) Vasodilation, dementia, and why exercise helps the brain
(17:38) Viagra, Cialis, and the vasodilation conversation
(18:35) Why extreme athletes can develop more coronary calcification
(19:05) Genes load the gun, environment pulls the trigger
(20:32) Why genetics can be overridden by phenotype and lifestyle
(21:55) The brain’s “challenge muscle” and why hard things matter
(23:55) Stress appraisal, challenge versus threat, and cardiovascular effects
(25:07) The five categories of stress and how each affects the heart
(27:00) Drugs, marijuana, cocaine, caffeine, and cardiovascular risk
(30:11) Alcohol, coffee, and why context matters more than single ingredients
(32:00) Infective stress, COVID, and cardiovascular complications
(33:26) Chronic inflammation and the plaque formation process
(35:21) LDL particle size, ApoB, LP(a), and better risk markers
(36:19) Why coronary calcium scoring is central to Dr. Walker’s approach
(39:43) Statin side effects, real-world experience, and individual decision-making
(41:39) A case study: lifelong high cholesterol, zero calcium score, and no statin
(42:09) Statins versus PCSK9 inhibitors and when each makes sense
(44:29) What statins do and don’t reduce, and the unfinished LP(a) story
(46:09) Why calcium score should guide statin decisions more than cholesterol alone
(47:45) Why CT coronary angiograms and plaque analysis may change risk assessment
(49:14) Radiation risk, age, and the value of imaging after 50
(50:13) Nutrition basics: eat less, eat more natural food
(51:48) Processed food and reading labels
(52:18) Saturated fat, the PURE study, and why fear of fat is overblown
(54:17) Ancel Keys, sugar, and the history of bad nutrition advice
(55:48) Triglyceride-to-HDL ratio, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome
(56:56) Genetic insulin resistance and why some populations are more vulnerable
(58:09) What the MTHFR gene does and why folic acid can be a problem
(60:39) Activated folate, folinic acid, and personalized supplementation
(63:27) Why supplements need to be individualized and evidence-based
(64:01) The future: gene therapy, vaccinations against heart disease, and transcatheter valves
(65:23) Blue zones, movement, community, and the real drivers of longevity
(66:26) Stem cells, cardiac regeneration, and what may still be years away
(68:12) Why the five keys still matter more than any future technology

“The best treatment of heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, diabetes is not to get them in the first place.”

Resources

Website - https://www.drrosswalker.com/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-ross-walker/?isSelfProfile=false

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DrRossWalkerCardiologist

Website - https://wlife.co/

Support the Podcast

If you found this conversation valuable, consider subscribing and leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us continue to bring you insightful discussions on important health topics.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.