The Imperfects

We all fail. All of us. Why? Because we’re all imperfect. And no one talks about failure more passionately than The Resilience Project’s own Martin “Rac” Heppell. And he’s today’s guest lecturer in The Academy of Imperfection.

Some of you may remember Rac’s first memorable appearance in The Vulnerabilitea House last season. If you haven’t heard it, we know you’ll want to listen (or re-listen) after this one - link below.

Failure, the other F word, is something we don’t like to talk about. It’s embarrassing. And sometimes it’s shameful. But as Martin explains, it’s important that we DO talk about failure. Because failure isn’t just normal… it’s crucial for our growth.

Feel like a rev up? This ep’s for you.

Rac’s back, baby… RAC’S BACK.

ALSO… here’s some extra info about Rac that’ll be helpful before listening to the ep:

- When Rac was a kid, his family spent some time living with a head-hunting tribe (there’s more on this in Rac’s first episode from last season)

- Between 1993 and 1995, Rac played 7 senior AFL games for St Kilda and Melbourne

- Rac works with The Resilience Project as one of their main Speakers, spending the majority of his time at schools, helping kids around Australia.

To listen to our previous episode with Rac, follow this link: https://apple.co/3xWoKPy

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia has had a LOT of success in the Olympic Swimming Pool. That’s an understatement. But one of our most successful and loved Olympians of recent times is golden girl, Libby Trickett. During her successful swimming career Libby was all smiles after winning gold medal after gold medal at three consecutive Olympic Games, but as she shares in this episode, on the inside she was struggling with a powerful feeling that she wasn’t enough.

Libby tells us all about what that was like, as well as sharing her more recent struggles with motherhood, and how both have led to bouts of depression and anxiety.

Libby displays extreme vulnerability in this episode - more of which is in her new book, Beneath the Surface.

Thank you Libby.

To listen to Libby’s podcast, All The Glitters, buy her book “Beneath The Surface, or learn more about her business “Unlocking Her Potential”, please follow this link: https://linktr.ee/libby_trickett

For book recommendation “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/2ylEihJ

To listen to the Oprah’s Super Soul Conversation podcast with Eckhart Tolle, please follow this link: https://apple.co/3ub2Nvl

For book recommendation Atomic Habits by James Clear, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/2CbKTNL

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Emily is back to help us all!

Reflecting on our episode with Olympic BMX rider, Sam Willoughby from Season 2, Dr Emily talks us through the dangers of the Hedonistic Treadmill, and its slightly lesser known cousin, Hedonistic Adaptation.

There’s a lot covered in this episode, including ‘Growth Mindset’, being mindful of what we want and why, and how quickly we actually adapt to finally getting those things we want.

For book recommendation Hardwiring Happiness by Rick Hanson, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/3tTaRjU

For book recommendation The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin, follow this link: https://bit.ly/3tT6e9E

To watch Carol Dwecks Ted Talk, please follow this link: https://bit.ly/3OydHTz

Reference for Sonja Lyubomrisky’s stats for the determinants of happiness: https://bit.ly/3xPDSy6


The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a health care professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For over 30 years, Glenn Robbins has been one of the funniest and most loved performers in Australia. From The Comedy Company and Kath & Kim, to The Panel and of course Russell Coight, Glenn has guaranteed his spot in the comedy history books.

But Glenn hasn’t always seen it that way. From a young age he was told he was "average", and despite his many successes, has dealt with a lifetime of performance anxiety.

In this edition of The Vulnerabilitea House, Glenn opens up and tells us how he manages to ignore the 'bad voice' in his head that tells him he's not good enough, and instead listen to the ‘good voice’, so he can face his fears and make good work he's proud of.

We highly encourage you to listen to this episode - especially while power-walking through the suburbs with a set of hand weights.

To listen to Glenn’s podcast with Dave O’Neil, click this link: https://apple.co/3O41PZv

To watch Shane Warne on The Panel, click this link: https://bit.ly/39DB1R0

Book recommendation Before & Laughter by Jimmy Carr can be found here: https://amzn.to/3y3Xss7

Book recommendation From Strength To Strength by Arthur C Brooks can be found here: https://amzn.to/3OqJQfS

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the words of her own child, Lael Stone “works for the kids”.

But while Lael is technically a therapist who supports parents in understanding their children, everything Lael talks about in this edition of The Academy of Imperfection could easily be applied to all of us in understanding the people in our lives - no matter what age. Whether that be our friends, parents, colleagues or even ourselves.

Through her work, Lael helps adults process their own childhood trauma, and creates education systems that value emotional awareness, demonstrating why it all comes back to connection and compassion.

Oh, and listen out for the dramatic moment when Ryan swoops in and inadvertently steals Josh’s “Good Question” (patent pending).

To learn more about Lael’s work please visit her website at: https://laelstone.com.au/

To watch Lael’s Ted Talk please follow this link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6fL09e8Tm9c&feature=emb_imp_woyt

To learn more about Lael’s school please follow this link: https://woodlineprimary.com.au/

To watch It’s Not About The Nail, please follow this link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-4EDhdAHrOg

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Harry Garside is an Australian boxer who won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics - the first Olympic medal in boxing for Australia in 33 years. But to simply describe Harry Garside as a champion boxer, would be to sell him waaaaaaay short.

Because Harry is also a ballet dancer, a plumber and the guy who asked to wear a dress at the Olympic Opening Ceremony with the desire of defying gender stereotypes (request denied).

To listen to the podcast with Deeyah Khan that Harry recommends, please follow the link https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-kunkEfHiLI

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this Emisode, Dr Emily returns to talk about a topic that is VERRRRRY close to the bones of Ryan, Hugh and Josh. The ongoing battle of Truth vs Harmony.

Does that ring any bells for you? Do you choose to live truthfully? Or harmoniously? And what does that even mean? What’s the difference? And how do living ‘truthfully’ or ‘harmoniously’ affect us and the people around us?

Dr Emily goes into all of it.

In this episode, Dr Emily references conversations from Hamish Blake's episode and our last bonus episode. To listen to those, follow the links below:

Hamish Blake's episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/hamish-blake-lets-talk-about-self-doubt/id1476501557?i=1000555382728

Bonus episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/we-need-to-talk-hugh-checks-in-with-ryan-josh-after-a-big-month/id1476501557?i=1000556568682

Dr Emily also references Rick Hanson, to follow his work visit: www.rickhanson.net

If you have experienced, or are at risk of domestic and family violence and/or sexual assault, you can call the 24 hour national counselling service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). In an emergency, or if you are not feeling safe, always call the police on 000. - https://www.1800respect.org.au/services

The Imperfects is not a licensed mental health service and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, treatment or assessment. The advice given in this episode is general in nature, but if you’re struggling, please see a health care professional, or call lifeline on 13 11 14.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big episode. HUGE episode in fact. Especially for Ryan.

Ryan has been a long-suffering/recent-celebrating supporter of the Melbourne Demons his entire life. And today, Premiership captain of the Dees, Max Gawn is in The Vulnerabilitea House.

Ryan. Breathe.

Max tells Hugh, Ryan and Josh about a courageous comment made by one of the players in a team meeting that addressed the negative way players were speaking to each other. The comment cut deep - not only for Max who felt shame for his own behaviour, but one that lead to greater connection, trust and respect between the players, and ultimately to their lifelong dream of an AFL Premiership (the greatest, most joyous day for their fans).

Once again… breathe, Ryan.

For more information on Active-Constructive Communication, start here… [https://positivepsychology.com/active-constructive-communication/](https://positivepsychology.com/active-constructive-communication/)

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We seriously hope you listen to this one. I mean, obviously we hope you listen to all our episodes but THIS ONE... well, we reckon this one’s important.

Tarang Chawla’s younger sister Niki was the kindest person he knew. But in 2015, Niki was murdered by her partner who she was trying to break up with, as a result of domestic violence. Since then, Tarang has become an activist against men’s violence, educating all Australians on the many forms of abuse and its role in the mental health crisis.

But as Tarang explains, “abuse” is often not what we think.

In this Academy of Imperfection, guest lecturer Tarang Chawla talks with Hugh, Ryan and Josh about the many forms of abuse, violence, coercive control, gender inequality, and how we can all play a part in a safer future and why that’s so important for all of us.

If you have experienced or are at risk of domestic and family violence and/or sexual assault, you can call the 24 hour national counselling service 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732). In an emergency, or if you are not feeling safe, always call the police on 000

To listen to Tarang's podcast, "There's No Place Like Home" please follow the link below: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/theres-no-place-like-home-by-future-women/id1608086343

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might think that TV journalist and proud indigenous woman Narelda Jacobs has a perfect life. She’s the co-host of Studio 10, makes regular appearances on The Project, she’s a three-time host of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, and she’s... done lots of other things that are also on her Wikipedia page.

But like all of us, Narelda’s life has been far from perfect. I mean come on guys, we’re all imperfect, surely you’ve learnt that by now!

In this episode, Narelda talks openly about the challenges of falling pregnant as an 18-year-old... and then having to tell her parents. This would be hard for anyone, but Narelda grew up in an extremely religious household and her father was a Reverend of the Uniting Church. But that turned out to be a mere warm up for what was to come three years later, when she came out to her parents as gay.

We loved this chat with Narelda. And well, we love Narelda. We’re sure you will too.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.