“All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone” - Blaise Pascal. Rates of burnout and overwhelm are soaring and yet the advice tends to be push harder and exercise more. For people struggling with burnout this can lead to illness and a crash. On the contrary, we need to embrace stillness and simply being. Doing nothing is not easy for most people, yet it is what our nervous system's are crying out for, and it is the path to developing true resilience.

🔗 My Free course on beating burnout and finding flow for peak performance is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

Website: simonmundie.com

YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/YouTubeSimonMundie

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

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

The paperback edition of my book, Champion Thinking: Get Out of Your Own Way, Find Your Peak Performance, is now available. Published by Bloomsbury, the link is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

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

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

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

How Richard McCann found peace after his mother's murder by Peter Sutcliffe. At just 5 years old, Richard's life was shattered when his mother was brutally murdered by the serial killer known as the Yorkshire Ripper. In the aftermath, Richard endured further hardship, including a difficult home life and personal struggles with drugs and incarceration. Yet, through it all, Richard managed not only to survive, but to ultimately find the courage to forgive his mother's killer, liberating himself in the process. Richard's journey of forgiveness was deeply influenced by the teachings of figures like Desmond Tutu, who emphasised the liberating power of forgiveness, even in the face of the most heinous acts.

We discuss

·      Richard's story and journey of forgiveness

·      His insights on the importance of acceptance, forgiveness and resilience

·      The ripple effect of Richard's story and message, and how it has impacted countless lives

·      Richard's belief in spiritual interconnectedness and the role of synchronicity in his life

Links:

·      Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardmccann

·      Learn more about Richard's work: https://richardmccann.co.uk/

The paperback edition of my book, Champion Thinking: Get Out of Your Own Way, Find Your Peak Performance, is now available. Published by Bloomsbury, the link is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

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

'Entertaining and enlightening' MATTHEW SYED

🔗 My Free course on beating burnout and finding flow for peak performance is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

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

“Always think positively" sounds like good advice - on the surface. But is it really possible, or even desirable? In this episode, Dominic Thiem and I explore why chasing constant positivity isn’t the answer.

Novak Djokovic weighed in on this idea in a 2024 interview, explaining why he doesn’t agree with the idea that we should always think positively. Novak's ability to acknowledge and allow challenging thoughts and feelings, and then recenter himself, is what makes him probably the 'mentally toughest player' in the history of the sport;.

Dominic Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion, shares a similar perspective. I caught up with Dom just before his retirement last year, and his insights on this topic were particularly insightful.

The full episode with Domi is here: https://pod.fo/e/276837

The paperback edition of my book, Champion Thinking: Get Out of Your Own Way, Find Your Peak Performance, is now available. Published by Bloomsbury, the link is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

🔗 My Free course on beating burnout and finding flow for peak performance is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

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

Grand Slam winner Dominic Thiem is a strong proponent of the importance of mindful eating. Dominic shares his powerful perspective on how we interact with food, the role mindfulness plays in his life, and how anyone—athlete or not—can benefit from a more intentional approach to eating.

Full episode: https://pod.fo/e/276837

Book Release

I’m excited to announce the paperback edition of my book, Champion Thinking: Get Out of Your Own Way, Find Your Peak Performance, is now available. Published by Bloomsbury, the link is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

🔗 Free course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

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

Merijn van de Laar had insomnia for years but is now an expert in getting a good night’s rest. He has a brilliant book out about conquering sleep struggles called How to Sleep Like a Caveman: Ancient Wisdom for a Better Night’s Rest. I used to have insomnia myself – and what I love about this book is that for problem sleepers it is a relaxing and reassuring read which is not the case for some of the biggest books in the sleep genre over recent years. So in this episode expect to learn:

• Why the common advice around sleep can actually make insomnia worse
• How to reframe wakefulness during the night
• The powerful technique of sleep restriction therapy and how it works
• The surprising origins of the "8 hours of sleep" myth
• Practical tips for regulating your sleep-wake cycle with light and exercise

Book Release

I’m excited to announce the paperback edition of my book, Champion Thinking: Get Out of Your Own Way, Find Your Peak Performance, is now available. Published by Bloomsbury, the link is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

🔗 Free course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

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

In this bitesized episode, elite sports sleep coach Nick Littlehales reveals his groundbreaking approach to sleep and recovery. Nick has worked with a number of the biggest football clubs on the planet including Manchester united, Manchester City, Liverpool, Team Sky and medal winning Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Learn how to structure your day using 90-minute cycles and controlled recovery periods to optimise your performance, just like top athletes do. Featuring:

• Nick's method of dividing the day into 90-minute cycles
• The importance of a consistent wake time
• How to plan sleep cycles and adapt to unexpected events
• The concept of "controlled recovery periods" (CRPs) or strategic naps
• Aligning sleep patterns with natural circadian rhythms
• 
  

Book Release

I’m excited to announce the paperback edition of my book, Champion Thinking: Get Out of Your Own Way, Find Your Peak Performance, is now available. Published by Bloomsbury, the link is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

🔗 Free course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

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

I've got a cracking guest joining me today - Andrew Tracey, the fitness director at Men's Health magazine. But Andrew is no ordinary fitness expert. He's someone who has seamlessly integrated the physical and the spiritual, straddling the worlds of hardcore strength training and deep contemplative practice.

In this conversation, we explore Andrew's unique journey to developing a lifelong, functional approach to fitness, and how he discovered the transformative power of meditation and self-inquiry. Andrew shares insights on cultivating motivation and discipline by aligning with your deepest values, rather than through suffering. He also reveals how his meditation practice has given him critical distance from the mind's stories, allowing compassion to effortlessly bubble up.

Key topics covered:

• Developing a lifelong, functional fitness routine
• Balancing modern conveniences with physical health needs
• The role of discipline, motivation, and aligning with values in fitness
• Tracey's meditation and self-inquiry practice
• Daily meditation techniques and working with thoughts
• Benefits of meditation, including gaining critical distance from the mind
• Interconnectedness of physical and mental health
• Exploring the nature of consciousness and identity

Simon's book and Banishing Burnout - Finding Flow FREE online course

I’m excited to announce the paperback edition of my book, Champion Thinking: Get Out of Your Own Way, Find Your Peak Performance, is now available. Published by Bloomsbury, the link is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

🔗 Free course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

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

It’s a new year – and there’s no better time to start a habit that could transform your mind and body. Most of us walk – but almost none of us walk enough. We’re a sedentary species, and it’s only gotten worse in recent years. But here’s the truth: our bodies weren’t built for all this sitting.

Walking isn’t just movement – it’s a powerhouse for health. It supports our organs, aids digestion, slows brain aging, and sharpens creativity. Neuroscientist and bestselling author Shane O’Mara is here to explain why getting more steps in each day can transform your mind, mood, and body.

From lowering stress to sparking fresh ideas, Shane’s message is simple: walking works. So if you’re looking for one small but powerful change to kick off the year, this episode will remind you why it’s time to step up – literally.

Book Release and Banishing Burnout - Finding Flow FREE online course

I’m excited to announce the paperback edition of my book, Champion Thinking: Get Out of Your Own Way, Find Your Peak Performance, is now available. Published by Bloomsbury, the link is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

🔗 Free course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

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

Beating yourself up because you scroll more than you want to? Stop it. Just understand that our willpower is not strong enough to continually resist the lure of the hyper addictive smartphone. So what to do? Embrace your design power. Make it harder to use your phone. Get a lock case. Consider buying a backup 'dumb phone'. I did this and turn my smartphone off in the evenings and weekends, and the people who need me can still get in touch. It has been SO liberating!

This principle of understanding the limitations of our willpower and embracing our design power can be used to improve your life across the board - from what you eat to how you focus.

Book publication and Banishing Burnout - Finding Flow FREE online course

I’m excited to announce the paperback edition of my book, Champion Thinking: Get Out of Your Own Way, Find Your Peak Performance, is now available. Published by Bloomsbury, the link is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

🔗 Free course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

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

How to Reconnect with Your Inner Wisdom and Find True Wellbeing.

At this time of New Year resolutions, it’s easy to fall into the trap of pushing harder and faster. But in a world already moving at breakneck speed, chronic stress, overwhelm, and burnout have become alarmingly common.

This episode offers a vital alternative: the power of rest. My guest, Fiona Agombar, is a yoga therapist, rest activist, and author of Breathe, Rest, Recover. Having experienced severe burnout herself as a high-flying business owner, Fiona knows firsthand the life-changing impact of embracing rest without shame or guilt. She shares how rest not only helps us recover but also reconnects us with our inner wisdom and reveals what we truly want from life.

We discuss the profound benefits of slowing down, tuning into the body, and practising self-compassion. Fiona also highlights practical ways to integrate rest into daily life, from conscious breathing and micro-breaks to managing "tech apnea"—the impact of constant screen use on breathing and stress levels. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone seeking to break free from the relentless pace of modern life.

Topics covered:

• The concept of rest activism and why reintroducing rest and convalescence into modern life is essential.
• Why people struggle to rest and the dangers of ignoring signs from our body.
• How interoception and tuning into inner wisdom can aid in overcoming stress and burnout.
• Fiona’s personal journey of healing from chronic illness through yoga and self-inquiry.
• Practical strategies for rest and recovery, including conscious breathing and micro-breaks.
• The effects of news consumption and technology on our wellbeing and mental health.
• The importance of recognising the background aware presence that is always available.

Links & Resources:

• Fiona Agar’s website: https://www.fionaagombar.co.uk/
• Fiona’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@fionaagombar3037/videos
• Fiona’s Facebook group: Rest and Yoga for Fatigue
• Fiona’s books: https://www.fionaagombar.co.uk/books

Simon's book and Banishing Burnout - Finding Flow FREE online course

I’m excited to announce the paperback edition of my book, Champion Thinking: Get Out of Your Own Way, Find Your Peak Performance, is now available. Published by Bloomsbury, the link is here: https://www.simonmundie.com/book

🔗 Free course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

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

Smartphones and social media are making us more anxious, distracted, and disconnected. In this episode, I revisit my conversation with Cal Newport, author of Deep Work and Digital Minimalism. Cal explores how our increasing reliance on smartphones and social media is eroding our ability to focus, perform deep work, and even be alone with our thoughts.

He explains how the iGen generation (born 1995–2012) has been particularly affected, with alarming rates of mental health issues linked to the constant presence of digital distractions. For the first time in human history, we can avoid solitude entirely—yet this avoidance comes at a huge cost.

As I reflect on these themes, I also want to share my FREE online course on beating burnout and finding flow. The tools and strategies I teach have transformed my life and are designed to help you reduce overwhelm, improve focus, and find flow, peace and creativity:

🔗 Free course on beating burnout and finding flow: https://www.simonmundie.com/beat-burnout-mini-course

📖 Featured guest: Cal Newport, author of Deep Work and Digital Minimalism.

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