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Mindgold

Mindgold

By Sarah Florence

Mindgold is about becoming better at life by learning from the wisdom and experience of those who have achieved excellence in their pursuits by developing mental strength through struggle and adversity.
Developed and hosted by Sarah Florence.
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Currently playing episode

You be you w/ Martin Heppel

Mindgold Nov 17, 2019

00:00
01:22:06
WTF is wellness? w/ Connie Neeskens
May 31, 202001:03:29
Goal digger w/ Red Wiard

Goal digger w/ Red Wiard

Red Wiard is an incredibly strong and inspiring woman. She competes as an under 82kg Strongwoman and holds two Australian championships as well as Australian records in multiple events. Red juggles competing at a high level with working as a registered nurse, and appears to be the very epitome of a super hero - saving lives and lifting heavy objects, whilst looking incredible doing it. Red and I chat about her athletic journey, her future goals, and battling the ever present misogyny directed toward women in the athletic space. 

May 25, 202056:26
A foot in each camp w/ Bailey Rogers

A foot in each camp w/ Bailey Rogers

Bailey Rogers is a ridiculously well rounded athlete, having spent the past decade alternating between elite level CrossFit and Olympic weightlifting. With a foot firmly placed in each camp, Bailey shares both her triumphs and challenges in each sport, as well as the opportunities and choices she faces in the very near future. 

Bailey and her partner Lincoln are the proud owners of NTRS CrossFit and NTRS Performance in Hobart, Tasmania. Offering intelligent programming and coaching in weightlifting and CrossFit to their community of both elite and novice athletes, this power couple lead by example and preach mindset, recovery and nutrition as non-negotiable components of optimal performance. 

May 17, 202048:49
Dicks and stones w/ Jessica Fithen
May 10, 202047:55
Deadlifts, donuts and Dalmatians w/ Jess Dumay

Deadlifts, donuts and Dalmatians w/ Jess Dumay

Jess Dumay is a strong woman, in both mind and body. A powerlifter, massage therapist and advocate for mental health, Jess isn't afraid to voice her opinions and empower women...not to focus on looking better, but BEING better. Jess and I discuss our shared firm stance on weight classes, functionality, food and unnecessary DM's.
May 07, 202001:01:27
Balance is bullshit w/ Thea Baker

Balance is bullshit w/ Thea Baker

Thea Baker is a counsellor, psychotherapist, coach and public speaker. She speaks openly about her own history of trauma and how these events have shaped her life and helped her learn not only about herself but how she can use that knowledge to help others. Thea is a beacon of hope in the fitness industry, she understands the therapeutic value of exercise and the importance of empathy and human connection. Join Thea and I for an aggressively real talk about the impossible battle for balance, ex husbands, and growing from grief and adversity. 


May 03, 202001:03:36
Light and dark w/ Amy Carmody

Light and dark w/ Amy Carmody

Amy Carmody has ten years of experience as a yoga teacher and has developed her unique practice from a history of weightlifting, CrossFit and gymnastics. Her rich experience and broad knowledge of strength and conditioning serves to provide her students informed movement in sessions that are not for the faint hearted. Forced into an online practice as many in the industry, Amy has truly embraced the challenge and created a platform that allows her to extend her reach all over the world. 

Apr 30, 202047:46
Better is better w/ Dr. Caity Haniver

Better is better w/ Dr. Caity Haniver

Caity is an osteopath and a weightlifter; a down to earth and inspirational human with a unique approach to patient care. Frustrated by the many fitness and health care professions that create an unhealthy level of dependance with their clients, she is a firm believer in empowering those in her care to take charge of their treatment; working with them to build healthy and sustainable habits that will result in long term success.

Caity and I talk #iso gains and the concept of training smarter, not harder. With our surplus pandemic  time, a gym in every garage, and a wealth of (mostly) educated programming available to us, this time is an opportunity to not just train harder and longer, but to pinpoint our weaknesses and spend quality time dedicating ourselves to training that will make us BETTER. 

For quality and educated programming, mobility work and #iso approved osteopath services contact Dr. Caity on Instagram @thebarbellosteo 

Apr 28, 202052:44
Tantrums and all w/ Tammy Hicks

Tantrums and all w/ Tammy Hicks

Tammy Hicks is a masters athlete and olympic weightlifter who, like others,  has had to adapt both her business and individual training to the terrors of technology in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Openly admitting an initial struggle training alone and the disappointment of the change to the competition season and her goals, Tammy has since gained a new 'silver lining' perspective. These revelations have given her valuable insight on how to motivate and encourage others in her community.

Tammy's realness goes a long way to help keep her tribe connected and strong, and I have no doubt we will be seeing a lot of strength from the Peaches and Plates posse both on and off the platform in the near future. 

Apr 26, 202049:21
Weights for mates w/ Josh Balia

Weights for mates w/ Josh Balia

Josh Balia is a powerlifter, coach, and almost sports psychologist. He has used his amazing skill set to found Weights for Mates, a mental health program that sees young men using strength training as a tool to manage anxiety and depression. This program recognises the correlation between exercise and positive mental health, and provides a framework for supportive conversations.
Josh's client's range from general population to elite athletes, and he discusses the challenges of managing motivation across the board, whether the goal is the Olympic stage or to get a full push up. Josh shares his understanding of the psychology behind what drives us and how we can use that mental strength in isolation to come out the other side even better versions of ourselves.
Apr 19, 202026:21
Quaroutine gains w/ Ben and Katrina Borg

Quaroutine gains w/ Ben and Katrina Borg

Ben and Kat are the founders of Married to my Macros (MTMM), and provide nutritional education and support to people worldwide. The current pandemic has given them a new challenge, and they are not just continuing to manage their client’s nutrition, but have taken it upon themselves to offer support and resources to many others in the fitness industry. Kat and Ben offer us a lot of tangible strategies we can use to keep on track, regardless of how expensive brocolli is.
Apr 12, 202030:23
Change the channel w/ Linc Bowman and Bailey Rogers

Change the channel w/ Linc Bowman and Bailey Rogers

Athletes, coaches, and power couple Bailey and Linc are the proud owners of NTRS Performance and NTRS CrossFit in Hobart, Tasmania. Coming from backgrounds of high level weightlifting and CrossFit, their goal was to provide high level athletes with a place to call their own, as well as cater to the general population of Tasmanian fitness fanatics.
The recent shift of their community to online and isolation training due to COVID-19 has lead them to change everything about how they run their business, but hasn't changed their goals as gym owners to provide the very best high performance coaching to their athletes.
The collective attitude from NTRS to see this lockdown as an opportunity to work on weaknesses is refreshing and inspirational, and the advice to 'change the channel' and find the silver lining is the drive many of us need to embrace this adversity and come out the other side of this experience a mentally and physically stronger community.
Apr 05, 202052:48
Down the rabbit hole/ Sofia Zudova and Jacob Marquardt

Down the rabbit hole/ Sofia Zudova and Jacob Marquardt

Sofia and Jacob join me for a chat about the COVID-19 crisis, and how we will train, wipe our asses and survive without sweet potato. Seriously though there is some actual information here if you sift through the poo jokes and irrelevant banter. Personally I feel we could all use a bit of a laugh so here's 50 minutes worth of us sitting close together before that was against the law.  00:00 Introducing Sof (again) and Jacob as the epic weightlifters and humans they are, and how we are all coping with the lack of sweet potatoes and toilet paper in the current COVID-19 crisis. 03:00 Intense debate about potatoes which lasts longer than it should TBH. No conclusion is reached. 05:30 Some actual statistics about the virus and what we should all probably know about how it is contracted and spread. 09:30 The economic domino effect on our population and the few among us acting like complete fuckheads. 15:00 Weightlifting and how this crisis will effect our sport. 20:00 How to keep your training space safe and sanitised, how to reduce the risk to gym members and what the rapidly changing policies mean for your training. 30:00 Why weightlifters will be the first to go and how challenging it is to bulk when the supermarket shelves are empty. Please send Jacob food. 35:00 Jacob's goals: Commonwealth Games, getting massive, and finally seeing Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. 40:00 Body parts we value most in a person (unrelatedly). 45:00 Back to COVID-19 which regresses into some ridiculousness so we wisely end the episode wishing all our listeners health and wellbeing in this trying time. 

Mar 22, 202050:44
Step into the fire w/ Kat Harvey-Barakat

Step into the fire w/ Kat Harvey-Barakat

Kat Harvey-Barakat is the person you need to meet if you think yoga is for pussies. Her strength and knowledge in the practice of yoga, life and her general bad-ass attitude makes you just want to sit and listen to her for hours. Here's almost a whole hour of me doing that.
02:00 My introduction to yoga through adversity.
05:00 Embracing complete stillness and lack of comparison.
7:00 Yoga is defined as the journey of the self, through the self, to the self. Shit gets deep real quick.
10:00 Rejecting the conditioning that we were born with and current social paradigms.
15:30 Kat's history in competitive dance, finding yoga through injury.
24:00 The importance of educating the mind and body, how Kat puts together sessions that truly take you on a spiritual and physical journey.
26:00 Self doubt and the reassurance in realizing you and your fears are not alone.
30:00 The Oneness: finding your commonality between yourself and all other living things.
37:00 Kat takes us through a seated but incredibly challenging pose that fucks your shit right up. Don't perform while driving.
40:00 Where you can (and should) find Kat H.B.
#namaste

Mar 08, 202042:24
Speaking out w/ Lynda Hodgetts

Speaking out w/ Lynda Hodgetts

No cleverly worded synopsis, no chapters, no bullshit. This is Lynda’s story. If this episode makes you feel uncomfortable, it fucking should.
Feb 23, 202053:37
Actual game changers w/ Katrina Borg

Actual game changers w/ Katrina Borg

Kat is a nutritionist, athlete, business owner and soon to be super-mum. An early career in the medical profession gave her insight into how bad things can get for those who don’t look after their bodies. She and husband Ben’s business, Married to my Macros, focuses on educating people on how to get the results they want in the long term.
01:00 How Kat found a career in nutrition, seeing the results of what happens when people don't look after themselves and wanting to become part of the prevention rather than the treatment.
06:00 The documentary thing...misconceptions, biases and the importance of not believing everything you hear or see.
10:00 Fitness industry fads, diets and why there is no 'quick fix'.
14:00 Why weight-cuts should be reserved for sports specific strategies ONLY.
16:00 Consistency is key...avoiding the rebound effect.
20:00 Body image and the knowledge that you are not alone.
27:00 Obligation and guilt around food choices, social events etc. Saying 'no' is OK!
32:00 The danger of trying to 'get back' to an old version of yourself.
36:00 Tangible habits that will change your mindset toward nutrition in the long term.
Feb 16, 202042:29
Habits of a champion w/ Natalia 'Natcho' Chorobczyk

Habits of a champion w/ Natalia 'Natcho' Chorobczyk

Nat is an accomplished athlete and coach, has held the title of National champ 2 years running (-59 and -55 respectively) and has represented Australia on numerous occasions. Join Nat as she shares her journey in the sport, from her strict bedtime schedule to the secrets of her confidence on the platform, and what makes her a true champion.

00:00 weightlifting, big dick energy, and those that exude it.
04:30 how Nat survives life and lifting; never underestimate the importance of eating and sleeping.
07:00 the importance of reflecting on how far you've come.
10:00 the journey from soccer to weightlifting and how an injury can be a new beginning.
14:00 what drives Nat to fight to the death over one extra kilo. The benefit of solitude and danger of comparison.
18:00 battling the ego and accepting wins in technique over numbers.
22:00 the blessing and curse of having high expectations and how it feels not to meet them.
25:00 the importance of visualization and alter egos.
34:00 the danger of putting all your eggs in one basket, life outside of lifting and why you should have one.
37:00 sharing the energy; the challenges and rewards of an athlete / coach relationship.
40:00 future plans, goals, and why loving the process is key.
Feb 02, 202047:01
Weathering the storm w/ Nicole Abramowitz

Weathering the storm w/ Nicole Abramowitz

Nicole Abramowitz is certainly a qualified psychologist in terms of life experience, despite being a few months off having the piece of paper to prove it. Her story of family trauma lead her to a pursuit devoted to better understanding how the human mind works and has given her the firm belief that the biggest tragedy in life is not learning from the tragedy itself. 

This episode may be triggering and I would advise those experiencing any past trauma similar to Nicole's to speak to a trained professional, and just in general because psychology is awesome. 


00:00 How 2020 is a fucker so far and why it’s OK to be one of the people being strong for others, plus how I met Nicole.

04:00 Riding the sometimes shit wave that is life and the benefits of adversity. 

06:00 Why people are so fucked up, the societal regressions we are experiencing that contribute to our collective poor mental health. 

12:00 Nicole shares her story. (This may be triggering and contains themes of suicide and domestic abuse.)

18:00 Accepting that you can’t help anyone anymore than they can help themselves. The difficulty in accepting and providing support and the importance of autonomy and empowerment.

21:00 Toxic relationships and the addiction pathway, why we are hooked on playing the hero.

27:00 Grief and loss, death and breakups and the similarities in coping mechanisms for trauma.

35:00 There's no 'right' decision, you make a decision and you make it work. The importance of owning this is in a life of infinite possibilities. 

42:00 The importance of values. 

52:00 Takeaway strategies when supporting a loved one - accepting that it's not about you and why we find this so fucking hard. 

60:00 Why adaption is the most important trait in survival. 

64:00 Inner contentment and not being motivated by external reward.

68:00 Gratitude, perspective and acceptance...not letting your struggles define you.

70:00 The joy of living your mundane life and why being bored kinda rules. 

Jan 19, 202001:21:26
Aiming for excellence w/ Stephen Florence

Aiming for excellence w/ Stephen Florence

The Christmas spirit (or beers) lead to this spontaneous episode with my brother Stephen, archer and future Olympian. Stephen gets deep into his journey in his sport and what has lead him to having a second crack at the Olympics, despite an intense phobia of balloons and phone calls.
02:00 How Stephen got into archery and how close he got to the Olympics in 2012.
04:00 Why everyone needs to know I went to university and why Stephen was (and still potentially is) afraid of balloons.
06:00 Potentially triggering near miss with a pedophile which lead to subsequent Christmas lunch confessions that may need a podcast of their own (and probably some therapy).
09:00 The Olympic qualifying process for archery and whether making it actually even matters.
14:00 Adversity as fuel and why life experience and perspective can be just as valuable as technical improvements.
16:00 Relating athletic achievement to identity and self-worth and how changing this thought process can actually improve results.
19:00 Feeling like you're a part of something, enjoying the process rather than being solely outcome focussed.
21:00 Coming full circle from balloon fear to being paid $10,000 to puncture tyres in South Africa (please watch his commercial).
25:00 Why the Olympics is just another comp.
27:00 Who of the siblings has the biggest chip on their shoulder and what we are doing with them.
29:00 Giving less fucks, or simply running out of them.
Jan 05, 202029:34
The relationship episode w/ Siobhan Macleod and Tom Ahern

The relationship episode w/ Siobhan Macleod and Tom Ahern

Mindgold power couple Tom and Siobhan join the show together to talk about all things RELATIONSHIP. Whether you're swiping right or you and your partner spend Friday nights cleaning your kitchenware together, we probably have something to say that will resonate with you. If not, you'll at least get a laugh. 

05:00 Relationship Day : the importance of making time for your partner, 

09:30 Putting in the work and learning lessons from both negative and positive experiences in relationships.

14:00 Defining what it is you are looking for in a relationship and finding someone who shares your values and wants to grow with you.

19:00 #badwomen (enough said)

25:00 The importance of having difficult conversation.

30:00 Baggage is inevitable. Owning your shit and being honest about it, and being aware of your partner's triggers as well as your own.

35:00 Tinder, ghosting, and an idea for a potential app that will prevent dickhead behaviour.

41:00 Focus on the marriage, not the wedding.

46:00 Why being in a relationship IS working on yourself. 

57:00 Fertility awareness (don't freak out guys).

1:03 Attachment theory and how our cognitive development affects our adult relationships.

1:09 Recognising you and your approach to dating and finding a partner needs to change.

1:18 Some actual, serious advice: sharing a vision, physiological relaxation (this isn't sex, sorry) and love languages.

Dec 22, 201901:26:22
Stabbing and smiling w/ Amy Reynolds

Stabbing and smiling w/ Amy Reynolds

Amy Reynolds lived the life of an athlete until a life threatening heart condition made her reassess her priorities. Realising the value of being less of an asshole has caused Amy's life (and funeral plans) to take an entirely different trajectory.
00:00 Feeling uncomfortable being comfortable : my current existential crisis.
04:00 Reinventing Amy; fencing, failure, and a fucking massive 180.
09:00 Being dealt a shit deck, and how to manage the anger around events outside of your control.
12:00 Re-evaluating priorities and time healing everything...except heart disease.
18:00 Sad showers, Ninja Warrior, and how to deal with DM's.
25:00 Why focussing on being a better person it ultimately more rewarding than athletic achievement.
30:00 Crabs in a bucket...why someone else's progress doesn't make yours lesser and the toxicity of comparison.
35:00 Funeral goals and what Amy wants to accomplish before that goat-filled event (what).
38:00 The super nice club and the importance of spreading as much kindness and positivity as possible.
40:00 Being a heavy single and some epic parting words involving marriage and heroin.
Dec 08, 201943:30
Time takes time w/ Simon Levesque

Time takes time w/ Simon Levesque

Simon is currently rebuilding his life from a past of partying to a future in medicine. By way of his journey towards getting his first ring muscle up, as documented in the short film by Oliver Waghorn, Simon opens up about the difficulty of recovery and the importance of community and belonging. It gets emotional.
watch the video linked on MG Facebook page
04:00 Ollie's video - the inspiration behind this episode. 'Rebuilding Simon' follows Simon's journey towards his first ring muscle-up, an analogy for life and for his recovery from addiction.
06:00 Post traumatic growth; when the party is over and it's time to pick up the pieces.
07:00 The importance of community, and why that makes it so hard to break out of an unhealthy lifestyle.
09:30 The lifelong dream of med school becoming a reality and the danger of associating happiness with achievement.
14:00 Is adversity essential to achieving excellence, and would be go through the hard times again if we knew it would lead to a positive outcome?
19:00 Rebuilding a life take as long as it takes. The myth of the self-made person and why this ideal isn't realistic or healthy.
25:00 Addiction isn't a choice, fighting a compulsion for life and making daily choices not to regress.
32:00 CrossFit and community; what it really is that we get hooked on.
40:00 Future goals and if it's possible to achieve balance in terms of physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.
46:00 Finding opportunity in adversity: Japan 2021.
51:00 The bar muscle-up story; ruining a perfectly good holiday for a CrossFit competition and why it was totally worth it.
59:00 'When we get there...' the importance of appreciating the moment rather than solely anticipating the outcome.
Nov 27, 201901:05:26
You be you w/ Martin Heppel

You be you w/ Martin Heppel

Martin Heppel is co-founder of The Resilience Project, a Melbourne based non-for profit organisation that promotes mental wellbeing through gratitude, mindfulness and empathy. Former footy player, headmaster, and self-proclaimed bum, Marty has experienced the fuck out of life and shares his strategies for achieving mental gains through honest human connection. 

00:00 Graham going missing and realising the significance of community.

06:00 Marty is a different unit: the birth of The Resilience Project and growing up with head hunters (not the gang).

10:00 Failure is a growth point : learning from negative experiences and the importance of communicating about them, trusting the outcome and not being afraid of the consequences of opening up. 

17:00 Adversity leads to resilience; the importance of being taught as a child that it's OK to fuck up, post traumatic growth and seeing failure as an opportunity. 

23:00 How my initial encounter with Marty gave me the courage to be unapologetically ME.

27:00 Appearances, judgment, and the insecurities we attempt to combat by trying to fit in. 

35:00 The importance of making genuine connections and putting the effort in to our relationships. 

52:00 Practise makes perfect: training your mind the same way you would train your body and building daily habits that support your mental wellbeing. 

60:00 The courage to be vulnerable without fear of judgement: recognising that being honest, even about the bad things, is a strength not a weakness. 

67:00 People are gonna give you shit regardless, so you may as well just be who you are. 

72:00 How your mindset affects others, so putting your best effort out to the universe. 

Nov 17, 201901:22:06
Finding your gang w/ Lexi Christou

Finding your gang w/ Lexi Christou

Lexi Christou, super mum with #BDE, tells her story of finding acceptance in relation to prisons, weightlifting, and her beautiful family.
00:00 We get real deep, real quick, diving straight in to childhood rejection and its impact on adult anxiety.
04:00 Lexi's work in the prison system and the concept of rehabilitation in relation to social acceptance.
08:00 Acceptance in the world of social media; people's highlight reels and the danger of constantly comparing yourself.
14:00 Being a super mum and creating your own gang.
24:00 The importance of human connection and finding people who get you.
30:00 Not being everything to everyone; creating healthy boundaries and putting yourself first.
37:00 Valuing and relying on positive feedback and validation means you are also susceptible to the negative. The importance of recognising your achievements internally and not needing a pat on the back.
42:00 Giving less fucks and not trying to fit in with people who aren't on your level.
Nov 06, 201943:10
Leaning the fuck in w/ Sofia Zudova

Leaning the fuck in w/ Sofia Zudova

Sofia Zudova is a high performing individual, former elite athlete and currently at the tail end of a law degree. We discuss the myth of balance, big dick energy, and the importance of always moving forward.
04:00 The episode narrowly avoids becoming about Graham.
06:00 Being a mostly highly functioning human (with the possible exception of this morning).
08:00: The myth of balance: the cost of trying to multi task at a high level in multiple pursuits.
11:00 Being good scares people. Why we make excuses for mediocrity and fail to back ourselves.
15:00 #BDE : the origins of big dick energy and whether this is something you can attain.
19:00 The time Sofia told teenage girls they couldn't use the bathroom at the gym and why she's still cut over it.
24:00 Law and lifting : suffering imposter syndrome regardless of your status or ability. Why we have to fake it and lean the fuck in.
30:00 Giving yourself an 'out' is just a different form of making excuses. The courage to to make the decision not to spread yourself so thin and knowing when it's OK to let something go.
37:00 People's opinions and why you should ignore them and elbow your way in there regardless.
45:00 The challenge of being a neurotic individual in a relationship, and the struggle of finding someone who's not intimidated annoyed by your levels of neurosis.
53:30 Last minute Mindgold : Never stop moving forward.
Oct 30, 201956:01
Going solo w/ Sarah Florence

Going solo w/ Sarah Florence

Inspired by Jason, this episode is 100% me. Join me for a massive overshare into the less boring bits of my life, what I've learnt from them, and how the seemingly negative things that happen can turn into the best if you just wait them out, just like you'll have to wait til the end to hear me drop the c bomb. 


00:00 The inspiration behind doing a solo episode and the opportunity to stop listening if you don't particularly want to know too much about me.

01:30 How most of us are just normal people trying to be slightly better at normal things and the importance of using adversity to become slightly less average.

03:10 The least boring parts of my life; ice, sex, and the constant fear of going to hell.

10:00 The constant need to flog dead horses and the importance of quitting while you're ahead. 

13:00 Yeah, nah, bye. The transition from piece of shit to art student piece of shit. 

16:00 Why spite is an excellent motivational tool, but a genuine passion is essential. 

21:00 From food to fitness; the inspiration behind my next career change.

26:00 CrossFit; how being hit by a car turned me into a full CF wanker, plus finding and then losing a surrogate family.

30:00 Entering the world of weightlifting; why I love keeping my clothes on and sitting the fuck down. Discipline, commitment, and falling in love with the process.

33:00 The goal and why I'm OK with not being there yet.

36:00 Making things fucking happen, and why being an annoying c*** is essential to achieving anything. 

Oct 19, 201939:21
Oversharing is caring w/ Siobhan Macleod

Oversharing is caring w/ Siobhan Macleod

Siobhan is a breath work facilitator and runs The Breathwork Shed in St Kilda, Melbourne. Her story of adversity leading her to finding her calling, and the importance of sharing and working through your shit is beautiful and inspiring. 

00:00 Why is everyone so fucked up? How we can use something as simple as breathing to alleviate our stress and anxiety.

05:00 Siobhan's love of breath work is born in Bali and evolves as she discovers more about herself and where she wants to be in life.

08:00 There is no 'last' rep. Embracing the journey and all of its parts.

12:00 The journey of breath work from Bali to Melbourne and the birth of The Breathwork Shed.

15:30 The benefit of getting the feelings out through screams, tears, laughter, and most of all sharing. 

24:00 Standard Tinder date story that has vague relevance to the topic of breathing. 

26:00 Why we are who we are : uncovering and working through past trauma using breath work and subsequent aggrieved phone calls to family members.

30:00 Paying attention to the signs...before the universe tries to kill you. 

42:00 Where to find Siobhan and her shed. 

Oct 05, 201942:49
You are not a burden w/ Celia Pacquola

You are not a burden w/ Celia Pacquola

Celia Pacquola joins the show today with some words of wisdom gained from the 12 years of doing a job that still terrifies her : stand up comedy. We cover some pretty intense shit but it's OK because she makes it funny. 

00:00 The intentions behind Mindgold and the value we can gain from vulnerability and sharing our experiences.

02:20 Celia meets Graham. General banter.

08:30 Getting the feelings out on stage; how being vulnerable and sharing your insecurities brings strength and catharsis.

13:30 Speaking out about things that matter. 'Me too', abortion, the importance of telling your story and the anxiety of how that message will be received.

17:00 Internal vs external validation, how to measure your success without relying on the opinions of others.

22:00 Not having an end goal, why this is more motivating, and the fear that accompanies continuously striving for the next challenge.

29:00 Tattoos. Why? Sarah's unintentionally bleak views on commitment.

31:30 'Fuck off, I'm shit'. The cultural norm that is imposter syndrome and why we can't just say we are good at something.

35:00 The roller coaster of mental health, how to seperate yourself from your negative thoughts and make yourself take action.

41:00 You are not a burden, the importance of reaching out and of making your mental health a priority.

47:00 Why we want to believe that everyone is trying their best.

Sep 22, 201951:50
Having a crack at Tokyo w/ Emily Muskett (Godley)

Having a crack at Tokyo w/ Emily Muskett (Godley)

We are lucky to have Emily Muskett (Godley) join us this week on the show. Emily is an elite Olympic weightlifter, taking home gold for Great Britain at the Commonwealth Games 2018, and currently on the road to qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics 2020.

Emily balances being an elite athlete with the responsibility of coaching others in the sport, with the empathy and compassion of someone who genuinely gives a fuck, and uses her own journey and experiences to be both inspirational and relatable.

Emily, you are literally solid gold, and we wish you all the best in the 'ball-ache' that is the Olympic qualification process.

00:00 Introducing Emily, and our current tripod situation.

06:00 Emily's journey from pole vaulting to weightlifting, and the importance of playing the long game.

12:00 Eating all of the food, feelings about going up a weight class.

15:30 Emily describes the Olympic qualifying process.

24:00 Trying not to think; mental strength both on and off the platform.

29:00 Being a coach who genuinely cares; why empathy is such a vital coaching tool and the importance of giving back to the sport and to others.

36:00 Managing anxiety and the comfort and strength to be gained by sharing your struggles with others.

52:30 Mindgold moments: why caring too much can be detrimental, the benefit of giving less fucks and how this is applicable in all aspects of life.

Sep 22, 201957:43
Mindgold moments in MMA w/ Murray Ballenden

Mindgold moments in MMA w/ Murray Ballenden

This week on the show we chat values and competition with Murray Ballenden, black belt and head coach of Dominance MMA. We grapple with some really interesting topics around struggles in sport, life, and the importance of values in both.

1:00 Why this episode is special / general irrelevant banter.

5:00 The freedom of admitting you know nothing, and the empowerment of owning it.

8:00 The 6 basic human needs (stolen from Tony Robbins), and finding these in a sport.

10:00 Murray's journey from BJJ back to BJJ, via CrossFit and Weightlifting.

20:00 The differences in value systems, culture and community in sports.

32:30 An in depth discussion about Hoar's Frost (it's a thing)

35:00 Exhaustion and burnout as a badge of honour in training and life. The benefits of sub-maximal training.

42:00 Suffering is equal to discomfort X resistance. Using fear and anxiety as fuel in competition.

51:00 Advice you'd give your 20 year old self.

Sep 22, 201957:14
Becoming un-angry w/ Alex Snarski

Becoming un-angry w/ Alex Snarski

This week we interview meditation guru and pretty smart dude Alex Snarski about how the practise of meditation changed his life, helping him to learn acceptance, embrace adversity, and transform him into a truly fucking excellent version of himself.

Alex shares his personal story and the events that unfolded that would lead him to becoming 'New Alex', an un-angry and completely right-swipeable individual.

00:00-04:00: General banter and shit talking

21:00-27:00: How to lock your anus and why you need to

31:00 -- currently still upset :Why the fuck Alex didn't eat a perfectly good burrito.

Sep 22, 201901:23:01
Trying not to be a piece of shit w/ Seb Houston

Trying not to be a piece of shit w/ Seb Houston

Episode 6 features our second guest Seb Houston, marathon runner and former party enthusiast.

We get right into the topic of negative vs positive addiction, if there is even such a thing, and how we can potentially differentiate between the two. Is post traumatic growth the real deal or a placebo, and does the end justify the means?

Do these negative experiences really make us better? Or are we all just pieces of shit trying not to be ?

Sep 22, 201953:11
Authentic purpose w/ Tom Ahern

Authentic purpose w/ Tom Ahern

Episode 5 features three solid 8/10’s discussing authentic purpose, what this is and how to find yours. Tom Ahern is our guest this week, fellow podcaster and author of ‘Yes I’m fine, just tired. Tom is a truly authentic and honest person, we absolutely loved this chat and think you’ll get a lot out of it.

Sep 22, 201901:15:46
Listener Q & A (with props)

Listener Q & A (with props)

Our fourth conversational joust with Sarah and James answers the following listener questions:

How do I stay in my lane and avoid comparison with others ?

How do I implement my AAR's and what are some tips to implement the information I gain into my future performance?

What's your advice around performance anxiety and how can I use this the fear as fuel?

Also we have beers and a gold belt and you find out why Sarah finds food on the side of the road. It gets good we promise.

Sep 22, 201959:59
Motivation and pickled onions

Motivation and pickled onions

This week on the show Sarah and James talk about how to set values and use these for motivation in different areas of your life, plus James says 'yeap' less when threatened with bulk pickled onions.

Sep 22, 201958:57
Fuck Average

Fuck Average

Sarah and James address what it means to be average and how an obsession with your level of input leads to an above average outcome, in whatever pursuit is your fucking jam.

Sep 22, 201940:43
After Action Review

After Action Review

Our first episode is based on the importance of conducting your own AAR (After Action Review). 

Join Sarah and James as they dive into the key points involved in completing a successful review of your performance and how you can implement your AAR in all areas of your life.

Sep 22, 201950:42