Imposter syndrome and building proof

James Haskell joins James Smith for a brutally honest conversation about life after professional sport, the chaos of building multiple businesses, and what it actually takes to stay relevant when the game is over. A former England rugby star, Sunday Times bestselling author, and DJ, Haskell pulls no punches on the mental cost of reinvention — and why his obsession with performing has never really left him.

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James Haskell on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/jameshaskell

James Haskell's music – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5ry5gHsT7l1X84yGPZeVIj

The Good, The Bad & The Rugby – https://open.spotify.com/show/1LJJ9KUF4aAjcSPimyKfp3

James opens up about the fear of failure that drove him through rugby, the strange emptiness that follows success, and why 40 felt like the moment everything had to change. From DJing in a music industry that doesn't return emails, to launching Black Eye Gin with a £1.50-per-bottle charity model, to finally getting his testosterone tested — this one covers ground most people won't.

He covers:

◼️ Why being your own business is feast or famine — and how to future-proof it

◼️ The DJ career no one takes seriously (yet)

◼️ Building undeniable proof against self-doubt

◼️ Why catastrophising your future can be a legitimate motivational tool

◼️ What testosterone at level 3 actually feels like — and what TRT changed

◼️ The email list gap that's costing him (and you) real money

Chapters:

00:00 There Are a Lot of Lost Men Out There

01:23 The Problem With Being Your Own Business

03:22 Life After Rugby — Planning vs Panic

05:05 Finding What You Actually Want to Do

05:30 The DJ Career: 12 Years, 31 Records

07:22 MMA, Surgeries and the Body Paying the Price

09:24 Going Back to Basics in 2026

10:18 Why Haskell Got Into DJing

12:01 Building Undeniable Proof Against Self-Doubt

13:31 Imposter Syndrome, Evidence Bases and Therapy at 17

15:35 Creating Common Enemies as Motivation

18:06 Catastrophising as a Motivational Mechanism

18:44 Defining What Success Actually Looks Like

19:21 Why Very Wealthy Men Lose Their Money

20:01 The Rocky Montage Years: Fear of Failure as Fuel

20:52 Learning to Sit In the Moment

22:00 The Music Industry Is a Wild West Shambles

24:50 The 50 Cent Tour Story — Music vs Every Other Business

27:03 Drug Culture, Harm Reduction and the Honest Conversation

30:49 What He'd Tell His Daughter About Drugs

32:02 Social Media, Innocence and Raising Kids Today

33:39 Does Civilisation Correct Itself?

35:40 On Politics, Reform and Weak Leaders

37:13 Hair Transplants, Prince William and Shaving Your Head

39:14 The James Haskell Effect on Rugby Back Rows

41:47 Henry Pollock, Pranks and the England Camp

44:03 The Witch Teeth Prank at the Dentist

45:24 The 2007 World Cup — and Ronny Ring's Band of Brothers Moment

49:01 Maidenhead RFC, Getting Dropped and a Mate's Game of His Life

53:41 Black Eye Gin — The Charity, the Recipe and the Origin

57:06 Rugby, UFC and Sports That Don't Apologise for Themselves

59:55 Trying Neutonic for the First Time

01:01:05 Building an Event That Combines Sport, Music and Fitness

01:07:19 Peptides, BPC-157 and Healing a Torn Bicep

01:09:05 Testosterone at Level 3 — Getting on TRT

01:20:32 The Relevancy Trap and Running Active Businesses

01:22:38 The Infinity Pool Story — Getting the Balance Right

01:26:36 Why Haskell Doesn't Have an Email List (Yet)

01:27:46 The Email Marketing Masterclass He Didn't Ask For

01:37:57 What's Coming Next: Music, DJ Gigs and the Tequila Launch

This is one of those conversations that goes everywhere — rugby war stories, music industry chaos, drug policy, fatherhood, hormones, hair transplants, and the uncomfortable truth that being very good at performing doesn't automatically make you good at business. Haskell is funnier, more self-aware, and more switched-on than most people give him credit for — and this is the version of him you don't usually get to see.

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