The High Performance Podcast

Mo Gawdat rose to become Chief Business Officer of Google X, the moonshot factory tasked with solving the world's biggest problems. He had 16 cars in his garage, a nine-bedroom house, and by every conventional measure, had won. And then, in four hours, a preventable surgical mistake took his 21-year-old son Ali. What happened next changed everything.In this episode, Mo shares the promise he made to Ali, to make him "everywhere and part of everyone", and how that mission became the foundation of his life's real work: making a billion people happy.This is not a conversation about toxic positivity or blind optimism. It's a masterclass in what happiness actually is (and isn't), why it's your duty — not your reward — and the practical tools Mo uses to bounce back from pain in under seven seconds.You'll hear Mo on: the 90-second anger rule that will change how you handle every difficult moment; his three-question flowchart for navigating anything life throws at you; why success doesn't lead to happiness — but happiness almost always leads to success; what his son Ali taught him about fixing the world by fixing yourself first; and why the most high-performance path through life is learning to play.Whether you're chasing the next milestone or questioning whether the chase is even worth it — this one will stay with you.Our partners in this episode: EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal 👉 https://nordvpn.com/highperformance Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeVisit Seattle 👉 Start planning your perfect summer of football by searching Visit Seattle on social media, or discover more at: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-visitseattle-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Iwobi, a Premier League creative midfielder and Nigerian international, reflects on nearly being released at Arsenal and how managerial trust revived his career. He talks about creative freedom on and off the pitch, balancing music with football, coping with criticism, and how leaders like Wenger and Lampard shaped his mindset.

Ollie Bearman, a young British F1 driver and Ferrari junior racing for Haas, reflects on rapid growth after midseason changes. He talks about a simple 10-minute pre-session routine that transformed his consistency. He opens up about loneliness on the road, learning from experienced rivals, and shifting from risky aggression to long-term team focus.

Michael Johnson, former Olympic sprinter and double gold medalist, reflects on the mindset behind sustained excellence. He discusses evidence-based belief, relentless training habits, intense mental rehearsal before races, the Barcelona food-poisoning setback, returning a tainted relay medal, and his stroke recovery that reshaped perspective and gratitude.

Two high-performance stories reveal tiny routines behind massive results. One follows a racing star who finds meaning in menial garage work and team bonds. The other tracks an Olympic swimmer’s collapse, a myth-inspired comeback plan, and a blunt counsel that reshaped his path. Both segments spotlight subtle commitment tools and a simple weekly ritual to steer tough choices.

Stephanie Romiszewski, a sleep scientist and clinician and author of Think Less, Sleep More, explains why overthinking sleep backfires. She highlights dangers of trackers and why daytime habits matter more than bedtime rituals. Short, practical tips cover consistent wake times, morning light, movement, and her AWAKE framework to reframe rest without chasing perfection.

Jonny Wilkinson, former England fly-half and 2003 World Cup hero who now writes and speaks on performance and mental health. He discusses presence over outcomes, how perfectionism and fear shaped his life, the cost of obsession, reclaiming play and identity, and practical ways to notice struggle and begin an inner journey. Short, reflective, and surprising.

Paul Gascoigne, one of Britain’s most gifted former footballers, speaks candidly about childhood trauma, sudden fame and public struggles with addiction. He reflects on iconic moments like Italia 90, the managers who believed in him, the mask of Gazza versus the private man, and how humour, fishing and small acts of kindness have helped him keep going.

Rob Smedley, experienced F1 engineer who worked with Ferrari and drivers like Felipe Massa and founded the FAT Karting League. He recounts building trust with drivers, high-pressure race coaching, heartbreaking crashes and personal loss, why blunt honesty can fuel performance, adapting engineering to athlete psychology, and efforts to grow grassroots motorsport.

Jayne Torvill, legendary British ice dancer famed for the 'Bolero' Olympic triumph; Christopher Dean, celebrated choreographer and partner who shaped that iconic routine. They recount their Nottingham beginnings, meticulous six-hour training days, the creative engineering of Bolero (including the controversial knees start), their role clarity and intense eye-contact synchrony, and how trust and discipline sustained a 50-year partnership.