A Bit Of A Boost

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   Today's guest on the podcast is performance and resilience expert Charlie Cannon.   Charlie is a coach, speaker and author who I truly admire for the way he blends his personal story with lessons and simple frameworks.   I was keen to get him on the podcast because every time we speak we always end up having really interesting discussions so I'm delighted to bring you a flavour of some of that today.   We talk about how to cultivate resilience through self-awareness and what it really means to be able to adapt to change.   Charlie's own story is fascinating and inspiring and I ask him about how his own perspectives have developed over time.   With his background as a personal trainer we were always going to share similar philosophies around the connection between resilience, mindset and performance, and physical wellbeing.   So it was good to swap stories and experiences of sharing these messages with people over a number of years.   Our conversation takes us all over the place, including into the territory of values and purpose which to me are the foundation of resilience.   Charlie has the kind of energy that you can really feel when you listen to him, so I know that today's episode will give you a bit of a boost!    Connect with Charlie: https://charliecannon.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlie-cannon  

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   My guest today is the Chief Nutrition Officer at Simple app, and founder of Fertility Dietitian UK, Ro Huntress.   Her background as an NHS dietitian where she specialised in diabetes and weight management has given her a wealth of insights into what really works and more importantly how to make necessary changes to your diet.   I didn't want to talk to Ro about just general nutrition, but more what she has noticed about the impact that ‘health tech' such as the Simple app can have on our long term results and consistency.   In this episode we talk about…   What the data say about whether we should be weighing every day or a maximum of once a week Why time-restricted eating isn't restrictive at all The staircase of weight loss What gets you started won't keep you going The link between app engagement and consistency   ...and a whole lot more.   Ro is deeply knowledgeable about this topic and one of her other core areas of research and work is in the world of fertility where she her platform has become an indispensable tool for many couples trying to conceive.   You can find out more about Ro's work on her websites and social media: simple.life dietitianro.co.uk fertilitydietitian.co.uk instagram.com/dietitianro instagram.com/fertility.dietitian.uk

I hear a lot of people talking about the non-negotiables in their lives, usually habits around exercise or sleep or other areas of wellbeing that make a huge difference in their lives.   And whilst I am clearly an advocate of having these routines, I don't personally have any 'non-negotiables' with any of them.   I was asked what my non-negotiables were in a recent panel discussion at a wellbeing event, and figured why not share my thoughts on the topic here as well :)   In this short episode I talk / ramble about: Why I don't have non-negotiables The difference between a STANDARD and a non-negotiable The importance of TOLERANCE Why our habits should SERVE you and not ENSLAVE you Why it's better to be DELAYED with your progress rather than DERAILED   If you'd like to connect with me on LinkedIn where I post some of these musings through the week, it would be great to see you over there... https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachgeorgeanderson   And if you have a corporate event coming up that you think could benefit from a bit of a boost, drop me a line and find out about my masterclasses and conference keynotes! 

Today I am delighted to welcome on the show co-founder of Huel and nutritionist of over 30 years, James Collier!   James recently published his first book - Well Fed - which is a very different kind of nutrition book where he introduces the idea of Contemplative Nutrition.   In our conversation today we get into the 5 pillars that underpin this food philosophy, and some of the challenges that I know clients of mine have struggled with over the years.   One of the major challenges is the amount of conflicting and misinformation readily available, with social media influencers hard at work to earn their sponsorships, and just the vast number of different approaches you can take with nutrition.   We talk about how to navigate this sea of information and decide what's right for you and your family.   One of my favourite things was discovering where the word ‘lunch' comes from, and how our culture of 3 square meals a day is rarely questioned despite not always being optimal.   Even the etymology of the word ‘culture' comes up as James is a self-confessed word geek, and I promise you the links he makes are both fascinating and insightful.   We talk about Huel itself, ultra processed foods, balance, mindful and intuitive eating and a whole lot more.   Make sure you check out James' book Well Fed and follow him on all the socials: Well Fed (Amazon.co.uk) LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamescollierrnutr Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamescollierrnutr  

Jim Rohn tells us that 'we are the average of the 5 people we spend most of our time with', so are you actively seeking out the 'right' kind of person to be around?   If you have goals that require you to develop different habits, skills, beliefs or even sense of identity, then getting around other people who normalise these behaviours and beliefs is going to make it easier.   People, communities, physical spaces and even your inner environment can be curated to help you stay on track with your goals.   This episode looks at a few examples and I share some personal stories including how the episode topic was inspired by a conversation with Penny Mallory, a previous guest on this podcast from September 2022!   I also mention LinkedIn in this episode and invite you to connect with me over there, which you can do so by visiting: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachgeorgeanderson

I'm joined on the show today by a senior director of customer success at the software company, ServiceNow, Damien Davis.   I haven't known Damien for long but whenever we have spoken I've come away feeling like I've had a bit of a boost so it just made sense to invite him on the podcast!   Damien shares stories of both triumph and tragedy.   We talk about perspective, impact and workplace culture, Mental health and wellbeing, and the challenges of integrating these into a high pressure role that involves International travel.   *** Our conversation does also touch on the topic of suicide ***   Damien really is a positive energy radiator, and I hope that listening to this conversation will give you a bit of a boost!     Connect with Damien on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/damiendavisuk

A lot of conversations with clients and audiences recently have been about consistency.   Starting a new habit is one thing, sustaining it takes a whole other set of strategies.   This episode gives a few insights about how to achieve this, and find a level of consistency that keeps you on track for continual progress.   - Why small actions can make a big difference - The anatomy of a habit and what that's important for consistency - How to avoid being Derailed by slip ups - Creating habits that serve rather than enslave you - Why it is essential to acknowledge the wins along the way   If consistency is one of your priorities for this year then this episode may be just what you need for a bit of a boost!  

I'm joined today by the chief operating officer at Genistar - one of the fastest growing financial services companies in the UK - Michael Cody.   But you're not going to hear us talking about financial services, or even his role as a COO, but you are going to hear about his incredible transformation over the last few years.   At the end of 2020 Michael weighed over 32 stone - that's 451 pounds or 204 kg and a BMI of over 60.   Today he weighs under 18 stone, having lost - or as he puts it - ‘released' - over 14 stone which is just about how much I weigh and I'm not particularly light.   The real gold in this conversation isn't the mechanics by which Michael achieved this, but the mindset he has adopted that has allowed him to be so consistent.   We talk about identity and beliefs, the way you speak to yourself, self-compassion, being intentional, self-leadership and sovereignty, the importance of your environment, and designing systems into your life that allow you to succeed.   Michael shares the impact that this has had on so many areas of his life, and of course I ask him about his energy and how he feels since adopting new habits and upgrading his life systems.   This interview is packed with wisdom and inspiration and yes, some of the actual changes that Michael made in order to lose the weight but that really is secondary to the deeper inner work that I hope this inspires for you as well.   You may not be on a weight loss journey but the principles of mindset changes when you embark on any major goal are relevant regardless of the context.

Happy 2025!   It's the time of year when a lot of people will be setting New Year resolutions, even though they have a spectacularly high failure rate!   In this episode I discuss the difference between goals and resolutions (and why the confusion between the two is often partly to blame for the failure), and share some top tips for setting resolutions that stick.   Some people say that you shouldn't need to wait for January to bring about change in your life but if it's done the right way it can be the perfect time for it!   I'm looking forward to resuming regular episodes with interviews and more solo podcasts, and hopefully there'll be something in there to give you a bit of a boost.

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   I went to the National Sales Conference in June and one of the highlights for me was seeing Jim Steele delivering his keynote.   Jim is described as a ‘holistic performance strategist' and as soon as the conference ended I was straight over to invite him on the show!   This conversation was a real treat for me as bounced around ideas for high performance, motivation and wellbeing, many of which are described in more detail in Jim's book ‘Unashamedly Superhuman'.   We talk about a wide range of topics including:   The simple formula for performance - event plus response - outcome.   The importance of active recovery and mental fitness.   The link between our mindset and the conditions we find ourselves in, and the 4 quadrants of performance.   Jim also explains what he means by ‘unashamedly superhuman, and shares some of his favourite tools that he uses personally as he strives towards this.   There is a ton of great ideas and insights in this episode but if you've not had enough by the end of it make sure you check out Jim's website hplab.co.uk, the book itself and some of the other resources and courses he offers.   Follow Jim's work on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jswsteele   Get the book here:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119828511   Website: https://hplab.co.uk  

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   My guest on today's show is Cath Bishop, a personal trainer and women's wellness coach who has a deep passion and commitment to self-healing.   We get into a number of different topics in our conversation today, including inflammation, menopause, fibromyalgia and plant-based nutrition.   Cath shares some really practical ways to reduce inflammation and why it can be beneficial, and some of the other ways that she works with her clients to help them boost their wellbeing and energy.   She has a brand new online wellness programme – the ‘Complete Body Reboot'  - which specifically helps menopausal women regain control of their health, as well as live lunchtime workouts and a whole range of other useful resources on her website   I think you'll find today's episode interesting and uplifting, and packed with ideas to give you a bit of a boost.   Connect with Cath on all the socials: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MenopauseResetCath Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menopause.reset Website: https://www.menopause-reset.com/online-wellness-programme Reboot30 Live workouts: https://www.menopause-reset.com/live-lunchtime-home-workouts  

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   10 years ago I was mid-way through running 10 marathons in 10 days and it felt fitting that I record an episode on the topic this week as I reflect on this challenge.   There were 10 big lessons that I took away from this challenge that I recorded soon afterwards, and reading back over them recently made me realise how many of them I have ingrained into my life.   This episode delves into each of these lessons and how they apply to a variety of different aspects of life beyond running or sports, and then as I went to upload the episode I realised that I did actually record a similar episode about 2.5 years ago!   The one that seems to resonate in particular is 'you can only run the road that you're on', hence the name of this particular episode.   So here we have it, my updated version, possibly with a few new reflections in case you're feeling short changed by having a repeat topic to listen to!

Welcome to A Bit Of A Boost, I'm George Anderson, a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   I recently returned from a week away with the family and a couple of people asked if I exercise whilst I'm away, or put my feet up and relax.   The short answer is 'both', but the longer answer is this 16 minute podcast episode!   Listen in to find out about my personal approach to training whilst on holiday / vacation.   I hope this episode gives you a bit of a boost!

You know how important mindset is to you approach to challenges and other situations, but how do you go about improving it?   It's about more than 'being more positive', and the more awareness and understanding you have about your mindset the easier it becomes to start making changes that will benefit you.   In this episode I describe the 4 Peak Performance Mindsets, how to spot them and what you can do to start developing them.   I have developed a free self-diagnostic tool you can use to determine your Performance Mindset Score, and see how you are doing for each of them 4 Mindsets individually.   bygeorganderson.scoreapp.com   This will give you a starting point to start developing them in day to day situations, so that they become your defauly mode of operation.   There is also a brand new Mindset Boost program available on the Boost Wellbeing & Performance app, that guides you through the process of strengthening each of the 4 Mindsets:   bygeorgeanderson.com/mindset-boost    

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   I'm delighted to welcome back to the show one of my favourite guests, David Robson who previously joined me back in February last year after I had read his book The Expectation Effect.   I've just finished reading his latest book and I think you'll find our conversation about it today both interesting and informative.   The book is called The Laws Of Connection and is really a play book for how we can build deeper and more meaningful relationships with the people around us, and also some of the more unexpected benefits from doing so.   David also unpacks some of the research that shows how we may be better at socialising than we may think, talking about phenomena such as the Liking Gap.   Of course, I highly recommend you have a read of the book itself which is out this week, but in this podcast we get into several of the 13 strategies and learn many new things:   how asking for help benefits you and the person you're asking how to express gratitude and pay compliments effectively and why a strong social network even improves our ability to fight off illness.   I think you're going to enjoy this one, so get ready for a bit of a boost!   The book is available on Amazon and all good book stores.   Read more about David on his website here: https://davidrobson.me

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   After a short break from the podcast I'm back, with a look at INNER performance... what it is,  how to measure it, and how and why to improve it.   Usually when we think about performance our thoughts run to the external markers; the KPIs at work, the times we run or the weight we lift in our training, or generally the results we're getting in life.   But all of these are outcomes that are influenced by our inner performance.   Your focus, clarity, empathy, mindset, optimism, energy... all of these (and many more) elements will have an impact on your behaviours which in turn largely dictates your results.   If you're enjoying A Bit Of A Boost and would like to leave a review or rating, I would very much appreciate the support. Equally if you give the show a follow or subscribe and share your favourite episodes with your friends, all of this helps me to spread the word and reach more people.  

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   My guest on today's podcast is author of the book The Curveball, Colby Sharma.     Colby shares his own personal story of growing up and having to overcome adversity, and how this experience lead him on the path not only succeed in his education and a career in law, but ultimately to become a real motivator and expert in resilience.   During the course of our conversation we get into the 4 central messages in his book, and what I love about the way Colby describes them is the way he makes them so practical.   It's very easy to think of resilience as quite an abstract quality, that we maybe know we should have more of or be better at, but how exactly do we do that?   We talk about breaking big challenges down into manageable steps, how to get better at controlling our response to difficult situations, prioritising the rituals that lead to our best performance and building a team around us that can support us through anything.   We both end up sharing personal experiences through the course of our conversation, and some interesting insights came through for me right here within the interview which was a reminder in case I needed it that we are all always learning.   Colby's book 'The Curveball' is available from Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/2xPW83L   Connect with Colby on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colbysharma  

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   Today we discuss strengths... not the 'strengths and weaknesses' where you should 'work on your weaknesses to turn them into your strengths', but the elements of your character that you may or not already be aware of are something of a super power.   I talk a lot about strengths with my clients and in presentations, and there's a free tool you can use to identify your top 5 'Signature Strengths'.   If you head over to https://viacharacter.org you can take the free survey and I encourage you to do so (after listening to today's episode of course!)   The 24 Character Strengths are grouped into 6 categories:   Wisdom 1) Creativity 2) Curiosity 3) Open-mindedness 4) Love of learning 5) Perspective Courage 6) Honesty 7) Bravery 8) Persistence 9) Zest Humanity 10) Kindness 11) Love 12) Social intelligence Justice 13) Fairness 14) Leadership 15) Teamwork Temperance 16) Forgiveness 17) Humility 18) Prudence 19) Self-regulation Transcendence 20) Appreciation of beauty 21) Gratitude 22) Hope 23) Humor 24) Spirituality   We all have all of these strengths, but some come more naturally to us than others and it's the top 5 that we're really interested in.   If you can find ways to harness and use these strengths more, you can elevate your wellbeing, performance and impact in almost any aspect of your life.  

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   I came across some research recently about the impact of open water swimming on menopause symptoms, and was delighted when the study author Professor Joyce Harper accepted my invitation to join me on the podcast to discuss it.   Having had an overwhelmingly positive response to a previous episode on menopause with Catherine O'Keeffe I know this is a topic that many of you are interested in so I was excited to get into the topic again.   Joyce Harper is an award winning Professor of Reproductive Science at the Institute for Women's Health, University College London.   She has worked in the fields of fertility, genetics, reproductive health and women's health for over 30 years, is author of the book ‘Your Fertile Years' and host of the ‘Why didn't anyone tell me this?' podcast.   You can find out more about Joyce and her work at joyceharper.com   Purchase a copy of Your Fertile Years on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/152935627X   Listen to Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me This on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0Etr1ygKlT7aLgrW4B0fyg   Link to research and Joyce Harper's academic profile: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/jan/cold-water-swimming-improves-menopause-symptoms

I was fortunate enough to attend the recent World Happiness Summit (WOHASU) in London a couple of weeks ago and wanted to share a couple of takeaways from the event along with some more general observations about what comes up when I ask the question 'what does happiness mean to you?'   The strapline of the conference was 'Wellbeing is the Purpose' which gives a clue about at least one of the dimensions, but what does this really mean and how important is it that we find our purpose?   That's one topic that I get into in today's episode, along with the 2 different timescales that we can think about happiness in - short term moment by moment 'positive affect' happiness, and longer term life satisfaction.   Hopefully today's episode all about happiness will give you a bit of a boost!

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   There's a 'mild to moderate controversy warning' for today's episode, as we get into the topic of stretching… not ‘the best ways to stretch', but exploring the question ‘should we be stretching at all?'   As trainers we're taught the importance of stretching as part of a warm up routine to help avoid injury and to enhance the performance of your body during the workout.   Then at the end it's essential to stretch the muscles to return them to their original length, reducing muscle soreness and tightness the next day.   Then of course it's important to include developmental stretches in your routine so you can increase your joint range of motion and maintain flexibility through your life.   My guest today is Ryan Phillips, a personal trainer and Muscle Activation Technique (MAT) expert and in 2008 we sat side by side in our very first seminar on MAT at a fitness convention where we learned that maybe all wasn't as it seemed with these so-called ‘rules' about stretching.   For me it was interesting, for Ryan it was the start of a long journey into his education in MAT, and a successful practice that he now combines with personal training.   In our conversation today we start off by talking about some of the changes we've both seen in the fitness industry over the last 2 decades, and get into a topic I find fascinating which is why some people are ‘low responders' to different types of exercise.   If you've ever wondered why some people get far better results than others despite doing the exact same training, this will give you some interesting insights!   And then we really get into MAT, what it is and even some simple ways you can start applying the principles today.   We discuss why, if stretching is so ineffective - or even BAD for us - it can feel so good?   Ryan explains what's actually happening to our muscles and joints when we stretch, and the role the nervous system has to play in muscle tightness.   Ryan is a true master of the work that he does and his Instagram page @muscleactivation is packed with education, case studies and tip to help you move better, get stronger and reduce injuries.   Have a go at some of the exercises and movements that Ryan suggests during our interview, and notice what a difference it makes.    As well as Instagram, you can connect with Ryan and find out more about his 'Get Activated™️ Programme of Isometrics' on his website: https://www.phillips-fit-brighton.co.uk/get-activated   ======================= Some of the research that Ryan mentioned in our interview is listed here:   Stretching myth 1 - stretching improves your sporting performance:   A 60 second stretch before a vertical jump test reduced performance (jump height) by 3.4% http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24936897   Static stretching before running slowed down the initial 100m pace and jump height was reduced by over 9%   http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24905918 http://img2.timg.co.il/forums/1_150249330.pdf https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/Abstract/publishahead/Chronic_Effects_of_Static_and_Dynamic_Stretching.94938.aspx     Stretching myth 2 - stretching helps to prevent injuries:   A meta analysis of 60 different randomized control trials showed that stretching had no benefit to injury prevention what so ever. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24370993     Stretching myth 3 - stretching before/after exercise reduces muscle soreness:   No significant reductions in DOMS by stretching before/after exercise. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21735398     Stretching myth 4 - stretching increases range of motion in people with limited mobility due to contractures (chronically tight muscles):   "Stretch does not have clinically important effects on joint mobility in people with, or at risk of, contractures if performed for less than seven months. The effects of stretch performed for periods longer than seven months have not been investigated." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20824861     Stretching myth 5 - stretching your muscles makes them longer:   "After 6 weeks of static stretching, no structural change in muscle length was detected despite a significant increase in range of motion which can only be explained as being a change in tolerance to the stretch." http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24856792      Also, no structural change in fascial length after stretching: http://www.jelectromyographykinesiology.com/article/S1050-6411(15)00063-2/abstract?elsca1=etoc&elsca2=email&elsca3=1050-6411_201506_25_3_&elsca4=Orthopaedics  

Despite change being an inevitable part of life, it can cause quite a headache when it comes at us and feels like it's happening TO us.   I've covered this topic a few times on the podcast and many of my guests have mentioned it also, so today we're going to look at some of the reasons behind why it can be such a struggle, and 5 self-coaching questions to ask to help you feel more confident as you work through it.      

Welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   My guest today is described as a Mother, Marketer, Mariner, Motivator.    Felicity Ashley has an incredible and inspiring story and I thoroughly enjoyed interviewing her for this episode and extracting some of the lessons     Whenever I speak to somebody like Felicity, what interests me most isn't just the things that have happened but how they have responded to them.   You and I may never have a hip replacement in our early 40s, decide to row across an Ocean or have a potentially life changing medical diagnosis, but we will have our own versions of these challenges and there's so much we can take from how others like Felicity - whose story includes all of these episodes - have responded to them.   Make sure you take a look at Felicity's website felicityashley.com and follow her on the socials for more of her inspiration but for now, I hope this conversation gives you a bit of a boost.   https://www.linkedin.com/in/felicityashley https://www.instagram.com/mothership_twac   ================================= Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachgeorgeanderson https://bygeorgeanderson.com   I speak at conferences, away days and bespoke events on wellbeing and performance-related topics - email george@bygeorgeanderson.com to schedule a call to find out more!

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   i'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   Today I want to discuss an experience that all of us will have had, and no doubt will continue to have in one form or another - and that is disappointment.   We'll look at what disappointment is, what can cause, what happens in our brain and body, and how we can rethink it so that it becomes something that fires us up rather than crushes us down.    

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   My guest today brings with her a combination of deep wisdom and powerful mindset messages, all underpinned with a truly inspirational story.   I'm delighted to welcome the host of Mindset Kitchen, Dajana Paliokaite to the podcast to share her story and unpack some of the lessons she has learned over the years.   We talk about navigating change, both the kind that you intentionally bring into your life, and the kind that happens to you.   Dajana talks about how she dealt with the grief of losing her husband to cancer at a young age, including how she connected to the spirit world and trained as a medium, which opened up some really interesting insights.   On her own show Mindset Kitchen she asks her guests to share their 3 mindset messages and I was lucky enough to be invited on recently to share mine - make sure you check out that episode to find out what they were!   What was clear from the conversations I've had with her in the lead up to our episode and this podcast is that she has plenty of her own powerful and positive messages and she shares many of them with us today.   As well as exploring her approach to grief and all the change that came with losing someone, I ask her about how she built the vision and belief for something like Mindset Kitchen, given that she had no experience, connections or any sort of a clear plan of how to get there - her previous career was in investment banking which couldn't be further away from what she is doing now.   Dajana talks about how she built this belief and some of the stumbling blocks and challenges she had to overcome along the way.   Towards the end of the podcast I ask her what's next, having realised the initial vision of bringing Mindset Kitchen to life. She describes her goal of having the show turned into a production for Netflix and discussed the importance of being clear about what you want and communicating that to people around you.   Some will laugh or try to tell you why you can't do it, others will support and encourage you, and one or two might just be able to give you practical help and connect you with somebody who can help you on your way.   I'm excited to share this conversation with you today, and I know that it will give you a bit of a boost!   Connect with Dajana on her Mindset Kitchen website (subscribe to her emails) >> Follow on Spotify >>   Connect on socials: LinkedIn >> Instagram >> TikTok >> YouTube >> Facebook >>

When you think about resilience, mindset or mental toughness it's important not to see them as fixed qualities but rather attributes that you can develop - or cultivate.   In this episode I explore this simple idea and look at the many ways we have to do just that, through deliberate day to day actions that we are in control of and then reframing situations where we perhaps feel less in control.   I believe that there's practical application of this idea for all of us so as you listen think about how you could apply it to your own life.

Hello and welcome to A Bit Of A Boost with me, George Anderson   I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   On today's episode I welcome to the show a lady who's sports nutrition books I have been reading for over 20 years.   Anita Bean is a registered nutritionist, health writer and author and as well as writing over 20 books and hundreds of articles has been a lifelong advocate of strength training and became the British bodybuilding champion in 1991.   She has worked with the British Olympic Association, London Marathon, Swim England and Ride London, and I met her a few weeks ago after seeing her keep a huge audience engaged on the main stage at the National Running Show in Birmingham.   In our interview I asked her about the major shifts in our understanding of sports and performance nutrition, which opened up conversations about intermittent fasting, the role and importance of carbs, supplements, plant-based eating and gut health.   Talking to Anita was a reminder of the importance of checking in with the latest research when making decisions about our approach to key elements of our wellbeing like nutrition.   The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition has had 9 editions since she first published it in 1993, demonstrating Anita's dedication to bringing the latest scientific consensus to you and I in a way that's both easy to understand and put into practice.   She shares some great insights in this episode so get ready for a bit of a boost!   Visit Anita's website to find out more about her work and books https://anitabean.co.uk   Connect on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anitabean1  

Welcome to A Bit Of A Boost; I'm George Anderson and I'm a wellbeing and performance coach, speaker and author and this podcast brings together guest experts, inspirational stories and ideas that I hope will you a bit of a boost.   Today's solo episode shares a simple strategy that may help you in those moments when you feel you're lacking motivation: take action FIRST!   Putting action ahead of the need for motivation can have a surprising effect, and although some may call it simply lying to yourself, I've found it to be an effective method of getting more done even when I don't really want to.

Often on A Bit Of A Boost I have guests who are experts in their field, sometimes guests share their inspirational stories, and other times I invite people who have developed certain wellbeing and performance strategies that they are effectively using in their every day personal and professional lives.   Today's episode is one such person: Sukhraj Takhar, who is the non-financial risk director at Direct Line Group.   I interviewed Sukhraj for another piece of work I was involved with and felt that his philosophy and approach to his life was something that I wanted to share with you.   So I'm delighted that he's come back to delve deeper into some of our conversation about wellbeing and high performance and some of the habits he has adopted over the years.   One of the main topics that we get into in today's podcast is meditation.   Sukhraj describes the unexpected influence that got him started, some of the challenges faced by many when it comes to incorporating it a regular practice, the techniques involved and the benefits that keep him coming back to it as an essential daily ritual.   We cover other topics such as self-awareness, metacognition & cognition, identity and having better conversations.   This is a fascinating conversation that I was delighted to be able to record and share with you, and if you'd like to connect with Sukhraj you can find him on LinkedIn here:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/sukhraj-takhar-3ab02526  

Today's episode draws on a couple of themes from previous episodes, in particular the interview with Dave Robson on his book 'The Expectation Effect' (13th February 2023), and the episode on optimism from 19th February 2021, and gets into the topic of self-talk and beliefs.   Beliefs impact thoughts, emotions, behaviours and even physiology and so it makes sense to pay attention to what you're paying attention to.    

I'm joined on the podcast today by love and relationship coach Heather Garbutt to talk about the 5 Love Languages (and the additional 6th that Heather also talks about).   Love Languages is the work of marriage counselor Dr Gary Chapman published in his 1992 book and Heather integrates it into the work she does with individuals and couples as part of her psycotherapy practice.   It's not just romantic love from a partner, but also from parent to child or even appreciation between colleagues at work.   This is a really interesting topic because it gets right into what's at the heart of all relationships which is communication.   We talk about expectations, assumptions, and of course the inner narrative that accompanies all of the beliefs we hold about what people should be doing or how we should be acting.   If this is the first time you've come across the Love Languages I'm sure there will be many lightbulb moments as you listen to our conversation, and if you're already familiar I'd encourage you to listen to the discussion against the backdrop of some of your own relationships.   You can find out more about Heather and her work on her website https://heathergarbutt.com or visit her LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-garbutt-44a62b22  

How you talk to yourself matters and having a few set phrases to say to yourself can act like your inner coach who kicks you into action.   Through 2024 I will be publishing a number of short episodes with ideas, insights or thoughts that you may be able to apply in your own life.   Today's episode gets into the topic of mantras, and how they can be potent triggers to take a pre-agreed course of action.

My guest on today's episode - the first of 2024 - is a very special friend of mine, Heather Barrett.   Over the years we have had so many conversations where we've got to the end and said 'we should have recorded that!', so I'm delighted to have finally managed to do exactly that.   Heather is an executive coach and author, and over the years she's been my go-to whenever I'm stuck, struggling or have an idea I want to develop.   One of the things I was keen to talk to Heather about for this podcast was her deep sense of intuition which has always been something that has intrigued me.   I wanted to dig into this and find out how she developed it to become one of her superpowers, and how the rest of us can do so as well.   This was the first 'long form' podcast that I have recorded, and we covered a lot of ground in the 2.5 hours that we talked for.   Although intuition was the main topic I wanted to explore it lead us to talk about the following as well:   - Setting intentions - Giving yourself permission - Vulnerability and self-compassion - Gremlins and negative self-talk - Creating an infrastructure for success - Consistency - Underestimating the things that come most easily to us - Creating boundaries - Finding purpose - Imposter Syndrome - Comfort zones   I hope you enjoy this episode and that my conversation with Heather gives you a bit of a boost!

Every year I've had some process for looking back over the previous 12 months and then setting goals and making plans for the next 12.   This year I developed a new framework and it's one that I'll be using much more frequently through the year.   The 5Rs are Review > Reflect > Reconnect > Refine > Realign   In this episode I describe each element, why it's important and how to use it as part of an annual check in and also through the year.   Whatever your 2023 has been like I hope you're looking forward to and lining up for a big 2024, and I'll be right here alongside you ready with A Bit Of A Boost when you need it!

It's been a couple of months since the last episode of A Bit Of A Boost and I'm keen to get things back to a regular schedule again!   If you've ever found a good habit drift away to the point where it's no longer there, then this episode contains some questions to ask yourself that could help get you back on track.    

I have a very special guest on the show today, somebody who's research I have been following for a number of years and that is having a tremendous impact on creating better places to work around the world.   Professor Christina Maslach is a social psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, and has been studying burnout for over 4 decades.    When we think about engagement, burnout, or wellbeing at work it would be impossible to do so without getting into some of the areas that Christina and her team have explored and researched over the years.   With the focus on these topics becoming ever stronger the work that Christina has done to put the challenges and ideas into frameworks and models that make them easier to understand and take action on has become even more important.   Her latest book ‘The Burnout Challenge' lays down these frameworks and explains how we can start to take action on an individual basis to support our wellbeing and engagement at work, but more importantly what leaders and managers can do to create the environments that will enable their teams to thrive.   In our conversation today we talk about the 3 dimensions of burnout and the 6 'job-person mismatches' that could predict our tendency towards disengagement and burnout.   Christina shares examples and suggests starting points for how we can start to bring about change in teams and organisations regardless of size and whether they are remote, hybrid or back in the office.   Our conversation is the tip of the iceberg and I strongly encourage anybody with an interest in driving engagement in their teams to get a hold of The Burnout Challenge, read it thoroughly and start to take action!   The Burnout Challenge > https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burnout-Challenge-Managing-Peoples-Relationships/dp/0674251016   Christina Maslach profile > https://psychology.berkeley.edu/people/christina-maslach  

I love the expression ‘success leaves clues' and today I get to talk to a man who has plenty of these clues to share!   So often we look at people who are already achieving what we want to achieve - whether that's in their careers, personal life or with their physical wellbeing - and focus on the results that they're getting.   This can be inspirational, but it can also lead to comparison, or a sense of not-enough-ness, which ultimately has the opposite effect to motivating or instructing us.   Paul Avins is a business coach and mentor specialising in helping already successful entrepreneurs and business owners to scale up, and become even more successful.   As you can imagine, he's made a few observations over the years about some of the habits and approaches that high performers have in common, and has integrated many of these into his own day to day philosophy.   We talk about mindset and attitude, habits and routines, energy and flow, and Paul also shares some of his own personal story which incredibly includes a rather pivotal wake up call 9 years ago after coming very close to death.   I was particularly excited about recording this interview with Paul because later this week - depending on when you're listening! - I'll be speaking at one of his mastermind events and this is another topic we get into during our conversation today.   Paul regularly shares valuable content on LinkedIn so that's the place to follow and connect with him: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulavins   For longer video content check out his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@paulavins   His main website is https://www.paulavins.com and for a free 90 minute masterclass visit  https://www.scaleupmasterclass.co.uk  

Following a bit of a break from the podcast over the last few weeks I have a new series of interviews and solo episodes lined up.   But first though I thought I'd start with a topic that's always top of my mind around this time of year (September - though it's relevant whenever you're listening to it!): resetting your 'environments'.   We have several environments that I touch on in this episode; notably the internal and external ones.   Every year as a personal trainer I saw a significant increase in enquiries in September as the chaos of summer gives way to a more structured and predictable few months to the end of the year.   It's like the new year, but without the pressure.   A good time to make a few changes, reclaim a few good habits and get set for some change.   I've personally I've always found it a good time to review goals, make plans and get organised, which itself can lead to a nice boost of motivation.   So in today's episode we get into this topic, and some of the things you might want to consider.   I would also love to hear from you if you have suggestions for future episodes. Books you may have read and want to know more about, challenges you've been experiencing, things you've heard about but don't fully understand...   Drop me a line at george@bygeorgeanderson.com or connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/coachgeorgeanderson and let me know!    I hope you enjoy this episode and that it gives you a bit of a boost! 

“I know what to do, but I just don't do it!”   If you've ever found yourself saying these words to yourself then you're not alone. With so many things that you could be doing to help boost your physical and mental wellbeing, it can feel overwhelming when there's no structure.   This episode outlines a series of points in the day where a set of behaviours can be turned into routines, rituals and habits that have a positive impact for minimum effort. The idea isn't to try and do them all, but rather to find the ones you think will be sustainable and have the biggest difference.   Pick 5-10 new things that you want to try and add in, then set up a tracker so you can note your progress. Don't worry about missing a few days here and there, but try to build up a picture of the changes you are making and what differences you're noticing.   You can download a copy of the notes for this episode with all of the habits and behaviours briefly described by visiting the website bygeorgeanderson.com/podcast   This is a direct download with no email-opt-in required, though whilst you're over there you wish to sign up to my occasional email musings anyway!

If you've ever found yourself at a fork in the road, needing to make a decision - or the default of NOT making one - then this strategy might come in handy.   It's a simple thought exercise that can bring clarity to the decision, and ensure that you won't look back at a later date with regrets.   Hindsight can mess with our memories and what seems obvious now we assume must have been obvious back when we made our choice.   This method prevents this from happening and can help give you the confidence to make the call.    

If you've ever thought to yourself "I wish I'd been more confident!", or "I shouldn't have got so angry...", then being more intentional could help shake you out of your default reaction patterns.   In this short solo episode I share some of the ways that being intentional can help you show up as your best self more consistently, and improve the way that other people (and you!) experiences you.   We take abstract 'showing up words' and turn them into real world demonstrations of how you want to be, and look at a number of different scenarios where this technique can be helpful.   Being intentional is like an antidote to autopilot as it makes you more mindful and deliberate about the way you choose to respond. You won't always get it perfect, but being intentional vastly increases your chances!    

The world of wellbeing has changed a lot in the 20 years that I've been professionally involved in it. One of the biggest areas of development has been in the science and research, driven by the relatively new area of positive psychology.   My guest on today's episode spent 12 years researching the subject of happiness and positive psychology for his PhD and he shares some of what he learned in that time.   Dr Andy Cope - AKA The Doctor Of Happiness, AKA Dr Happy - lives and breathes the practical applications of the science to our every day lives.   Much of what we intuitively knew about how we should be taking care of ourselves has been proven through numerous studies, and one of the most exciting developments has been the shift towards happiness as a 'performance enhancer'.   We have more energy, we're more creative, more productive, more resilient and concentrate better when we're happy, but is it as simple as just deciding that's how we're going to be?   Andy and I get into this topic, as well as what happiness really means, and what is it that differentiates what he calls the ‘2 percenters' when it comes to performance.   Andy has written numerous books for adults and children (including the Spy Dog series!), and is the host of the Art Of Brilliance podcast.   https://www.artofbrilliance.co.uk  

Setting big goals is the bread and butter of ambitious people. But when you are solely focused on 'what's next', it can push happiness out to a future that keeps moving further away.   On the other hand, you may not want to 'play small' and get too content with what you have in case it diminshes your drive and ambition to become all that you can.   So how do we tackle this conundrum?   My guest on today's episode is Kate Trafford, a coach, speaker and author of the book 'Get There, Love Here! The busy professional's guide to authentic, enjoyable success'.   Kate helps successful professionals wrestle with these seemingly opposing attitudes and helps her today she shares some of her insights.   We talk about authenticicy (and what it really means), purpose, courage and character strengths, and why for some people 'getting there and loving here' may require a change of job or even career, for most of us it can be achieved with a few tweaks to the current role.   A lot of the conversation today is about quite high level thinky topics, but Kate brings it back to practical steps we can take to boost happiness in the present whilst accelerating towards our most meaningful goals.   Connect with Kate on LinkedIn here (https://www.linkedin.com/in/katetrafford) or check out her website where you can buy her highly recommended book (https://www.katetrafford.com).   Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-There-Love-Here-professionals/dp/1912300869      

Continuing our series of interviews with people out there in the real world using their powers of resilience, wellbeing, mindset and motivation in their day to day jobs, this week we have Gökhan Nazenin, the MD Europe at Paycore.   We set out to talk about motivation as this is a topic that has come up in a couple of our conversations over the last couple of years since we first met, but as predicted we move along all kinds of tangents.   We talk about the importance of building habits and systems, how to cultivate confidence and overcome the fear of rejection, the dangers of toxic appreciation and finding the balance between holding yourself to account and being self-compassionate.   The subject of motivation is such an interesting one as it's 'easy' to be motivated when things are going well, but how about when they're falling apart?   How do you stay on track and motivated to keep going in those conditions?   Dive in and find out, and don't forget to connect with Gökhan on LinkedIn to follow his posts: https://www.linkedin.com/in/g%C3%B6khan-nazenin-86aa365b  

Continuing the series of interviews with 'in the trenches professionals', this week we have Shopify's Matthias Kleven.   One of the biggest workplace challenges at the moment is the number of meetings that are in diaries.   Of course, meetings can be an essential part of collaboration and productivity, but the conversations I've been having lately with coaching clients and in audiences I speak to suggests that the amount of time spent in meetings is detracting rather than adding to productivity and wellbeing.   Matthias is a sales lead at Shopify which is a company that had a pretty punchy response to the whole too many meetings conundrum at the start of 2023.   Matthias explains how the new Shopify meeting policies were implemented and what it's meant from a practical point of view when it comes to getting work done and managing his team.   We talk about asynchronous work and other more effective methods of communication, work life balance, prioritising, natural energy rhythms and the concept of Deep Work.   There are some great insights from this conversation that can be applied to anybody's workflow to boost productivity, effectiveness and wellbeing.   Matthias also has his own podcast, Free Shipping, where he interviews merchants and entrepreneurs about their journeys. https://rss.com/podcasts/freeshippinguk   You can connect with Matthias via LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthiaskleven  

I'm joined today by the chief business development officer at Exness, Artem Seledtsov who I met during a wellness consultation as part of the Senior Executive Program at the London Business School.   As we spoke that day it soon became clear that he already had a number of high performance wellbeing habits and in our conversation today he shares what some of them are.   Arty also talks about what life was like for him in his 20s when he was out of shape and struggling with his weight, and the pressure of conforming to a corporate culture that had a very narrow view of what success looked like.   Now, as an advocate for wellbeing and a true example of how to combine healthy habits with a high-pressure role he walks us through a typical day and some of the non-negotiable features that enable him to perform at a consistently high level.   His approach to switching off at the end of the day, scheduling in time for himself during the day including exercise and eating, and defending his time in a way that boosts his effectiveness and productivity.   Arty shares how he started the process of making these changes 12 years ago, some of the challenges he faced and how he overcame them.   And with a team of 350 people, we talk about his approach to motivation, mindset and leadership, in the context of managing a remote workforce spread across the globe.   Connect with Arty via LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/artemseledtsov

Most of my interviews for this podcast are with subject matter experts, or inspirational individuals sharing their stories, and I have loads more of these lined up as well, but for the next few episodes I have a something slightly different.   Through my presenting and coaching work I get to speak to many really interesting people, many of whom are already doing some aspect of wellbeing and performance really well.   It's like they've cracked part of the code and gained some crucial insights that have helped them through a successful career, and after one of these conversations I thought to myself, ‘I wish I'd recorded that it would have made an awesome episode for the podcast!'   So I've managed to pin a few of them down to do just that - talk about some aspect of wellbeing and performance, and share their approach, experiences or insights in a way that we can all learn from.   Today's episode is the first of this series, and I get to speak to Maninder Randhawa, the UK, Ireland, Middle East & Africa Early Careers Leader at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, about a topic that's come up a few times in the sessions he's been on where I've been presenting - Imposter Syndrome.   He shares his own experiences and understanding of what it is, how it's held him back in the past and how - even though it's still present for him - he's learned to manage it more effectively.   We talk about:   - Comparing ourselves with other people - Why it's important to focus on our own unique skills beyond our technical expertise - How to build the mindset where you anticipate and embrace imposter syndrome - Why imposter syndrome is an indication of learning opportunities - The importance of a coach or mentor - Identifying a tendency to focus on the negatives and ignore the positive - Mindset strategies to counter holding back    This is a conversation that I know many people will relate to and I've had my own experiences with it as well, and if you would like to connect with Mani you can find him here on LinkedIn:   https://www.linkedin.com/in/maninder-randhawa-88179552

Ahead of moving into a series of interviews with professionals where I'll be attempting to extract how they're 'doing' wellbeing and performance in their every day lives, I wanted to hit pause and reflect on the last 16 interviews I've done so far this year.   One of the best things about running a podcast is the guests I get to meet and speak to as a part of the show.    I always end up learning something personally from these conversations and in this episode I summarise what some of those lessons or reminders have been.    

I'm joinined this week by mindfulness coach and ex-RAF helicopter pilot Sarah Furness to share her insights into mindfulness.   It's a topic that can divide opinions, but Sarah's approach to practicing and using it is highly practical and no-nonsense.   Today we talk about what mindfulness is and isn't, and situations in every day life where it can be helpful to have more presence and awareness.   Sarah has been on the podcast previously about a year and a half ago and talking about resilience and control and much of her work as a coach and speaker is now centred on the topic of mindfulness.   I recently read her first book 'Fly Higher - train your mind to feel as strong as you think' which among other things details a number of different approaches, some of which we get into talking about today.   The book is available on Amazon and Sarah's website: https://sarahfurness.com   Also make sure you connect with Sarah on LinkedIn where she regularly shares insights and reflections that make you stop and think! https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-furness-7173a538

Have you ever fallen off the wagon and told yourself you'll start again on Monday?    Or started a new exercise habit and said ‘this time I'll make it stick'… only to find yourself getting home from work the next night exhausted and stressed and opting for a night on the couch instead of going to the gym?   We all have our own narratives that have the potential to derail us and my guest today is somebody who's unpacked her fair share of them, both personally and with her coaching clients.   Sonia Jhas is a mindset coach, speaker, and author of the book, “I'll start again tomorrow (and other lies I've told myself)”. I'm fascinated by the power our inner voice has to either encourage us towards our goals and growth or hold us back and Sonia's approach to understanding and gently changing this narrative is refreshing and honest.   We talk about how to identify limiting beliefs, (which can be a challenge when we… well, believe them!), then how to start chipping away at changing them.   Sonia shares her alternative approach to practicing gratitude, and how to balance holding ourselves to account with enough self-compassion that we don't feel crushed or inadequate when we miss the mark.   There's a ton of useful insights and techniques you can take away from this conversation and Sonia has really made a name for herself with not just her content but also her personality, energy and ability to connect with her audiences so I know that this episode is going to give you a bit of a boost!   Connect with Sonia here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soniajhas Website: https://soniajhas.com  

========================== Check out the 6 week Spring Boost fitness program starting Monday 17 April If your fitness and exercise routine has hit a bit of a plateau or decline lately, this could be the perfect way to get back on track and build some positive habits. https://bygeorgeanderson.com/spring-boost ==========================   I've been having an increasing number of conversations lately with people telling me they've noticed their fitness either in a bit of a rut or declining.   Although I've covered exercise on this podcast before I've not tackled the topic of fitness directly, so wanted to pull together a number of related topics that could become a useful resource for you.   In this episode I cover: - Getting clear about what fitness means to you (without this clarity it can be very difficult to make any real progress)   - The 5 elements of physical fitness, cardio endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility and skill - How we get fitter: stimulus, adaptation, super-compensation and the overload principle   - Some of my favourite ways to build overall fitness rapidly and efficiently, minimising time spent in the process   - How to eliminate or reframe the discomfort often associated with exercise   - Different ways to measure fitness and the one we should all be using   Nothing can beat the feeling of being physically fit, and you're the only person who can do it for yourself.   Define what fitness means to you, build the habits that will get you and keep you there, and enjoy the feeling along the way!   IF you want to find out more about the 6 week Spring Boost, check out the website at https://bygeorgeanderson.com/spring-boost for more information and to register.