The You Project

Some of us have been getting in our own way for years. Shooting ourselves in the metaphoric foot, undermining our own goals, sabotaging our dreams and quite often, being the biggest barrier to our own success. In this broadly-relevant episode, I unpack ten common forms of self-sabotage and some potential remedies. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This was a fun episode exploring everything from the new more 'affordable’ addictions, the changing habits (pun intended) of addicted Aussies, the science of starting a cult, Epstein Island, the death of cigarettes, how to hijack a young brain, Gillespo's new book and lots more. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How well can you adapt? Deal with the unknown, uncertain, uncomfortable, unfamiliar and unpredictable (all the 'uns')? According to Dr. Carlos Davidovich (MD), in terms of real-world function, success and survival, our ability to adapt (AQ), might even be more important than IQ and EQ (it's more renowned cousins - lol). This chat with the Doc (a new TYP guest) was super enjoyable and we covered a myriad of relevant and fascinating topics. **BIO: Carlos Davidovich, MD, is an executive coach, TED speaker, and the author of Five Brain Leadership: How Neuroscience Can Help You Master Your Instincts and Build Better Teams. With over 20 years of coaching experience across Europe and North America, Carlos works with executives from Google, Netflix, and global biotech firms - guiding them to master decision-making, emotional regulation, and adaptability by understanding the real drivers behind performance: the brain.carlosdavidovich.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we are revisiting a fascinating conversation about human optimisation. Specifically, getting ‘better’ as we get older, challenging pre-existing norms and beliefs around physical potential for over forties, life-long learning, skill development, optimal cognitive performance at any age, self-limiting thinking, flow states, behavioural neuroscience and lots more. BIO: Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, an award-winning journalist, and the Executive Director of the Flow Research Collective. He is one of the world’s leading experts on human performance. He is the author of ten bestsellers (out of fourteen books), including The Art of Impossible, The Future is Faster Than You Think, Stealing Fire, The Rise of Superman, Bold and Abundance. His work has been nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes, translated into over 40 languages, and has appeared in over 100 publications, including the New York Times Magazine, Wired, Atlantic Monthly, Wall Street Journal, TIME, and the Harvard Business Review.stevenkotler.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the context of the average Aussie life expectancy for a bloke being 81.1 years and me being 62 in September, statistically I'm on the home straight. If I'm 'typical', I'm 75% cooked. And knowing that the last few years for most people aren't exactly... awesome, it's probably time that I at least think about what I want the rest of my ‘life experience' to be, and how I might make that happen. This chat with Tiff was a never-had-before conversation for this show. And BTW, it ain't as sad as it sounds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this chat with the loveable TYP Nerd (and Tiff), we talk about concrete being made (partially) from leftover coffee grounds, why your dishwasher might be bad for your health, the Doctor vs. Al diagnosis showdown, companies getting in trouble for dodgy Al applications, the phone maker that's now a best-selling car maker, a new gadget to help phone addicts, why you shouldn't watch videos at two times speed, the new gizmo that stores data for 5,000 years (not sure we need that) and finally, how hackers are attacking your Bluetooth earbuds and headphones. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This was a reflective and meandering chat with Bobby and I loved it. We meandered through lessons and insights from childhood (his and mine), random acts of kindness, giving vs. getting, beliefs that we abandoned, the health benefits of social connection and Bobby shared a couple of great personal stories. Enjoy.theselfhelpantidote.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What I love about Dr. Jeff is that, apart from being a Medical Doctor and a Spine Fellowship Trained Neurological Surgeon, he's medically curious, open-minded and is constantly pushing himself to better understand how to treat and serve his patients. In a world of medical conformists prescribing treatments that often don't work and sometimes create even more problems, it's great to chat with a Doctor who's willing to think outside the box and consider the possibility that Western Medicine doesn't hold all the answers.recellebrate.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Rebecca Lemov is a historian of science at Harvard University, specialising in the history of the human and behavioural sciences. She serves as a Professor in the Department of the History of Science and is the Director of Undergraduate Studies. She's also just written a book called 'The Instability of Truth: Brainwashing, Mind Control, and Hyperpersuasion', and I only wish that I had more than an hour to tap into the vast pool of knowledge, research, science, controversy, and history that resides in her brilliant mind. This was fascinating.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hi Team, I’m back on deck from tomorrow with new eps but today I’m re-sharing one of my favourites with a legit guru. *I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t know who Peter Crone was before this interview was booked and while that was my loss, this chat was definitely my gain. Smart, insightful, intuitive and so gifted at exploring and explaining the human condition. I’m privileged to do what I do and meet the people I do on TYP and for me, this was just another great day at the office. Enjoy. @petercroneSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a weird, brief (but interesting) mini-pod. You might like it. A study published in the Journal of Experimental Biology found that walking on soft sand expends approximately 2.1 to 2.7 times more energy expenditure than walking at the same speed on a firm surface. In simple terms, 81kg me (Harps) walking for an hour on a hard surface at 5 kph would burn about 280 calories, compared with me doing the same thing on soft sand (same activity, same speed, same time, same body) and potentially, burning up to 756 calories (2.7X)! I get a little exercise geeky in this ep, but the idea (changing one variable) is also useful for a range of other non-exercise applications. EnjoySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this chat with TYP fave Dr. Jodi Richardson, we talk about navigating life with anxiety and we explore some interesting questions like.. what's something that most people get wrong about anxiety? How do we tell the difference between "normal" worry and a clinical anxiety disorder? What's actually happening in the brain and body during an anxious moment? Are we over-pathologising uncomfortable emotions, or are we under-treating genuine mental health issues? Or something else? When does "protecting our kids" become more of a hindrance than a help? What’s the role of risk-taking in building resilience? And lots more. Enjoy.drjodirichardson.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This time around, Bobby and I talk about the art, science and practice of reading a room, understanding an audience, building rapport, developing confidence and supporting the content (information) with humour, story-telling, interaction and timing. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Blokes can become a dad at any age" is the story most of us have been told. And while it's kind-of true, it's only part of the story. And who better to pull back the metaphoric curtain on the truth about ageing swimmers than our resident researcher, feather-ruffler and award-winning author, David Gillespie. Also (at no extra cost) we chat about the science behind fish oils and their alleged health benefits. It appears we may have been somewhat mislead so when it comes to their magical powers. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Purpose. Do we have only one? Or maybe more? Does it change over time? Do we need to 'discover' our purpose under some mystical rock? Or perhaps it comes to us in a dream? Do we simply choose it, based on what matters to us? Like our values, beliefs and goals? Maybe it reveals itself to us with a subtle tap on the metaphoric shoulder? Or perhaps we have a significant experience or life event, and as a result, our purpose becomes clear? This episode is me (Harps), riffing on all of that. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hi Team, I’m under the PhD pump at the moment, but I’ll be back tomorrow with a brand new ep. Today we’re revisiting one of my favourite chats and favourite people Dr. Dinesh Palipana, who since this recording was named Queensland, Australian of the Year (2021). *Medical Doctor, Lawyer, Disability Advocate, Researcher, TED Speaker and Order of Australia recipient Dinesh Palipana does life from a wheelchair because half way through his medical training, a car accident left him a quadriplegic. He is a truly remarkable human with a truly remarkable story. For me, this conversation was a privilege and if there was an ounce of self-pity in me before this podcast, it’s definitely gone now. If you know someone who needs some inspiration, hope and maybe perspective, please share this with them. Enjoy. youtube.com/watch?v=9GxtQo1Xj-sSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a simple little chat around the very broad objective - one that most of us have - of getting better. Whatever that means to you personally. It's something of a coaching session. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I honestly don't know what to tell you about this episode other than I had a lot of fun, there was some inappropriate R-rated content, Patrick has Raynaud's disease and is scared of driverless cars, I'm scared of paragliding, Tiff's a networking queen, and depending on your personality, you'll laugh a lot or turn it off. Enjoy. Or avoid.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I think George Bernard Shaw was onto something when he declared "we don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." It's long been my opinion that many of us ‘get old before we need to' simply because we stop doing things which can help us maintain a level of physiological, psychological and cognitive function and performance 'younger' than our chronological age. In this episode, I share ten simple activities that require little or no skill, fitness, equipment or experience. Activities that, if done consistently (that's the all-important 'if'), can keep people more functional, healthy and independent for longer. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes you feel like physical, mental, and/or emotional crap but the situation, role, task, or job at hand requires you to step up, when you feel like lying down. This is a conversation about that. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sometimes what we want is the couch, Cheetos and Netflix. Sometimes what we need is to get up, lean into the discomfort, and do the thing. Our resident Clinical Psychologist Dr. Lillian is back and we explore what gets in the way of behaviour change, how to manage anxiety, why understanding yourself matters, and how to strike the right balance between empathy, accountability and tough love. Enjoy.drlilliannejad.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Of all there is to know, how much does 'the smartest species' actually know? My guess is, not nearly as much as we'd like to believe. Dr. Cam's back and this was an atypically deep and philosophical conversation where we leant into religion, spirituality, parallel universes and all the 'woo-woo' stuff that doesn't really fit into our logical, explainable, comfortable, familiar, scientific box. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelly Smith is back for more free coaching (I know what she's up to), hitting me with the hard questions about the multi-dimensional process of getting in shape, and maintaining it. Along the way, we chat about why some people change and some don't (even with the same resources and reasons), the pros and cons of sharing our health/fitness journey online, the role of psychology in changing physiology, the 'intimidation factor' in gyms, why Kelly's Psychologist prescribed her exercise over medication, and lots more. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mr. Popularity, Scotty Douglas, is back - regaling us with stories of his travels, trials tribulations and triumphs. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This time Bobby and I talk about dealing with (supporting, talking to, understanding) people who are stressed and maybe even having something of a meltdown. We also chat about the 'how, when and if' of providing feedback (it's fraught with danger), when to lean in and help people and when to let them help themselves, 'reading the room' (non-verbal communication), the difference between sympathy and empathy and the significance of the title will be explained. Enjoy.theselfhelpantidote.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amelia Phillips is a renowned Nutritionist and Exercise Scientist, doing lots of great stuff, helping lots of people, educating and inspiring the masses, working on the telly, hosting her own successful podcast, raising four kids (and one husband) and in general terms, equipping people to live longer and healthier lives. Not surprisingly, we had a great chat which was broadly relevant and user-friendly. Also, Tiff and Amelia may have hijacked the show for ten minutes chatting about perimenopause! Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This was one of my favourite chats with David and Tiff. It was super interesting and the great man's giant intellect and expansive knowledge never ceases to amaze me. We spoke about starting a cult, the psychotic nature of business and religion, the controversial storyline twist in the new Toy Story film (no. 5), the likelihood of Universal Basic Income (UBI) becoming a reality in Australia, the (potential) impending Al-driven unemployment crisis and I recommend my all-time favourite book on cults. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's a title you probably won't see again. Doctor Bill goes above and beyond on in this episode of TYP, and we find ourselves chatting about the male fertility crisis, killer parasites, STD's, toxoplasmosis, decapitated sperm, plummeting testosterone levels, cat poo, raw shellfish, undercooked meat, plastics in food, endocrine disruptors, drastic cuts in funding for scientific research, insane politics and politicians, and lots more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every now and then I meet someone I want my listeners to meet. Someone I want to keep listening to. Someone whose story is simultaneously inspiring, fascinating, and entertaining. Well, Scott Douglas is one of those people and I think you're gonna love him. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We could call this a podcast-ette. This brief episode is me riffing on the nature of intelligence; an idea that some people might find ironic and I wouldn't totally disagree with them. Nonetheless, I did it. And here it is. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patrick's back at TYP Central sharing the tech love and a few borderline stories that may or may not p**s off his identical twin brother. This time we talk about China stopping students from accessing Al to curtail cheating on exams (seems reasonable), why we need a 'code word' for the phone to ensure we're actually chatting with a human (not Al), robot cats that can reduce stress in children, how to say 'no', why hitting the 'snooze' button could be a health problem, a VR game that improves eyesight (I need that) and lots more. Enjoy.websitesnow.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've known Dee Dee Dunleavy for decades but this chat was literally the first time we have spoken (at all) in years. I won't give away too much about the episode but I will say that it ended up being a pretty raw, vulnerable and unfiltered conversation about rejection, identity, uncertainty, success, friendship, reinvention, healing, purpose and coming out the other side of an emotional and psychological sh*t-fest. *Dee Dee has worked in the media for more than 40 years (37 of those in radio) where she dominated on multiple platforms including Fox FM, Gold FM and more recently, 3AW in Melbourne. I was Dee Dee's PT for many years and even did a weekly segment with her for a while on Gold FM. Enjoy.@deedeedunleavy@theboyinthegoldmineSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Toby Morrison is back and we had a great conversation about everything from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, leadership, communication and problem solving, to the complexity of success, meaningful work and God. We didn't miss much! Enjoy. **Toby founded CFS Health in 2009 after personally experiencing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and enduring a long and frustrating journey to recovery. Recognising the lack of awareness and available treatment for M.E., CFS and Fibromyalgia, Toby developed a step-by-step recovery program to encourage and support other sufferers.cfshealth.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two Metre Peter (aka Pete Shepherd) is back dropping truth bombs, inspiring the masses, sharing his considerable wisdom and doing his best to make sense of the nonsense. Some people are just really good to listen to. He's one of them. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. John Demartini is a polymath, world-renowned human behaviour expert, internationally published author (forty-plus books), global educator and the founder of the Demartini Method, a revolutionary tool in human transformation. This conversation went far and wide, Dr. John told some amazing stories and it's instantly in my top three episodes for 2025. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Go where you grow" - yep it's a cheesy saying but behind the cheese, it's a solid message. So many of us talk about personal growth, while simultaneously avoiding the 'places' where we might grow. Wanting growth, choosing comfort. Saying all the right things, doing bugger all. If you're in need of twenty-minutes of slightly (okay, very) sweary motivational coaching, strap the f*ck in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We love the idea of being objective. Open-minded. Willing to learn new things, unlearn old things, admit when we get things wrong and to look at 'old things' through a new lens or perhaps even, someone else's lens. Telling others how objective we are makes us feel good about ourselves. It's considered a noble trait and something that's socially desirable and who doesn't want that? But as Anaïs Nin told us over a hundred years ago. "you don't see things as they are, you see them as you are." So there's that. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My ambitious goal was to distil my five and a half years of PhD research into an easy-to-understand, user-friendly, non-jargon-y, thirty-ish minute podcast. Not sure l really achieved it, but here it is.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Go hard or go home".. advice (I use that terms loosely) that has been handed out to all kinds of people in all kinds of situations for ever. But is it actually wise counsel? Me thinks not, Your Honour. In his weekly visit, Bobby and I talk about the 'good old days'(?) when we destroyed ourselves (and others) in the gym - all in the name of peak performance. More like peak risk and peak long-term injuries and issues. We also chat about lying ‘for a good reason' (ethical fibbing?), having a conversation with our younger selves, the childhood experiences that drove Bobby to obsessive and risky behaviour, creating a 'relationship' with Al and lots more. Enjoy.https://www.theselfhelpantidote.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You probably won't be surprised when I tell you that the incidence and diagnosis of ADHD has increased a bazillion percent over the last two decades (well about 1,100 percent in Australia, to be more accurate). According to Gillespo, it's got something to do with our 'dopamine set point' and also marketing people who are strategically trying to hijack our brain and attention, and what better way to do that than with the thing many of you are currently holding in your hand? Some of the info and insights that David shared in this chat are absolute revelations. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of TYP, Dr. Jeff introduces us to the idea of inflammaging, which is the chronic, low-grade inflammation that characterises aging. We also chat about lowering our biological age, women and testosterone replacement therapy (yes, women), the Enhanced (steroid) Games, the peptide revolution, the relationship between chronic pain and ageing, what anxiety does to the body, Tiff gets a free on-air consult about the changing state of her body (hormones, mood, energy, sleep, emotions) and finally, the Doc tells about his personal anti-ageing protocol (it's fascinating). Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Obviously once people succeed, they're perpetually happy. Obviously. Every day is Disney Movie of fun, laughter, and awesomeness, with zero problems or complications. In this episode Tommy and I chat about life after (and during) success, the potential psychological, emotional, and sociological price of being obsessed with achieving a certain goal, skill and experience vs. raw talent, gifted people who can't perform under pressure, how to find our purpose (or purposes) and Tommy getting a little 'God curious.' Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Team, hope you’re great! I’m being an awesome son for a day or two, so I thought we’d revisit this episode that I recorded a while back, which was really well received, and I think it might be timely for some at the moment. *Treading water. Spinning our metaphoric wheels. Stuck in a Groundhog Day of mediocrity, dissatisfaction and frustration. Wasted time, talent and energy. Thinking, habits, behaviours, rituals and fears that keep us trapped in a prison of our own making. This episode is a workshop (of sorts) about stepping up, breaking through and getting unstuck. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey Team, hope you’re great! I’m being an awesome son for a day or two, so I thought we’d revisit this episode that I recorded a while back, which was really well received, and I think it might be timely for some at the moment. *Treading water. Spinning our metaphoric wheels. Stuck in a Groundhog Day of mediocrity, dissatisfaction and frustration. Wasted time, talent and energy. Thinking, habits, behaviours, rituals and fears that keep us trapped in a prison of our own making. This episode is a workshop (of sorts) about stepping up, breaking through and getting unstuck. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TYP'S resident geek (Patrick) is back trying to share the tech love - and while he did a pretty good job - I gotta say, this episode was one of the funnier, more inappropriate, revealing and irreverent experiences l've had in eight years of podcasting. Having said that, if you're easily offended, this probably ain't for you. Enjoy. Or avoid.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part 3 with Kelly, we unpacked her last five questions and they, are these... 1. When did you stop equating your physicality with contentment/happiness? 2. What's next after the PhD? 3. You have the opportunity to interview anyone - dead or alive - who is it and why? 4. Name one thing that you have learnt in the course of your PhD that has absolutely surprised you? 5. If you died tomorrow what is the one thing you would want people to remember you for? Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelly Smith is a long-time TYP listener and when I recently did a callout for some listener questions, Kelly volunteered to be the on-air asker of said questions. Rather than do that, I suggested she come up with some originals, slide into the virtual TYP studio and interview me on my own podcast. And she did. Not surprisingly I waffled, so this chat is going to air in three parts. This is part two and here's what I was asked. (1) What is it within yourself that has led towards what could be described as a life of service? (2) When did being accountable click for you? (3) Describe your favourite kind of person (4) How do you know when it's time to stop? Not quit but just pull back a bit in order to preserve energy or headspace (5) You can only do one exercise for the rest of your life - what is it? Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kelly Smith is a long-time TYP listener and when I recently did a callout for some listener questions, Kelly volunteered to be the on-air asker of said questions. Rather than do that, I suggested she come up with some originals, slide into the virtual TYP studio and interview me on my own podcast. And she did. Not surprisingly I waffled, so this chat will go to air in three parts. In part one, here's what I was asked. (1) In the health/wellbeing/fitness space is there anyone or any single message you feel is absolutely on point at the moment? (2) Opposite of that - is there any messaging that you feel is completely inaccurate? (3) Do you feel like your style has changed recently and that you are more vulnerable in your approach? And if so, why? (4) What is the biggest lesson you have learnt in the past ten years? (5) What has been the most challenging part of your PhD? Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Cam just got back from Bali where he did a deep dive on.. Dr. Cam. He went to the metaphoric room of mirrors for a long hard look, and he told me (us) it was one of the most powerful and amazing experiences of his life. I'm gonna say up front, I loved this chat. The Doc was incredibly raw, real and humble as he unpacked his recent life-changing experience. It was so nice talking with a bloke about feelings, vulnerability, authenticity, spirituality, learning, unlearning and having an inside-out personal revelation, revolution and transformation. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode I’m exploring more listener questions. I endeavoured to pick questions that were broadly relevant and as I always say, keep in mind that none of this personal advice or prescription, just me thinking out loud. Enjoy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Of course, there's no single answer to that question - there are countless factors and variables. But with that in mind, Bobby and I had a chat about one of our favourite books (and one of the most influential psychological books of the 20th century): ‘Man's Search for Meaning’ by Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor, Dr. Viktor Frankl. I really enjoyed this conversation.theselfhelpantidote.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.