EducationSelf-Improvement

Work and Wellness

Ange Davies

Welcome to Work and Wellness, the podcast for anyone who wants to feel great and perform at their best, without burning out. I’m Ange Davies, a wellbeing speaker and ex-corporate leader, here to help you create a life that feels as good as it looks. Each week, I’m joined by guests who bring real stories and practical insights on what it means to thrive both at work and beyond. Ready to live well and succeed on your own terms? Hit follow and let’s get into it!

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S1 · E97
Monday · 24 min
EP 97: Why You've Stopped Trusting Yourself (And How to Change That)
We have more information, more advice and more technology available to us than ever before. But are we losing the ability to trust our own judgment? In this episode, I share something deeply personal — how grief quietly disconnected me from my own intuition for over a year without me even realising it. It wasn’t until I spent hundreds of thousands of steps walking the Via Francigena in Italy with almost no external input that I recognised what had been missing. This episode is about what intuition actually is, why we are outsourcing our thinking more than we realise, what constant input is doing to our judgment, and six practical ways to reconnect with the most valuable voice in the room — your own. Key Topics What intuition actually is and why it is not woo-woo. It is neuroscience How grief, stress and overload quietly disconnect us from our own judgment Why outsourcing our thinking to AI and external sources is eroding a critical skill The default mode network and why your brain needs space to wander Six ways to reconnect with and strengthen your intuition and judgment How to distinguish true gut feel from fear, bias and old experiences Keywords: intuition, self trust, decision making, leadership, grief, AI, judgment, self awareness, mental clarity, burnout
S1 · E95
October 12 · 21 min
EP96: Who Are You When Nobody Is Watching? The power of going offline.
I just walked over 600,000 steps across Italy and one of the most powerful things I chose to do along the way was to go offline. In this episode, I share what that space brought up because within minutes of coming back online after one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life, I immediately felt behind. Nothing had changed. I had just checked social media. This episode is about what being offline reveals — about our identity, our attention, our relationship with comparison, and the question I kept coming back to on the road: how much of what we do are we doing because we truly want to, and how much are we doing because we want to be seen doing it? Key Topics What going offline for four weeks actually revealed about identity and wellbeing Why comparison hit the moment social media was back and the reframe that helped How fragmented attention is quietly costing us more than we realise The 2025 study that found blocking mobile internet for two weeks improved attention, wellbeing and mental health Who are you when you are not performing for an audience How to be more intentional about what you consume and what you share Keywordssocial media, identity, wellbeing, comparison, attention, digital boundaries, offline, mindfulness, authenticity, burnout
S1 · E95
October 5 · 47 min
EP 95: Your Team Is Watching - How Leaders Influence More Than They Realise with Anton Guinea
Your team is watching you. Every micro decision you make, every emotion you walk in with, every conversation you avoid — they notice all of it. In this episode, I sit down with Anton Guinea, leadership coach and host of the Find Your Influence podcast, to explore how leaders influence their teams in ways that go far beyond what they say in meetings. We get into emotional contagion, the difference between influence and manipulation, what 1600 coaching conversations revealed people need most from their leaders, and how to lead with confidence when everything feels like it is falling apart. KEY TOPICS Why your emotional state is contagious and how it shapes your entire team's day The difference between influence, impact and inspiration and why the best leaders are chasing the last two What 1600 coaching sessions revealed: the three things people need most from their leaders The micro decisions leaders make that set the standard without saying a word How to have difficult conversations without the feedback sandwich Radical Candor: care personally before you challenge directly ABOUT ANTON Anton Guinea is a leadership coach, researcher, speaker and author based in Australia. He is the host of the Find Your Influence podcast and has conducted over 1600 one-on-one coaching and leadership training sessions. Anton works with leaders and organisations across safety, culture and performance, with a particular focus on the human side of leadership — how leaders show up, how they influence, and how they build environments where people feel cared for, valued and supported. CONNECT WITH ANTON https://antonguinea.com.au/
S1 · E94
September 28 · 1 hr 3 min
EP 94: Stop Having All the Answers: What Human Leadership Actually Looks Like with May Samali
In this episode I sit down with May Samali, founder of Human Leadership Lab and Fellow of the Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School, to explore the human capabilities that no algorithm will ever replicate. Because the skills that got us promoted, perfectionism, having all the answers, pushing through, are often the very same skills that now hold us back as leaders. We get into what it really means to lead with self-awareness, why psychological safety has been completely misunderstood, how to lead through uncertainty, and what sustainable high performance actually looks like when you stop performing and start being human. KEY TOPICS What human leadership actually means and why every person is a leader regardless of title The skills that get us promoted that become liabilities when we lead others Why psychological safety does not mean making everyone comfortable and what it actually requires How to lead through uncertainty without pretending you have answers you don't have The ABC framework of human leadership: adaptability, bravery and compassion Why wellness is a performance strategy, not a nice to have What AI will never be able to do and the human skills it is quietly eroding What May now believes about leadership that she didn't believe ten years ago ABOUT MAY May Samali is the founder and CEO of Human Leadership Lab, a Fellow of the Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School, and an executive coach, facilitator and researcher. Her career has spanned corporate law, venture capital, entrepreneurship and leadership development. May works with leaders and organisations to build the human capabilities needed to lead and thrive in a complex, rapidly changing world, with a particular focus on sustainable high performance and what it means to lead with self-awareness, bravery and compassion as AI continues to reshape how we work. CONNECT WITH MAY LinkedIn: May Samali Website: humanleadershiplab.com
S1 · E93
September 21 · 49 min
EP 93: The Cost of Ambition - What Does a Successful Life Really Look Like? with Kelly Barrett
What does it actually cost to be ambitious and is it worth it? In this episode, I sit down with Kelly Barrett, founder of Underwear for Humanity, to talk about one of the most honest conversations I've had on this show. Kelly grew up in commission housing, moving every six months, hiding from real estate agents. That instability built a tenacity that would take her to the London College of Fashion, through corporate life, two business closures and ultimately to one of Australia's most quietly radical purpose-led brands. This is a conversation about ambition, identity, burnout and what it really means to build a successful life, not by society's definition, but your own. Kelly doesn't have everything figured out. She oscillates between trust and panic, between hustle and rest, between the woman she wants to be and the workaholic she knows she can become. And that honesty is exactly what makes this episode worth listening to. Key Topics How growing up with financial instability shaped Kelly's ambition and resilience Why closing Silent Arrow, a business deeply tied to her identity, was both heartbreaking and clarifying The kookaburra moment in Byron Bay that became the beginning of Underwear for Humanity Why martyrdom in business is not a virtue and what it actually costs you How Kelly reckons with being a hard worker when that hard work has come at a personal cost About Kelly Kelly Barrett is the founder of Underwear for Humanity, a purpose-led underwear brand embedding social and environmental responsibility into every part of its business model. With over 20 years designing underwear and bras, Kelly co-founded Starcorp in 2009 which became the second largest supplier to one of Australia's largest retailers. She then founded feminist lingerie brand Silent Arrow before launching Underwear for Humanity, where every purchase provides a free pair of underwear to someone in need. A multiple award winner including Banksia and Planet Arc, Kelly is proving that business can be both commercially viable and genuinely good. Connect with Kelly Website: underwearforhumanity.com.au Instagram: @underwearforhumanity Keywords: ambition, entrepreneurship, burnout, purpose, identity, impact business, sustainability, resilience, women in business, success
S1 · E92
September 14 · 49 min
Ep 92: I’ll Be Happy When… Why Success Isn’t Making Us Happier with Declan Edwards
What if happiness isn't something you find — it's something you build? In this episode, I sit down with Declan Edwards, happiness researcher, TEDx speaker, author of How to Be Happy and founder of BU Happiness College, to completely reframe how we think about happiness. Because most of us are chasing it the wrong way, waiting for the right achievement, the right milestone, the right moment, when the research tells us something completely different. Declan has spent over a decade studying the science of happiness and translating it into practical skills anyone can learn. We get into what happiness actually is beyond joy and excitement, why the arrival fallacy is keeping so many high achievers stuck, what the 80-year Harvard study found about what actually makes a good life, and the three free practices that Declan believes would change the world if everyone did them. This one is warm, deeply human and full of things that will shift the way you think about your own life. Key Topics Why happiness is not just joy and the slower deeper forms we chronically undervalue The arrival fallacy — why "I'll be happy when" is keeping so many high achievers stuck What the 80-year Harvard study found is the single biggest predictor of a happy life Three free practices under five minutes a day that Declan says would change the world Why happiness is measurably contagious up to three degrees of separation About Declan Declan Edwards is a happiness researcher, TEDx speaker, author and founder of BU Happiness College — built on the belief that happiness is a skill anyone can learn. He has spoken at the United Nations and the Red Cross, and his work has been featured in Harvard Business Review and Psychology Today. He is the host of the How to Be Happy podcast and author of the book of the same name. Connect with Declan Socials: The Happiness Guy BU Happiness College Podcast: How to Be Happy at Work Happiness Scorecard and Burnout Scorecard
S1 · E91
September 7 · 26 min
EP 91: Why Your Brain Is So Tired (And Your Phone Might Be the Reason)
When did you last let your brain be bored? In this episode, I get into something that I think is one of the most underrated reasons why so many of us feel mentally exhausted — and it has nothing to do with how hard we're working. It's how constantly connected we are. We have eliminated boredom from our lives almost entirely. We scroll while we wait, listen while we walk, check emails while we eat and reach for our phones before we've even gotten out of bed. And our brains are paying the price. This episode is packed with research on what constant connectivity is actually doing to our attention, our sleep, our mental health and our performance and five practical experiments you can run this week to give your brain the space it's desperately craving. Key Topics Why our brains are exhausted and why constant connectivity is the culprit The myth of multitasking — what your brain is actually doing and why it costs you Why even notifications you don't answer are draining your cognitive capacity The brain drain effect — why your phone doesn't need to be in your hand to be distracting Workplace telepressure — the invisible pressure to always be reachable and what it costs What a 2025 study found when people blocked mobile internet for two weeks Five practical experiments to become more intentional about your technology use Keywords phone addiction, focus, attention, burnout, mental health, productivity, sleep, social media, wellbeing, digital boundaries
August 31 · 30 min
EP 90: Stop Managing Your Time. Start Managing Your Energy with Dr Amantha Imber
What if getting more done isn’t about finding more hours in the day? In this episode, I sit down with Dr Amantha Imber — organisational psychologist, bestselling author and founder of Inventium — to talk about her latest book, The Energy Game, and why managing our energy could be far more important than managing our time. Amantha burnt out in 2024 despite being one of Australia’s leading experts on productivity. That experience led her to rethink the way we approach productivity and ultimately became the basis for her most personal book yet — a science-backed look at how to boost, rest and protect your energy so you can perform at your best without running yourself into the ground. We also talk about AI, why it isn’t delivering the productivity gains many organisations expected, what we risk when we outsource too much of our thinking, and the one experiment Amantha challenges every listener to try this week. Key Topics Why time management alone won’t save you from burnout — and what to focus on instead The three categories of energy strategies: boost, rest and protect, and when to use each Why most of us are doing “fake rest” and what real rest actually looks like The minimum viable dose of cold water immersion and why you don’t need an ice bath How AI could be making us cognitively lazy and what we risk losing if we outsource our thinking Why AI isn’t delivering the productivity gains many organisations expected The silent walk — one of Amantha’s favourite strategies and why it works About Amantha Dr Amantha Imber is an organisational psychologist, bestselling author and founder of the award-winning behaviour change consultancy Inventium. In 2021, she became the first Australian to win the prestigious Thinkers50 Innovation Award, described by the Financial Times as the “Oscars of Management Thinking”. In 2025, she was named AI Consultant of the Year at the Australian AI Awards. She is the host of the number-one-ranking business podcast How I Work, with more than six million downloads, and her work has appeared in Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Forbes and Fast Company. Her latest book, The Energy Game, explores the science of how to better protect, restore and use your energy. Connect with Amantha ⁠Book: The Energy Game⁠ ⁠Substack: One Percent Better⁠ ⁠How I Work podcast
S1 · E89
August 24 · 27 min
EP 89: How to Work With Difficult People (Without Losing Your Mind)
We all have them. The colleague who drives you absolutely crazy. The leader who says something that leaves you speechless. The person you genuinely cannot figure out. In this episode, I get into one of the most requested topics I've had — how to work with difficult people without losing your mind or your professionalism. Because not everyone who feels difficult actually is difficult. Sometimes it's a personality clash, sometimes it's a values difference, and sometimes yes — it really is just them. I break down the three categories every difficult situation falls into, why understanding someone's motivation changes everything, and the exact phrases I use when someone says something completely out of line. This one is practical, honest and full of things you can use immediately. Key Topics The difference between a personality clash, workplace friction and genuinely dysfunctional behaviour and why each one needs a different response Why understanding what motivates someone changes how you work with them completely The question every team should ask before starting a project together and almost never does What to say in the moment when someone says something wildly out of line When to document behaviour, when to escalate it and when to make a decision about your environment How to have the awkward but necessary conversation about working better together Coming back to self awareness before deciding someone else is the problem Keywords: Difficult people, workplace conflict, communication, leadership, boundaries, self awareness, team culture, performance, mental health, wellbeing
S1 · E88
August 17 · 29 min
EP 88: What No One Tells You About Being a Leader, Lessons I've Learnt
Nobody teaches you how to be a great leader. You just get promoted and figure it out. In this episode, I open up the Instagram question box and answer your leadership questions completely off the cuff, no textbooks, no frameworks, just the real lessons from my own experience leading teams through COVID, the Northern Rivers floods, and everything in between. We cover the questions people are actually asking but rarely get honest answers to — is leadership really worth the promotion, how do you stop taking things personally, how do you lead when you don't have the answers, and what is the one leadership skill nobody talks about enough. This one is practical, personal and full of the kind of advice I wish someone had given me when I first stepped into a leadership role. Key Topics Is leadership really worth the promotion and what you need to honestly ask yourself before saying yes The future of leadership in an AI-driven world and the human skills that will matter most How to stop taking things personally as a leader without stopping caring How to lead through uncertainty when you don't have the answers either How to support your team without absorbing all of their problems The SBI framework for hard conversations and why clear is kind The two most underrated leadership skills: repair and pause The best leadership advice Angela has ever received Keyword: Leadership, management, high performance, communication, burnout, feedback, hard conversations, self-awareness, team culture, future of work
S1 · E85
August 10 · 21 min
EP87 Grief Doesn't Have a Timeline: What Loss Really Teaches Us
This one is personal. It has just ticked over a year since my dad, Phil — big Phil — suddenly passed away. And over that time, through my own experience and in talking to so many people who have been through grief and loss, I've come to realise that there are some things nobody really talks about openly enough. In this episode, I share my unfiltered thoughts from the last year — the things that helped, the things that hurt, and the unexpected gifts that grief brought with it. Because grief is not just something you get through. It changes you. It shifts your perspective in ways that are impossible to fully explain until you've felt it yourself. This episode is for anyone who is grieving right now, and for anyone who loves someone who is, because at some point, we will all need to know how to sit beside someone in the mud. Key Topics How grief changes you as a person in ways that are permanent and profound Why acknowledgement is the most powerful thing you can offer someone who is grieving The heartwarming and heartbreaking reality of how people show up — and don't Why grief is not linear and why the world moving on doesn't mean you have to The unexpected gifts grief brings — clarity, perspective and freedom from other people's opinions Why going back to work too early is something Angela wishes she hadn't done The stone in your pocket — Angela's analogy for what grief really feels like over time Connect with Angela Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mind.your.grit/ Website: https://www.mindyourgrit.com/ Keywords: grief, loss, wellbeing, mental health, perspective, resilience, support, death, healing, mindfulness
S1 · E86
August 3 · 1 hr 3 min
EP 86: Everything We've Been Told About Resilience Is Wrong with Jay Abbasi
What if everything you've been taught about resilience is actually making you less of it? In this episode I sit down with Jay Abbasi — global keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, former Tesla leader and host of the Unstuck podcast — to completely reframe how we think about pressure, resilience and what it actually means to thrive. Because the version of resilience most of us have been sold about keep going, push through, don't show weakness, is not resilience at all. Jay brings a rare combination of high-pressure corporate experience and deep expertise in mindfulness and neuroscience, and he is one of the most genuinely thoughtful guests we have had on this show. We get into his formula for real resilience, why people pleasing is actually a selfish act, the difference between being a superhero and a captain of the ship, and the story of what happened when his long-awaited TEDx talk couldn't be published and how he responded. This one is rich, practical and full of reframes that will stay with you. Key Topics Why the traditional definition of resilience is nonsense and what it actually requires Jay's formula: energy plus space plus choice equals resilience The difference between being a superhero leader and being the captain of the ship Why people pleasing is not selfless — it is self-serving The Victor Frankl quote that changed how Jay thinks about pressure and presence Why curiosity and effective communication will be the most critical leadership skills in the AI era What Jay's TEDx talk story taught him about bouncing back from unexpected adversity Why trusting your intuition requires stillness and how to cultivate it About Jay Jay Abbasi is a global keynote speaker, TEDx speaker, coach and host of the top-rated podcast Unstuck with Jay Abbasi. A former Tesla leader who built and led national training programs for over a thousand employees, Jay has since coached leaders at Google, Amazon, TikTok and Wells Fargo. Blending corporate experience with deep expertise in mindfulness, resilience and wellbeing, Jay's message is that success isn't about avoiding challenges — it's about mastering them with clarity, energy and purpose. He has been featured in Forbes, Authority Magazine and Medium, and is based in New Jersey. Connect with Jay LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayabbasi Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayabbasi_ Website: https://jayabbasi.me/ Podcast: Unstuck with Jay Abbasi — available on YouTube and all podcast platforms Keywords resilience, leadership, high performance, burnout, pressure, mindfulness, self-awareness, curiosity, communication, intuition
S1 · E85
July 27 · 37 min
EP 85: The Relationship Lessons We Can All Learn From Matchmaker Megan Gourlay
What if the most important investment you could make in your health, your performance and your wellbeing isn't a supplement, a morning routine or a productivity system, it's your relationships? In this episode I sit down with Megan Gourlay, founder of Love With Me, a boutique matchmaking service built on the belief that meaningful relationships have the power to change lives. Megan spent 25 years in the corporate world before pivoting to help people find genuine connection and her insights go far beyond romantic love. We talk about what people are really searching for beneath the desire for a partner, why loneliness is one of the most invisible and underestimated health risks of our time, what green flags actually look like in any relationship, and why high achievers are often the worst at prioritising the very thing that makes them better at everything else. Whether you are single, partnered, or somewhere in between — this episode will make you think differently about how you show up in all of your relationships. Key Topics What people are truly searching for beneath the desire for a partner and why it matters for all relationships The green flags that tell you a relationship has genuine foundations to last Why loneliness is one of the most invisible health risks and what Monday morning conversations reveal about it How high achievers unconsciously fill the void of connection through their work What the research on loneliness says and why it is as damaging as smoking 15 cigarettes a day The habits Megan sees consistently in couples who go the distance Why waiting until you are ready is keeping more people on the sidelines than they realise About Megan Megan Gourlay is the founder of Love With Me, a boutique matchmaking service built on the belief that meaningful relationships have the power to change lives. After 25 years in the corporate world, Megan studied relationship counselling and created a highly personalised matchmaking approach that goes beyond dating apps and algorithms — taking the time to deeply understand each client's values, lifestyle and relationship goals. Having spent seven years single herself before meeting her husband in her late 30s, Megan brings both professional expertise and personal understanding to her work. Connect with Megan Website: https://www.lovewithme.com.au/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovewithme_dating/ Keywords relationships, loneliness, connection, wellbeing, matchmaking, belonging, high performance, love, mental health, self awareness
S1 · E84
July 20 · 42 min
EP 84: The Questions You Really Wanted to Ask Me (And My Honest Answers)
You asked. I answered. No prep, no filter. In this episode, I opened up my Instagram question box and answered everything that came in completely off the cuff. Personal questions, career questions, business questions and everything in between. You'll get an honest look at self-doubt, why I closed Grip Pilates, what I've changed my mind about, the biggest misconception people have about me, and the one thing I have completely stopped caring about since turning 40. This one is a little different from our usual episodes — it's raw, personal and probably the most you'll hear about me in one sitting. I hope you enjoy it. Key Topics How I deal with self-doubt and why doing hard things is the antidote What I'm still working on and why giving myself permission to stop is harder than it sounds How I knew it was time to close Grip Pilates and what I gained from letting it go The biggest misconception people have about me that used to really annoy me What I'm saying yes to more and what I'm firmly saying no to How I found my personal style and the three-word framework I use to shop intentionally What I love most about Liam and why he is genuinely the best decision I ever made Keywords: self awareness, personal growth, burnout, business, career change, identity, style, relationships, mindset, behind the scenes
S1 · E83
July 13 · 1 hr
EP 83: Child-Free by Choice - The Conversation Every Working Woman Needs to Hear with Candice Harvey
We talk a lot about working parents. We talk far less about the people who have chosen not to be one. In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend Candice Harvey — speaker, workshop facilitator, former HR leader, author and founder — to have a conversation that is long overdue. What is it actually like to be child-free by choice in the workplace, in friendships and in life? And what are the hidden challenges that nobody thinks to ask about? This is not a conversation about which path is better. Both are valid and both come with trade-offs. It is an honest, warm and at times very funny conversation about identity, purpose, belonging, burnout, boundaries and what it means to build a rich life on your own terms, whatever that looks like for you. Whether you have children or you don't, this one will make you think differently about the assumptions we make and the questions we forget to ask. Key Topics What people most misunderstand about women who choose not to have children Why burnout does not check your parenting status before it finds you The hidden wellbeing challenges of being child-free that nobody talks about Why leaving work early for yourself can feel less legitimate than leaving for a child and what to do about it How child-free people find purpose and legacy outside of parenthood The most unhinged things people have said when told someone doesn't want kids The real trade-offs on both sides and what you gain and what you consciously give up About Candice Candice Harvey is a speaker, workshop facilitator and business owner with 15 years of experience in HR. She now helps people manage themselves — shaking up their thinking so they can behave differently and get different results. She is also the author of her debut book, The Shake Up. Show Notes Connect with Candice on ⁠Instagram⁠ Buy her book ⁠The Shake Up: This isn't another self-help book. This is a shake-up⁠ Learn more about Candice's ⁠work and workshops.⁠ Keywords: child-free, women at work, identity, purpose, burnout, wellbeing, boundaries, belonging, life choices, workplace culture
S1 · E82
July 6 · 50 min
EP 82: You Don't Manifest What You Want, You Manifest Who You Are with Georgie Stevenson
What if everything you've been told about manifestation is wrong? In this episode I sit down with Georgie Stevenson — co-founder of Naked Harvest, founder of Rise and Conquer, and one of Australia's most followed entrepreneurs — to talk about the concept that sits at the heart of everything she has built. That you don't manifest what you want. You manifest who you are. Georgie unpacks what manifestation actually means beneath the vision boards and the hype, why your self-concept shapes your reality more than any goal-setting tool ever will, and how she has done the inner work to completely rewrite who she believes herself to be — multiple times. We also get into the dark 18 months postpartum that forced her to question everything, what she has learned about identity and worth as a founder, and why coming back to self is the most practical thing any of us can do. This one is honest, grounded and will change the way you think about what you're actually creating. Key Topics Why manifestation is about identity, not intention and what most people get completely wrong How your self-concept shapes your reality more than your vision board ever will The postpartum ego death that completely redefined Georgie's definition of success How to separate your worth and identity from your work when your personal brand is your business The limiting belief Georgie has worked hardest to overcome and why hustle culture makes it worse What wellbeing actually looks like for Georgie in this season and why simplicity wins Why curating your online experience is just as important as curating your real one About Georgie Georgie Stevenson is an entrepreneur, investor, content creator and mum, best known as co-founder of Naked Harvest and founder of the Rise and Conquer brand. With a community of more than 400,000 people, Georgie has built a loyal following by openly sharing the realities of business ownership, motherhood, health, wellness and personal growth. A qualified life coach and host of the Rise and Conquer podcast, she is passionate about helping women step into their potential and create lives aligned with their goals, values and vision. Connect with Georgie Instagram: @georgiestevenson / @riseandconquer /@nakedharvestsupps https://www.nakedharvestsupplements.com/ Keywords: Manifestation, identity, self concept, mindset, entrepreneurship, burnout, motherhood, wellbeing, limiting beliefs, personal growth
S1 · E81
June 29 · 45 min
EP 81: The Psychology Behind Why We Feel Stuck| Dr Emily Musgrove (The Imperfects)
Have you ever felt stuck but couldn't quite explain why — or felt like you were doing all the right things but still felt deeply unsatisfied? In this episode, I sit down with Dr Emily Musgrove, clinical psychologist, author and resident psychologist on The Imperfects podcast, to explore the psychology behind why we feel stuck, what we're really searching for beneath the surface, and what it actually takes to build a life that feels meaningful rather than just successful. Emily brings over 15 years of clinical experience and a refreshingly honest perspective — including her own experience of a breast cancer diagnosis that completely reframed how she thinks about resilience. We get into the difference between belonging and fitting in, why people pleasing quietly costs us our identity over time, what the research says about meaning versus purpose, and the one psychological skill Emily believes every leader needs above all else. Key Topics What resilience actually means and why it has nothing to do with holding it together The difference between belonging and fitting in and why fitting in is exhausting How people pleasing quietly erodes your sense of self over time Why feeling stuck is not a problem to fix, it's a signal to pay attention to The difference between meaning and purpose and why purpose doesn't have to come from work The one psychological skill Emily says every leader needs: curiosity Show Notes Emily's Book is Unstuck: A Guide to Finding Your Way Forward to Live the Life You Want to Live — ⁠available here. ⁠ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dremilymusgrove/ Join Emily's ⁠mailing list⁠ to be the first to hear about her upcoming membership community focused on finding meaning and purpose in midlife.
S1 · E80
June 22 · 52 min
EP 80: The Skills AI Can’t Replace (And Why They Matter More Than Ever) with Sonia Clarke
As AI takes over more of what we do at work, the question isn't whether your job will change. It's whether you're developing the skills that machines simply can't replicate. In this episode, I sit down with Sonia Clarke, collaboration designer, facilitator and founder of Clever Manka, to explore what it really means to work well with other humans and why that skill has never mattered more. With over two decades of experience helping organisations communicate, think and work better together, Sonia brings a perspective that is equal parts rigorous and deeply human. We get into why good collaboration never just happens, what the MIT research on high performing teams actually tells us, and why the way we work today was designed for factories — not knowledge workers. We also explore Sonia's upcoming book The Collective Code, which makes the case that there is another way to work, and it might be closer to how people worked hundreds of years ago than we think. Key Topics Why good collaboration has to be intentionally designed and what most organisations get wrong The three things MIT research found in every high performing team Why the modern work day was built for factories and is fundamentally broken for knowledge work The human skills that will matter most as AI reshapes the workforce How to build trust and deeper relationships in hybrid and remote environments What collectives are, why they're growing, and what they mean for the future of work Why women are leaving the workforce — and why that should concern all of us About Sonia Sonia Clarke is a collaboration designer, facilitator, writer, yoga and meditation teacher, and the founder of Clever Manka. With more than two decades of experience helping organisations communicate, think and work better together, Sonia brings a unique blend of corporate expertise and human-centred leadership. Her career spans senior leadership roles including Director at PwC's Future of Work Practice and leader of its creative communications business. She is the author of The Collective Code newsletter and is currently writing a book of the same name — exploring the human skills that will matter most as technology continues to reshape how we live and work. Connect with Sonia LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/sonia-clarke Substack: substack.soniaclarke.com Resources Mentioned Humankind by Rutger Bregman John Demartini Values Process Keywordscollaboration, future of work, human skills, AI, collective intelligence, remote work, hybrid work, trust, wellbeing, leadership
S1 · E79
June 15 · 58 min
EP 79: Burnout Isn't the Price of Success, It's a Sign You're Doing It Wrong with Alex Davids- Neuroscience Expert
What if burnout isn't the price of success — but actually a sign you're doing it wrong? In this episode I sit down with Alex Davids, founder of Next Evolution Performance and high performance coach to CEOs and executives across the globe, to challenge one of the most persistent myths in leadership culture. That working yourself into the ground is what it takes to get to the top. Alex brings over 20 years of experience combining psychology, applied neuroscience and business strategy — and her message is clear. True high performers don't burn out. They learn to understand how their brain works, build recovery into their day, and operate in a way that is sustainable for the long haul. We get into the neuroscience of decision making under pressure, why your values and your behaviours are probably telling two very different stories, and the surprisingly simple tools that can completely change the way you perform and lead. This one is practical, science-backed and full of things you can do today. KEY TOPICS Why burnout is not a badge of honour — it's a sign your performance isn't actually sustainable How AI is creating a brand new kind of burnout that nobody is talking about The neuroscience of what happens to your brain under pressure — and the fastest way back A simple values exercise using nothing but sticky notes and your bank account Why the brain can only truly do deep work for four to five hours a day — and what to do about it Three non-negotiables Alex gives every leader: breath, phone-free focus time, and real recovery breaks The difference between control and choice — and why it changes everything CONNECT WITH ALEX  Website: nextevolutionperformance.com  LinkedIn: Alexandra Davids  Free monthly webinars: 20 minutes of neuroscience and leadership content + 20 minutes live Q&A — recordings available. Join via the website. John Demartini Values Process — a free online tool to help you identify your true values based on where you spend your time, money and energy. Find it at drdemartini.com
S1 · E78
June 8 · 53 min
EP 78: Why So Many Successful People Still Feel Unhappy with ex pro sufer Cooper Chapman
What if the success you've been chasing is sitting on the wrong mountain entirely? In this episode I sit down with Cooper Chapman, former professional surfer, founder of The Good Human Factory and author of The One Percent Good Club, to talk about one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves — why do so many successful people still feel unhappy? Cooper spent years ranked in the top hundred surfers in the world, doing what he loved, living what looked like a dream life from the outside. But internally, he was riding a rollercoaster that tied his entire sense of self-worth to his results. It wasn't until he shifted from chasing external achievement to living by his values that everything changed. Since then he has delivered wellbeing programs to over 75,000 students, spoken at the United Nations, and built a free global gratitude community with over 5,000 members. His message is simple, practical and backed by science — and this episode is full of it Key Topics Why basing your identity and self-worth on achievement is a trap — and what to anchor to instead The five values Cooper identifies as fundamental for good mental health The treadmill of life — why mental health requires daily action, not just awareness Why high performers are especially vulnerable to a dysregulated nervous system The one habit Cooper says has had the biggest impact on his mental health How to build deeper connection in a world that's wider but lonelier than ever The simple, free foundations that will move the needle on your wellbeing before any gadget or hack will About Cooper Cooper Chapman is the founder of The Good Human Factory, a movement dedicated to improving mental health through simple, practical habits. A former professional surfer ranked in the top hundred in the world, Cooper's own mental health journey sparked a passion for making wellbeing accessible and actionable. He is the author of The One Percent Good Club, and has delivered wellbeing programs to over 75,000 students and more than 100 organisations including Apple, Telstra, Red Bull, Amazon and Westpac. He has spoken at the United Nations Climate Change Conference and hosts the Good Humans Podcast. Connect with Cooper Website: thegoodhumanfactory.com Instagram: @thegoodhumanfactory Book: The One Percent Good Club — available on Amazon or signed copies at thegoodhumanfactory.com.

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