The High Performance Podcast

Legendary Take That songwriter Gary Barlow joins us to share the most honest account of failure, shame, and rebuilding we've ever recorded on High Performance.

The recent Netflix documentary charted Take That's journey - the split, Robbie's solo success, the comeback. But what it couldn't capture was Gary's seven-year internal collapse. The songwriter and leader everyone expected would conquer solo stardom was drowning while Robbie soared.

After a catastrophic American launch performance, Gary walked alone through the rain with nobody from his label. What followed was seven years where he couldn't sing, couldn't play piano, couldn't even listen to music. Seven years of sitting in his studio pretending to work while doing nothing. Seven years of deliberate weight gain as armor and public shaming.

Key moments include:

* Trust Your Gut Over External Authority: How ignoring his instincts for industry pressure led to catastrophic consequences he never recovered from
* The Fragility of Creative Confidence: Why someone who doubts themselves cannot create wholeheartedly - and how one moment can dismantle years of evidence
* Understanding Shame vs Accepting It: Why he deliberately gained weight as armor and what it teaches us about controlling the uncontrollable
* Small Steps Over Grand Gestures: His first run while overweight and smoking - giggling at how far he had to go but knowing he was finally "on the road"
* Creating Psychological Safety: How Take That's reunion principle of "let's lose all the dickheads" transformed their worst years into their best

This is a conversation about the fragility of creative confidence, how one moment of not trusting your gut can derail everything, and how the way back isn't through therapy or grand gestures - it's putting trainers on, lifting the piano lid, and just turning up.

Our partners on this episode:

Simba 👉 Jake believes better performance starts with better sleep. Discover Simba, start your 200-night trial today now: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-simba-au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daniel Negreanu, one of poker's all-time greats reveals the psychology of high-stakes decision making.

Daniel has been playing professional poker for 30 years and has earned over $50 million at the tables. A Hall of Famer and seven-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner, he's widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the game's history. Known for his engaging table presence and ability to read opponents, Daniel has remained at poker's elite level across multiple generations of players.

In this conversation at his Lake Las Vegas home, Daniel breaks down the art of making decisions under pressure, the importance of self-awareness when your edge is slipping, and why humility trumps ego at the highest levels. He explains how he uses conversation to disarm opponents, why he'd rather be a "laughing hyena" than an intimidating presence like Phil Ivey or Tiger Woods, and the physical and mental preparation required to survive seven gruelling weeks at the World Series of Poker.

Daniel also reflects on his worst year on record in 2023, the advice he'd give his teenage self, and why quality now matters more than quantity. Whether you're interested in poker or just the mindset required to stay at the top of your game for three decades, this episode is packed with insights on adaptability, goal-setting, and trusting yourself when everything else fails.

Our partners on this episode:

Simba 👉 Jake believes better performance starts with better sleep. Discover Simba, start your 200-night trial today now:
https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-simba-au

Visit Seattle 👉 Start planning your perfect summer of football by searching Visit Seattle on social media, or discover more at: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-visitseattle-au

Heights 👉 Get 20% off your subscription by using Code: HP20 here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp_heights_au2

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rick Shiels is one of the most influential figures in modern golf media, and a creator who helped redefine what high performance looks like in the digital age. From a small YouTube channel to hundreds of millions of views, Rick has built a career by questioning the traditional pathways to success and proving that creators can perform at the very highest level.

In this episode, Rick sits down with Jake and Damian to explore authenticity, ambition, and the reality behind online growth. He explains why his breakthrough came when he stopped trying to be polished and professional, and instead showed the bad shots, kept first takes, and asked questions he genuinely wanted answered. From testing illegal golf equipment to facing tour pros like Tommy Fleetwood with a 10-shot head start, Rick reveals the simple idea behind his most successful formats.

Rick also opens up about the mental health cost of social media, why stepping away from comments transformed his mood and family life, and how collaboration, even with potential rivals, helped him grow.

This episode is a thoughtful, modern conversation about creativity, balance, and performance in a world where anyone with a phone can become a broadcaster.

Our partners:

Simba 👉 Jake believes better performance starts with better sleep. Discover Simba, start your 200-night trial today now:
https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-simba-au

Visit Seattle 👉 Start planning your perfect summer of football by searching Visit Seattle on social media, or discover more at: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-visitseattle-au

Heights 👉 Get 20% off your subscription by using Code: HP20 here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp_heights_au2

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oscar-winning actor and author Matthew McConaughey joins us to share his deeply philosophical approach to life, work, and the pursuit of satisfaction.

We return to our chat with Matthew where he challenges the idea that we should be 'chasing yet,' arguing instead that life is a verb - a continuous process rather than a final destination where we suddenly 'arrive'. He discusses his process of elimination for finding one's true self, explaining why removing things that don't feed your soul is the fastest way to discover what does.

Key takeaways include:
Why the ultimate goal is to marry your innate ability with a relentless work ethic.
The 10-Day Decision Process: Matthew’s unique method for measuring risks and committing to choices without negotiating with himself.
Dissecting Success: Why we should use journals not just during hard times, but when we are "rolling" to build a blueprint for future happiness

This is a conversation about discipline, self-awareness, and commitment. About checking in with yourself daily. About writing the headline first, then living the story toward it. About understanding that high performance isn't one big ta-da moment - it's the tiny decisions we make every single day.

Our partners:

Surfshark 👉 Go to https://surfshark.com/highperformance or use code HIGHPERFORMANCE at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Visit Seattle 👉 Start planning your perfect summer of football by searching Visit Seattle on social media, or discover more at: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-visitseattle-au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Patrick Mouratoglou is one of the most influential coaches in modern sport, renowned for developing champions through mindset rather than raw talent. Best known for his long partnership with Serena Williams, Patrick believes greatness is never about gifts, it’s about mentality, discipline, and professionalism.

In this episode, Patrick joins Jake and Damian to unpack his core philosophy that champions are built, not born. He explains why Novak Djokovic became the greatest of all time without Federer’s natural genius or Nadal’s physical dominance, and shares the extraordinary story of Serena Williams winning the 2015 French Open while battling a 40-degree fever, bedridden between matches, yet mentally unbreakable on court.

From the famous cap-hitting moment that established respect with Serena on day one to calling a 13-time Grand Slam champion an “underachiever,” this conversation is a powerful insight into elite performance, leadership, and human potential, and a blueprint for anyone serious about building a champion’s mindset.

Our partners:

Surfshark 👉 Go to https://surfshark.com/highperformance or use code HIGHPERFORMANCE at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!

Visit Seattle 👉 Start planning your perfect summer of football by searching Visit Seattle on social media, or discover more at: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-visitseattle-au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.