The High Performance Podcast
High Performance
Recent Episodes
Win a behind-the-scenes experience at a High Performance record day! Pre-order our brand new book Micro-Habits and use code MICROHABITS26 for 25% off and to be in with a chance of winning: https://hppod.co/HPComp
John Legend didn’t set out to become “Legend.” The name found him long before the world did. In this episode Damian is joined by EGOT winner John Legend to explore how a simple nickname evolved into a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Before being a ‘legend’, he was John Stevens, a management consultant working on spreadsheets by day and hustling in studios by night. We explore how a nickname turned into a new identity, and how that identity shaped John’s behaviour, ambition, and artistry. Drawing on research from psychology, from the Proteus Effect to the Batman Effect, we uncover how stepping into a bigger version of ourselves can elevate performance long before results arrive.
In this episode, you will learn:
- Why adopting a new identity can raise your standards instantly
- How John used “Legend” as a behavioural challenge, not branding
- The psychology of alter egos
- How identity influences confidence, resilience, and creativity
- Practical ways to choose and step into an identity that helps you perform
This episode is a powerful reminder that names aren’t just labels, they’re scripts. And sometimes the fastest way to grow is to choose a name that demands it.
Listen to the full episode with John Legend: https://pod.fo/e/2dda44
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Andy Wilman is the legendary executive producer behind Top Gear and The Grand Tour, the creative force who helped turn a small, ageing motoring show into one of the most-watched programmes on the planet.
In this revealing conversation, Andy sits down with Jake to open up about the chaotic, brilliant, and often bruising journey behind the scenes. From the early days when Top Gear was “held together by accidents,” to the lightning-in-a-bottle chemistry that formed between Clarkson, Hammond and May, Andy explains how a mix of creative instinct, insecurity, and outright stubbornness shaped the show’s rise.
He also discusses the strange alchemy behind iconic ideas like The Stig, the happy mistakes that became formats, and the moments where the team’s success began to run away from them. Andy reflects on the personal cost of building a global juggernaut: the burnout, the pressure of chasing ever-bigger audience numbers, the fear of being “found out,” and the toll it took on his home life and mental health..
This episode goes far beyond cars. It’s a conversation about leadership, the dangers of unchecked momentum, the creative magic that comes from imperfection, and the deeper human truth Andy only recognised with hindsight: that success means nothing if you never stop long enough to enjoy it.
Want the exclusive story on the high-stakes Amazon deal that launched The Grand Tour? Watch Andy on 'The Room Where It Happened' with Jake.
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Simba 👉 Jake believes better performance starts with better sleep. Discover Simba, start your 200-night trial today now:
https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-simba-au
Vestiaire Collective 👉: Buy and sell preloved menswear now: https://highpfrmc.com/vestiaire-au
Babbel 👉 Learn a new Language and get up to 55% off your subscription at: https://highpfrmc.com/HPP-Babbel-AU
Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment and you should not expect to be protected if something goes wrong.
Gemini Intergalactic UK, Ltd is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority, under Firm Reference Number: 921817
HP Foundation 👉Do you want to kick-start an evolution that will change the lives of millions of children? Find out more about the High Performance Foundation: https://hppod.co/foundation
HP Corporate Events 👉Click here to book High Performance Events: https://hppod.co/corporate-events
Explore offers and discounts through our other partners:
https://hppod.co/partners
Andy’s book ‘Mr Wilman’s Motoring Adventure’ is out now and available to purchase - https://hppod.co/mr-wilmans-motoring-adventure-clarkson
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We all feel out of our depth, but the real secret is learning to stay calm anyway.
In this episode, Jake and Damian explore a universal human experience, the moments when we feel completely out of our depth, and reveal why calmness, clarity, and growth often begin right there. Drawing on powerful lessons from guests like Tom Aspinall, Petr Čech, Alex Greenwood, Nick Cox, and Alex Honnold, they uncover the mindset shifts that help us stay steady when everything feels uncertain.
They discuss the importance of naming your fears instead of suppressing them, accepting what you can’t control, and breaking big challenges into small, manageable steps. Through stories of athletes and leaders who chose discomfort, built resilience through “micro-dosed” challenge, and repeatedly stepped into the unknown, Jake and Damian show that fear isn’t a sign you’re failing, it’s a sign you’re expanding.
This episode is a reminder that the secret to feeling calm isn’t eliminating fear, but learning to move with it: acknowledge it, act despite it, and trust that confidence grows through action, not certainty.
Listen to the episodes mentioned:
Tom Aspinall: https://pod.fo/e/2d3d2e
Petr Čech: https://pod.fo/e/21c565
Alex Greenwood: https://pod.fo/e/30cbd0
Nick Cox: https://pod.fo/e/138399
Alex Honnold: https://pod.fo/e/25ce8e
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Win a behind-the-scenes experience at a High Performance record day! Pre-order our brand new book Micro-Habits and use code MICROHABITS26 for 25% off before the launch on 1st January to be in with a chance of winning: https://hppod.co/HPComp
Denise Lewis knows what it feels like to stand on the biggest stage in the world with everything on the line. But what makes her story remarkable isn’t just the gold medal, it’s the simple habit that helped her win it: the power of a reset.
At the Sydney Olympics, after a shaky high jump that threatened her entire heptathlon, Denise didn’t spiral or cling to the mistake. She walked back to her room, reached for a different pair of shoes, slicked her hair back, and told herself: “You’re not Denise anymore, you’re Astrid.” With that small ritual, she shifted her identity, her energy, and her belief. It wasn’t superstition, it was psychology. Long before researchers named it “enclothed cognition,” Denise was living it: what you put on the outside can transform what you feel on the inside.
In this episode, we explore how Denise turned seven events into seven fresh starts, and how the same principle can help all of us recover faster, perform under pressure and move forward after setbacks. Together, we dig into:
Why symbols and rituals help us reset after mistakes
How acceptance clears the mind and restores decision-making
The alter-ego effect and why borrowing strength works
What resilience really looks like in the moments no one sees
How transitions, at work, at home, or in sport, shape our identity
If you’ve ever struggled to let go of a bad moment, wished for a clean slate, or needed a way to step into the next chapter with confidence, Denise’s story has something powerful to teach.
Listen to the full episode with Denise Lewis: https://pod.fo/e/2c05ac
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We welcome back world-leading gut health expert Tim Spector to unpack the simple, science-backed shifts that can dramatically transform your wellbeing. Tim explains why the gut sits at the centre of immunity, energy, mood, and long-term health, and why modern diets have quietly broken the delicate ecosystem our bodies rely on.
He reveals the overlooked power of fermented foods, the ancient “food alchemy” our ancestors relied on, and why these gut-friendly ferments often outperform common fibre hacks. From busting myths about salt, fats, probiotics, and coffee to explaining the rapid benefits of gut rest and time-restricted eating, Tim offers practical, inclusive steps anyone can take, starting today.
This is a hopeful, transformative conversation that reframes nutrition not as restriction, but as adding diversity, culture, and life back into your food, giving you the single most effective fix to repair your gut and reshape your health.
Surfshark 👉 Go to https://highpfrmc.com/HPP_Surfshark_AU or use code HIGHPERFORMANCE at checkout to get 4 extra months of Surfshark VPN!
Simba 👉 Jake believes better performance starts with better sleep. Discover Simba, start your 200-night trial today now:
https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-simba-au
Vestiaire 👉 Buy and sell preloved menswear now: https://highpfrmc.com/vestiaire-au
HP Foundation 👉Do you want to kick-start an evolution that will change the lives of millions of children? Find out more about the High Performance Foundation: https://hppod.co/foundation
HP Corporate Events 👉Click here to book High Performance Events: https://hppod.co/corporate-events
Explore offers and discounts through our other partners:
https://hppod.co/partners
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.