This week's Mojo Monday is a thought-provoking exploration of self-esteem and how we can start living our best lives, even when we don't feel confident or worthy. Join Carly as she shares her insights and experiences, and discover a new way of thinking about self-esteem and living a life that reflects our true worth.

Carly is a counsellor and coach who specialises in building psychological hardiness — the ability to navigate challenge, stay engaged, and take meaningful action under pressure. Her work integrates modern psychology with Eastern and Stoic approaches, helping people build resilience, live with purpose, and respond to life’s challenges with greater clarity, courage and steadiness.

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In today’s episode I chat with Kevin Cripe, focusing on the transformative power of education and the challenges within the system. Kevin, a passionate educator with 27 years of experience, shares insights from his career, including the creation of a chess program for underprivileged children and his experiences with changing educational dynamics. The discussion delves into the impact of increased testing, shifts in parenting, and the importance of valuing effort over results. Kevin also highlights the role of chess in developing cognitive skills and self-efficacy among students. Discover how fostering challenge orientation and effort can close achievement gaps and shape resilient, confident individuals.

Key Takeaways

• The evolution of teaching over 27 years: increased testing, reduced instructional days, and shifting parenting styles
• The importance of structure, rules, and the role of teachers as leaders, not friends
• The detrimental effects of over-assessment and the value of valuing effort over results
• Respect for teachers and societal respect deficits: how classroom tone influences student behavior
• Strategies to engage and motivate disadvantaged students, including challenging them with complex problems
• The science behind challenging students for better learning outcomes: cognitive architecture and transfer paradox
• The power of belief and high expectations: stories of students achieving beyond stereotypes
• The impact of self-efficacy and challenge orientation on student resilience and success

Timestamps:

03:06 The Impact of Testing on Education

06:06 Respect and Authority in the Classroom

09:03 Valuing Effort Over Results

12:10 The Power of High Expectations

15:00 Teaching Chess to Disadvantaged Students

18:01 Cognitive Development Through Chess

21:00 Transformative Moments in Education

26:15 Empowering Children Through Challenges

29:49 Understanding the Achievement Gap

32:58 The Importance of Challenging Education

36:31 Writing for Change: Kevin's Books

41:21 Personal Insights on Race and Education

44:12 The Impact of Political Divisiveness on Education

Resources & Links:

• Kevin Cripe Motivational Speaker
• Kevin’s Books

Connect with Kevin Cripe:

• Website
• Twitter
• LinkedIn

Support the Podcast

If you found this conversation valuable, consider subscribing and leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us continue to bring you insightful discussions on important health topics.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s Mojo Monday, Carly explores the Stoic exercise known as The View from Above, a powerful practice for creating perspective when we feel caught in stress, worry or emotional overwhelm.

Carly is a counsellor and coach who specialises in building psychological hardiness — the ability to navigate challenge, stay engaged, and take action under pressure. Her work integrates modern psychology with Eastern and Stoic approaches focusing on helping people live meaningful lives without needing to control their thoughts or emotions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us are living well below our potential and often don’t even realise it. What if the secret to unlocking your best life isn’t some grand change, but small, strategic shifts that anyone can make? Andrew Horsfield, a seasoned expert in psychology, leadership, and human performance, reveals that the key lies in understanding how to navigate the “messy middle” of life, the space between where you are and where you want to be. This episode dives deep into the power of small steps, the importance of clarity, and mastering the art of character. Andrew shares practical frameworks like the “transition with intention,” illustrating how everyday moments hold the potential for profound growth, whether you’re aiming for career success, better relationships, or personal resilience. This episode will help you escape average, beat burnout, and unlock the full range of your potential.

Key Takeaways

• The Messy Middle: Growth and progress are inherently uncomfortable. Embracing discomfort as a sign of movement shifts our mindset from avoiding pain to valuing progress. Recognising difficulty as a natural part of transformation empowers persistence through setbacks.
• Identity Formation: Small, definable moments create lasting change. Aligning everyday actions with the person we want to be solidifies habits into core aspects of our character. This makes change sustainable and integrated into our sense of self.
• Curiosity in Understanding: Extending curiosity beyond self-awareness to understanding others transforms reactive judgments into compassionate engagement. This fosters trust and influence, unlocking deeper connections.
• Overcoming Limiting Stories: Stories rooted in fear or past pain, not capability, often block potential. Challenging these narratives liberates us from subconscious barriers, making space for authentic performance.
• Small Achievable Goals: Breaking down ambitions into manageable steps maintains motivation and builds confidence. This approach counters paralysis from grand plans and promotes consistency over time.
• Pleasure vs. Contentment: Resilience hinges on accepting hardship. Contentment from handling challenges well provides sustainable satisfaction beyond transient pleasure.
• Memory Curve: Strategic follow-up and application in learning are necessary. Designing deliberate checkpoints ensures learning persists and translates into sustained behaviour change.

Time Stamps

03:04 The Journey of Professional Cricket and Acceptance

06:11 Navigating the Messy Middle

09:10 The Importance of Achievable Goals

12:01 Identity and Character Development

14:58 Clarity and Transitioning with Intention

19:59 Living with Purpose and Engagement

23:52 Framing Life and Courageous Work

25:30 The Reality of Hard Work

27:28 Understanding Capability and Potential

29:23 Overcoming Personal Roadblocks

35:30 The Power of Curiosity and Reflection

43:37 Learning from Experience and the Forgetting Curve

45:26 Final Thoughts on Writing and Life Lessons

Resources

Andrew’s Book: Better: Escape Average, Beat Burnout, Own Your Life https://www.amazon.com.au/s?k=better+by+andrew+horsfield

Web site: https://www.andrewhorsfield.com/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewhorsfield/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/andrewhorsfields

Support the Podcast

If you found this conversation valuable, consider subscribing and leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us continue to bring you insightful discussions on important health topics.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week's Mojo Monday episode is a poignant reminder that life is short, and the way we spend our time is crucial. Carly shares a heartwarming story about a lunch date with their dad, who's 88 years young, and the wisdom he imparted to their 20-year-old daughter. This conversation sparks a reflection on how we often get caught up in the daily grind and forget to cherish the present moment.

As we navigate our busy lives, it's easy to lose sight of what truly matters. Carly invites us to take a step back and consider how we're spending our time. This episode encourages us to take a closer look at our values and how they align with our daily habits.

Carly also shares a powerful exercise that helps us reflect on our time usage and identify areas for improvement.

Carly is a counsellor and coach who specialises in building psychological hardiness — the ability to navigate challenge, stay engaged, and take action under pressure. Her work integrates modern psychology with Eastern and Stoic approaches focusing on helping people live meaningful lives without needing to control their thoughts or emotions.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are you stuck in a cycle of overthinking and information overload, unsure how to move forward? In this episode, I chat with Tamsin Simmons as she shares her journey from healthcare management to becoming a leadership coach and author, emphasising the power of the experiment mindset to create meaningful change. Discover how testing small, process-focused experiments can lead you toward your true goals and improve both personal and organisational performance.

Key Takeaways

• The concept of the experiment mindset and its application across areas of life
• Imposter syndrome: transforming it into a growth opportunity rather than a barrier
• The importance of focusing on processes over outcomes in behaviour change
• The three levers of behavior change: environment, psychology, and physiology
• Practical strategies for designing and running personal experiments
• The pitfalls of information overload and the “procrastination tools” of consuming content without applying it
• How organisational incentives and environment influence behaviour, both positively and negatively
• The role of curiosity and a growth mindset in sustaining motivation and joy
• The universality of the experiment mindset beyond workplace leadership, including health and personal development

Timestamps:
04:44 - Imposter syndrome: from challenge to growth tool
06:56 - How perceptions of imposter syndrome evolve with experience
09:02 - Why the experiment mindset encourages resilience and growth
11:03 - The motivation behind writing The Experiment Mindset
13:09 - Changes in leadership and organisational behaviour over the last decade
14:43 - The failures of piecemeal workplace wellness strategies
16:15 - Moving from knowledge to action: tackling the knowing-doing gap
18:42 - Why high-quality information can become a barrier when misused
20:11 - The importance of treating yourself as your own experiment
22:40 - Real-world example: personal experimentation with diet and health
26:11 - Understanding individual responses to health interventions
28:37 - Limiting biases in personal experiments and avoiding confirmation bias
30:36 - The three levers of behaviour change: environment, psychology, physiology
32:24 - How incentives and environment influence organisational and personal behaviour
34:43 - Rethinking outcome-based performance for better wellbeing and results
36:26 - The role of physiology and physical capacity in high performance
37:36 - The impact of environment on physiology and psychology
39:17 - Simple nutritional strategies for sustained energy and performance
41:16 - Designing meaningful experiments: aligning with your top-level goals
43:04 - Managing big change by setting realistic, incremental goals
45:06 - Focusing on process over outcome to foster resilience and curiosity
47:35 - The power of curiosity and scientific thinking in everyday experiments
48:04 - Applying the experiment mindset beyond work: health, relationships, and life
49:46 - Overcoming information overload and “constipation” in decision-making

Resources

Tamsin’s book The Experiment Mindset

Website: https://www.tamsinsimounds.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamsinkate

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamsinsimounds

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamsinkatesimounds

Support the Podcast

If you found this conversation valuable, consider subscribing and leaving a review on your preferred podcast platform. Your feedback helps us continue to bring you insightful discussions on important health topics.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.