In the second episode of the anxiety series, Tom explores a pattern that sits at the heart of anxiety: the need for control.

Under pressure, we often try to manage everything: outcomes, opinions, and uncertainty. But instead of calming us down, this can leave us feeling drained and stuck in overthinking.

This episode introduces a simple framework to help: separating what’s in your control, what you can influence, and what’s outside of both. By focusing your energy in the right place, you can reduce mental clutter and respond more clearly.

This week’s experiment: when anxiety starts to spiral, map your thoughts into three columns : control, influence, and out of control, and focus only on what’s yours to act on.

In the first episode of the anxiety series, Tom shares a story about “Will” - someone who, from the outside, seems to have it all together, but internally feels like everything could fall apart at any moment.

This episode explores a common but rarely discussed experience: high-functioning anxiety. The kind that shows up as perfectionism, overthinking, or the constant fear of being “found out.”

Tom breaks down a simple but powerful shift that helped: learning to separate what we can control from what we can’t. Alongside this, he introduces practical tools like gathering evidence to challenge anxious thinking, spotting early physical triggers, and creating a small pause before reacting.

This week’s life lab experiment is to notice when anxiety shows up, question the story you're telling yourself, and take back control of your next move.

In this final episode of Tom’s life lab, Tom reflects on crossing the finish line of the Manchester marathon 2026.

After months of early mornings, long runs, and sticking to a plan, even when motivation wasn’t always there, the race itself becomes a moment of celebration. But what stood out most wasn’t the finish line. It was everything that came before it.

Marathon training has a rhythm. Some runs feel strong and effortless, others feel slow, heavy, and difficult. And often, the hardest part is simply getting out of the door. But over time, those small, consistent efforts begin to add up.

It led to a simple but powerful reflection on leadership. While it’s easy to focus on big moments, results, and visible milestones, what really shapes outcomes are the small decisions made day after day.

The conversations you have when they’re difficult. The preparation you do when it feels repetitive. The discipline to keep going when progress feels slow.

In this fourth episode of Tom’s life lab, Tom reflects on one of the more unexpected parts of marathon training, the quiet miles.

While preparing for the Manchester marathon, his training plan has created regular time to run. On this particular run, there was no music or podcast, just the sound of his footsteps and breathing. And in that quiet, something shifted.

Without distraction, his mind had space to wander, reflect, and think more clearly. It led to a simple realisation; many leaders don’t struggle with effort, they struggle with a lack of space. Space to think, to process, and to notice what’s really going on.

In leadership, it’s easy to stay busy and keep moving. But without time to step back, clarity becomes harder to find and decisions become more reactive. This episode is an invitation to experiment with creating your own quiet miles.

In this third episode of Tom’s life lab, Tom reflects on a simple but often overlooked idea in both running and leadership: pace.

While training for the Manchester marathon, he’s following a structured plan; Some days focused on speed, others on distance, and some simply about getting the miles done.

This particular run didn’t start well. The first mile felt heavy, his breathing was laboured, and nothing seemed to click. But instead of forcing it, he stayed with it. Gradually, his breathing settled, a rhythm emerged, and the run began to feel smoother, eventually even enjoyable.

It’s a reminder that not every run, or every day, is meant to be fast. In leadership, there’s often pressure to operate at full speed all the time. But in reality, sustainable performance comes from knowing when to push, when to maintain, and when to slow down.

This episode invites a shift in perspective, from constantly driving forward to learning how to recognise and respond to your natural rhythm.

In this episode of Tom’s life lab, Tom shares a very different side of marathon training.

With the Manchester marathon getting closer, not every run feels good. This one nearly didn’t happen at all.

Before even leaving the house, the excuses were there: maybe tomorrow, maybe a shorter run, maybe not today. But he went anyway.

It wasn’t a great run. Heavy legs, no rhythm, no flow. Just getting it done.

It’s a simple reminder that leadership isn’t always about motivation or big moments. A lot of the time, it’s about showing up, especially when you don’t feel like it.

This episode of Tom's life lab is the first in a five-part series 'from miles to milestones'. Tom shares a moment from his marathon training for Manchester marathon 2026 where everything just clicked.

Most runs feel pretty ordinary: tired legs, low motivation, just sticking to the plan. But this week, he had one of those rare runs where everything just clicked. His breathing settled, his legs felt light, and he found that rhythm runners call flow.

It made him think about leadership. Because those moments where things feel effortless, when teams are aligned and work just moves, don’t happen by accident. They’re built on consistency, preparation, and all the work that came before.

Difficult conversations aren’t hard because we don’t know what to say, they’re hard because we lose our presence.

In the final episode of the presence in life and leadership series of Tom's Life Lab, Tom explores what happens in our nervous system during challenging conversations and how staying present, even when uncomfortable, can lead to more honest and impactful outcomes

Life Lab Experiment: In your next difficult or uncomfortable conversation, notice the moment you feel triggered. Pause internally. Take a slow breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Drop your attention into your feet for three seconds. Then continue.

It’s a small interruption, but one that helps you stay tethered to yourself and the present moment.