Ep 317 Interview Sessions with Seth Pepper | Flow State Under Pressure: How the Greats Perform When It Matters Most

Jan 14, 2026

01:11:08

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In this episode, I welcome back Seth Pepper to the Always Better Than Yesterday podcast.

Seth Pepper is a high-performance coach who works with elite athletes, coaches, and leaders to help them access flow state under pressure. A former world champion swimmer who came within a single stroke of making the Olympic team, Seth now works behind the scenes with world-class performers across multiple sports and world's leading organisations— supporting them to perform with presence, purpose, and freedom when it matters most.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why love, not trophies or validation, is the common thread of the greats

• The paradox of mastery: deep learning paired with being okay with not knowing

• Seth’s three core elements of flow: ability, acceptance of unpredictability, and caring

• Why pressure isn’t the enemy — pressure is proof you care

• The difference between being the prince (seeking validation) and the king (taking responsibility)

• How purpose unlocks performance beyond ego and outcome-dependence

• Competition through a higher lens: team-first, purpose-first performance

• Why “winning is unsatisfying” without meaning

• Parenting and coaching young athletes without stealing their inner feedback loop

• How returning to joy — being “10 years old again” — can change everything

• The question that reframes performance entirely: