Lead on Purpose with James Laughlin
James Laughlin
Guiding you toward a life of purpose, progress, and personal growth. Each week, James interviews world-class thinkers, including prime ministers, Olympic gold medalists, billionaires, and visionaries, to uncover the habits, tools, and mindsets that drive meaningful success.Hosted by James Laughlin—a 7-time world champion drummer, sought-after keynote speaker, and high-performance leadership consultant—this podcast brings you conversations with extraordinary individuals who have shaped industries, inspired nations, and achieved greatness.Whether you're building confidence, breaking through barriers, or discovering your purpose, Lead on Purpose is your guide to turning challenges into opportunities and ambitions into achievements.
Episodes
Mentioned books
11 snips
Dec 21, 2025 • 40min
How to run a business with your spouse - our year in review
Reflecting on the challenges and wins of running a business together, the duo shares personal milestones like their engagement and a memorable family trip. They candidly discuss the pressures of merging work and life, highlighting lessons in communication and boundaries. The couple also unpacks the struggle with digital products and emphasizes the importance of clarity amidst distractions. Finally, they advocate for reclaiming thinking time and share transformative book recommendations for a successful 2026.
Dec 14, 2025 • 1h 1min
The Real Cause of Back Pain and What Actually Works
Antony Bush, a former Olympic Team physiotherapist and author of The Back Fix, dives into the rising epidemic of back pain, revealing modern lifestyles as key culprits. He highlights how sedentary habits and stress exacerbate chronic pain and discusses simple, effective methods like movement and micro-exercises to combat it. Antony also critiques the back pain industry, advocating for a mindset shift towards movement as medicine. With intriguing insights on the brain's role in pain and practical strength exercises, he empowers listeners to take charge of their health.
11 snips
Dec 7, 2025 • 47min
Could You Pass Special Forces Selection? with Simon Jeffries
Simon Jeffries, a former UK Special Forces operator turned performance coach, shares insights on mental resilience and high performance. He reveals why under 10% pass the SBS selection, stressing mindset over raw fitness. Simon offers a practical three-part model for improving state regulation and building supportive habits. He emphasizes the importance of emotional control, journaling for reflection, and breathwork for stress management. Listeners learn to shape their environment, prioritize recovery, and align actions with intentions for a purposeful life.
14 snips
Nov 30, 2025 • 50min
Your Greatest Wins Are Built on Failure with Jim Harshaw
In a riveting discussion, Jim Harshaw, a former All-American wrestler and high-performance coach, shares his journey from blue-collar roots to Olympic hopeful. He outlines a four-part framework for achieving excellence, emphasizing the importance of a powerful environment and aligned goals. Jim reveals transformative exercises to clarify personal visions and discusses how viewing failure as a stepping stone can pave the way to greatness. He also highlights the necessity of accountability, productive pauses, and surrounding oneself with the right influences for sustained success.
Nov 23, 2025 • 46min
ADHD, Time Blindness and Procrastination with ADHD Coach Sharon Collon
Sharon Collon, an ADHD coach and founder of The Functional Family, shares insights from her 20 years of experience supporting neurodiverse families. She redefines ADHD as a neurotype, emphasizing the importance of interest-driven motivation over traditional attention deficit labels. The conversation covers practical strategies for leaders to support ADHD individuals, including body doubling and effective accommodations. Sharon's unique brain model aids in understanding regulation, while she offers tools like Goblin Tools and AI to tackle time blindness effectively.
8 snips
Nov 19, 2025 • 17min
Growth Starts When You Stop Being the Smartest in the Room
Discover key insights from recent travels in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Fiji, where a possibilitarian mindset stands out as a competitive edge. Learn why leaders should aim to be the least intelligent person at the table to foster growth. Consistency over shortcuts is highlighted as a cornerstone of success. James shares practical tools for effective leadership and recounts a transformative reader story. Plus, get excited about an upcoming invite-only high-performance retreat in 2026!
Nov 16, 2025 • 46min
How to rank #1 on ChatGPT with Kasim Aslam
Kasim Aslam, an entrepreneur and AEO expert, shares insights on Answer Engine Optimization, emphasizing its shift from traditional SEO. He explains how personal branding, schema markup, and social proof impact visibility in LLMs. Kasim also introduces his innovative seven-step hiring system, which includes treating candidates as exceptional talents and implementing intentional trials to evaluate integrity and performance. His passionate advice? It's time to stop overthinking and take action to achieve your goals!
Nov 9, 2025 • 50min
How AI Can Help Your business Grow Faster (No Tech Skills Needed) with Hikari Senju
Hikari Senju, Founder and CEO of Omneky, shares valuable insights on leveraging AI for business growth without technical skills. He emphasizes the inevitability of AI and practical uses like ChatGPT. Hikari discusses vetting AI consultants, highlighting the importance of quality in content strategies balanced with authority. He explains how Omneky enables advertisers with data-driven creatives and omnichannel advertising strategies, offering transparency and control. Lastly, he predicts the rise of AI agents transforming workflows and enhancing productivity.
Nov 2, 2025 • 43min
How to build high-performing teams with Award-winning Coach Keith Ferrazzi
In this enlightening discussion, Keith Ferrazzi, a New York Times bestselling author and award-winning executive coach, shares his insights on building high-performing teams. He introduces innovative practices like replacing status meetings with honest 'stress tests' to enhance candor and feedback. Keith emphasizes the importance of developing a culture of accountability and co-elevation, where teammates help each other grow, regardless of friendship. He also explores how to future-proof leadership in the age of AI and the transformative power of vulnerability in fostering trust.
16 snips
Oct 26, 2025 • 1h 1min
The #1 Thing You Need to Stop Measuring to Start Achieving Results with Steven Gaffney
In this engaging conversation, leadership consultant Steven Gaffney shares insights from his book, Unconditional Power. He emphasizes the often-overlooked impact of what isn't said in teams, advocating for emotional safety over psychological safety. Steven discusses the five traits of high-performing teams and introduces the 'Notice vs Imagine' tool to differentiate facts from interpretations. He also reflects on personal challenges, turning crises into opportunities, and encourages leaders to foster honesty and vulnerability to strengthen team dynamics.
