Pushing The Limits

This podcast is on a topic that I have struggled with thought it something that perhaps many of my listeners will also find hard. How do you know when it's time to quit on a project, relationship, business or sporting ambition.  We all know the old adage "Quitters never win and winners never quit." But this isn't true and is far too simplified for this complicated world we live in. Winners, I purport have quit many many times, the key is they didn't stop going for their goals they just rearranged and changed things. Being flexible in the face of adversity is key.  In this podcast I give a simple framework to work through when deciding whether to continue on a given path or when the cost of continuing isn't worth the investment and is causing you to lose out on other opportunities.      

Exercise physiologist Neil Wagstaff and Professional Ultra marathon athlete Lisa Tamati talk about why it's important to work "in" and not just work "out". Working "in" is all about lowering your stress hormones in the body (cortisol and adrenaline) and helping your body get fitter with less stress effects. If you are struggling with adrenal fatigue, are tired or exhausted and overstressed then piling on HIIT workouts and long cardio sessions can often be more detrimental overall to your health than working on sessions that increase your wellbeing.  Working "in" training means doing exercise and meditation that doesn't raise the heart rate too much but which help release the "good" hormones into the body and help you recover faster and relax. Most of us need to de-stress it's a common complaint in our hectic world so maybe instead of that hard workout you had planned it might be better for your overall health to do yoga, pilates, stretching, a brisk walk or some breathing exercises and meditation.  When you lower stress hormones your body is also more likely to release stored fat and it inihibits storing more fat from the food you eat. So although it might seem counterintuitive to do a gentler workout it might actually over time help you lose more weight, it will definitely help your sense of wellbeing and your ability to train hard on those other days.   

Kim Allan is a New Zealand-based ultra marathon runner. At the age of 47 on 22 November 2012 she attempted to complete a 500 km Ultra marathon with no sleep around the Sri Chimnoy Peace Mile at Auckland Domain, raising money for the New Zealand spinal trust and the Catwalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust but she only managed 385.8 km. However that wasn't the end of the story. Allan followed up at the International Association of Ultra runners (IAU) 24 Hour World Championship in the Netherlands on 11 & 12 May 2013 by accomplishing 203.919 km in the 24 hour period, then in December 2013 Allan ran for 86 hours, 11 minutes and 9 seconds without sleeping.  In that run she broke the previous women's world record of running without sleep (which was 486 kilometers) reaching 500 kilometers.  She was running to support the New Zealand Spinal Trust.  In this interview Lisa talks to Kim about overcoming obstacles, pushing the limits physically and mentally and what you gain when you face your fears, fight through the suffering and go for your goals. This incredible lady has much to teach us and you will leave inspired and challenged to achieve more no matter what your dream is and to never give up.

Cam Langford is a competitive Triathlete, Ironman competitor, software architetct and entrepreneur. Founder of health and fitness coaching platform "Training Tilt"  which is a complete toolkit for coaches and health and fitness professionals. Combining a website, ecommerce, client communications and training plans into a single platform.  Previously he has worked for over 10 years as a senior software developer in startups and knows the state the industry, the opportunities for young entrepreneurs wanting to opt out of working for big corporations and the skills and knowledge necessary to get underway.  His knowledge is cutting edge and gives the technologically uninitiated an understandable way to see and take advantage of the opportunities that the new plethora of software tools offer. Opportunities that he says just 8- 10 years ago weren't available to the average person.  We live in unprecedented times and the ways to monetize an individuals skills are unlimited. The road has many pothills and it isn't easy so getting the inside running from an expert in this sector is invaluable.  For anyone thinking of opting out of the matrix, starting a side hustle or wanting to the take the leap in to entrepreneurship this podcast is a must listen.      

Take a glimpse into the life of a modern day Maori leader, warrior, speaker and executive. In this interview we delve into the ancient wisdom of the Maori people and look at the some of the solutions for modern day dilemmas that arise from these teachings. We discuss the lost generation of Maori who were forbidden to learn their own language and culture and who were told just to "get on in the Pakeha world" and  and the consequences of that colonisation call still apparent in today's world.  Ngahihi shares his journey back to his roots and his culture and what triggered it for him. Ngahihi o te ra Bidois has a Marketing Business degree, a post graduate diploma secondary teacher’s qualification, a tourism qualification and a Masters in Education with honours. He is the National Speakers Association New Zealand (Auckland) 2007 Master of Ceremonies of the Year and the 2007 Bright Star Speaker of the Year, 2008 Inspirational Speaker of the Year, 2008 Speaker of the Year and 2009 Master of Ceremonies of the Year. Hr  hashelped many Business Leaders, Educational Leaders, Sports Leaders and Community Leaders to increase their spheres of influence. He has presented in various countries including Malaysia, Singapore, America, England as well as conferences and seminars throughout New Zealand. Applying Ancient Wisdom from his indigenous culture Ngahihi offers pieces of wisdom in an inspiring and informing manner. Ngahihi believes the most important resource in many organisations are their people. If people feel valued and are appropriately developed their continued contribution is priceless. One of our Maori proverbs outlines this: He aha te mea nui? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. What is the most important thing? It is people, people, people. I help organisations to develop their people

Jo was the Chief Executive of the Ministry for Women until September 2016. One of the youngest Chief Executives ever appointed in the New Zealand Public Service, she has invested her time and energy in advancing the cause of the vulnerable in society, spearheading some of the most difficult issues of our time, including child abuse, child poverty, family violence and vulnerable women. She has established effective working relationships with Ministers, Government agencies, NGOs, Māori organisations, iwi, Pacific communities and the business sector. Formerly the Deputy Children's Commissioner, author of the Government's Green Paper on Vulnerable Children, director of a number of NGOs, she has a Doctorate in Public Policy and works internationally on advancing development in the Pacific as a director of Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA). In 2016 she was a finalist in the New Zealand Women of Influence Awards and in 2014 was one of three recipients of a Westpac Leaders Fellowship. Jo is the proud mother of two and referees their Saturday morning sport, bakes cupcakes and sews Guide badges onto blankets. In this interivew we discuss her recent Tedx talk on addressing the gender pay gap NZ. We discuss domestic violence, poverty and the roles of women in today's world.  

Grant is passionate about igniting the talent and passions of aspiring Kiwi professionals in their career. By day he is a career consultant at Massey Universities Wellington campus, building students skills and confidence to move into their dream roles. By night, he helps aspiring professionals through his own online career consultancy firm Sparked, sharing best practice career development resources, tools and tips. Grant has trained and coached thousands of individuals in areas such as finding career direction, personal marketing, standing out to employers in CVs and interviews, using LinkedIn and effective job hunting. He shares his knowledge from his background of over 15 years in executive coaching, training and marketing, having held management positions in the corporate, not for profit and tertiary sectors. Grant was recently awarded the Distinguished Alumni award from Otago Polytechnic for his work in career development and in the community. He is a strong believer that great careers don’t happen by accident and that it is essential to get the best quality career advice. Hence, he is a professional member of the Career Development Association of New Zealand, is a certified StrengthsFinder coach and holds degrees in career practice, marketing and psychology.

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between those who just achieve moderately in life and those who do extraordinary things that others think impossible? Lisa reflects on what it takes to be a champion, to achieve greatness and to be extraordinary. What it will cost?  An inspirational and motivating talk to make you want to reach beyond your comfort zone, to risk failure in the pursuit of success.  

Phil Kingsley Jones is a Welsh legend. Comedian, Entertainer, Rugby Coach, Sports Agent and Manager, Business development manager, Author, Speaker,  Coal Miner and Pie seller all describe this lovable rogue. Born in the Valleys of Wales he became an internationally acclaimed comedian touring with some of the biggest acts of the 70's and 80's from the likes of the Beach Boys, to Neil Sedaka to Cliff Richards to Lionel Ritchie and the Comodores to Dr Hook and Frankie Valli, you name them Phil worked with them. In the 1980's Phil fell in love with a Kiwi girl and moved to New Zealand where he went back to his early passion Rugby, later becoming a coach and Sport Manager. He was Manager to the legend that was Jonah Lomu who was one of the first Rugby professionals. Jonah was like a son to Phil and we hear of Jonahs early career and how special this man was. In this interview Phil shares his life philosophy, his wicked sense of humour and gives an open and candid insight into the roller coaster ride that has been his life so far. All with a very welsh chuckle.

Paul Rangiwahia is an artist on a mission. For years Paul's works have sparked intrigue and discussion for their quirkiness, their kiwiana style but now Paul has produced a very special piece of work called "The Mental W.O.F" which provides viewers with a daily dose of wellbeing. Made up of a set of 45 rules that Paul tries to live his life by, wisdom and principles to live a happy and fulfilled life. This artwork has gone viral and is encouraging and inspiring people all around the globe but Paul's journey to developing this set of principles has been through the school of hard knocks when two years ago his business failed and he was made bankrupt. He hit rock bottom before rediscovering his real passion for art and making this apparent disaster, which saw him lose his family home and everything he had worked for, into a turning point for good in his life. The Mental W.O.F was his start back to wellness and now he shares through his works and his speaking, his experiences and what is really important in life. You can see the Mental W.O.F or get your inspiring copy at www.paulrangiwahia.com