Stay at the Top

Discover how to harness your biology for lasting energy and recovery. Learn why morning sunlight is vital for boosting mood and energy, while evening light can sabotage your sleep. Explore your sleep chronotype to optimize productivity and structure your day. Unlock creativity with regular brain breaks and enhance focus using simple breathing techniques. Embrace these effortless, science-backed strategies and transform your daily performance!

Dr. Kate Mason, an executive communication coach and world champion debater, helps leaders at companies like Google and Netflix balance power and likability. She discusses how power and likeability complement each other and provides insights on navigating the double bind women face in leadership. Kate shares practical tips on using language effectively, setting boundaries, and reframing confidence as an action rather than a feeling. Her insights are enriched with actionable strategies that empower listeners to enhance their communication and influence authentically.

Discover how relying on motivation can derail high performers and why a personal operating system is crucial for sustained success. Learn about five key pillars: nutrition, sleep, movement, stress, and recovery. Jess shares strategies for tackling common reactive habits and emphasizes the importance of setting predictable routines. Explore the benefits of a life audit to establish consistent habits, and how to adapt your system for different life seasons. Real client examples show the profound impact of small changes, proving that systems, not goals, drive long-term performance.

In this episode of Stay at the Top, I’m joined by Claire Richardson, an Advanced Pain Management Osteopath and pain clinician with more than 15 years of experience. Claire leads a team of seven practitioners across two private practices in Melbourne and runs Wayfinder Pain Consulting, her online clinic dedicated to helping people improve their quality of life while living with chronic pain.We explore why chronic pain is different from acute pain and why it requires a completely different approach. Claire breaks down the science behind pain processing and the role of the nervous system, explains why “resting it out” or “pushing through” both backfire, and shares practical strategies to help people find their Goldilocks zone for movement, recovery, and everyday life.With one in five Australians experiencing chronic pain at some point in their lives, this is a powerful conversation that will benefit you directly or someone you know.In this episode, we cover:- The difference between acute and chronic pain, and why the terms are often misunderstood- Why chronic pain is primarily a nervous system issue and how that changes treatment- The boom-bust cycle and why neither extreme rest nor overexertion works- Practical examples of finding the “Goldilocks zone” to stay active safely- How the brain decides how much pain to produce, and why context matters- The concept of “pain pizza” and how everyone’s contributors are unique- Simple, evidence-based strategies to support neuroplasticity and reduce nervous system load- Why social connection, sleep, and daily habits play a bigger role than most people realiseKey Quotes:“You can’t rest your way out of chronic pain, and you can’t push through it either.”“Pain doesn’t exist until the brain decides it exists.”“Everyone’s pain pizza looks different. You need to figure out what your biggest slices are.”“Small, consistent behaviours are what support nervous system change.”More About Clare:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/claire-richardson1Website: www.wayfinderpain.com.auTake the High-Performance Profile Quizhttps://jessicaspendlove.com/quiz/Everything about me can be found here: www.jessicaspendlove.com If you’re interested in having me as a speaker you can find out more here: https://jessicaspendlove.com/speaking/Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=enYou can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/Want to contact me directly?Email Jess@JessicaSpendlove.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explore how high performers use A/B testing in health to optimize their habits. Learn the dangers of blindly following trends without measuring their impact. A compelling client case reveals how short-term fasting can sometimes conflict with long-term goals. Discover the importance of combining objective data from wearables with subjective feelings. Practical tips on testable areas like nutrition, training, and sleep routines will help you create a personalized health playbook for sustained performance.

Dr. Jo Lukins, a renowned performance psychologist with notable experience across elite sports, military, and corporate leadership, shares her insights on achieving sustainable success. She discusses how a strong belief system is crucial before competition and redefines resilience as 'bouncing forward' rather than just recovering. Jo explains the dangers of an all-or-nothing mindset and offers practical tools to tackle limiting beliefs while promoting wellness in high achievers. Tune in for actionable advice on cultivating a high-performance mindset!

Explore six simple nutrition upgrades that can enhance your daily performance without drastic changes. Learn how to pulse protein for muscle preservation and why colorful fruits and veggies are key for recovery and gut health. Discover the importance of hydration and smart snacking to sustain energy. Jess emphasizes the value of aligning meal timing with your body's rhythm, making small choices that create big impact. It's all about optimization for sustainable high performance!

Discover why every high achiever should embrace wearables for improved performance. Learn how combining subjective feelings with objective data creates a powerful health dashboard. Hear personal success stories, like how one CEO broke a cycle of illness through better sleep and recovery. Gain insights on balancing work, training, and family through smart data use. Plus, get practical tips for using wearables effectively without falling into data obsession.

The discussion dives into the pitfalls of high performers clinging to past peak performances as benchmarks. It reveals how neuroscience explains the all-or-nothing mindset and its impact on motivation. Personal anecdotes illustrate the need for evolving habits to match the current season of life. Listeners are encouraged to identify both positive and hindering habits, emphasizing the importance of small, meaningful adjustments. Reflection questions prompt a reevaluation of what truly serves them at this stage in life.

After what was meant to be a short break turned into nine months, Stay at the Top is finally back. In this episode, I share a personal update on life, motherhood, business, and why it’s time to stop procrastinating and get the show on the road again.This episode is more reflective than usual. It’s about pulling back the curtain on what the last season has looked like for me: navigating the delicate dance of being a mum and running a business, finding new rhythms, and confronting procrastination head on. I also share why procrastination isn’t laziness, what it’s really signalling, and how taking messy action can move you forward in any area of life.In this episode, I share:- What the past nine months have looked like, from becoming a mum to returning to work and speaking.- How I’ve redefined boundaries and guardrails to protect sleep, energy, and focus in this new season.- Lessons from juggling motherhood and business ownership and why it’s a delicate but rewarding balance.- Why procrastination is often about confidence, clarity, or capacity not laziness.- Practical ways to reframe procrastination and start imperfectly.- The simple mantra that can help you take your next step forward.Key Quotes:“Procrastination isn’t laziness. Often it’s a lack of confidence, clarity, or capacity.”“If you wait for the stars to align, you’ll be waiting forever.”“Taking messy action is better than waiting for perfect timing.”Take the High-Performance Profile Quizhttps://jessicaspendlove.com/quiz/Everything about me can be found here: www.jessicaspendlove.com If you’re interested in having me as a speaker you can find out more here: https://jessicaspendlove.com/speaker-kit/ Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jess_spendlove_dietitian/?hl=enYou can find me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-spendlove-64173bb8/Want to contact me directly?Email Jess@JessicaSpendlove.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.