Unlock the mindset that turns potential into peak performance — in sport, business, and life!
Hosted by Emma Lawson and Performance Psychologist Dr. Tom Bates
Real conversations. Fresh perspectives. Powerful mindsets.
Emma and Tom go beyond the clichés of “high performance” to explore what truly makes people thrive. From athletes and leaders to everyday changemakers, their guests share authentic stories of growth, resilience, and human connection.
This isn’t just about performance — it’s about unlocking potential, living with purpose, and flourishing in every walk of life.
They Told Me I'd Never be Active Again - I Had to Prove Them Wrong: Anthony Bryan
Anthony Bryan, at the age of 6 was told he would never be active again. Years later, he became a World Champion runner at The Cerebral Palsy World Games and a Marathon World Record Holder.
Anthony's story isn't simply about over coming adversity. It is about belief, potential and what happens when you stop accepting the limits that others try to impose on you - and start asking yourself, 'how much further can I push myself.'
This is an incredible discussion about what we are all capable of when we are willing to live outside our comfort zone.
12 Aug 2026
Matt Jarvis: Playing for England Changed Everything.
What happens when you reach the top of English football - and then everything changes?
Matt Jarvis, former England International, West Ham and Wolves winger, joins Exceed High Performance to reflect on his journey from the bottom to the Premier League and then to representing his country. Matt talks about the standards required to perform at the highest level, and the painful reality of long-term injury setbacks.
We explore pressure, identity, resilience and what it takes to stay committed when everything you've built is taken away.
A powerful conversation and performance, perspective and finding purpose beyond the game.
#englishfootball #football #premierleague #resilience #performance mindset.
1 Jul 2026
Vicky Losada, FC Barcelona: No one was going to stop us
What does it really take to create high performing teams?
In this episode, of the Exceed High Performance Podcast, performance psychologist Dr Tom Bates and Emma Lawson are joined by former Spain International, and FC Barcelona Femeni captain - Vicky Losada.
Drawing on a wide range of experiences from Barcelona, to Manchester City, and more recently Bristol City, Vicky shares how accountability, trust and a shared purpose helped transform Barcelona 'Femeni' squad from an emerging team into championship winners. Together, we explore the psychology behind high-performing teams, the importance of culture over individual talent, and why sustained success comes from building aligned purpose and standards.
Whether you lead a team in sport, business, or beyond, the principles discussed in this episode, extend far beyond the pitch!
12 Jun 2026
Bruce Dee: The only thing stopping me is me
In this episode of the Exceed High Performance Podcast, I sit down with Paralympian and British record holder Brice Dee, to explore the mindset behind elite performance. Bruce reflects on his journey to Paris Olympics, the importance of self belief, and why trusting the process is more important than chasing outcomes. A thoughtful conversation on what it takes to performance at your best and why. In Bruce's words 'the only thing stopping me is me.'
14 May 2026
The unseen side of performance.
Elite performance begins long before the moment itself.
When we caught up with British Champion Lauren Cox at the GB Aquatics Championships, we discussed:
The importance of visualisation beforehand.
The inner dialogue under pressure.
The discipline to keep showing up.
And the ability to turn setbacks into motivation.
Lauren reflects openly on missing out on the Olympics, and how that experience ultimately became part of what shaped her. Lauren also speaks about the importance of rehearsing performance mentally, to the point where, by the time she races, it feels like she's already been there before. Not because confidence simply appears. But because belief is built through preparation.
22 Mar 2026
The Mindset Behind Olympic Gold | Matt Richards & James Guy
What does it really take to get to the top, and stay at the top?
In this episode of the Exceed High Performance Podcast, Olympic and World champions Matt Richards and James Guy share the mindset behind one of the most successful relay teams in British swimming.
Together with performance psychologist Tom Bates, this conversation goes beyond the podium to explore the habits, standards and culture required to perform at the highest level.
From the pressure of the Olympic call room… to the honesty and accountability inside a world-class team, this episode reveals what it takes to consistently deliver when it matters most. We explore:
• The mindset required to win at the highest level
• Why winning once is never enough
• How great teams build trust, honesty and accountability
• The discipline and commitment behind sustained success
This is a conversation about more than sport. It’s about how individuals come together to form a team and how that team creates something greater than the sum of its parts.
Follow the Exceed High Performance Podcast for more conversations on mindset, leadership and elite performance.
9 Feb 2026
Why consistency beats brilliance!
In this episode, we dive into the idea that high performance is deeply personal, not a universal formula. Jake Woolmore of the Bristol Bears joins us to share a powerful and refreshingly honest perspective on what alternative high performance really looks like inside a top rugby environment.Jake opens up about showing up for the team without ego, understanding his role, and building a mindset rooted in hard work, humility, and self-awareness. He talks about how his unusual source of motivation, “not wanting to be the worst”, became the fuel that pushed him to outwork others, stay consistent, and chase continuous improvement year after year.Through his experiences, Jake demonstrates that high performance isn’t just about physical outputs; it’s shaped by our values, our environments, and the inner narratives we build. His story highlights how you can create a standard of excellence that is authentic to who you are and still show up fully for those around you.A grounded, insightful conversation that reframes what it means to perform at your best… in your own way.
15 Dec 2025
Regina Kuzmina: Leading with courage and care!
Regina Kuzmina, former Head of Beauty and Wellbeing for Unilever, shares deeply personal stories about her own career transitions, and how she's learned to harness mindset to navigate change at the highest levels of business. It's a powerful reminder, that high performance isn't just about pushing harder, or climbing higher - it's about knowing when to evolve, how to stay true to yourself, and how to lead with courage and care. This episode offers an alternative, beautifully human perspective on what it means to perform at your best through every chapter of your career.
12 Dec 2025
Defy your own limits!
Getting kicked out of Oxford Uni was a turning point that pushed RAF fighter pilot Luke Wilkinson to strive for elite performance. Here Luke opens up about the mental tactics he's developed to perform under incredible speed under intense pressure. From training his brain for split-second decision making, to using visualisation to limit the potential for error. This is a story about resilience, disciplined preparation, and what's possible when you really commit your mind and body to defy your limits.
24 Nov 2025
From Underdog to English Champion: The Psychology Behind Yaser Al Ghena’s Rise
In this episode of the Exceed High Performance Podcast, English Super Lightweight Boxing Champion Yaser Al Ghena offers a powerful exploration into the mindset behind elite performance. Yaser reveals how boxing evolved from a passion into a calling, and how he cultivated the mental resilience required to perform under the intense pressure of competition.
He reflects on transforming his underdog status into a source of energy and belief, and shares why he adopts a no-excuses philosophy—one that enabled him to capture the English title while fighting with two broken hands.
This conversation dives deep into identity, discipline, and the psychology of pursuing excellence, even when the odds are stacked against you.
#ExceedHighPerformance #Mindset #PerformancePsychology #YaserAlGhena #BoxingChampion #EliteMindset #MentalStrength #Resilience #HighPerformance #NoExcuses #AthleteMindset #SportPsychology #GrowthMindset #UnderdogMentality #PeakPerformance
22 Nov 2025
Resilience at the top: Cyrus Christie on achieving longevity in Football
Exceed High Performance and Cyrus Christie
"Strength grows in the moments you think you can't go on - but keep going anyway."
In this powerful episode, Cyrus Christie shares the mindset behind 500+ appearances across the Premier League, Championship, and International Football. What stands out is not just Cyrus' skill - but his resilience, adaptability and self-belief. From Fulham's elite standards, to representing his country of Ireland, Cyrus opens up about:
* Sustaining peak performance over more than a decade.
* Bouncing back from setbacks, injuries and criticism.
* Staying true to yourself under pressure.
* The mental habits that fuel long-term consistency.
* Why he now feels driven to mentor and inspire the next generation.
Listen now on Spotify. #Cyrus Christie #Elitemindset #exceedhighperformance #exceedperformance #resilience #fulhamfc #boltonwanderers #mindsetmatters #drtombates #performancepsychology #footballlife #500performances
27 Oct 2025
From Collapse to Olympic Gold: Hannah Macleod on the Mindset of Champions
Double Olympian Hannah Macleod shares the remarkable journey of the GB women’s hockey team — from heartbreak and unravelling after the World Cup in 2014, to rebuilding belief, redefining culture, and achieving Olympic gold in Rio 2016.
Hannah reveals how small behaviours can make or break performance, why mindset and connection sit at the heart of winning teams, and how legacy goes beyond medals to inspire the next generation.
Tune in for powerful lessons on resilience, culture, and the mindset that turns setbacks into success.
20 Oct 2025
Resilience, Growth & Leading Against the Odds: Steve Roest, CEO of PocDoc
Resilience, perseverance and self-improvement: lessons from Steve Roest.
What does it take to build something remarkable in the face of failure?
In this episode, we speak with Steve Roest, co-founder and CEO of PocDoc, about the perseverance, resilience, and courage required to step up when the odds are stacked against you. Steve shares how early setbacks became fuel for growth, the mindset shifts that enabled him to thrive as a leader, and the practices that keep him committed to self-improvement and helping others succeed.
A conversation rich in insight, this episode explores what it really means to turn adversity into opportunity — and to lead with both ambition and care.
7 Oct 2025
Barry Bannan on Leadership, Belief and Sheffield Wednesday’s Historic Comeback
In this episode of Exceed High Performance, Sheffield Wednesday captain Barry Bannan joins Emma Lawson and Dr Tom Bates to explore what true leadership and belief look like under pressure.
In May 2023, Wednesday faced a 4–0 first-leg deficit against Peterborough United in the League One play-off semi-final — a position no team had ever recovered from. Yet, against all odds, they produced one of the most remarkable comebacks in football history.
Barry reflects on that night, sharing how mindset, focus, and emotional control helped shape the team’s response — and what these lessons reveal about resilience and performance in any field.
This is more than a football story — it’s a conversation about belief, identity, and leading through adversity.
#BarryBannan #SheffieldWednesday #ExceedHighPerformance #Leadership #Resilience
15 Sept 2025
Chris Lemons: Resilience, Mindset and Surviving the Impossible
Chris Lemons was stranded 90 metres under the North Sea with only minutes of air. In this episode, he shares the mindset and resilience that made survival possible.Chris Lemons is a former saturation diver and the subject of the Netflix documentary The Last Breath and a Hollywood film of the same name. His survival story is one of the most extraordinary ever told.
While working 90 metres beneath the North Sea, a catastrophic technical failure severed Chris’s lifeline to oxygen, heat, light and communication. With just five minutes of air remaining, he was stranded on the ocean floor alone. His colleagues took forty minutes to reach him. Against all odds, Chris survived.
In this conversation with Dr Tom Bates and Emma Lawson, Chris shares not only the events of that day, but the mindset, resilience and preparation that made survival possible. Together they explore:
The training required to perform under extreme pressure
The resilience of the human body and mind
Lessons in courage, connection and perseverance that apply to us all
As Viktor Frankl once wrote: “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
Chris’s story is a living example of resilience at the highest level — and a powerful reminder of the strength within us all.
15 Sept 2025
Leading with Authenticity: Esi Bracey Eggleston on Resilience and Growth
What does it take to lead with authenticity — and disrupt an entire industry in the process?
Esi Bracey Eggleston, recognised by Forbes as one of the world’s most influential marketers, is the Chief Growth and Marketing Officer at Unilever. A pioneer of positive beauty and a champion of authentic leadership, she has reshaped how global brands connect with people.
In this conversation with Dr Tom Bates and Emma Lawson, Esi opens up about the mindset that has defined her career and the lessons she’s learned along the way:
Finding power by becoming comfortable in her own skin
Building resilience to lead global transformation
Unlocking leadership through authenticity and growth
Using purpose as a catalyst to inspire diverse teams
A
s Brené Brown reminds us: “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are.”
This is not just a story of business leadership — it’s a masterclass in mindset, resilience and purpose that carries lessons for anyone striving to perform at the highest level.
15 Sept 2025
Mindset: The Hidden Ingredient of High Performance
Join Dr Tom Bates and Emma Lawson as they launch Exceed High Performance — a podcast decoding the mindset and behaviours that unlock human potential.
Welcome to the first episode of the Exceed High Performance Podcast with Dr Tom Bates and Emma Lawson.
Dr Tom Bates is one of the UK’s leading performance psychologists, working at the highest level of elite sport — from Premier League football and international rugby to motorsport, MMA and two Olympic cycles with Team GB. Emma Lawson is a transformation lead in global business, driving change and unlocking potential in complex organisations.
Together, they explore what it really takes to perform at the highest level — in sport, in business and in life.
In this opening conversation, Tom reveals:
Why mindset is the hidden ingredient of high performance;
The common traits he sees in world-class performers;
The extraordinary moments that have shaped his career.
If you’ve ever wondered what separates those who step up when it matters most, create deeper connections and live a more fulfilling life, this is where the journey begins.
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