This is a podcast tailored for the driven high-performer, seeking growth and success both now and sustainably for future you, as well. Our aim is to guide you from feeling exhausted to energised with ease and enjoyment. Here, we will help you harness the power of nutrition, sleep, mindset, and other high-performance behaviours to achieve your goals, gain more energy, reach the top, and most importantly, stay there.
While success undoubtedly demands dedication, it doesn't have to entail enduring hardship or constant sacrifice. In this podcast, we will help you find the right levers to pull in your life, prioritising ease over friction. We advocate for the path of least resistance and embrace longevity over the all-too-common 'all or nothing' tactics and mindsets.
4f21676dc12aaf85becaa091f73d7905499ccc94
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Everyone is talking about capacity.
New systems. New technology. AI. Restructures. Fewer resources. Higher expectations.
We're all being asked to do more with less.
But while most people focus on everything being added to their workload, very few notice what's quietly disappearing at the same time. The habits that create energy. The recovery that builds resilience. The systems that help us perform.
In this episode of Stay at the Top, I unpack why so many people feel like they're at capacity, why simply pushing harder isn't the answer, and the three controllables that will help you protect your energy, expand your capacity and navigate periods of intense change more sustainably.
I also share a personal update on why I'm pressing pause on the podcast and what this season has taught me about practising what I preach.
In This Episode I Share
Why so many people feel like they're operating at capacity
The hidden cost of constantly doing more with less
How your own health habits quietly erode during busy seasons
Why protecting your operating system matters more than ever
The difference between reactive and proactive recovery
How to use psychological detachment to recover more effectively
Why annual, quarterly and daily recovery all matter
How to work with your biology instead of against it
Understanding your sleep chronotype and ultradian rhythm
Why brain breaks are one of the highest leverage habits you can build
The importance of subtracting before continuing to add more
How to protect your capacity during seasons of change
Why I'm pressing pause on Stay at the Top and what comes next
Key Quotes
“While you're taking on more, the very system that helps you do it is starting to erode.”
“You can only add so many things before you reach a tipping point.”
“Sometimes protecting your capacity means doing less, not more.”
Timestamps
(00:02) Why everyone is talking about capacity
(01:59) The hidden cost of doing more with less
(03:51) The habits that disappear when life gets busy
(05:09) Control the controllables
(05:45) Recover before you need to
(09:03) Working with your biology
(11:10) Why brain breaks build capacity
(12:37) The power of subtracting instead of adding
(14:13) Why I'm putting Stay at the Top on pause
(16:18) What comes next
📖 PRE-ORDER For the Long Run by Jess Spendlove 👉https://amzn.to/4t33BPh (https://amzn.to/4t33BPh)
Take the High-Performance Profile Quiz https://jessicaspendlove.com/quiz/ (https://jessicaspendlove.com/quiz/)
Stay At The Top
🟩 Speaker Inquiries jessicaspendlove.com/speaking/ (https://jessicaspendlove.com/speaking/)
🟩 Follow Jess on IG https://shorturl.at/s7egp (https://shorturl.at/s7egp)
🟩 Follow Jess on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaspendlove/ (https://open.acast.com/networks/634de911ce19f1001224f261/shows/62f34c0fc8c50f001332677e/episodes/www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaspendlove/)
📩 Jess@JessicaSpendlove.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
28 Jul 2026
Why you know what to do and still don't do it
Today is launch day.
For the Long Run is officially out in the world.
In this episode of Stay at the Top, I answer some of the most common questions I've received about the book, why I wrote it, who it's for, and the frameworks that underpin it.
I also share the personal experiences that shaped the philosophy behind For the Long Run, why I believe so many people know what to do but struggle to do it consistently, and why small, sustainable upgrades will always outperform dramatic overhauls.
Whether you've already bought the book or you're curious about whether it's right for you, this episode will give you a behind the scenes look at what you can expect and, more importantly, how to start building your own daily operating system.
In This Episode I Share
Why I wrote For the Long Run
The three problems the book was designed to solve
Why sustainable performance starts with your own daily operating system
The five rhythms that underpin health, wellbeing and performance
The framework behind Charge Up, Capacity and Charge Down
Why knowing what to do isn't the same as doing it
Why foundations will always outperform fads
How to close the gap between knowledge and action
Practical strategies for overcoming afternoon energy slumps
Why recovery is the missing piece for so many people
How to adapt your habits to your current season of life
The importance of identifying and protecting your domino habit
Why upgrades outperform overhauls every time
Key Quotes
“The gap isn't what you know. It's what you're consistently doing.”
“You're better off doing less consistently than trying to change everything at once.”
“Build for your busiest days, not just your best.”
Timestamps
(00:13) Launch day and what this book means to me
(02:35) The philosophy behind For the Long Run
(06:02) The Three Cs explained
(09:21) Why I wrote this book
(15:00) Closing the gap between knowing and doing
(19:09) Solving afternoon cravings and energy dips
(22:34) Why recovery creates energy
(26:47) Book launch competition and Eden Retreat
(28:00) How to make healthy habits fit your current season
(31:26) The one lesson I hope every reader remembers
(33:34) Where to find For the Long Run
📖 PRE-ORDER For the Long Run by Jess Spendlove 👉https://amzn.to/4t33BPh (https://amzn.to/4t33BPh)
Take the High-Performance Profile Quiz https://jessicaspendlove.com/quiz/ (https://jessicaspendlove.com/quiz/)
Stay At The Top
🟩 Speaker Inquiries jessicaspendlove.com/speaking/ (https://jessicaspendlove.com/speaking/)
🟩 Follow Jess on IG https://shorturl.at/s7egp (https://shorturl.at/s7egp)
🟩 Follow Jess on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaspendlove/ (https://open.acast.com/networks/634de911ce19f1001224f261/shows/62f34c0fc8c50f001332677e/episodes/www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaspendlove/)
📩 Jess@JessicaSpendlove.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
20 Jul 2026
How rhythm will get you through your most intense periods in life
If you'd asked me a year ago to name two things I'd never do, I would have told you write a book and have a baby.
We all have high demands in our lives as high performers, but at least 4 times a year, more is required in the moment. This can range from a big project at work, a campaign, or a parenting event. Our cognitive load is consumed by these moments, and we make room for it by putting our health and well-being on the back burner. Next thing you know, you’re on the verge of a breakdown.
This is entirely avoidable.
With more than 15 years of experience working with elite athletes, executives, and military personnel, I applied those tools and skills to this high-intensity period of writing my book, For The Long Run.
In this episode I share
The story behind writing For the Long Run
Why I initially said no to writing a book
How becoming a parent shaped the message I wanted to share
Why rhythm matters more than balance during busy seasons
The framework behind my Daily Operating System
The five rhythms that underpin sustainable high performance
How I wrote a book while raising a one year old
The recovery strategies that helped me maintain focus and energy
Why working in performance pulses improved my cognitive output
The importance of brain breaks during intense work periods
Why sustainable performance sometimes includes short, intentional sprints
How to recognise when it's time to deload and recover
Why preparation is often years in the making
The power of asking for opportunities
Key Quotes
“You can achieve a lot more than you think when you get your rhythms right.”
“Sometimes sustainable high performance includes short periods of intentional intensity.”
“The goal isn't to avoid busy seasons. It's to move through them well.”
Timestamps
(00:00) Why I never thought I'd write a book
(02:38) Why I initially said no to publishing
(04:45) Becoming a mum changed my message
(07:08) How For the Long Run came together
(09:31) The Daily Operating System explained
(11:51) Why I chose rhythm over routines
(13:52) Agreeing to an impossible deadline
(16:27) Writing the manuscript in intense performance blocks
(18:44) The recovery strategies that kept me performing
(21:11) Why rhythm matters more than balance
(23:08) Four weeks versus four years
(25:35) Learning to ask for opportunities
(27:24) How to navigate your own busiest seasons
(29:40) The launch of For the Long Run
📖 PRE-ORDER For the Long Run by Jess Spendlove 👉https://amzn.to/4t33BPh (https://amzn.to/4t33BPh)
Take the High-Performance Profile Quiz https://jessicaspendlove.com/quiz/ (https://jessicaspendlove.com/quiz/)
Stay At The Top
🟩 Speaker Inquiries jessicaspendlove.com/speaking/ (https://jessicaspendlove.com/speaking/)
🟩 Follow Jess on IG https://shorturl.at/s7egp (https://shorturl.at/s7egp)
🟩 Follow Jess on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaspendlove/ (https://open.acast.com/networks/634de911ce19f1001224f261/shows/62f34c0fc8c50f001332677e/episodes/www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaspendlove/)
📩 Jess@JessicaSpendlove.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Spotify
4.9 / 5
34 ratings
Contact Stay at the Top
Guest appearances
Does not typically book guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
