The High Performance Podcast

High Performance
  • 4.8 (68)
  • Sports
  • Updated Semiweekly

Welcome to High Performance. Through fascinating conversations with remarkable guests, Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes uncover the secrets behind High Performance and explore how we can all become the best version of ourselves. We focus on uncovering the learnings from top performers in every field, from sport to entertainment, business, health and wellness.​ No matter where our guests have excelled, they all have first-hand experiences and lessons to share. On High Performance we find out what non-negotiable behaviours they employed to get them to the top and keep them there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. How Dame Ellen MacArthur is Fuelling Purpose for Young Cancer Survivors (E413)

    2d ago

    How Dame Ellen MacArthur is Fuelling Purpose for Young Cancer Survivors (E413)

    What happens when the medical system tells you you’re clear, but the hardest part of your recovery is actually just beginning? In this special roundtable episode, brought to you in partnership with Postcode Lottery, we explore the unseen side of living through and beyond cancer. Joining Jake in the studio are legendary solo sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur, Frank Fletcher (CEO of the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust), and Josh Rands, a young survivor who rebuilt his life after a rare cancer diagnosis at just 19. Together, they share a raw, open conversation about why true bravery isn't always something you choose, the reality of life when treatment structures suddenly fall away, and how reclaiming independence on the open sea can give young people their futures back.  It’s a powerful look at resilience, the daily grind of running a purpose-driven charity, and why finding a genuine sense of belonging is often the ultimate medicine. Postcode Lottery 👉 Discover how Postcode Lottery players are Powering Hope Together. Click here to find out more: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-postcode-au  Postcode Lottery manages lotteries for 20 charities, a minimum of 30% of each ticket price goes to charity. 18 plus, conditions apply, not available in Northern Ireland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    43 min
  2. What Are You Actually Afraid Of? | The Truth About Fear & Self-Doubt

    4d ago ·  Video

    What Are You Actually Afraid Of? | The Truth About Fear & Self-Doubt

    Fear doesn't disappear when you become successful. It just changes shape. In this episode, Jake and Damian go into the archive to ask a question most of us avoid: what are you actually afraid of — and what's it costing you? They're joined by clips from some of High Performance's most memorable conversations: Phil Heath on navigating darkness to find your highest level, Scott McTominay on the self-doubt that never left him through 21 years at Manchester United, Jameela Jamil on 15 years of saying yes to everything and no to herself, and Robin Van Persie on the moment he realised he was the one making it heavy. Plus: why imposter syndrome isn't a syndrome, the difference between overthinking and thinking deeply, and what actually happens when you stop fighting a feeling and just name it. Listen to the full conversations: Jameela Jamil https://pod.fo/e/225b9e Scott McTominay https://pod.fo/e/2154f0 Phil Heath https://pod.fo/e/2313e6 Robin Van Persie https://pod.fo/e/18789 Ronda Rousey https://pod.fo/e/23ec96 Postcode Lottery 👉 Discover how Postcode Lottery players are Powering Hope Together. Click here to find out more: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-postcode-au  Better Help 👉 Join Jake in Saying It Louder with 10% off Betterhelp Therapy. Click here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-betterhelp-au  XTB 👉To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB-hpp-au   AG1 👉Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs Next week on High Performance: Nico Rosberg — Formula 1 World Champion. Hit subscribe so you don't miss it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    36 min
  3. Steve McClaren: Inside England’s Golden Generation & Sir Alex’s Man United (E412)

    6d ago ·  Video

    Steve McClaren: Inside England’s Golden Generation & Sir Alex’s Man United (E412)

    Steve McClaren has lived the full arc of elite football, from the immense pressure of managing England to lifting trophies in Europe and standing alongside Sir Alex Ferguson during Manchester United’s historic Treble campaign. In this episode, Steve takes us inside the uniquely brutal world of the England job and World Cup expectation, describing the psychological weight of carrying 70 million people on your shoulders and breaking down the volatile mix of camp chemistry, player fitness, and sheer luck required to win the 2026 World Cup. The conversation shifts to the blueprint of a modern rebuild, analysing the early signs of structural alignment at Manchester United under INEOS. Drawing from a lifetime of experience, Steve explains why tactics and staff are fundamentally useless unless the entire hierarchy of a football club is pulling in the exact same direction. He also shares what he learned inside Ferguson’s machine, from total trust in his staff to a relentless hunger that reset the standard the morning after the Treble. This is a conversation about pressure, standards and what it really takes to build sustained success at the very top of the game. Steve McClaren has joined Rotherham FC as Head of Football https://www.themillers.co.uk/ Postcode Lottery 👉 Discover how Postcode Lottery players are Powering Hope Together. Click here to find out more: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-postcode-au  Better Help 👉 Join Jake in Saying It Louder with 10% off Betterhelp Therapy. Click here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-betterhelp-au  XTB 👉To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB-hpp-au   AG1 👉Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 49m
  4. Inside The Secret Struggles of a Running Superstar | Georgia Hunter Bell (E411)

    May 22

    Inside The Secret Struggles of a Running Superstar | Georgia Hunter Bell (E411)

    We packed up the studio in the Vauxhall Combo electric van and travelled to the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre for a deeply reflective conversation with Team GB athlete Georgia Hunter-Bell. Away from the heat of competition, Georgia opens up for the first time about a chapter of her life she has never publicly revealed before. She shares her experience going through dark times after walking away from the sport that had defined her identity for so many years. Georgia also explains how navigating that dark period allowed her to return as "version 2.0," armed with a powerful new perspective on what it truly takes to be an elite athlete as she looks ahead to the LA 2028 Olympic Games. This episode explores the mental battles of elite performance, reflecting on Georgia’s resilience through her darkest chapter and how she rebuilt her identity. In Partnership with Vauxhall. This special episode was made possible by our partner, Vauxhall, the official automotive partner for Team GB through to the 2028 LA Olympics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    45 min
  5. What Happens When Trust Breaks Down?

    May 20

    What Happens When Trust Breaks Down?

    Trust is the single most important currency in sport, business, and life - and in the age of AI, it's becoming scarcer by the day. This week Jake Humphrey is joined by producer Will to dig into why. Drawing on some of the most powerful conversations in the High Performance archive, they explore what trust really is, how it breaks down, and whether it can ever truly be rebuilt. Featuring: Rachel Botsman — Oxford lecturer and world expert on trust — on the three stages of how trust collapses.James Timpson on why the most successful culture he ever built ran on just two rules.Stuart Broad on the quiet act of leadership that holds a team together when everything falls apart.And Martin Lewis — widely regarded as the most trusted person in Britain — on why you cannot market trust: you can only earn it. Plus: why Southampton's Spygate is just the catalyst for a much bigger conversation, what the rise of AI means for human credibility, and the difference between performative trust and the real thing. 🔗 Rachel Botsman: https://pod.fo/e/1179ff 🔗 James Timpson: https://pod.fo/e/c4dbd 🔗 Stuart Broad: https://pod.fo/e/2093a6 🔗 Martin Lewis: https://pod.fo/e/22a519 🔗 Damian's habit series — Why Building Trust Beats Being Liked: https://pod.fo/e/323b0d Postcode Lottery 👉 Discover how Postcode Lottery players are Powering Hope Together. Click here to find out more: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-postcode-au  Better Help 👉 Join Jake in Saying It Louder with 10% off Betterhelp Therapy. Click here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-betterhelp-au AG1 👉Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs XTB 👉🏻 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
  6. The England Coach Carrying Heartbreak Into World Cup ’26 | Justin Cochrane (E410)

    May 18 ·  Video

    The England Coach Carrying Heartbreak Into World Cup ’26 | Justin Cochrane (E410)

    Justin Cochrane is one of elite football’s most respected coaches and a vital part of the England Men's backroom team. Justin’s leadership focuses on reading a squad’s emotional temperature and providing players the freedom to be themselves. In this episode, Justin shares the moving story of losing his wife Leeanne to cancer and how her selfless approach to her final days redefined his perspective. He discusses the "medicine" of football, explaining how returning to coaching weeks after her death provided the stability needed to carry immense grief while operating at the highest level. Justin also speaks to Jake and Damian about how personal trauma made him a better leader by shortening the gap between disappointment and recovery. From raising his three sons alone to preparing for a World Cup, Justin offers a masterclass in resilience, guided by Leeanne’s final gift: the reminder to always have "someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to." Postcode Lottery 👉 Discover how Postcode Lottery players are Powering Hope Together. Click here to find out more: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-postcode-au  Better Help 👉 Join Jake in Saying It Louder with 10% off Betterhelp Therapy. Click here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-betterhelp-au AG1 👉Head to http://drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB-hpp-au Go Henry 👉 Grow their skills and their money at gohenry.com/highperformance with £5 FREE to get started! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 5m
  7. The “F*ck You” Mindset That Made Me Champion | Ronda Rousey

    May 15

    The “F*ck You” Mindset That Made Me Champion | Ronda Rousey

    Ronda Rousey is back in the spotlight on Netflix this weekend — and it felt like the perfect moment to revisit this conversation we had with her in Hollywood - one of the most funny and honest conversations we've ever had on this show. Sitting down with Jake and Damian in Hollywood, Ronda reveals the secret she hid from everyone: that she fought the final chapter of her UFC career already concussed, shutting herself in dark locker rooms between rounds to hide the damage. She talks about losing her dad at eight years old, the coaches who dislocated her jaw, the 14-second armbar she invented on the spot that's still the fastest title submission in UFC history, and the moment after her defeat to Holly Holm where she genuinely thought dying would be preferable. Postcode Lottery 👉 Discover how Postcode Lottery players are Powering Hope Together. Click here to find out more: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-postcode-au  Better Help 👉 Join Jake in Saying It Louder with 10% off Betterhelp Therapy. Click here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-betterhelp-au  AG1 👉 head to drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs. XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB-hpp-au Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min
  8. What Do You Do The Day After You Win? (ft. Yaya Touré, Ben Ainslie & Ian Thorpe)

    May 13 ·  Video

    What Do You Do The Day After You Win? (ft. Yaya Touré, Ben Ainslie & Ian Thorpe)

    Everyone talks about what it takes to win. Nobody talks about what comes the morning after. In this episode, Jake and Damian go deep into the HPP archive to explore one of the most uncomfortable truths in high performance: why the moment of victory so often leaves elite performers feeling empty, lost, and at a total loss for what comes next. Featuring conversations with Yaya Touré on the strange emptiness of retirement, Ben Ainslie on the post-Olympic blues that hit 24 hours after winning gold, Ian Thorpe on walking away from a sport that stopped feeling like his own, Héctor Bellerín on why your value should burn like a candle - steady, never spiking - and Billy Monger on finding purpose after having it stripped away entirely. Jake and Damian also get into the psychology of why we delay our happiness, what self-determination theory tells us about intrinsic motivation, and why the people who handle the end of peak achievement best are the ones who were never only defined by it. The question isn't really 'what do you do the day after you win?' It's 'who are you when the goal is gone?' Postcode Lottery 👉 Discover how Postcode Lottery players are Powering Hope Together. Click here to find out more: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-postcode-au  Better Help 👉 Join Jake in Saying It Louder with 10% off Betterhelp Therapy. Click here: https://highpfrmc.com/hpp-betterhelp-au  AG1 👉 head to drinkag1.com/highperformance to save £20 on your first month, plus a free welcome kit, Vitamin D3 + K2 and five travel packs. XTB 👉 To find out more and make your money work, use code HPP at: https://highpfrmc.com/XTB-hpp-au Listen to the full episodes: Yaya Touré https://pod.fo/e/3f55a1 Ben Ainslie https://pod.fo/e/661e6 Ian Thorpe https://pod.fo/e/d9a3a Héctor Bellerín https://pod.fo/e/d3369 Billy Monger https://pod.fo/e/a8d2c Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min
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4.8
out of 5
68 Ratings

About

Welcome to High Performance. Through fascinating conversations with remarkable guests, Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes uncover the secrets behind High Performance and explore how we can all become the best version of ourselves. We focus on uncovering the learnings from top performers in every field, from sport to entertainment, business, health and wellness.​ No matter where our guests have excelled, they all have first-hand experiences and lessons to share. On High Performance we find out what non-negotiable behaviours they employed to get them to the top and keep them there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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