When Jake Humphrey and Damian Hughes launched High Performance, they set out to understand what habits, mindsets and behaviours help people perform at the highest level. More than six years later, that curiosity still drives every conversation.

“We wanted to peel back the curtain on elite performers,” Damian says, making the lessons of extraordinary people accessible to everyone. Along the way, the show has evolved. What began as an exploration of achievement has become something broader. As Jake explains, High Performance now focuses less on working harder and more on “being happy and finding your own version of high performance”.

Both hosts point to the trust built with guests and listeners as one of the show’s defining strengths. Jake loves creating a space where people feel comfortable opening up, while Damian says the show’s greatest lesson has been discovering how ordinary extraordinary people really are.

Whether on stage at the London Palladium or recording in the studio, both remain driven by the same passion for learning. “The podcast started as a search for what makes people exceptional,” Damian says. “It’s become an exploration of what makes us all human.”

When they’re listening, Jake and Damian turn to shows including The Rest Is Entertainment, Desert Island Discs, Founders and The Curiosity Shop.