Quality of Mind: Realising Exponential Potential.

Piers Thurston Making Change Work
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Quality of Mind - Exploring ’Before Psychology’ to create a foundational shift in performance, peace and potential. A game changing understanding of the Mind to transform Business. Realise exponential human potential in every aspect of business and work. Subscribe to hear interviews, examples and ideas, that might just change how you see the world.

  1. 2D AGO

    From Mental Load to Clarity: A CEO’s Shift with Quality of Mind

    The podcast series explores a game-changing understanding of the human mind that operates “Before Psychology” — the secret source that exponentially increases peace, performance, and potential for any individual or organisation. A real-world testimonial,: A CEO, what's changed a few months after Quality of Mind coaching  Most leaders aren’t burnt out. They’re functioning. Delivering. Growing. Carrying. But underneath that capability, there can be a constant mental load — an invisible weight of control, responsibility, and inner management that never quite switches off. In this episode of Quality of Mind: Transforming Business, Piers is joined by Nicola Merritt, Founder and CEO of a 60-person M&A advisory firm. On paper, things were working. But internally, leadership felt heavier than it needed to. This conversation isn’t about tactics, resilience strategies, or productivity systems. It’s about what changed when Nicola began to see the source of her mental load differently — not at the level of behaviour, but at the level of understanding. In this episode, we explore: Why high-performing leaders often create unnecessary psychological pressure The difference between confidence and deeper self-assurance How control subtly becomes exhausting What happens when the need to constantly manage thinking begins to drop Why clarity doesn’t need to be manufactured The shift from striving to something more sustainable How leadership matures when mental noise settles What changed? Nicola didn’t lose ambition. She didn’t reduce standards. She didn’t step back from responsibility. What shifted was her relationship with pressure amd clarity. The constant mental overdrive softened. She moved to a four-day week. She switched off her phone on holiday. She describes finding peace not only in stillness — but in the middle of business noise. Not because circumstances changed. Because understanding did. Who this conversation is for This episode will resonate if you: Lead a growing organisation Feel the invisible weight of responsibility Are successful but quietly tired of the mental grind Have tried systems, structures, and optimisation — but sense something deeper is missing Quality of Mind doesn’t offer tools to manage your psychology. It points to what sits before it. What we describe as Before Psychology  And when that is seen clearly, leadership often becomes lighter — without becoming weaker. Resources & Links You can find out more about Nicola here. And her business Cortus here  Explore all things Quality of Mind www.qualityofmind.biz  3-minute Quality of Mind Quiz   Audio Intro Short Course YouTube Explainer — What is Before Psychology? Watch past clients talk about the power of Quality of Mind here Follow Piers on LinkedIn for regular posts and reflections Subscribe to our YouTube channel for quick, powerful insight videos TASTE THE MANGO  YouTube and Sub stack all about Direct Inquiry, Explore for yourself

    35 min

  2. JAN 16

    Why Most Mindset & Performance Tools Wear Off – and Why Quality of Mind Doesn’t

    The podcast series explores a game-changing understanding of the human mind that operates “Before Psychology” — the secret source that exponentially increases peace, performance, and potential for any individual or organisation. A real-world testimonial, two years after the Quality of Mind programme Most personal development delivers a breakthrough high. A lift. A sense of clarity. A feeling that something important has shifted. And then… it fades. In this episode Piers is joined by Cassie, who is a leader at Shell in Incident Mmanagement for a testimonial conversation recorded over two years after she attended the Quality of Mind Three-Day Open Programme. This is not a reflection on what felt good at the time. It’s an honest exploration of what lasted. Cassie shares how her understanding of Quality of Mind didn’t wear off, didn’t require maintaining, and didn’t depend on tools, techniques, or habits to keep it alive. In fact, she describes how it has continued to deepen naturally, long after the programme ended. This episode goes beyond the usual “breakthrough moment” and looks at what happens when when meta-realisation have no half-life. In this episode, we explore: Why many mindset, performance, and wellbeing approaches fade over time What’s different when change comes from understanding rather than effort How clarity, lightness, and spaciousness emerge without self-management Why Quality of Mind isn’t about fixing yourself or becoming better How relationships change when you see others as shaped by experience, not character What it’s like to live and work without constant inner commentary Why this understanding continues to work because there’s nothing to maintain Beyond the breakthrough high Cassie didn’t come to the programme because something was broken. She came out of curiosity. What followed wasn’t a technique to apply or a state to chase, but a fundamental shift in how she understands thinking, emotion, pressure, and experience itself. Two years on, she describes a Quality of Mind that hasn’t diminished with time, hasn’t required reinforcement, and hasn’t relied on discipline or practice to survive. As she puts it simply in the conversation: “It hasn’t worn off. It doesn’t have a half-life.” Who this episode is for: Leaders and professionals who’ve tried mindset or performance tools before People who sense there’s nothing wrong with them, but still feel unnecessary strain Those tired of managing their mind instead of understanding it Anyone curious about change that lasts without effort This is not a promise of constant positivity or a life without challenge. It’s a real-world account of what happens when the misunderstanding that creates mental noise quietly falls away. If this conversation resonates, you’re invited to explore further  🔗 Learn more about Quality of Mind and the Three-Day Open Programme at qualityofmind.biz   Resources & Links Explore Find all things Quality of Mind www.qualityofmind.biz  3-minute Quality of Mind Quiz   Audio Intro Short Course https://qualityofmind.online/courses/qomaudiointrocourse/ YouTube Explainer — What is Before Psychology? Watch past clients talk about the power of Quality of Mind here Follow Piers on LinkedIn for regular posts and reflections Subscribe to our YouTube channel for quick, powerful insight videos TASTE THE MANGO  YouTube and Sub stack all about Direct Inquiry, Explore for yourself

    31 min

  3. 12/22/2025

    Why Life Works Better When You Stop Trying to Control It

    The podcast series explores a game-changing understanding of the human mind that operates “Before Psychology” — the secret source that exponentially increases peace, performance, and potential for any individual or organisation. Why Some People Seem Lucky (And It’s Not What You Think).   This conversation is an exploration of something many people already sense — but rarely trust. Most people assume that if life isn’t working, they need to try harder, think better, or fix something about themselves. But what if the opposite is true? In this episode of the Quality of Mind podcast, Piers Thurston is joined by entrepreneur and author James Eder, whose has been shaped by a sequence of opportunities, connections, and breakthroughs that seem to arrive when he’s not forcing them. As you listen just notice when something feels lighter — and when it feels effortful.  That contrast is the point. In James new book the Collision Code he recounters his stories of finding himself in moments of clarity, flow, and serendipity — often without trying to make them happen. Together, Piers and James explore: Why intuition feels obvious after the fact but hard to trust in the moment How effort and over-thinking quietly block clarity and momentum The difference between being committed to life and being attached to outcomes Why some experiences feel overwhelming at the time, yet trivial in hindsight How recognition changes experience more than understanding ever could This is not a “how-to” episode. It’s an invitation to notice something you may already recognise in your own life — the moments when things worked best before you stepped in to manage them. If you’re curious about performance, leadership, wellbeing, or decision-making — and you’re tired of hacks and techniques — this conversation offers a different place to look. Rather than analysing this intellectually, the conversation invites listeners to notice the difference between effort and ease in their own experience — and what changes when the mind stops interfering. It’s an exploration of something many people already sense — but rarely trust. About the guest: James Eder is an entrepreneur and the author of The Collision Code, a book exploring serendipity, connection, and the surprising role other people play in shaping our lives. Proceeds from the book support charitable causes. Resources & Links Find Out More About James Here on Linkedin  or his website here And his latest for Charity Book The Collision Code Explore Find all things Quality of Mind www.qualityofmind.biz  3-minute Quality of Mind Quiz   Audio Intro Short Course https://qualityofmind.online/courses/qomaudiointrocourse/ YouTube Explainer — What is Before Psychology? Watch past clients talk about the power of Quality of Mind here Follow Piers on LinkedIn for regular posts and reflections Subscribe to our YouTube channel for quick, powerful insight videos TASTE THE MANGO  YouTube and Sub stack all about Direct Inquiry, Explore for yourself

    52 min

  4. 12/08/2025

    The Understanding That Changed Everything: A Real-World Look at Quality of Mind

    This podcast series explores a game-changing understanding of the human mind that operates “Before Psychology” — the secret source that exponentially increases peace, performance, and potential for any individual or organisation. Trying to manage the mind is like trying to get dry in the shower without turning the water off. What if the biggest shifts in life don’t come from trying to improve your mindset, but from understanding something far more fundamental about how the mind actually works? This episode it's taken from a recording where Piers  was on the Deadlines and Details podcast which is hosted by Matt Barrington Packer, who came on the Quality of Mind Open Programme in March 2025  Matt shares how Quality of Mind changed his life, after years of trying to stay calm, stay focused, or stay in control, he finally saw something upstream of all of that: a deeper layer of mind that changes everything from the inside out. No techniques, no hacks, no effort — just a shift in understanding that made the world look and feel different. Together, they explore what sits behind this kind of real-world change, how it becomes practical without being prescriptive, and why so many people sense this truth long before they have language for it. This episode explores: The “aperture of mind” and why the same situation can feel totally different from one moment to the next Flow, ease and clarity as natural by-products of a less self-identified mind Why the mind’s “unreliable narrator” creates so much unnecessary pressure The role of sensation, story and selfing in shaping our experience Why mindset tools and techniques only ever offer partial relief How insight — not effort — leads to real and sustainable transformation What this understanding offers leaders, teams and anyone wanting a more easeful way of being Why this episode matters: This is not a story about willpower or mental strategies. It’s a simple, grounded exploration of what changes in everyday life when someone begins to understand the mind before psychology — and why that understanding is so relevant for today’s world of constant change, ambiguity, and cognitive load. Matt actually called this episode on his show. “Is This It?” Mid-Life, Burnout & The Truth About How Your Mind Really Works Resources Mentioned / Useful Links Connect with Matt here.  Explore Find all things Quality of Mind www.qualityofmind.biz  3-minute Quality of Mind Quiz Short Course https://qualityofmind.online/courses/qomaudiointrocourse/ YouTube Explainer — What is Before Psychology? here Follow Piers on LinkedIn for regular posts and reflections Subscribe to our YouTube channel for quick, powerful insight videos TASTE THE MANGO  YouTube and Sub stack all about Direct Inquiry, Explore for yourself

    55 min

  5. 10/26/2025

    ‘Before Psychology’ on a Bike: Through Fear, Flow, and Aliveness

    This podcast series explores a game-changing understanding of the human mind that operates “Before Psychology” — the secret source that exponentially increases peace, performance, and potential for any individual or organisation.   “You Can’t Train Flow — You Can Only Stop Interrupting It”   🧭 Episode Summary In this special episode, the tables turn — Piers becomes the guest. Joined by friend and regular contributor Craig Willman, he explores what happens when the principles of Quality of Mind are taken out of the conversation room and onto the road — quite literally. After saying yes to a 750km cycling challenge from Milan to Rome, Piers explores with his years of understanding “Before Psychology,” how the mind can still weave its illusions — of fear, striving, and self-doubt. What unfolds is a personal, honest and often funny exploration of how the illusion of self, the myth of control, and the nature of flow play out in real life. If this conversation sparked something in you — whether you’re a leader, a creator, or simply someone curious about what’s before the mind — explore more at qualityofmind.biz. And if you’d like to support the Ride25 fundraising for 1MoreChild, visit the link  🧭 What you’ll hear  A personal story of saying “yes” to a challenge for aliveness, not ego. How the Quality of Mind realization of Real but Never True applies when your legs burn or a descent feels scary. Why experts “see” fewer hazards—and how that translates to leadership. What flow actually feels like on the bike and a simple, everyday way to notice what doesn’t come and go—without a bike or Italy 🚲 If you’re a cyclist (new to Quality of Mind) You’ll get: A relatable breakdown of the mental side of riding: climbs, descents, headwinds, skills. How perception (your “aperture”) can make a hill look steeper—or simpler—without changing your fitness. A practical pointer to find more calm and flow on rides and in life, with no hacks or rituals. 🧠 If you’re a Quality of Mind regular You’ll hear: Lived examples of Before Psychology in a “physical” domain. Subtle ego re-appearances (“managing the cyclist” vs training the body). Oneness & flow as non-identification, not state chasing. How the ego subtly reappears as the voice of “trying your hardest.” What “real but never true” means when your legs are burning on a climb. Why flow can’t be trained — only revealed by stopping interference. How the same insight that transforms leadership also transforms cycling. And why aliveness doesn’t come from comfort or discomfort — but from seeing what’s truly before both. It’s a personal glimpse behind the mic — a lived demonstration of what “Before Psychology” looks like when rubber meets the road. And if you’d like to support the Ride25 fundraising for 1MoreChild, visit the link    Explore more Quality of Mind resources: www.qualityofmind.biz – Find all things Quality of Mind Video: Why Do We Describe Quality of Mind as Before Psychology? — clear short intro Watch past clients talk about the power of Quality of Mind here Follow Piers on LinkedIn for regular posts and reflections Subscribe to our YouTube channel for quick, powerful insight videos For a more in depth looking into the Before Psychology nondual understanding behind Quality of Mind listen here  or here A summary of the Quality of Mind resources, to find out more TASTE THE MANGO  YouTube and Sub stack all about Direct Inquiry, Explore for yourself

    51 min

  6. 10/19/2025

    When a Lifelong Coach Encounters Quality of Mind: Exploring Beyond the Avatar.

    This podcast series explores a game-changing understanding of the human mind that operates “Before Psychology” — the secret source that exponentially increases peace, performance, and potential for any individual or organisation. 🧭 Episode Summary In this open and thought-provoking episode, Piers welcomes Adam Shuty to discuss his diverse journey from martial arts, to standup comedy, and his current enterprise, Everest Longevity. Having explored decades of personal development, performance psychology, and transformation work, Adam wanted to know: What exactly is this “Before Psychology” thing? His immediate resonance with the conversation signalled there was more to see.  What unfolds is a live exploration and inquiry looking fresh to see what sits beyond all methods and mindsets. The Discussion Covers The case of mistaken identity — why believing we are a separate “me” is the root illusion behind all striving. The sky and the weather — a simple metaphor for understanding awareness and thought. ''Real but never true'' — how experience can feel vividly real yet not be fundamentally true or causal. From trying to flow — why the intelligence of life does better work when we stop trying to manage our minds. Direct experience inquiry — how to look freshly, without concepts, and glimpse what never comes or goes. Practical implications — what happens to leadership, relationships, and even financial legacy when we see who we truly are.   0:00 Introduction to Quality of Mind 01:05 Adam's Journey, Philosophy and Career 07:00 Exploring the Concept of Quality of Mind 07:27 The Secret Sauce to Unlocking Potential 16:31 The Case of Mistaken Identity 18:37 The Nature of Human Experience 22:12 The Illusion of Separate Self 36:29 Understanding Time Perception 37:10 The Evolution of Life and Perception 38:27 The Case of Mistaken Identity 40:40 The Concept of the True Self 43:06 Realizing the True Self 44:57 Practical Applications and Realizations 48:52 The Path to Realization 51:01 Direct Experience and Awareness 66:06 Final Thoughts and Deciding We a Need Part 2!   ✉️ Connect & Learn More  Adam's website and profile and  Explore more Quality of Mind resources: www.qualityofmind.biz – Find all things Quality of Mind Video: Why Do We Describe Quality of Mind as Before Psychology? — clear short intro Watch past clients talk about the power of Quality of Mind here Follow Piers on LinkedIn for regular posts and reflections Subscribe to our YouTube channel for quick, powerful insight videos For a more in depth looking into the Before Psychology nondual understanding behind Quality of Mind listen here  or here A summary of the Quality of Mind resources, to find out more TASTE THE MANGO  YouTube and Sub stack all about Direct Inquiry, Explore for yourself

    1h 13m

  7. 09/03/2025

    From Striving to Flow: How to Fall Back in Love with Work

    This podcast series explores a game-changing understanding of the human mind that operates “Before Psychology” — the secret source that exponentially increases peace, performance, and potential for any individual or organisation. 🧭 Episode Summary In this practical-meets-profound conversation, Piers welcomes back Craig to explore how people can genuinely love the work part of work—not by adding hacks and perks, but by subtracting what obscures our natural flow. Craig shares his new venture, Love Your Work, and a simple doorway into effortless productivity: Rather than pushing or “trying harder,” we explore how work becomes energising when the self isn’t busy resisting or controlling. Expect a grounded entry point that naturally points upstream to the deeper Before Psychology understanding—so the benefits don’t stop at a better half-hour block, they recalibrate how you work and live. We cover: Subtraction over addition: Why real engagement comes from removing friction, not adding pool tables, perks, or more process. The OFF Method: A practical way to turn everyday tasks and meetings into “objective meditation”—revealing the system’s built-in intelligence. From trying to allowing: How “trying” creates dissatisfaction and worse results, while allowing reveals presence, ease, and better outcomes. Aperture & flow at work: Why the same spreadsheet can feel draining one day and enlivening the next—clue: it’s not the spreadsheet. Art, sport & emergence: Brilliance arrives when the personal self steps aside  From practice to default: Start with a doorway like OFF; let it point you to upstream seeing so flow becomes the baseline, not a borrowed state. 🔎 For listeners who: Sense there’s more to work than grinding—and want results with ease, not instead of ease. Lead teams and are tired of context-switching, Slack pings, and “performative productivity.” Want a non-woo, practical entry to deeper insight that actually improves delivery, wellbeing, and culture. Are curious about non-duality/Before Psychology but prefer a work-first, lived experience 🧩 Mentioned in the episode Love Your Work — Craig’s new venture (how to make work itself your source of wellbeing). The OFF Method (Objective • Focus • Flow) — simple instructions, profound implications. Aperture / Self-identification / Is-ness — the upstream principles behind effortless performance. Cold-shower / Urge-surfing analogy — leaning into sensation vs. conceptualising it. The Meta Realisation: The source of all lack of flow = Self identification  ✉️ Connect & Learn More from Craig Craig's Love your Work Website The highly recommended Meaningless Problems podcast that Craig has created. Remember to check out the Forced Episode Craig's Linkedin Profile 💻 Explore more Quality of Mind resources: www.qualityofmind.biz – Find all things Quality of Mind Video: Why Do We Describe Quality of Mind as Before Psychology? — clear 2-min intro Watch past clients talk about the power of Quality of Mind here Follow Piers on LinkedIn for regular posts and reflections Subscribe to our YouTube channel for quick, powerful insight videos For a more in depth looking into the Before Psychology nondual understanding behind Quality of Mind listen here  or here A summary of the Quality of Mind resources, to find out more TASTE THE MANGO  YouTube and Sub stack all about Direct Inquiry, Explore for yourself

    57 min

  8. 08/12/2025

    ''More Than a Lifetime of Coaching — In Just 3 Days!''

    From the QUALITY OF MIND Podcast   Quality of Mind unlocks the Secret Source to more performance, peace and potential. But it does it in a very transformative, sustainable way, by explore 'Before Psychology'  - What is that, and does it help? Listen here Please leave any feedback or comments on the podcast, and if you want to ask a question please do so here https://sayhi.chat/QoM - we'd love to hear from you!!   Curious - want to know more? Check out our other podcast episodes; a curated list here Watch past clients talk about the power of Quality of Mind here For a more in depth looking into the Before Psychology nondual understanding behind Quality of Mind listen here  or here Find out more about the relevance of Quality of Mind   Subscribe to our Quality of Mind YouTube channel for a series of 2 min videos all about Quality of Mind Piers Thurston regularly writes about Quality of Mind on LinkedIn and has a large collection of posts

    8 min
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Quality of Mind - Exploring ’Before Psychology’ to create a foundational shift in performance, peace and potential. A game changing understanding of the Mind to transform Business. Realise exponential human potential in every aspect of business and work. Subscribe to hear interviews, examples and ideas, that might just change how you see the world.

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