Don't Let The Old Man In

Pod O'Sullivan

DLTOMI is a podcast brought to you by Pod O’Sullivan, where he has real and candid conversations with experts, celebrities and ordinary men about navigating midlife. The ups, the downs, the surprises, the opportunities, the secrets and how to do it on your terms, gracefully or even disgracefully! Pod will explore ways to take charge of your health, to divorce well, to reinvigorate your sex life, to find ways to lift your spirit, to join new communities, to make sure you have enough money for retirement, to laugh, to cry if needed, to change perspectives, and most importantly, to ensure your second act is even better than the first. Pod O’Sullivan has been fascinated with transitions and personal reinventions for most of his life. His career has seen him in the medical industry, in sales and marketing, consulting industries, being self-employed, being an entrepreneur who successfully sold businesses, being an educator at Sydney Business School, an author, an Executive Coach to 100’s of CEO’s all over Asia, a podcaster, the owner of a "failed" tech start up and now the co-founder of The Wisdom Vault and host of this podcast. He is also a Doctoral student in Oxford research how men navigate midlife and how they (we) might do it better. Migrating from Ireland and England to Australia taught him many lessons. Divorcing with two young kids threw a few more his way. Remarrying and creating the ‘Brady Bunch’ with Carole, his two children and three new daughters, topped off many great life’s lessons. Pod knows the harsh reality of life’s ups and downs and firmly believes that mid-life, while tough on many levels, can also be lonely on others and downright confusing on yet others; it can also include the best stages in life. He is here to explore and find those! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Aug 31

    The Most Important Conversation in Midlife: How A Son Helped His Mother Realise Her Last Wishes

    In this week's powerful episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we sit down with author Oliver Christen to discuss his deeply moving book As She Chose, the story of his mother's self-determined end-of-life journey. Learn more about As She Chose: https://www.amazon.com.au/As-She-Chose-conscious-lived/dp/1764067827 Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction to the conversation on end-of-life choices 01:21 Why this topic matters: removing fear of death 02:10 Early memories of Oliver's mother 06:21 Global overview of assisted dying laws 08:46 Why Oliver's mother chose assisted dying 11:07 The criteria for voluntary stopping eating and drinking 16:41 Understanding death fasting from a spiritual perspective 20:58 Living fully and purposefully 21:52 The gap between wishes and reality in end-of-life care 25:39 The process and experience of fasting for death 28:16 Letting go of identity and expectations 30:56 The importance of presence and acceptance 33:12 Acts of love and creating meaningful moments 37:28 Supporting loved ones through physical decline 39:25 The significance of signs and nature in end-of-life 44:56 Reflections on conversations and relationships 50:39 Conscious completion and letting go 56:27 What Oliver learned about his mother 01:07:38 Final words of wisdom: live fully and have the conversation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. Aug 17

    Elite Sports Mindset Coach Reveals How High-Achieving Men Avoid Burnout || Andrew May

    In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we sit down with Andrew May (high performance coach to the Wallabies, Australian cricket, and some of the country's biggest CEOs) to understand how our building capacity and better recovery can be the best cure for burnout. Read Andrew May's book: https://performanceintelligence.com/matchfit-book/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ CHAPTERS: 00:00 – Intro 02:41 – Why we don't have a burnout problem 04:22 – The real definition of burnout (and the WHO's updated criteria) 07:33 – Vitamin FLPJ: fun, laughter, play, joy 09:57 – Organisational burnout vs taking accountability 11:36 – The four types of capacity elite CEOs train 14:23 – What executives' blood tests reveal: iron, vitamin D, testosterone 16:29 – Purpose vs performance: why purpose is hard and most men skip it 20:08 – Performance-based identity vs purpose-based identity 23:03 – Andrew's own burnout story: walking away from a seven figure exit 25:12 – The five metrics that actually measure your capacity 27:59 – The "50 to the power of 4" benchmark: heart rate, HRV, VO2 max 40:55 – Wearables, cold plunges and the truth about sauna 49:25 – The capacity model: green, moderate, high and extreme risk 57:05 – Three simple things to do this week 1:06:05 – Andrew's final word of wisdom Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. Aug 10

    Why Achievement Feels Empty In Midlife (And How To Feel Fulfilled) w/ Dr Suzy Green

    In this episode of Don't Let the Old Man In, we speak with positive psychologist Dr Suzy Green to understand why the drive to achieve fades in midlife, why so many people begin to feel invisible at work, and much more. Subscribe to our newsletter: https://dontlettheoldmanin.com/subscribe/ Follow Don't Let the Old Man In on social media: https://linktr.ee/dontllettheoldmanin CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro 03:14 Why Shift Focus from What's Wrong to What's Right 07:48 Understanding the Broad Scope of Positive Psychology 11:36 Achievement, Meaning, and Developmental Shifts 14:02 The Role of Mattering and Anti-Mattering 19:21 Proactive Strategies for Life Transitions 22:12 William Bridges' Transition Model 23:29 Aligning Values and Strengths During Change 25:53 Growth After Trauma and Adversity 27:17 The Power of Support and Relationships 31:01 Preparing for Endings and New Beginnings 33:48 The Importance of Social Connections and Mattering 37:41 The Concept of Might and Using Strengths 38:48 Building Resilience Through Mindfulness and Attentional Control 41:02 Practical Daily Practices for Well-Being 44:39 The Impact of Gratitude on Mood and Perspective 45:55 Mindfulness and Being Present in Daily Life 49:20 The Role of Meditation and Attention Training 53:03 Encouragement to Explore Positive Psychology Further 54:16 Reflecting on the Future and Life Purpose #psychology #midlife #positivity Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Jul 20

    Reclaim Your Energy || Stopping Burnout Before It Starts w/ Dr Amantha Imber

    Reclaim Your Energy: Insights from Dr. Mantha Imber Discover practical strategies to boost your energy, prevent burnout, and prioritize your well-being. Dr. Mantha Imber shares her personal journey through exhaustion and her innovative approaches to managing energy better, emphasizing a shift from time management to energy management. In this episode: How energy is the most precious resource and why we often neglect itThe concept of the "getting hit by a bus" fantasy and recognition of burnout signsThe evolution of her "Never Again List" from humbling experiencesThe science behind scent, natural environments, and breathing techniques to boost energyHow to identify your energy "types" (Me Mode vs. Wii Mode; Ambition vs. Anxiety)The importance of protecting your energy with clear boundaries and "To Don't" listsSimple yet powerful "boost" and "rest" strategies, including peppermint scent and cyclic sighingThe benefits of nature immersion, like forest bathing, for mental resetTurning energy management into a gamified process to build sustainable habitsTransitioning into a healthier second act with energy awareness Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: Why energy is the ultimate resource 00:19 - Personal humbling and the "getting hit by a bus" fantasy 02:01 - Recognizing burnout through personal stories 03:46 - Lessons learned from public speaking mishaps and creating "Never Again" list 04:45 - The impact of alarm clock codependency 06:09 - Transition from control to awareness and boundary setting 07:36 - How exhaustion affects decision-making and daily routines 08:54 - Re-evaluating the role of writing and leadership in energy management 10:28 - Why endurance and "pushing through" might be harmful 12:04 - Recognizing the limits of pushing and the effects of chronic depletion 13:46 - Using humbling experiences to clarify boundaries and priorities 15:12 - The role of humility in recognizing what no longer serves you 16:07 - The "Never Again List" as a tool for boundaries 17:36 - Conscious decision-making with "To Don't" and "To Do" lists 19:36 - Society's normalization of exhaustion and its implications 20:42 - The importance of running energy experiments with a large group 22:03 - The Mi Mode and Wii Mode energy types and their significance 23:15 - Navigating between Drive and Anxiety-driven energy states 24:54 - Recognizing personal energy patterns and managing anxiety vs. ambition 27:37 - How body awareness can guide energy conservation 28:19 - Strategies: Fast energy boosts, rest, and protection tactics 31:02 - Peppermint scent and other quick resets for energy boost 33:52 - The power of gratitude practices and "Three Good Things" 36:11 - Breathing exercises like cyclic sighing for instant calm 38:25 - Forest bathing and the impact of nature on recovery 41:53 - Identifying and avoiding "energy vampires" with the Points Chart 44:54 - Practical tools for everyday energy management like cold water immersion and silent walks 50:19 - Making energy management a fun, experimental game 56:33 - Transitioning into the second-act energy mindset 62:16 - Final words: Prioritize your energy above allResources & Links: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

About

DLTOMI is a podcast brought to you by Pod O’Sullivan, where he has real and candid conversations with experts, celebrities and ordinary men about navigating midlife. The ups, the downs, the surprises, the opportunities, the secrets and how to do it on your terms, gracefully or even disgracefully! Pod will explore ways to take charge of your health, to divorce well, to reinvigorate your sex life, to find ways to lift your spirit, to join new communities, to make sure you have enough money for retirement, to laugh, to cry if needed, to change perspectives, and most importantly, to ensure your second act is even better than the first. Pod O’Sullivan has been fascinated with transitions and personal reinventions for most of his life. His career has seen him in the medical industry, in sales and marketing, consulting industries, being self-employed, being an entrepreneur who successfully sold businesses, being an educator at Sydney Business School, an author, an Executive Coach to 100’s of CEO’s all over Asia, a podcaster, the owner of a "failed" tech start up and now the co-founder of The Wisdom Vault and host of this podcast. He is also a Doctoral student in Oxford research how men navigate midlife and how they (we) might do it better. Migrating from Ireland and England to Australia taught him many lessons. Divorcing with two young kids threw a few more his way. Remarrying and creating the ‘Brady Bunch’ with Carole, his two children and three new daughters, topped off many great life’s lessons. Pod knows the harsh reality of life’s ups and downs and firmly believes that mid-life, while tough on many levels, can also be lonely on others and downright confusing on yet others; it can also include the best stages in life. He is here to explore and find those! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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