Ben and Tim try to remember what an 'RV' actually is.... reconciliation and reflection, before we talk about our respective travel. From Morocco, Barcelona, Chicago, Brisbane, Hobart .... and more!

Then reflections on Jaz Diab, Dr Rob Barbour, Ian Prior and the Festival of Veterans Art.

Then as usual talking rubbish about the perfect Easter Egg, Popcorn from Chicago..... and encouraging outright criticism!

Music:

With thanks to The Externals as well as Ben Frichot

Contact:

www.unforgiving60.com

debrief@unforgiving60.com

In this episode, Ben and Tim speak to Rachel Vickery. Rachel spent her formative years as a national level gymnast and Commonwealth Games representative for her native New Zealand before training as a respiratory physiotherapist. Drawing from this unique background, Rachel now works to help people increase their performance in domains ranging from NBA basketball to the boardroom. Rachel shares her thoughts on how to deal with stress, both in your daily life and at ‘go time’ and provides a unique insight into some of the pressures faced by athletes and coaches at the elite levels of sport. And to wrap it up, she gives us not just one, but four power songs!

05:11 As customary in season five, the boys bang on about how hot their podcast studio is – and ask Rachel is “Bikram Podcasting” is good for recovery?!

06:30 Rachel’s background – personal, sporting and professional, including her exploits as a national level gymnast

10:40 Good for a Girl – excellent book by US middle distance runner Lauren Fleshman

11:15 The pressure of ‘Growing Up In Lycra’ – training and competing in aesthetic sports, particularly as a female and particularly during puberty

16:00 The devastating impacts of RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport)

24:24 A discussion of the importance and impacts of menstruation on female athletic development

28:30 Rachel’s work on a report into the cultural problems inside NZ gymnastics

33:30 We’ve heard of athletes being bullied, but coaches are not immune from bullying either

39:50 The importance of maximising the buffer between steady state and ‘go time’ by lowering your steady state stress – and the potential for ‘fear of success’

44:00 How do we lower both steady state pressure and ‘go time’ arousal state?

48:30 Rachel talks to the negative impacts of alcohol on athletic performance – and Tim offers a powerful counter-factual!

49:30 Shifting the narrative from fear to gratitude – and the importance of doing the common uncommonly well

51:40 Getting rid of toxins – dietary and otherwise – from your life

54:00 Rachel’s three point ‘get out of jail card’

56:20 The ‘three dickhead rule’ (…or how to check if you’re the dickhead!)

57:30 Rachel on the shortfalls on the current ‘breathwork’ fad

1:12:30 What does Rachel do for herself? Including long-distance travel thoughts

1:18:00 The importance of conducting experiments on yourself to work out what is going to help your recovery

1:20:30 Rachel’s power song(s)!!

External Links

Rachel’s website – https://rachelvickery.com/

Gymnastics New Zealand Independent Report – co-authored by Rachel

Rachel’s LinkedIn

Rachel’s Breathing Baseline Reset & Habit Breaker

Contact Us

www.unforgiving60.com

Email us at debrief@unforgiving60.com

Instagram, Twitter: @Unforgiving60

Music …. With thanks to:

The Externals – available on Spotify

Do you believe that being creativity builds resilience?

Well this week we aim to convince you so get ready. In support of the the upcoming www.fova.org.au we outline how:

• when you engage in creative activities, you increase your brain’s capacity for creative thinking, pattern recognition, and developing visual-spatial skills.
• These skills enhance your problem-solving abilities in real-life situations

From Ruth Richards (Harvard), “Engaging in creative behaviours, makes us more dynamic, conscious, non-defensive, observant, collaborative, and brave.”

“Everyday creative activity is a path to flourishing”- Conner, DeYoung and Silvia in the Journal of Positive Psychology. Recent experience sampling and diary studies have shown that spending time on creative goals during a day is associated with higher activated positive affect (PA) (flourishing) on that day.

The real question isn't "How creative are you?" but rather "How are you creative?" says educational psychologist Donald Treffinger.

Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)

03:30 Announcement from Mark Johnson from anvam.org.au

04:20 What’s the problem that means we need creativity?

05:50 What is flow state?

09:40 What does the research and literature say?

10:30 “Brave, non-defensive and collaborative”

14:50 Laminate your neural pathways!

18:00 From Tara Swart at MiT…. Expose your brain to novelty

20:20 What is creativity for Tim and Ben?

32:15 Why did Ben have a guitar in his backpack in the SAS (artists in foxholes)

35:00 SAS Band Tongue Charge play a cover of ‘Getting Away with It in Afghanistan’… and we talk why?!

44:30 Art and identity

47:00 How do we get going? Go join a pub choir!

52:00 Ben and Tim do galleries and museums

55:00 Tongue Charge play another song: “One Crowded Hour”

References:

www.fova.org.au

https://www.anvam.org.au

Contact Us

www.unforgiving60.com

Email us at debrief@unforgiving60.com

Instagram, Twitter: @Unforgiving60

Music …. With thanks to:

Tongue Charge

The Externals – available on Spotify

Ben Frichot