In this episode of The Olympic Mindset Podcast, Dominic Broad sits down with David Harkin, CEO of 8billionideas, to talk about what it really means to be brilliantly busy. David opens up about his leadership philosophy, how marginal gains can transform performance, and why being world-class starts with how you manage your time.

He shares stories from his early working life that shaped his entrepreneurial drive, the lessons he’s learned scaling a global education company, and why vulnerability and self-improvement should be part of every leader’s toolkit. From parenting and personal growth to purpose and productivity—this is a must-listen for anyone seeking high performance with heart.

Keywords: leadership, marginal gains, self-improvement, education, entrepreneurship, work-life balance, parenting, world-class mentality, time management, personal development

Takeaways:

• "Brilliantly busy" means doing what I love with purpose.
• Marginal gains are foundational to leadership success.
• Self-improvement is ongoing, not optional.
• Early work experiences can forge lifelong values.
• Parents play a key role in shaping future leaders.
• A world-class mindset applies to every part of life.
• Passion and clarity drive better time management.
• Value minutes—not just hours.
• If you love what you do, every day matters.
• Being selfish with time allows us to serve others better.

Sound Bites: "I am brilliantly busy." "Pressure is a privilege." "Marginal gains matter."

Chapters: 00:00 – Brilliantly Busy: The Art of Balancing Life

03:07 – The Power of Marginal Gains in Leadership

06:13 – The Importance of Self-Improvement and Perspective

09:05 – Lessons from Early Work Experiences

12:04 – The Role of Parents in Education

15:00 – Creating a World-Class Mentality

18:01 – Marginal Gains: Applying Sports Principles to Life

20:44 – The Ripple Effect: Making Your Mark

23:53 – The Importance of Passion in Time Management

26:46 – Finding Balance: Being Selfish to Be Selfless

#OlympicMindsetPodcast #DavidHarkin #8BillionIdeas #BrilliantlyBusy #MarginalGains #Leadership #WorldClassMindset #EducationLeadership #TimeManagement #HighPerformance

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What happens when you combine relentless energy, lived experience with ADHD, and a passion for educational equity? You get Daniel Hagstedt—a rising voice in global EdTech and UK Director of Magma Maths.

In this bold and refreshingly honest episode of The Olympic Mindset Podcast, Daniel shares his story: from growing up in a high-performance family in Sweden to scaling a startup that now supports millions of learners across the globe. He opens up about mental health, moving countries, failing forward, and why discomfort is the greatest teacher.

Daniel breaks down how Magma Maths secured $40 million in funding, won recognition from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and is leading a quiet revolution in maths education—one that’s powered by inclusion, AI, and real-world impact.

This episode is for you if:

• You want to turn personal challenges like ADHD into professional strengths
• You're scaling a startup with purpose and want to avoid the hype
• You care about building fair, inclusive education systems
• You lead in education, tech, or policy—and want to do better

Topics Covered:

00:00 Who is Daniel Hagstedt?

01:06 Competitive upbringing & self-efficacy

03:58 ADHD as a mindset advantage

06:39 Starting over in the UK

08:30 Mental health, autumn fatigue & simple rituals

11:08 Magma Maths – the mission and the moment

14:51 How they raised $40M and scaled with values

18:50 Education policy: Sweden vs UK

23:27 The danger of putting profits before pupils

25:14 SEN, equity, and what the UK gets right

29:57 Rethinking ADHD in the classroom

31:18 Gates Foundation validation

34:46 The future of education: data, AI, human-first

38:00 Final takeaways on leadership & impact

40:48 Closing thoughts

Power Quotes: "Whatever you do, do something you care about." "You're not here to find problems—you're here to find solutions." "If you're not failing, you're not growing." "Put teachers first—and students always." "Build a team that challenges your thinking."

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How do you balance elite performance with parenting, pressure with vulnerability, and toughness with emotional intelligence?

In this powerful episode of The Olympic Mindset Podcast, Dominic Broad sits down with rugby league legend Jamie Peacock MBE to explore the deep, personal lessons learned from a life in sport—and beyond. This is more than a conversation about rugby; it's about resilience, transformation, and living life with purpose.

Jamie opens up about the evolution of leadership, the role of feedback, and how becoming a father has reshaped his approach to masculinity, strength, and self-discipline. With reflections on the profound impact of Rob Burrow’s journey, Jamie also shares practical advice on creating resilient children, navigating life after professional sport, and saying yes to growth.

Listen if you want to:

• Redefine what masculinity means in the 21st century
• Learn leadership lessons from elite sport
• Understand the mental health challenges of life after performance
• Become a more emotionally intelligent parent, leader or teammate

Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Podcast Structure

03:07 Balancing Family and Career

05:47 Rugby Career Highlights and Hall of Fame Induction

09:05 Leadership and Team Dynamics

11:49 The Importance of Feedback

14:56 Early Life Lessons and Values

20:01 Creating Challenges for Children

23:09 Masculinity and Vulnerability in Modern Society

35:09 Transformation of Masculinity in Leadership

38:17 The Impact of Rob Burrow's Journey

42:09 Adapting Leadership Styles Across Teams

47:38 Navigating Life After Professional Sports

51:00 Resilience and Learning from Failure

56:08 Embracing Challenges for Growth

01:01:09 Parenting Wisdom and Life Balance

01:04:06 Living Life to the Fullest

Sound Bites: "Spending time with my children is really important." "Masculinity is about being mentally tough." "I think it's important to be vulnerable." "Context is king, isn’t it?" "Resilience is one of my skills in life." "Life’s for living, so say yes to something."

#JamiePeacock #OlympicMindsetPodcast #Rugby #Leadership #Masculinity #Parenting #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #EmotionalIntelligence #RobBurrow #Sports #MentalHealth #HighPerformance

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