Episodes

  • ep 13: why do you think you're running out of time?

    ep 13: why do you think you're running out of time?
    Feb 5 2026

    in this episode, we unpack the quiet fear that you’re running out of time. you look around and see friends settling down, moving overseas, building careers and something in your body tightens. even when nothing is wrong, you feel urgency. you feel behind. we explore why this fear hits thoughtful high performers so hard and why it has less to do with time and more to do with safety, belonging and identity. i share personal stories, client patterns and the science behind why your brain manufactures the feeling of time pressure. we go into physics, neuroscience and the belief loops that keep you stuck in urgency. then we bring it back to the real work. safety in the body and presence in the day. aligned action instead of panic action. if you’ve been rushing, comparing or feeling like life is closing in, this one will help you breathe again. enjoy 💙


    what we explored this episode

    01:47 the quiet fear of running out of time and why it feels so real

    02:57 two friend stories of urgency and the pressure to keep moving

    04:07 my own comparison spiral and how urgency interfered with decisions

    05:27 this fear isn’t about time, it’s about safety

    06:12 physics of time, relativity and quantum tension

    07:53 how the brain constructs time

    09:52 comparison, stress hormones and why urgency narrows clarity

    11:17 belief creates the experience of running out of time

    13:47 why safety expands your sense of time

    16:07 reframes, journaling prompts and choosing action from alignment


    some takeaways

    feeling behind is often a safety signal, not a timing problem

    comparison activates threat circuits in the brain

    urgency narrows perception and kills creativity

    you don’t lose clarity because you’re behind, you lose it because you feel unsafe

    time pressure changes how you think, feel and act

    beliefs about time shape your decisions and outcomes

    presence and regulation expand your sense of time

    flow reduces time anxiety and restores direction

    stillness protects clarity and better decisions

    you are not late, you are unfolding

    act from alignment, not panic

    time feels abundant when the body feels safe


    connect with me

    👉secure your free breakthrough call

    a free, focused 1:1 call to help you clarify your direction, identify the unconscious patterns holding you back and walk away with grounded next steps to move into 2026 with more confidence, calm and intention.

    👉free resources

    practical tools, guided practices and resources to help you create more clarity, confidence and alignment - all 100% free. no catch - just high-impact support for high performers & purpose-driven humans ready to grow. enjoy!

    👉need more support?

    if you’re interested in coaching programs and more support.

    👉linkedin

    👉facebook

    👉instagram

    👉tiktok

    👉youtube

    👉website

    lots of love,

    david 💙
    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
  • ep 12: "i didn't want to die, i just didn't want to live."

    ep 12: "i didn't want to die, i just didn't want to live."
    Jan 29 2026
    content warning: this episode includes sensitive themes, including suicide, sexual abuse and mental health. please take care while listening and pause any time you need.~Meredith Collins spent 25 years in Corporate Australia building leaders, culture and capability, while privately navigating motherhood, divorce, redundancy and a persistent sense of not quite belonging. A driven seeker, she chased answers through achievement, sobriety, therapy and personal development, convinced something was “wrong” with her. Often labelled quirky, her dog-with-a-bone energy was fuelled by a deep desire to feel worthy, lovable and safe.Only later did Meredith recognise complex PTSD and begin questioning long-held ideas about resilience and identity. The great irony? The peace she spent a lifetime pursuing was never external, and it was always an inside job.Today, her work sits at the intersection of leadership, healing and consciousness. It’s less about optimisation and more about liberation. She knows there’s no quick fix or final destination. This is a lifelong practice of courage, humility and layered unlearning.The work continues, although much more peacefully and she’s still peeling.connect with Meredithlinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithcollins/ ~in this episode, Meredith and i go deep on the hidden grind behind “not good enough” and why so many high-achievers look fine on the outside while quietly falling apart on the inside. we unpack the sneaky ways you keep running with “reasonable reasons”, how masking drains you more than the work and why insight alone doesn’t always break the pattern. Meredith shares what happened when the lid finally blew off after her mum passed, how alcohol and over-functioning became edge relief and the moment she realised the war was over but her body never got the memo. we talk trauma, nervous system dysregulation, shame, belonging, leadership, recovery and the line that changed everything. and yes, we go there on plant medicine, self-forgiveness and re-parenting the part of you that’s been driving the bus for decades. no kumbaya - just truth, tenderness and a real path back to yourself. deep bow to Meredith for her courage and vulnerability. enjoy 💙what we explored this episode00:00 welcome Meredith!01:50 the “not good enough” grind and why striving never feels like enough04:40 contracts, exits and fear of being found out07:40 when the lid blows off after loss, resentment, coping, unraveling11:50 “i didn’t want to die, i didn’t want to live”14:05 the tipping point, why nobody flagged alcohol, and what was really going on16:10 the “god job” moment that got her into a 12 day recovery program18:05 the lifelong feeling of “something’s wrong with me”21:10 20 years of seeking and the root event finally surfacing24:00 “that explains everything”27:00 why cognitive insight didn’t free her and how the old story kept driving32:10 david on dysregulation, sleep issues, social anxiety and the mask fatigue34:10 “the war’s over but they forgot to tell my body”35:55 why group work dissolves shame37:40 plant medicine, why she felt ready, and what made her say yes40:30 what ayahuasca revealed and the self-forgiveness moment45:10 re-parenting the three year old, “i’ve got it handled now”48:25 what changed in real life afterwards52:20 leadership on the other side56:05 practical guidance for you59:55 what liberation means to Meredith01:01:00 where to find Meredith and a final nudgeconnect with me👉secure your free breakthrough calla free, focused 1:1 call to help you clarify your direction, identify the unconscious patterns holding you back and walk away with grounded next steps to move into 2026 with more confidence, calm and intention.👉need more support?if you’re interested in coaching programs and more support.👉linkedin👉facebook👉instagram👉tiktok👉youtube👉websitelots of love,david 💙~mental health support resources
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    58 mins
  • ep 11: why are you scared to slow down?

    ep 11: why are you scared to slow down?
    Jan 22 2026

    📺watch and subscribe on youtube

    in this episode, i unpack why slowing down feels so uncomfortable for driven people and why stillness often triggers fear, guilt and urgency rather than relief. we explore how high performers unconsciously equate stress with safety, why the nervous system learns to rely on adrenaline and pressure and how productivity becomes a coping strategy rather than a choice. drawing from neuroscience, eastern philosophy, stoicism and my own lived experience of grief, burnout and collapse, this episode reframes rest as regulation, stillness as power and calm as the foundation for clarity, creativity and sustainable success. enjoy 💙


    what we explored this episode

    00:00 welcome welcome!

    01:46 what if you’re not scared of failure, but scared of stillness?

    02:32 why high performers fear the quiet more than hard work

    04:08 my 2024 stack of pressure, breakup and a cancer diagnosis

    06:24 the moment i realised i was doing everything “right” from the wrong place

    07:16 you can’t outthink or outwork what your body is holding

    08:06 the pause that changed everything

    09:19 why tears are not weakness

    12:14 willpower won’t override survival mode

    13:04 sympathetic dominance in plain english

    16:04 clarity is not a thinking problem, it is a state problem

    17:08 why your best ideas show up in the shower

    17:56 a taoist, buddhist and stoicist walk into a bar

    23:06 the dirty room analogy

    24:51 djokovic, jobs, kobe, katy perry and seinfeld

    27:14 the two questions that change everything for me

    28:26 personal development 2.0


    some takeaways

    slowing down feels unsafe when stress equals safety

    busyness often hides unprocessed grief, fear, and anger

    you cannot think your way out of a dysregulated body

    clarity follows regulation, not effort

    stress narrows perception and kills creativity

    achievement used for safety leads to collapse

    stillness reveals what distraction hides

    emotion stored in the body drains energy

    calm restores insight, choice, and direction

    rest is not quitting, it is upgrading

    true power comes from safety, not urgency

    success without peace is not success


    connect with me

    👉secure your free breakthrough call

    a free, focused 1:1 call to help you clarify your direction, identify the unconscious patterns holding you back and walk away with grounded next steps to move into 2026 with more confidence, calm and intention.

    👉free resources

    practical tools, guided practices and resources to help you create more clarity, confidence and alignment - all 100% free. no catch - just high-impact support for high performers & purpose-driven humans ready to grow. enjoy!

    👉need more support?

    if you’re interested in coaching programs and more support.

    👉linkedin

    👉facebook

    👉instagram

    👉tiktok

    👉youtube

    👉website

    lots of love,

    david 💙
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • ep 10: why you keep choosing narcissists and calling it “love”

    ep 10: why you keep choosing narcissists and calling it “love”
    Jan 15 2026

    Raff Dall is a Melbourne-based actor, DJ and content creator with a psychology brain and a storyteller’s heart. His work lives at the intersection of performance, mental health, and creative entrepreneurship, spanning acting, stand-up, podcasting, late-night DJ sets, and Pokémon-infused content that brings people together.

    By day, Raff studies advanced psychology at Monash, diving into research, empathy frameworks and behaviour change. By night, he creates: filming showreels, building his “Finding The Middle” podcast, producing UGC, and streaming live to a growing online audience. He’s financially meticulous and fiercely self-directed, juggling multiple income streams, training for trail events, and building a runway for his next chapter overseas.

    Preparing for a 2026 move to Canada, Raff is expanding his acting craft, exploring snowboarding pathways, and doubling down on experiences that make life feel like a movie. His work and worldview are grounded in curiosity, self-respect, and the belief that creativity and mental health don’t have to be separate pursuits, they make each other stronger.


    connect with Raff

    instagram: www.instagram.com/rafferty.dall/

    tiktok: www.tiktok.com/@rafferty.dall

    website: raffertydall.com

    email: rafferty.dall@gmail.com


    ~


    📺watch and subscribe on youtube

    in this episode, Raff and i go deep on people-pleasing and why so many “good” high-achievers feel like ghosts in their own lives. we unpack how self-sacrifice becomes a survival strategy, how subtle family pressure trains you to perform for love and why you end up dating the same wound in a different outfit. we get into manipulation, love-bombing, shame spirals, withdrawal and the brutal truth that you will keep abandoning yourself until you learn to give yourself what you keep begging the world for. we also talk inner child work, somatic release, boundaries and the shift from chasing love to becoming it, without turning into singing kumbaya around the campfire. enjoy 💙


    what we explored this episode

    00:00 welcome Raff!

    02:10 the “ghost” feeling, self-sacrifice and being a chameleon

    05:15 where people-pleasing starts and the missing hug

    08:10 subtle pressure, “where did i go wrong?” and the fish guts moment

    11:45 why manipulation and people-pleasing are two coping styles

    15:05 the car-seat shame spiral and feeling completely alone

    18:00 how toxic dynamics hook you, love-bombing and breadcrumbing

    21:10 the early red flags, contempt and “standards you walk past”

    24:10 can you receive unconditional love from someone?

    27:05 the turning point, journaling, self-talk and the “cringe” of self-love

    30:20 “people full of love trigger people full of shit”

    33:00 cognitive insight vs somatic healing, feeling the stuck shame

    36:30 healing has an end point

    39:10 how to let emotions move, surrender and safety

    41:50 inner child work story, the year-one memory and the hug

    46:10 boundaries in real life and choosing nourishing spaces

    50:30 what “liberated” means to Raff

    52:10 where to find Raff and a final nudge


    connect with me

    👉secure your free breakthrough call

    a free, focused 1:1 call to help you clarify your direction, identify the unconscious patterns holding you back and walk away with grounded next steps to move into 2026 with more confidence, calm and intention.

    👉free resources

    practical tools, guided practices and resources to help you create more clarity, confidence and alignment - all 100% free. no catch - just high-impact support for high performers & purpose-driven humans ready to grow. enjoy!

    👉need more support?

    if you’re interested in coaching programs and more support.

    👉linkedin

    👉facebook

    👉instagram

    👉tiktok

    👉youtube

    👉website

    lots of love,

    david 💙
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • ep 9: why do you keep burning out?

    ep 9: why do you keep burning out?
    Jan 8 2026

    📺watch and subscribe on youtube

    in this episode, i unpack why burnout keeps repeating even when you know better and why working harder never fixes it. we explore how hustle culture, fear and early conditioning wire the nervous system into survival mode, why burnout is not a time management issue but a belief and safety issue and how unprocessed stress keeps driving urgency, overwork and self-abandonment. drawing from neuroscience, trauma psychology, ancient wisdom and my own lived experience of collapse, chronic stress and rebuilding from stillness, this episode invites you to understand burnout at the root, regulate the body first and learn how sustainable success only emerges from safety, presence and alignment. enjoy.


    what we explored this episode

    00:00 welcome welcome!

    00:38 burnout isn’t a time problem

    03:31 why your nervous system is running the show

    06:37 the belief beneath burnout

    07:16 the psychocybernetic loop explained

    09:44 props to carl jung

    10:50 why calm feels unsafe

    12:54 how i cooked myself and my business

    15:03 the more elegant path to personal development

    16:41 wise words from lao tzu

    17:20 moments i felt really unsafe

    18:54 calm as the real performance advantage

    24:33 a burnout recovery blueprint for you

    26:37 nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished


    some takeaways

    burnout is not a badge of honour, it is a signal

    you cannot fix burnout from the same state that created it

    stress narrows perception and kills clarity

    the body remembers what the mind avoids

    working harder from fear reinforces the loop

    regulation restores creativity, focus and discernment

    calm is a skill, not a personality trait

    success built on stress eventually collapses

    stillness creates sustainable power

    true high performance comes from safety, not urgency


    connect with me

    👉secure your free breakthrough call

    a free, focused 1:1 call to help you clarify your direction, identify the unconscious patterns holding you back and walk away with grounded next steps to move into 2026 with more confidence, calm and intention.

    👉free resources

    practical tools, guided practices and resources to help you create more clarity, confidence and alignment - all 100% free. no catch - just high-impact support for high performers & purpose-driven humans ready to grow. enjoy!

    👉need more support?

    if you’re interested in coaching programs and more support.

    👉linkedin

    👉facebook

    👉instagram

    👉tiktok

    👉youtube

    👉website

    lots of love,

    david 💙
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • ep 8: the dark side of ambition no one warns you about

    ep 8: the dark side of ambition no one warns you about
    Jan 1 2026
    Scott Ko is an executive leader, entrepreneur, and thought leader specialising in the powerful practice of curiosity. With a career spanning leadership roles across business, government, and non-profit sectors, Scott has consistently demonstrated the transformational impact curiosity has in unlocking innovation, clarity, and growth. As the former ACEO of Leadership Victoria—one of Australia's premier leadership development organisations—Scott rapidly revitalised the organisation's strategic vision, team culture, and commercial model, achieving results in months that typically take years.Scott is also the founder of ColourSpace Gallery, Australia's first certified arts social enterprise, creating innovative human-centred workplaces at scale, redefining how organisations think about creativity, culture and productivity. In doing so, he’s contributed over $200k to emerging artists and communities. Scott’s unique approach is grounded in deep expertise in sense-making and epistemology—helping leaders and teams navigate complexity and uncertainty. His core philosophy: Organisations don't transform until leaders transform their thinking first.Through his proprietary Curiosity Mindset methodology, Scott helps organisations move from reactive to proactive, overwhelmed to clear, and stuck to agile. As a sought-after keynote speaker, facilitator and provocateur, Scott’s powerful insights enable leaders to unlock their own fresh thinking, turning confusion into clarity and curiosity into strategic advantage.connect with Scottwww.scottko.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/thescottko/connect@scottko.comcuriositymindset.substack.com ~📺watch and subscribe on youtubein this episode, i explore why your mind never seems to switch off and how overthinking is often not a flaw but a survival strategy shaped by stress, pressure and early conditioning. we unpack how hustle culture, fear and unresolved emotion wire the nervous system into constant alert, why trying to “think your way out” only deepens the loop and how real change begins when you shift from control to regulation. drawing from neuroscience, psychology, ancient wisdom and my own experience of burnout and self-betrayal, this episode invites you to understand the deeper intelligence beneath your thoughts, reconnect with the intelligence of your body and learn how the peace, clarity and creativity you’re seeking emerges from safety.what we explored this episode00:00 welcome and setting the tone02:10 why self-doubt shows up in leadership and business05:30 separating who you are from what you do08:45 the cost of tying identity to outcomes12:10 personal brands, pressure and the fear of not being enough15:40 when passion turns into self-judgment19:00 the myth of confidence and the reality of doubt22:30 why curiosity matters more than certainty26:10 discomfort as a teacher, not a threat29:45 the danger of hustle without reflection33:20 emotional regulation vs emotional suppression36:00 navigating dark nights without losing yourself39:10 why growth requires both softness and structure42:20 redefining success on your own terms45:30 what it means to live and lead with integrity48:40 the long game of self-trust and self-respect56:41 what “liberated” means to Scottconnect with me👉secure your free breakthrough calla free, focused 1:1 call to help you clarify your direction, identify the unconscious patterns holding you back and walk away with grounded next steps to move into 2026 with more confidence, calm and intention.👉free resourcespractical tools, guided practices and resources to help you create more clarity, confidence and alignment - all 100% free. no catch - just high-impact support for high performers & purpose-driven humans ready to grow. enjoy! 👉need more support?if you’re interested in coaching programs and more support.👉linkedin👉facebook👉instagram👉tiktok👉youtube👉websitelots of love,david 💙
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    58 mins
  • ep 7: why does your mind never stop?

    ep 7: why does your mind never stop?
    Dec 25 2025

    📺watch and subscribe on youtube

    in this episode, i explore why your mind never seems to switch off and how overthinking is often not a flaw but a survival strategy shaped by stress, pressure and early conditioning. we unpack how hustle culture, fear and unresolved emotion wire the nervous system into constant alert, why trying to “think your way out” only deepens the loop and how real change begins when you shift from control to regulation. drawing from neuroscience, psychology, ancient wisdom and my own experience of burnout and self-betrayal, this episode invites you to understand the deeper intelligence beneath your thoughts, reconnect with the intelligence of your body and learn how the peace, clarity and creativity you’re seeking emerges from safety.


    what we explored this episode

    00:00 welcome welcome!

    00:38 does your mind just never shut up?

    04:33 hunting and gathering

    07:46 why a cocktail in paradise won’t save you

    09:01 working at McDonald’s

    10:10 how the mind becomes overactive

    10:34 my journey with a wild mind

    16:52 are you your thoughts?

    18:57 mr. should is coming out

    22:45 have you ever learned how to concentrate?

    25:55 how to calm the body, calm the mind

    32:14 your beliefs create your reality

    34:41 high-ROI tools to experience a calm mind


    some takeaways

    your mind isn’t broken, it’s protective

    overthinking is a learned survival response, not a flaw

    awareness creates choice and choice creates freedom

    you can’t outthink a dysregulated nervous system

    attention is trainable, just like a muscle

    calm isn’t the absence of thought, it’s a new relationship with it

    healing happens when the body feels safe enough to let go

    you don’t need to eliminate thoughts, only stop obeying them

    peace comes from presence, not control

    your mind isn’t the enemy.. it just needs guidance


    connect with me

    👉secure your free breakthrough call

    👉free resources

    practical tools, guided practices and resources to help you create more clarity, confidence and alignment - all 100% free. no catch - just high-impact support for high performers & purpose-driven humans ready to grow. enjoy!

    👉need more support?

    if you’re interested in coaching programs and more support.

    👉linkedin

    👉facebook

    👉instagram

    👉tiktok

    👉youtube

    👉website

    lots of love,

    david 💙
    Show More Show Less
    43 mins
  • ep 6: success didn't save me... self-leadership did

    ep 6: success didn't save me... self-leadership did
    Dec 18 2025
    quick psa before we begin.this conversation with Colin is one i’m deeply proud of. it’s honest, expansive and full of wisdom i know will land for many of you.unfortunately, due to a technical issue in the studio, the microphones didn’t capture the audio as cleanly as intended. i’ve done my best in post-production to improve it, but it isn’t perfect.i wanted to name that openly rather than pretend otherwise.thank you for your patience and understanding. i chose to share this episode anyway because the depth of the conversation felt more important than waiting for perfection.i’m committed to improving the production quality as the podcast grows and i appreciate you being here with me as i learn and refine along the way.with gratitude,david 🙏—----Colin Weir is a Curious, Courageous and Present Innovator, Entrepreneur and tech exec with a proven track record of defining the future and building growth businesses to harness it.With inherent tolerance for ambiguity and a passion for technology, Colin runs Moroku: a digital banking and payments company to define and deliver the next generation of financial services experiences.Cycling across Australia in 2010 with friends to raise money for charity highlights much of who he is: loving adventure, the outdoors, sports, challenging himself, growing and having robust conversations about things that are meaningful.“You don’t need eyes to see, you need vision”: Faithlessconnect with Col: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colweir/learn more about Moroku: https://moroku.com/ ~📺watch and subscribe on youtubein this episode, i sit down with Col for an honest conversation about ambition, pressure and the quiet cost of always striving. we explore what happens when success stops delivering the relief you expected, how self-leadership is forged through discomfort and why vulnerability is not a weakness but a requirement for real growth. this conversation invites you to question the beliefs driving your effort, reconnect with emotional awareness and lead your life and work from a place of courage, presence and integrity rather than fear or performance.what we explored this episode00:00 welcome to the gymnasium of life01:02 the hardest part of leading yourself03:12 why fighting reality keeps you stuck05:10 the phd that never happened (and why it mattered)07:04 success, ego, and the crash that follows09:02 the upper limit problem nobody talks about11:48 when success feels uncomfortable13:06 childhood programming and inherited scarcity15:02 tall poppy syndrome or playing small?17:10 questioning the beliefs you never chose19:06 throw the rulebook away21:14 courage vs bravado23:09 failure is the curriculum25:04 stop reacting, start responding27:01 from careful to carefree29:10 emotions are data, not enemies31:02 addiction, numbing and avoiding reality34:10 sobriety, clarity, and clean decisions36:28 where’s the gold in this pain?39:02 victimhood or radical ownership42:18 the people you surround yourself with matter45:01 leadership when everything falls apart48:10 parenting yourself through chaos51:06 vulnerability is strength, not weakness54:02 courage as a core value57:14 how to zoom out when life hits hard59:50 the only way out is through1:02:10 expanding beyond who you were taught to beconnect with me👉free resourcespractical tools, guided practices and resources to help you create more clarity, confidence and alignment - all 100% free. no catch - just high-impact support for high performers & purpose-driven humans ready to grow. enjoy! 👉need more support?if you’re interested in coaching programs and more support.👉linkedin👉facebook👉instagram👉tiktok👉youtube👉websitelots of love,david 💙
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    1 hr and 17 mins