The High Performance Podcast

Rick Shiels is one of the most influential figures in modern golf media, and a creator who helped redefine what high performance looks like in the digital age. From a small YouTube channel to hundreds of millions of views, Rick has built a career by questioning the traditional pathways to success and proving that creators can perform at the very highest level.

In this episode, Rick sits down with Jake and Damian to explore authe...

Oscar-winning actor and author Matthew McConaughey joins us to share his deeply philosophical approach to life, work, and the pursuit of satisfaction.

We return to our chat with Matthew where he challenges the idea that we should be 'chasing yet,' arguing instead that life is a verb - a continuous process rather than a final destination where we suddenly 'arrive'. He discusses his process of elimination for finding one's true se...

Patrick Mouratoglou is one of the most influential coaches in modern sport, renowned for developing champions through mindset rather than raw talent. Best known for his long partnership with Serena Williams, Patrick believes greatness is never about gifts, it’s about mentality, discipline, and professionalism.

In this episode, Patrick joins Jake and Damian to unpack his core philosophy that champions are built, not born. He expl...

This week, the world’s attention is fixed on Alex Honnold as he prepares for his most public and high-stakes challenge to date: Skyscraper Live on Netflix. This Friday, January 23rd, Alex will attempt to become the first person to free solo the 1,667-foot Taipei 101 in Taiwan, scaling the 101-story landmark live in front of millions.

Alex joins us to deconstruct the mindset required to perform when the stakes are literally life ...

Ayao Komatsu is the Team Principal of Haas F1 Team, and one of the most quietly influential leaders in modern Formula 1. Known for his calm authority and clarity under pressure, Ayao has built his career on trust, accountability, and the belief that how you respond to failure matters more than the failure itself.

In this episode, Ayao reflects on witnessing Romain Grosjean’s Bahrain crash, and what it taught him about survival, ...

Prince Naseem Hamed is one of boxing’s most electrifying figures - a world champion, cultural icon, and a true original who didn’t just win fights, but ripped up the manual on how to box. From flying-carpet entrances to impossible knockouts from backwards angles, "Naz" captivated the world with a style and confidence unlike anything the sport had ever seen.

In this episode, Prince Naseem sits down with Jake and Damian for a deep...

This special episode is brought to you in partnership with Fora Space.

Dr. Alex George joins Jake for an open, deeply human conversation about happiness, mental health, and the quiet changes that can transform a life. He challenges the idea that doing more or achieving more will make us happy, explaining why we put happiness on a pedestal while ignoring emotions like sadness, grief, and frustration, even though every emotion has...

Robert Lewandowski is one of the most consistent goal scorers of his generation, a player who has stayed at the very top of world football not just through talent, but through mindset. 

In this episode, Robert sits down with Jake and Damian to explain why he believes mentality counts for more than physical ability, and how players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have sustained excellence for so long.

From losing ...

Happy New Year! Jake and Damian kick off 2026 by revealing their brand new book MICRO HABITS – a game-changing guide built from five years and 400+ High Performance interviews (Buy your copy here)

Forget complex systems and thousand-page textbooks. This episode proves that success starts simple. From Jake's 15-minute alarm shift that transformed his mornings, to Ian McGeechan's "world-class basics," to Rob O'Neill's Navy SEAL w...

Prof. Steve Peters is one of the most influential minds in performance psychology, best known for The Chimp Paradox and his work with elite athletes, leaders, and organisations around the world. In this episode, Steve breaks down how the mind really works, and why understanding it is the key to unlocking your potential.

The conversation explores self-esteem, core values, and why we so often act against our better intentions, as ...

As High Performance wraps up its sixth year, Jake Humphrey, Damian Hughes and producer Will sit down to reflect on the moments, conversations, and lessons that defined 2025. In this special end-of-year episode, they revisit the guests and ideas that resonated most, not just in downloads and views, but in lasting impact.

From the strategic thinking of Ian Graham to the raw honesty of Tom Aspinall and Boris Becker, the year was sh...

World’s leading neuroscientists Dr Tara Swart explains why so many high-functioning people feel exhausted, stressed, and out of balance, even when they’re doing everything “right.” She breaks down the hidden cost of being constantly switched on, how chronic stress rewires the brain, and why late-night scrolling is quietly sabotaging your energy, focus, and health.

Dr Tara also reveals how stress can drive weight gain, particular...

Win a behind-the-scenes experience at a High Performance record day! Pre-order our brand new book Micro-Habits and use code MICROHABITS26 for 25% off before the launch on 1st January to be in with a chance of winning: https://hppod.co/HPComp

Most communication fails for a simple reason: we talk to people the way we want to be talked to.

In this episode, Damian sits down with behavioural expert and Surrounded by Idiots author ...

Jacques Villeneuve is a Formula One World Champion, a racing icon, and one of the sport’s most candid, uncompromising thinkers. Known for his fearless honesty and unique path to the top, Jacques brings a perspective shaped by triumph, loss, and a lifelong obsession with competition.

In this episode, Jake sits down with Jacques to explore what truly defines a champion’s mindset, on track and in life. Jacques talks about the press...

In football, we often obsess over the goals, the trophies, the star players. But for Dr Ian Graham, the real story sits in the unseen decisions and quiet calculations that shape everything a club becomes.

In this episode, Ian pulls back the curtain on Liverpool’s transformation, revealing how data challenged old assumptions and opened the door to one of the most successful periods in the club’s modern era. From recognising Mo Sa...

Win a behind-the-scenes experience at a High Performance record day! Pre-order our brand new book Micro-Habits and use code MICROHABITS26 for 25% off and to be in with a chance of winning: https://hppod.co/HPComp

John Legend didn’t set out to become “Legend.” The name found him long before the world did. In this episode Damian is joined by EGOT winner John Legend to explore how a simple nickname evolved into a self-fulfilling pr...

Andy Wilman is the legendary executive producer behind Top Gear and The Grand Tour, the creative force who helped turn a small, ageing motoring show into one of the most-watched programmes on the planet.

In this revealing conversation, Andy sits down with Jake to open up about the chaotic, brilliant, and often bruising journey behind the scenes. From the early days when Top Gear was “held together by accidents,” to the lightning...

We all feel out of our depth, but the real secret is learning to stay calm anyway.

In this episode, Jake and Damian explore a universal human experience, the moments when we feel completely out of our depth, and reveal why calmness, clarity, and growth often begin right there. Drawing on powerful lessons from guests like Tom Aspinall, Petr Čech, Alex Greenwood, Nick Cox, and Alex Honnold, they uncover the mindset shifts that hel...

Win a behind-the-scenes experience at a High Performance record day! Pre-order our brand new book Micro-Habits and use code MICROHABITS26 for 25% off before the launch on 1st January to be in with a chance of winning: https://hppod.co/HPComp

Denise Lewis knows what it feels like to stand on the biggest stage in the world with everything on the line. But what makes her story remarkable isn’t just the gold medal, it’s the simple h...