Explore every episode of the podcast How to Strive - with Nick Adkins
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jamie Carr - Resilience in Motion. Lessons from the Marathon des Sables & Rowing the Atlantic Solo | 15 Jun 2025 | 00:42:23 | |
In this powerful episode of How to Strive, Nick is joined by the inspiring and humble Jamie Carr, who shares the mindset, strategies, and deep resilience it took to complete two of the world's toughest physical challenges: running the Marathon des Sables across the Sahara and rowing the Atlantic solo and unsupported for 3,000 miles. Together, they explore:
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to endure the unimaginable and how to build that strength into your daily life this is the episode for you. 🌊🏃♂️🔥 Listen now and get inspired to create your own rules, face your challenges, and keep striving forward. Start Striving at | |||
| EURO 2024 Technical report | 08 Jun 2025 | 00:43:29 | |
In this episode, Nick dives into the Euro 2024 Technical Report, unpacking key insights and trends that are shaping the modern game. From goal-scoring to chance creation, pressing strategies, and low block structures, Nick breaks down what the data reveals and more importantly, how it influences his own coaching and development approach. Topics include:
Whether you’re a coach, player, or curious fan, this episode offers practical interpretations to help you strive forward with clarity and intent in your football journey. Tune in and get the edge from Europe's top tournament! Start Striving at | |||
| Jason Lee | 13 Apr 2025 | 00:45:36 | |
In this episode of How to Strive, we sit down with Jason Lee — Olympic hockey player, elite coach, who continues helping people strive across sport and business. Jason brings a wealth of experience and insight into what drives high performance and personal development. We dive deep into the foundations of resilience, the power of a growth mindset, and the subtle but impactful role of language in shaping behaviour and outcomes. Jason also shares his thoughts on emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and the consistent trends he observes in successful individuals, from athletes to executives. Whether you're pushing your limits on the field, in the office, or in your personal life, this episode is packed with lessons to help you strive for better with purpose and clarity. Start Striving at | |||
| Mark Williams | 06 Apr 2025 | 01:00:48 | |
In this episode of How to Strive, Nick is joined by Professor Mark Williams — a world-leading expert in skill acquisition and performance science. With decades of research behind him, Mark unpacks the key elements that make up an optimal learning environment and how these shape long-term learning and success We explore practical strategies for acquiring skills, building resilience, and understanding the psychological and environmental factors that separate the good from the great. Mark reveals the science behind how the best truly become the best. If you're curious about the mechanics of mastery and want to learn how to unlock more of your potential, this episode offers a deep, research-driven perspective. Start Striving at | |||
| Sunday Strive March Guided Reflection | 22 Mar 2025 | 00:07:23 | |
Episode Summary: How to Use These Prompts: Remember, the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Keep striving, keep improving, and embrace the process of continuous growth! Start Striving at | |||
| Philip O'Callaghan - Skill Acquisition | 16 Mar 2025 | 00:43:52 | |
Episode Description: Through this conversation, Philip offers insight into how he fosters an environment where students actively problem-solve and how he adapts the learning environment, constraints, or skill challenges to meet the needs of his athletes. Whether you're a coach, teacher, or student, Philip’s strategies provide valuable takeaways for creating meaningful and effective learning experiences. Additionally, Philip discusses the resources he creates for other coaches and educators, including his Substack newsletter and X (formerly Twitter) account, where he shares helpful tips, strategies, and thought-provoking content on coaching and skill acquisition. Key Topics Discussed: Philip’s Coaching Journey – The path that led him to adopt his current approach to coaching and teaching. Principles of Skill Acquisition – How skill acquisition plays a central role in Philip’s teaching and coaching style. Creating a Learning Environment – The importance of designing environments where students can actively problem-solve and engage with the material. The Role of Constraints – How changing constraints (environment, skill, or task) can either challenge or support students’ learning. Adapting to Contexts – How Philip adapts his coaching methods based on different contexts and skill levels. Follow Philip O'Callaghan: X (Twitter): @Mr_Tennis_Coach – Follow for coaching insights, skill acquisition tips, and strategies for teachers and coaches. Start Striving at | |||
| Dominic Haynes | 09 Mar 2025 | 00:49:34 | |
Start Striving at | |||
| Mindset | 22 Feb 2025 | 00:14:45 | |
In todays episode Nick shares an insight into the differences between a fixed and growth mindset. how you can build awareness of which mindset you have in certain situations along with how to be in a more desirable mindset when needed. Mindset being a reference to the impactful work of Carol Dweck. He also explores briefly the work of the late Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who was a Hungarian-American psychologist, recognised as developing the concept of Flow. He was also the author of the book Flow. The two questions from this episode What does your ideal environment include for you to achieve your flow state? Who is the best at growth mindset? What do they say? How do they behave? What do they do? Start Striving at | |||
| When you need Sleep | 15 Feb 2025 | 00:32:52 | |
In todays episode we are exploring the basic levels of sleep. The aim of todays episode is to help you understand what contributes to a great night sleeps and offers you some ways to improve your sleep by tweaking your environment and your warm up to sleep performance. Start Striving at | |||
| Dr Sean Cumming | 04 Feb 2025 | 00:49:01 | |
Dr Sean Cumming Senior Lecture at Bath University sport and exercise science Working with a number of sports, NGB’s including the Premier League, The FA, LTA and Premier League Academies. Over 100 peer reviewed manuscripts and book chapters. Start Striving at | |||
| The Sunday Strive 02.02.2025 | 02 Feb 2025 | 00:22:57 | |
Start Striving at | |||
| Cody Royle | 26 Jan 2025 | 00:38:06 | |
Cody Royle, a second set of eyes for elite head coaches. 🏭️ Organizational Craft 🧢 Personal Craft 🎒 Locker Room Craft ♟️ Game Craft
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| Tom McIntyre - In pursuit of greatness | 02 Jun 2025 | 00:49:41 | |
Join Nick Adkins as he welcomes Tom McIntyre, a professional footballer in the English Championship, for a truly unique insight into the realities of elite sport. Tom opens up about his journey from academy player to established professional, revealing the lessons learned, the setbacks overcome, and the mindset required to thrive at the top level.
This episode offers rare behind-the-scenes perspectives on the challenges, demands and rewards of life as a professional footballer, alongside universal lessons in perseverance, mindset and personal growth. If you’re striving for excellence, whether in sport, career or life, Tom’s story will inspire you to push forward with purpose and resilience. Start Striving at | |||
| The Sunday Strive - 05.01.2025 | 25 Jan 2025 | 00:10:10 | |
Prompted reflections Performance goal Process goal Focused reflection Based on my process goals. Look back at them. Did I achieve my intentions yes or no? What helped me What stopped me What can I do different What should I stop, start or continue doing? General Reflection What did I love about the week? What didn’t bring out the best in me? What did I find tough? What takes me to the next level as a…? What what’s my best win of the week? Based on my reflections, what are my intentions for the next week(Process goals )? Start Striving at | |||
| The Sunday Strive 19.01.2025 | 19 Jan 2025 | 00:14:53 | |
Support From last weeks process goals, which ones did you achieve? How did you do this? Who or what helped you? What takes it to the next level?
What are you putting off doing? What one thing will have the biggest contributor of success this week. Inspire Russell Earnshaw Podcast Developing self awareness Creating a user manual for others and yourself. Be self driven.
Start Striving at | |||
| Russell Earnshaw | 16 Jan 2025 | 00:34:34 | |
In today’s episode of How to Strive, Rusty shares a wealth of experience in coaching individuals and teams to reach their highest potential. Start Striving at | |||
| The Sunday Strive 12.01.2025 | 12 Jan 2025 | 00:16:47 | |
Sunday Strive Start Striving at | |||
| Aspirations | 05 Jan 2025 | 00:20:12 | |
Start Striving at | |||
| Introduction - Nick Adkins | 03 Jan 2025 | 00:05:50 | |
Hi I am your host Nick. Start Striving at | |||
| Chris Key - Performing Perfectly | 01 Jun 2025 | 00:43:19 | |
In this powerful episode of How to Strive, we’re joined by performance specialist Chris Key from Performing Perfectly to explore how you can develop unshakeable resilience and become more intentional in the way you communicate both verbally and non-verbally. What we cover:
Whether you’re a coach, leader, or someone striving to be better every day, this conversation is packed with insights that will inspire you to go to the next level. If you are curious to know more about Chris head to, www.performingperfectly.com/ to also listen to Chris' podcast drop the act follow the link below. https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/drop-the-act/id1789025762 Start Striving at | |||
| The Striver Board | 19 May 2025 | 00:04:23 | |
In this short bonus episode, Nick introduces the Striver Board, a powerful visual and reflective tool designed to help you turn big dreams into daily action. Building on the Striver Table concept, this board helps you stay accountable to your values and goals in areas like health, relationships, career, and finances. Learn how to create your own board, reflect on your intentions, and make small, consistent steps toward the life you’re striving for. Nick shares personal examples, practical questions, and an easy system to track your progress while enjoying the process. What you'll learn in this episode:
Resources Mentioned: Enjoyed the episode? Start Striving at | |||
| Jody Palmer - Performance Chef | 16 May 2025 | 00:36:16 | |
In this insightful episode, Nick sits down with Jody Palmer, a renowned Performance Chef, to explore the intersection of nutrition, performance, and personal growth. With a wealth of experience in crafting dietary strategies for elite athletes, Jody shares her journey, philosophies, and practical tips for anyone looking to enhance their performance through nutrition and level themselves up. What You'll Learn
Visit www.strive25.co.uk for more information on coaching programs and resources. If you found this episode valuable, please share this forward to someone who needs to hear it. Your support helps us reach more listeners and continue providing quality content for those Striving. Start Striving at | |||
| The Striver Table | 15 May 2025 | 00:03:37 | |
In this reflective episode of How to Strive, Nick invites you to imagine your life as a table, with each leg representing a pillar of your life that supports what you’re striving for. Whether your table top is happiness, fulfilment, or your birthday BBQ vision, this simple metaphor can help you assess your current balance. Nick shares his own four table legs: health, relationships, career, and finance, and introduces a practical exercise used in his mentoring programmes. Scoring each leg out of 6 to reveal where you might need to focus attention. You’ll be guided through how to use these reflections to create process goals and daily intentions that help you move closer to your version of 6 out of 6. Plus, Nick teases an upcoming episode on creating your own Striver Board. A powerful tool to turn intention into action. Take a moment for deeper journaling:
If you’d like some support in shaping your reflections into meaningful action, Nick and the team would love to hear from you at www.strive25.co.uk. If this episode sparked something for you, please hit follow and leave a review it helps us reach more people striving for better. Start Striving at | |||
| Will Webster | 10 May 2025 | 00:51:41 | |
In today’s episode, Nick is joined by Will Webster, a globally respected figure in the rugby world, best known for his work coaching head coaches. We dive deep into Will’s fascinating journey from player to head coach, with a detour through teaching English literature. Will shares how that unique path shaped his current role, and what it means to coach the people who lead others. You’ll hear about:
Will’s mindset around continuous improvement offers valuable insights anyone can learn from, whether you're in sports, leadership, or just trying to be a little better every day. Curious to know more? Will can be found on the below links. www.wwperformanceleadership.com/ www.linkedin.com/in/will-webster-665675a1/ Start Striving at | |||
| Sunday Strive - Home base | 03 May 2025 | 00:10:15 | |
In this episode, Nick revisits a powerful clip from his conversation with Cody Royle to dive deeper into the language of resilience. He explores how developing resilient thinking is a learnable skill and shares a brief but practical insight into cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), particularly around the role of positive and negative self-talk. To wrap up, Nick introduces a creative game he's using with his son to introduce self-regulation principles in a fun, accessible way. Listen now and discover small, meaningful ways to build resilience for yourself and your family. Start Striving at | |||
| What I am Striving for | 27 Apr 2025 | 00:05:55 | |
Episode Summary: In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
Key Quotes: "I'm striving to fill the seats — with people I've helped, and people who've helped me.""The All Blacks didn’t just want to win — they wanted to shock and inspire the world.""Who do I need to be, and what do I need to be capable of? That question can change everything." Episode Links:
Take Action After Listening:
Thank you for striving with me. Keep showing up, keep moving forward, and remember: the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, so keep stepping. Start Striving at | |||
| Fiona Murden | 28 Jun 2025 | 01:08:21 | |
In this episode of How To Strive, we’re joined by Fiona Murden. Fiona is a chartered psychologist, award-winning author, Podcaster and performance coach. Feeling Curious? https://www.fionamurden.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/fionamurden/ Dot to dot podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/dot-to-dot-life-connected/id1513046864 Published books Defining You Mirror Thinking, https://www.instagram.com/fiona_murden?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw== Start Striving at | |||
| Lee Richardson - Aim-For | 10 Aug 2025 | 01:02:52 | |
Nick is joined by the highly respected Lee Richardson. Lee is the co-founder of Aim-For and a hugely important staff member of one of the most successful football teams in England. We explore the four pillars of Lees work and practical methods of psychology that helps sports people perform at their very best. This episode is sure to spark reflections and create intentions aligned to what you are currently striving for. If you are curious to know more head to https://4pillarshub.com/ As always we would love to hear about your efforts on your journey of a thousand miles so please do share with us. Start Striving at | |||
| How to Journal - August 2025 set up | 27 Jul 2025 | 00:12:11 | |
“The goal isn’t to fix anything right now, it’s simply to see what’s true. Awareness is the first step in striving forward.” This episode helps you reflect on your last months progress and use that reflection to set up success with intentions for the incoming month. Bring a pen and your journal. Start Striving at | |||
| Holly Bridge | 07 Jul 2025 | 00:54:10 | |
Start Striving at | |||
| Guided sessions August Reflections & September Intentions | 01 Sep 2025 | 00:10:31 | |
Nick guides you through the process of reflecting on the month of August and helps prompt powerful intentions for September. Grab your journal and lets get Striving. Start Striving at | |||
| Gamification - | 31 Aug 2025 | 00:17:33 | |
In todays episode we explore the principles of Gamification to help you on your striving journey. Ways to win and different ways to win more Check points Side quests to gain more points or XP Bonus levels Repetition Basics that develop in complexity Start Striving at | |||
| Phil Hopley - Cognacity | 07 Sep 2025 | 00:47:51 | |
In this episode Nick is joined by Dr Philip Hopley MRCPsych who is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Co-Founder of Cognacity Ltd Phil is a Medical Doctor and Consultant Psychiatrist. After 19 years working with the NHS, he founded Cognacity. Phil’s training in forensic, general and sport psychiatry combined with a career playing Premiership rugby, enabled him to develop his passion for the mental health of elite performance in sport and business. In recent years Phil has worked as the Mental Health Advisor to major financial and law firms, and elite sport including the McLaren Formula 1 and Olympic teams guiding Mental Health strategy development and providing coaching / crisis support. In his downtime, mindful dog walking, watching sport, playing golf and trying to keep up with the next generation of Hopleys helps to keep him balanced. This is such an insightful and impactful episode for people striving for a goal in their life as it acknowledges the daily habits and realities of performing in your context. The relationships we have with stress and methods to keep it healthy are hugely important for individuals striving for something as often we will interact with challenges that require us to be resilient or call upon methods of regulation. What ever it is you are Striving for, this conversation with Phil is another opportunity to help you navigate the next step of a thousand miles. Learn more about Phil and Cognacity at https://www.cognacity.co.uk/ Start Striving at | |||
| Monday - Intentions | 22 Sep 2025 | 00:02:51 | |
| Sunday Strive - 21st September 2025 | 21 Sep 2025 | 00:07:33 | |
Nick helps you with a guided reflection and intention episode that will help you Strive this week. Start Striving at | |||
| Damien Broad | 17 Sep 2025 | 00:50:23 | |
Nick is joined by the fantastic Damien Broad is this How to Strive episode. Damien shares what he is striving for and his perspective on developing skills to help develop others. His curiosity to seek challenge for his growth is fluent throughout and the stories he shares, which shines a light on his ability to connect with and understand others. A great listen for people who are striving to be better in many aspects of their life. Start Striving at | |||
| Sunday Strive - Seek to Understand | 14 Sep 2025 | 00:12:09 | |
In this week’s episode of How to Strive, we take time to pause, reflect, and refocus. Together, we look back on the intentions you set last week, celebrating what worked, unpacking what didn’t, and discovering how those reflections can shape more purposeful intentions for the days ahead. Alongside this guided reflection and intention-setting practice, we explore the powerful skill of seeking to understand others. Drawing on insights from past conversations including a clip from Dr. Phil Hopley and one from Damien Broad on appreciating different perspectives. This episode will help you:
Tune in, take a breath, and get ready to strive with fresh clarity and deeper connection. Start Striving at | |||
| Sunday Strive - September Reflections October Intentions | 28 Sep 2025 | 00:15:24 | |
Nick guides you through your September reflection to inform your October intentions. He also shares two excellent clips from the episodes with Cody Royle and Dr Phil Hopley, relevant to performing in elite sport, dealing with external pressure and adversity. Very timely with the conclusion of the Womens Rugby World Cup and the Mens Ryder Cup. Keep Striving. Start Striving at | |||
| Sunday Strive 5th October 2025 | 05 Oct 2025 | 00:05:52 | |
A guided insight in to how Nick structures his Sunday Strive with reflections and intentions. Start Striving at | |||
| Dr Sally Needham | 05 Oct 2025 | 00:47:51 | |
In this powerful episode, Nick is joined by Dr. Sally Needham, a leader in human development and performance. Sally shares incredible insights from her experiences shaping performance by truly understanding the individuals you work with. Drawing on neuroscience and developmental practice, she explores how awareness, connection, and compassion can elevate both personal growth and the way we support others. Throughout her career, including her time with the English FA, working across academy and international levels, Sally has transformed the way coaches and leaders approach people development. Nick is privileged to share this insightful conversation, filled with wisdom, science, and practical guidance for anyone striving to grow or to help others do the same. Start Striving at | |||
| Tuesday 7th October 2025 | 07 Oct 2025 | 00:03:22 | |
Start Striving at | |||
| Monday 6th October 2025 | 06 Oct 2025 | 00:05:22 | |
You space to set great intentions for you day to help you stay accountable for your striving. Start Striving at | |||
| Neil Mullarkey | 26 Oct 2025 | 00:59:34 | |
In this special episode of How to Strive, Nick is joined by the brilliant Neil Mullarkey; actor, author, comedian and co-founder of The Comedy Store Players, Europe’s longest-running improv troupe. Neil shares insights from his book Seven Steps to Improve Your People Skills, exploring how the principles of improv, Learn, Look, Listen, Let, Link, Lighten and Leave Well can transform the way we communicate, collaborate, and lead. From the importance of listening with intent to the power of humour in leadership, Neil’s approach blends psychology, performance, and empathy into a timeless guide for connecting with others and with yourself. This conversation is both insightful and uplifting, reminding us that the ability to “strive” isn’t about perfection, but about presence, curiosity and the courage to say “Yes, and…” Whether you’re leading a team, developing yourself, or simply looking to improve the way you connect, this episode will help you learn to communicate with confidence, kindness, and creativity. Start Striving at | |||
| Lighten - Neil Mullarkey | 25 Oct 2025 | 00:11:16 | |
In this episode of How to Strive, Nick explores Step Six of Neil Mullarkey’s Seven Steps to Improve Your People Skills 'Lighten'. Humour, as Neil reminds us, is about connection. It’s a leadership tool that builds trust, creativity and resilience. A leader who can laugh at themselves invites others to do the same, creating a culture where people feel safe to grow, fail and try again. Drawing on research, stories and Neil’s decades of experience in improv and leadership development, this episode explores how humour brings perspective, strengthens teams and humanises leadership. Because when we lighten, we lift and when we lift others, we lead. Start Striving at | |||
| Link - Neil Mullarkey | 24 Oct 2025 | 00:11:22 | |
In this episode of How to Strive, Nick explores the next step in Neil Mullarkey’s Seven Steps to Improve Your People Skills 'Link' Link is the step that connects all the others where learning, looking, listening, and letting come together to create genuine connection. Neil reminds us that “The seven Ls are not distinct, discrete ploys, they are overlapping aspects of getting on better with people.” Through the improv principle of “Yes, and”, we explore how intentive listening, openness and collaboration turn everyday conversations into opportunities for trust, creativity, and growth. This episode unpacks how to replace the limiting “Yes, but” mindset with a “Yes, and” approach, one that builds bridges instead of barriers and helps you bring out the best in others. Start Striving at | |||
| Listen - Neil Mullarkey | 23 Oct 2025 | 00:09:01 | |
In this episode of How to Strive, Nick explores the third step in Neil Mullarkey’s Seven Steps to Improve Your People Skills, Listen. Neil reminds us that hearing is automatic, but listening is a skill, one that requires attention, presence, and empathy. We look at the difference between hearing and truly listening, how to tune into both content and emotion, and why giving someone your full attention is one of the greatest gifts you can offer. Hearing + Attention = Listening. Drawing on insights from improv, neuroscience, and leadership, this episode helps you shift from waiting to speak to listening to understand. Start Striving at | |||
| Let - Neil Mullarkey | 22 Oct 2025 | 00:10:15 | |
In this episode of How to Strive, Nick explores one of his favourite chapters from Neil Mullarkey’s Seven Steps to Improve Your People Skills, Let. We dive into the quiet power of pausing, creating space in conversations, and the skill of bringing out the best in others. Neil’s insights remind us that real connection often happens between the words, when we slow down, let people speak, and let them feel valued. We also explore why letting people be right builds trust, how “positive gossip” can transform relationships, and why small moments of praise can have a big impact. This episode is about leading by lifting others, not by saying more, but by letting more. Start Striving at | |||
| Look - Neil Mullarkey | 21 Oct 2025 | 00:08:18 | |
In this episode of How to Strive, Nick explores the second step in Neil Mullarkey’s Seven Steps to Improve Your People Skills Look. We dive into the power of presence and the art of seeing what isn’t said, the body language, energy, and nonverbal cues that shape every interaction. By learning to truly look at others (and ourselves), we can build deeper trust, stronger connections, and communicate with more impact. This episode blends Neil’s insights with real-world reflection practices, helping you slow down, tune in, and notice what really matters in the moments between words. Start Striving at | |||
| Learn - Neil Mullarkey | 20 Oct 2025 | 00:09:02 | |
In this episode of How to Strive, Nick dives into the first step of Neil Mullarkey’s Seven Steps to Improve Your People Skills Learn. We explore how real learning happens through doing, reflecting, and applying, and why a growth mindset is essential to becoming the person you want to be. Featuring powerful insights from Neil’s book, this episode will help you pause, reflect, and take your next step forward with purpose. Start Striving at | |||
| Sunday Strive 19th October 2025 | 19 Oct 2025 | 00:05:00 | |
In this episode of How to Strive, Nick guides you through a powerful weekly reflection practice designed to help you pause, reflect, and realign before stepping into a new week. Together, we: This isn’t about perfection, it’s about consistent growth, learning, and living with purpose. If you’re ready to start your week with clarity and momentum, this episode will help you ground your reflections and turn them into action. Start Striving at | |||