Curiosity and Connection: The conversations that stayed with us | Episode 40

In this episode, Simon and Rusty catch up on recent podcast highlights and revisit the interviews that have ignited conversations. From Polly Brooks MBE’s inspiring approach to life to Clare Sadler’s fresh take on human performance, they explore the ideas that have stayed with them and their listeners. There’s also time for a few laughs as they reflect on the popularity of The Wives’ Special.

The conversation touches on resilience, relationships, leadership, and self-awareness, with stories from coaching, business, and everyday life. With personal updates and a look ahead to future guests, this episode is a reminder that growth often comes from staying curious, connected, and open to new experiences.

In this episode:

• Reflections on the powerful lessons shared by Polly Brooks MBE and Clare Sadler 
• Why taking risks, embracing experimentation, and learning from failure matter 
• The importance of supporting the whole person in leadership, coaching, and work 
• Personal insights on resilience, transitions, wellbeing, and self-awareness 
• Looking ahead to new guests, fresh conversations, and continued learning together

Please like, subscribe or follow, so you're notified of any new episodes coming up, and if you're keen to reach Rusty or Simon with any suggestions, feedback or comments, you can contact them via the show's LinkedIn page here: 

https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-bouncebackability-podcast/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Simon and Rusty here with the Bounce Back Ability Podcast, the podcast that explores how to deal with obstacles, setbacks and challenges. Hope you enjoy the pod. Looking forward to it. Listen on. Hi everybody. Welcome to the pod. Just me and Rusty today. We're yeah, we're gonna do a little bit of a review. We don't we haven't done uh one together for a little while, have we? We're supposed to do these a bit more regularly, but we've had a lot of cool guests.

SPEAKER_01 0:24

Yeah, I imagine we'll get lots of complaints that there's no wives on this one. I definitely had some feedback that it might have been better.

SPEAKER_00 0:32

Yeah, um, I mean, yeah, I know. Well it was, wasn't it? Let's be honest. I mean, in all aspects of our lives, they're better. So, you know, I'm quite happy to accept that.

SPEAKER_01 0:43

Yeah, my wife's definitely better at a podcast than me after a glass of wine.

SPEAKER_00 0:49

They just dropped that one in there. Drop the mic. Yeah. Uh so she doesn't listen to this, which she probably won't. So you're lucky. Um, so uh since we last had a chat, we've had Polly on, um, which was yeah, amazing. Um and then we um then we did the one with the wives, which was a nice lunch, and I just I thought that was terrific, great fun. And then we got our our intellects destroyed by Claire Sadler in the one before, which actually there's a well actually by the time this podcast go out, this there's there's gonna be another short podcast with Claire on it, because so many people have messaged me about it. We're doing a little 10-minute one just as a sort of summary because it's it's quite long and I think probably down to me being confused, I asked a lot of questions. Um I think I think I confused everyone. So uh Claire wanted to do a short one, and I actually think it's a great idea. So we're just gonna do a 10-minute sort of these are the things.

SPEAKER_01 1:52

Um that's cool.

SPEAKER_00 1:55

Which I I think we might do a little bit more because it's kind of little summaries, so little mini ones.

SPEAKER_01 2:00

Yeah, it's like it's like Claire and Simon in detention, is it? Because you were yeah, you were too confused. Yes. I've had I've had loads of messages about players, like people going, Oh god, that really resonates. People going, oh but she didn't tell us how she does the how she does the coding. And so it's like, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:22

I don't think she's gonna tell us how she does the coding because I think she's gonna tell I think it's kind of like it's only her that knows how to do it, you know, and I think she's a little bit cautious about giving the secrets away. But yeah, you you know, she phoned me up afterwards because you know I had a I had a minor panic over the podcast, as usual, over the technical over the sound. No way, yeah. Really? Yeah, I know. I know, I mean, you know, knock you down with a feather. But I was um I I had lost the sound file. All the all the colour had drained from my face, and I was like, oh no way, I cannot. If I've lost this podcast, I mean Rusty might come around and kill me. Claire will probably, yeah, I don't know. Claire would be calm, wouldn't she? Because she's good under pressure. Um, but uh yeah, I was a bit worried, but I managed to f I did actually find it. I just messed up the date stamp on it, and it had gone to the wrong place. So um, but I did find it, and I sent I sent a message to our WhatsApp groups saying, Oh, I've had a massive panic this morning, it's been a bit stressful because I couldn't find the sound file. And she she phoned me up and said, you know, how are you feeling? And she did this thing with me with my tongue. She got me to push my tongue into my mouth, let it relax, and she she did this whole thing with me, and it was genuinely cool, like really quite I've done it since as well. I'd obviously it's better when she's helping, but just a little technique she gave me to to feel less sort of um wound up, I think is the word I would say call uh the phrase I'd use. But uh yeah, really good. I mean she's a she's a cool lady. Um anyway, let's let's go back to podcasting.

SPEAKER_01 4:04

By the way, and also like it's not I think one of the reasons it it would be very hard for her to share in an hour and definitely not in ten minutes, like what she does. So obviously, like it's expertise, isn't it? So her understanding that in this moment the tongue is the right thing is is that's not an hour podcast, is it? No, no, it definitely isn't.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

No, it's having a chat with me, asking me how I felt, and then saying, Oh, this might work. You know, it's there's a skill there that Claire and only Claire really has got. So yeah, she's gonna be in demand, I suspect.

SPEAKER_01 4:38

And I know lots of people that she has helped, and it's been like transformational.

SPEAKER_00 4:46

Yeah. Well, she said she was gonna get in touch with you about the whole biscuit thing. Biscuit gate, I'm gonna call it.

SPEAKER_01 4:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:55

Pack of biscuits without thinking.

SPEAKER_01 5:00

Well, no, because uh this morning while we started the call, I'd already had some licorice all sorts without thinking. That's right, you did.

SPEAKER_00 5:07

Yes, you came on with a licorice all sorts. I caught you with a bag of lic Soprasti's quite chatty this morning, we know why. It's the sugar rush. The licorice all sorts. Uh yeah, yeah, but she was great. So, yeah, going back to so Claire to Polly, where which was I mean, one of the most profound podcasts we've done. I mean, we've had some, you know, we've had some fairly big podcasts, you know, 18-year-old lads being towed under helicopters out of war zones and some pretty big topics, you know, people with big life-changing things. Polly's was wow. So what what did you what did you take out of Polly's? Is there anything that stuck? Because there's definitely a few things that are stuck with me.

SPEAKER_01 5:56

Yeah, there was um there's a few things on the news this morning, actually it's quite similar, where some some stuff that you go, oh my god, I would not want that to happen to me, has actually led to like huge impact on other people. So rather than you know, it the stuff I was looking at this morning, then blame the other person and and and what retribution and all that actually they've gone out and done good in the world. So clearly Polly's having huge impact, you know, Dan's fun for burns, all that, you know, just like on on people who've had similar experiences to her and forming a a real tight community of people that uh yeah, she's just helping lots of people, isn't she? Like what was a horrific event could have, you know, could have, you know, been a pretty poor ending really, but actually has gone out and done great work in the world.

SPEAKER_00 6:47

Yeah, it's uh it is uh it is a fascinating sort of little case study on major incident like that, how it can lead to incredible things. Because there is I mean she has had I mean she has done some incredible stuff, hasn't she? And I you know, the what came across to me throughout the whole thing that really that I keep thinking about actually, it keeps coming up, is this whole sort of carpe diem approach she has to, you know, just get on, do don't because you know I'm moving to Portugal. I'm kind of thinking, you know, come on, let's let's let's get on because um you know time may be shorter than you think, you know, to quote the song. Yeah. And I think you know you've gotta I think sometimes you've got to get on with life. I mean, there's I mean I definitely struggle with um the opposite of that, if I'm completely honest, which is I probably need to pause and chill um a little bit more than I need to get up and do. But I just love the attitude which is you know it if something feels like a good idea, try it out. You know, that and it's actually really impacted my coaching. So in in the business world, with a lot of people I'm helping now is helping them to take risks. I've got this phrase I use now, which actually isn't Polly's, but it's it's from from that. I mean I've used it before, but it it's really come to the fore now, which is it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. And I think in the business world, that is something I've my my whole career I've lived by that. You know, back yourself because it's a terrible boss that would turn around to you and give you a hard time for doing what you thought was right. Um as long as you're not, you know, being naughty, I guess that's the thing, isn't it? Um as long as as long as you're doing something because you think it's the right thing to do, it's the right it's you know, try. And I think that's what came across with Polly was you know, crack on. Do some stuff.

SPEAKER_01 8:41

Yeah, and just call uh just call it an experiment, and if it goes wrong, just you know, the the experiment failed, we won't try that experiment again.

SPEAKER_00 8:49

Yeah, and I guess that's you know, you you've seen it at Tyler Grange, haven't you? You you you've spoken to me a few times about that, that it's very experimental, isn't it? You know, we just we just try stuff out. Often it doesn't work, but that's cool.

SPEAKER_01 9:02

Yeah, yeah. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't work.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Yeah, and I think but then the things that the th I mean it's so it's so cliche, isn't it? The old Wayne Gretzky, you know, I've missed every 100% of the shots I didn't take, you know. If you don't try, you're never gonna do, are you saying it's worth just cracking on and I think you know Polly's story is such a powerful I mean if you haven't listened to it, please listen to it. It's quite a I mean it at at times it's a tough listen, but I think that's good. I think you know the story is just it's wonderful and it's got a great, you know, it's it's there's a happy there's a happy ish ending, um happy-ish sort of end to the pod, you know, about how well she's doing. So I think it's a great, great listen. Plus she likes camel fat and that really and I just it just got me took me back to my 90s in the beef in Ibiza. And uh I've been listening to camel fat constantly since that podcast. Yeah, because I'd I'd just I'd forgotten about them, if I'm honest. I mean I'd not forgotten forgotten, but I kind of and she reminded me that that is a it's a great band.

SPEAKER_01 10:08

I mean they're yeah, it's uh we've had some good starts to pod we've had some some good starts to pods, and that was yeah, one of the best, wasn't it? Where you're like, I'm just on the edge of my seat at this point, like oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 10:23

Yeah, uh I mean fascinating. And a wonderful, wonderful woman who yeah, I just I'm just very grateful I've met her, if I'm honest. It's like it's nice. You meet people like that and they change your life, don't they? And I guess that's that's kind of how I feel about Polly. And speaking of changing our lives, our wives, that was fun. I mean I enjoyed myself hugely. Quite a bit of rose beforehand. Not for Rusty, obviously, but um siren Jenny and and Amy had had a few glasses of wine, so it was good fun. What what did that what what what got you thinking in that one?

SPEAKER_01 11:02

I always think that my wife's incredible, really. Like you ain't gonna do what you do because she does, you know, she does some stuff that allows that to happen, really. So uh she's awesome at what she does, she uh works for special needs kids and she's incredible at that. She's probably done most of the parenting, although I am currently in charge of maths and science, GCSC revision.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

You do one thing and now you're the main parent.

SPEAKER_01 11:31

Now I think I'm the main parent. Um so uh yeah, I mean that's the I think uh it's a pretty cool gift to have, isn't it? Someone that you you've you've got on your team that's like awesome.

SPEAKER_00 11:46

So Yeah, me too, really. I I feel the same. I mean, you know, it's you know, I don't you don't that and that actually, I mean, my wife, I couldn't be who I am without my wife. I mean I couldn't I I wouldn't be where I am without a full stop end of discussion. I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am now without without her. So yeah, it's it's a massive influence on my life. But that got me thinking about um a massive blind spot in leadership. I when I re-listened to the podcast, I was thinking, God, how many and I I think it's something I've tried to do, possibly not as successfully, because it's a bit weird. It or it can feel that way. It's it if you're not managing, if you're not helping and supporting the whole person, you've got a much less chance of success. Trying to get to know what's going on in their lives, being curious about them as an individual and genuinely asking proper questions and listening to them is a way of supporting somebody to be at their best. I mean, I in the business world, that is just I think it's a fundamental and I just think it's so overlooked. It's always see it's almost seeing, you know, don't bring, you know, work and life are separate, home and work separate, don't bring home to work, you know. We've always had kids and dogs and families come into target grains, it's always been part of who we are. I think it's a real blind spot in leadership that you you sort of say, well, it's nothing to do with me. And I think the reason behind that is that um people think it's it's a bit big brother, a bit creepy. It's like, you know, stay out of my personal life, it's got nothing to do with work. So I think it's coming from both directions. That sort of almost societal not wanting to talk about it is seen as a as something that shouldn't be spoken about, you know. It's I think it's damaging. I I don't think it I don't think that helps.

SPEAKER_01 13:45

Yeah, well, as Stutz Stuts on Netflix, which I've referenced quite a bit, talks about life force, and at the bottom is like kind of your body and looking after yourself, and then next is relationship. So and that's obviously a key relationship for anyone, isn't it? So yeah, and and after that you can probably then start to look at you know helping people, but like they've got to have those foundations in place. Yeah. Um it always makes me think of uh the Christmas Hamper from Tyler Grange to my wife, like that makes sense, doesn't it? It's way better going to my wife than to me.

SPEAKER_02 14:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

Um she's the one Well we feel sorry for it is we thought, yeah, she really needs some support. But it it it's so interesting, isn't it? And again, you have this a lot as a coach or as a leader, as you said, to what extent do you is there a is there a uh is there like a straight line between work and and family? Is there a dotted line? Is there a is there no line? Is it and often in coaching like we're we're we're like there's no line and there is no clarity and there is no boundaries and it's probably not that helpful.

SPEAKER_00 14:56

Um in sport, do you know what's going on in someone's personal life?

SPEAKER_01 15:03

Yeah, I mean again some coaches would coaches would think it's it's vital, some coaches would think it was less vital. I remember uh quite a few years ago Saris used to do bring, you know, bring your bring your family to work days, and you'd they'd come in and they'd you know you'd you'd they'd join in a bit of the warm-up and stuff. And again, that's just cool, isn't it? That you get a chance to come and be at work with your family and see what that looks like.

SPEAKER_00 15:30

Yeah, I mean I'd I uh you know we're working with Claire Murphy um on stories. Well one of the stories um is you know John Moorcroft, who's one of the very earliest employees at TG, he was at our first summer party, which was in my garden where I'm sat now, and this was like 16 years ago now, something like that. And uh we had I I went I went all out, I bought some oysters, and I thought we were skint as well, so I blew the budget on oysters. Um but I thought, you know, the family's coming, let's do something nice. So I we had a barbecue, I did some burnt offerings, but we had some lovely oysters, and he brought his daughter with him. Um she was I don't know, 15, I think, 16 at the time. Everyone brought their family. Everyone stays some stayed in my house, some of the neighbours put other people up. There used to be a little BB in the village, some guys stayed in there, so everybody stayed in the village all together. There's only about eight of us, plus family, so there's probably about I don't know, 13, 14 people. I organised an ice cream van to turn up um as well, so that was fun. Um so it was a really lovely sunny day, all that is really nice, and then we had a Tyler Grange team day, and I'm I'm no longer an employee of Tyler Grange, I'm now um uh a contractor, which is quite tough. Um, but I'm I I'm I'm enjoying it, but it's a tough transition. But the um I go to the team day and uh I see John across the room. There's there's like hundreds of people at Tyler Grange, loads of people knocking around, and I see John across the room and I wait, I come, I run over and see him, give a big hug, and he goes, Ah, I want you to come and meet somebody. And I uh okay, and then I go and and his daughter was there, and uh she's got a job at Tyler Grange. I didn't know she'd only been there a couple of months. So, I mean, how cool is that that she she came along you know, and the the safety and organisation we've built that means somebody's gonna bring the most precious person to them and encourage them to work with us just shows I think that says more about Tyler Grange than anything else.

SPEAKER_01 17:36

I think it's a nice story, and uh that It's a good measure, isn't it? That that you would want your daughter to work at your place of work.

SPEAKER_00 17:45

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 17:46

Or as or as as Annalise's sister works as well.

SPEAKER_00 17:49

That's right, yeah. Yeah, yeah. She came in she's in accounts, that's right. Yeah, there's there's there's quite a lot of that going on. I mean, my son is currently doing a bit of work. Um Julian's kids have worked there. Um, you know, there's a lot of a lot of um family in Tyler Grange. And I just I just think it's a it's a blind spot in a lot of management. If you don't you know if you want people to perform at their best, you've got to understand what's going on in their lives. You know, Tyler Grange helped me through some of the worst times of my life, and I think we've done the same for others, you know, and that knowing that means we're able to support people properly and then they perform really well. So I think it's when you say is there a line or is it blurred? I think I think you're just looking at a person and you've and if you're managing if you're looking at in sport, I guess you're looking at what diet, sleep, all this kind of stuff. I mean, we're looking at sleep and fatigue at Tyler Grange. Um, you know, you've got to look at you've got to look at other influences like families, you know, what's going on in their life? Have they got challenges at home that we can help with, you know, and we do. We do a lot. Um and I think it it means that we're a very profitable, successful business because of it.

SPEAKER_01 18:58

Um Yeah, I was using the I was using the lines to be because most people think like org charts, don't they? And what's the you know, what's the order of command and you know where where is the line and all that type of stuff.

SPEAKER_00 19:11

So well, it's just messy people, isn't it? It's it's just um it's a it's a mess. Everyone's different, individual. Don't put people in a box. But yeah, that the wise podcast is cool. Again, if you haven't listened to it, please do, because if nothing else, have a good laugh at me and Rusty. Because we get we get teased quite a bit, and it's so it's quite fun. Um and then Claire, um wow, um, that was uh that was unbelievable. It's a very long podcast, um, but it's really it's worth listening to. We've had I mean I I don't know if it's the most feedback we've had, but it's we've had quite a lot. Um just because it was pretty mind-blowing stuff, and a very different way of approaching an industry that is becoming quite set in its ways, I think, psychology. You know, there's a lot of convention and theory that is almost mantra now. She seems to be pushing against that a little bit. What did you think?

SPEAKER_01 20:12

Yeah, well, I love the book Seven and a half lessons about the brain, which is lots of the kind of what she's talking about based upon some of that stuff. Um, it was definitely the most curious feedback I've got. So I think it was different. I think I've had a uh probably the most and the most curious. So oh, what did you you know, can you give me an example of? Or what about this? Or I've been thinking about this. Well, I head hurts.

SPEAKER_00 20:38

I'd like the same.

SPEAKER_01 20:39

Is Simon okay? Is Simon okay? Is he alright? He's not.

SPEAKER_00 20:44

Simon's brain still isn't functioning properly afterwards. Um there it's I mean, it was it was terrific, wasn't it? I mean, I it's I mean it seems so obvious, and that's one of the geniuses when you when you meet people like Claire, it's like four heads slapping the obvious, isn't it? It's like, oh, I can't believe I didn't think of it that way. But it's just that you're that your mind and your body are connected. I mean, ancient wisdom that is. Um, but she's like talking about, you know, your body reacts, or was it half a second before your brain? I don't know, maybe it's smaller than that, but it was your body is reacting before your brain is aware, so you've got to pay attention to your body. I mean, that's basically where she was coming from, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 21:25

That's what I I mean I it's just you have you have now summar you've now summarised it well.

SPEAKER_00 21:31

No, I haven't. That is naughty man. I I clearly know nothing. I'm just talking about what I took away from it, but that was that fundamental that's the thing that's really sort of blown my mind is that we spend so much time thinking about and we spend so much time up in our heads. And I, you know, I I practice mindfulness, I got a mindfulness coach um shout out to Danita, who is wonderful. Um, if if anybody needs a mindfulness coach, tap me up because she's the very best. If um Yeah, i it I spent a lot of time working on connecting to uh my body rather than my brain, 'cause I'm really not great at it. I know I'm not. I mean I frustrate her, I think, but she's, you know, so chilled and calm she doesn't share it. But I must do. It must be like, come on, Simon, we've been here before And you're still not getting it. Um But it's uh it it's so lovely to hear it put in such a clear, coherent way by someone like Claire who clearly knows her craft.

SPEAKER_01 22:32

Yeah, I think I've used the word operating system more regularly since then. Um and yeah, I would just like this the stuff that is the expertise for her is the noticing skills, isn't it? Her ability to notice, like, you know, the reaction of someone to something. So you know, what's the operating system saying? So yeah, no, I I I loved it. It's definitely tried to make me more attentive. I've already noticed that you're wearing a Leon Rugby uh polo shirt. So my noticing skills are fully heightened.

SPEAKER_00 23:02

Good, good spot. Even I had forgotten that this was a Leon Rugby shirt. Yeah, that's that's Le Lu, yeah. Le Lou. Yeah, great fun. Go to Leon, watch the rugby. That was a good laugh. Um speaking of we, I mean, the podcast of I mean, you know, you say you're using it a lot. I am as well. I mean, I was I was down in Cornwall playing golf with some buddies of mine. We've been playing the same golf match for about 32 years. We play every year together. It's the Forsums, and we we we play a match together. It's great fun. Um I play with my mate Jimmy, and we play against my other two friends Andy and Dommy, and we always play the same thing for a couple of trophies. That it's really good fun, and it's it's old friends are just so great, aren't they? You just slip back into how you were. And um, but we listen to camel fat quite a lot that weekend, and we were chatting about how why aren't we going down the gym more? What is we love going to the gym when we're in the gym, we have a great time, and why don't we go? Because but then we find it really hard to go, even though you know you must be getting some kind of dopamine hit from going to the gym. So why doesn't it become a habit and why is it so hard to maintain? And I was going, Ah, I did a podcast with a lady called Claire, and I think she might be able to tell us why, because it's you know, it's it's it's all about um energy debt, isn't it? You know, you're basically that that requires you to do something, and your body's going, Well you don't need to do it, so don't do it. And that's why it's hard to go. I mean, that's in that's a sort of super Claire is Claire listening to I hope Claire doesn't listen to this because she's probably gonna be holding her head in the hand. I'm in real trouble. But it's but there's kind of there's something there, isn't there? That that whole you know, and if you can understand what your body's saying to you, maybe you could go to the gym more.

SPEAKER_01 24:47

Um Yeah, and it's um yeah, and for me with the uh take the gym example as it like for me it's like reduce the friction. So yeah, as you said, like your brain's making some decisions there, isn't it, around um whether or not it's worth getting in your car and driving ten minutes to the gym versus if you do it in the five yards away from where I'm sitting now every morning with your mates, and the weights are there, so I don't even have to go down the garage and get pick them up then. I've got weights.

SPEAKER_00 25:16

It's way more like I've got one of those straps, I can't remember what you call them, that you can pull yourself around with. Don't use them.

SPEAKER_01 25:25

Yeah, but then for me it's also uh mates. So I know you spoke about that, but like I went uh we went to see James in concert. We'd already been to see them in Bristol, but JB was going up to see them in Manchester, so we drove three and a bit hours there, three and a bit hours back, because we you know we wanted to go and experience it with JB. So it's different, isn't it? I drove four hours up to North Wales to go and have a swim in a pizza with Dan Lyset, Paul McGuinness, uh Jess Bunyard et al. And just because like there was people there, wasn't there? I went to Bath, we had a reunion, and actually interestingly, I left not that long after half time because I thought the game was really boring. It wasn't really about the about the going to see the bath match, it was way more about going to see the people, and and one of whom we've got on the podcast uh next as well, which is exciting.

SPEAKER_00 26:19

Yeah, yeah. Um well let's keep that quiet. No, go on, who's who's coming on? Let's tell everyone, because then people more people might listen to it.

SPEAKER_01 26:26

Oh yeah, so uh so I played with Andy Long, he's a great guy, uh lived with Longie for a bit, played in I think it was 1998, maybe, or 97, he got capped first cap for England at a really young age, and then got taken off at half time before that was a thing, and waited a few years to get another England cap, and he just um he's just an Amarathon desable, which is like mind-blowing to me. Uh and just uh like an awesome guy, good lot of you know, real good stuff around his mindset, had some challenges along the way. So yeah, he's uh I'm I'm excited for that as well.

SPEAKER_00 27:05

Well, yeah, the incredible. I mean, I'm looking forward to it. It's been nice to to meet someone that you I mean, we've had a few friends on, haven't we, I guess, but it'd be nice to meet somebody that you've grown up with, I guess. Can you say can you say grown up with? He's been a big part of your life since you're relatively young.

SPEAKER_01 27:22

I'm actually doing uh on the Magic podcast, I'm doing I've just recorded one with two guys I played at Birmingham with, so Woody and Hunty. So we chatted about everyone brings two or three moments from from their time together. Uh me, Longie, and Charlie Harrison who played together at Bath. We're doing one next week around moments from our time at Bath. Oh. And then I've got Jeff, Jeff Williams, Sam Edge, Will Bealy, who is a team manager, and they're bringing moments from England Sevens. So just one Like. Wow. Yeah, I know. I'm buzzing for it, to be honest. Just because I'm one of those. Um yeah, and and and and maybe it's something that my kids will listen to at some point. Um but i it it's been we've just we've done one, and uh at the end of it we all went, we should do this every week. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 28:12

Well, I mean that connecting with people is so cool. I'm actually it's funny you say that because I'm I'm having dinner with with John and Gene, who I founded Tyler Grange with on Thursday night. Because we haven't got together since I've sort of pretty much left Tyler Grange. I hate saying that. Yeah, it really freaks me out still. I haven't left Tyler Grange, I'm still working in Tyler Grange, but I've I've left as an employee.

SPEAKER_01 28:36

You've got the feeling of uh so Fred's just finished his second year at uni and he's in the house on his own. There was five other lads in the house with him, and he said to me yesterday, from November to February, like when we were together and we were training, and we'd I thought that was just gonna continue forever.

SPEAKER_00 28:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 28:53

And now it feels weird that everyone's left. Now I remember vividly like leaving Cambridge for the last time, yeah, arriving in Bath for the first time, yeah, like coming back to Bristol for the first time, like those big kind of moments, which is one of the big moments you're experiencing as you know, they're like what it is, it's transitional, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 29:15

And it's when your resilience and your bounce back ability gets tested, doesn't it? Because I found it hard, I really have. I found it a very challenging transition, but um uh it's been very, very rewarding though. I've I've not found it horrible, you know, not yes, it's it's been but it's been very stretchy, and I've learned a lot about myself and I've grown a lot, so it's been really cool. Yeah, but it'd be really nice to you know, you you're saying I I'm thinking we should I mean I'm definitely gonna try and talk moments with them because we've had over the last you know almost two decades, we've had some big moments together, so it's really nice to just spend some time with those two guys and yeah, that's cool.

SPEAKER_01 29:53

Everyone bring their everyone bring their favorite favorite two moments.

SPEAKER_00 29:56

Yeah, I'll message them, I'm gonna do that now. Um, so yeah, so we got um Longie coming on next. Um looking forward to that, and hopefully, yeah, lots of interesting people coming on over the summer. Plus, it sounds like the uh the magic podcast is gonna be really fantastic too. I'm definitely listening to those. They sound incredible.

SPEAKER_01 30:19

Yeah, I'm looking I'm looking forward to it. And by the time we do the next podcast, I will officially no longer be head of maths and science revision in the Earn School household, because Elsa will have finished her GCSEs, which is I'll be so pleased for her because she's put so much effort in and it's so hard. I've actually had I'm into my fifth week off work now, and uh God, I'm loving it. But it but again, it is it is interesting and and sometimes hard, like having a different rhythm to your life. But um, yeah, I'm definitely appreciating the getting off the hamster wheel for a little bit. It's been pretty cool. When did you get back on it? Um oh mate, sadly, it's still another four weeks, really. Really? That's nice. I've got I've still got bits and bobs of work, but not loads and loads. I did a half marathon the other day. Um so I'm trying to uh I'm trying to maximize it. I'm training pretty hard. I'm I'm high steps. I've just got my first uh since I just looked at it last night for 20 eight since 2018. It's the first time I'm I'm over 10,000 steps a day on my phone. It doesn't capture all my steps uh for for 12 consecutive months. Wow. So every it's sometimes a drop off a month, but so I'm uh I'm doing loads of walking at the moment, which has been cool as well.

SPEAKER_00 31:42

Lovely. Ah, skills putty. It sounds like you're absolutely kidding it at the moment. So yeah, I gotta take I gotta take some lessons. I need a bit of rusty in my life.

SPEAKER_01 31:54

I'll tell you what, I'm also like every every week I'm going to the uh to the sauna and the coal plunge place, so unfold sauna just south of Bristol. Um it's been great. I've booked into twice into Tony Hill, who's a rugby coach, he lives nearby, and I haven't spoken to him in a few years, so we've had a you know a good amount of time in the sauna chatting code and then a bit of time in the cold tubs doing it as well. And I've been with Elsa and I've been with Fred, and so I'm trying to be a bit more Yeah, just look after myself a bit more.

SPEAKER_00 32:28

Oh, amazing. Sounds very bouncy.

SPEAKER_01 32:31

What have you been what have you been doing? Have you have you been doing any of that? Have you been like Well, I've been you must be performer Pilates?

SPEAKER_00 32:38

Are you are you in the mix? Oh mate, my exercise has dropped off a cliff, unfortunately, but uh, but I will be getting back on it. Yeah, it's not cool. It's actually that's really affected me. I uh you know, hence the conversation at the weekend with my buddies about Jim. We all we've all felt it. We've all been pretty good in terms of we've we've been working out well, I mean, apart from Dom, who's who's ridiculous, he ran the mouth in De Sabre, he's rode the Atlantic, he's done all sorts of crazy stuff. So he's um he he bought some pigs, he buys piglets every year and then grows them, and then he's very self-sufficient. He's got a little place down in Cornwall with uh with a small holding, and he's like he's he's he's like living the you know the good life down there. He po boards my stays on the camel.

SPEAKER_01 33:23

And and you're saying Don like I can't even I can't even use my dumbbells in the same room as me.

SPEAKER_00 33:29

Yeah, I know. And he's just looking at me side-eyed. And we're and I'm going through Claire's theory of why, and he's just thinking, yeah, just pick the dumbbells up, dude.

SPEAKER_01 33:41

Just start now, just start now.

SPEAKER_00 33:43

Yeah, well that's the thing, isn't it? So yeah, I I haven't been the exercise not be so good, but um we'd I've been out to Portugal with Jenny. We we were doing nearly 20,000 steps a day when we're out there just walking around Porto. It's such a beautiful city. I love the place.

SPEAKER_01 33:56

Oh, what's it the food's terrific?

SPEAKER_00 33:59

Uh Mike Parrot came out actually, he was out there. Uh he came out for a few days, um, which was really nice. He was he just randomly was going out at the same time, so yeah, we hung out with him for a bit, which is really nice.

SPEAKER_02 34:11

Oh, that's cool.

SPEAKER_00 34:12

Yeah, it was really cool. Um, and then yeah, so did a lot of that. I've been I've been spending a lot of time thinking about what's next and what I'm doing next, and that's quite exciting. It's been really good. I've had a lot of space to be able to think. I mean, pretty busy, but tell you the one the thing that I've really noticed that is so different and just glorious is that my day finishes. I don't take work with me to bed anymore, you know, in my head. Uh you don't wake up at night thinking about stuff anymore. I mean, a little bit maybe, but I'm kind of conditioned. But the entrepreneurial stuff, you know, living and just breathing uh an organization and a business is pretty full on, and you just it never ever goes away, and it's always something, and it's but that that actually now that seems to be fading into the background a bit. And wow, having that ability just to spend some time and think about I don't know, stuff is just beautiful. Did you feel guilty? Did you feel guilty? I did, but I don't anymore. And actually, I did uh uh again, shout out to Danita, mindfulness coach, I think, and and my counsellor Lucy, so these people are helping me with my mental performance, really, really helped me with that and just you know understanding what guilt is and what it means and how to embrace it. So yeah, I have a big I have a big thing around that. So it's nice to yeah, no, I don't. I really don't. I feel cool about it. That's good. And you know, the re main reason I don't is because John is so great as MD. You know, the the the fact that I built helped to build it, helped to build uh an organisation like Tyler Grange that's so resilient and able to cope means I don't feel guilty because they don't need me. I mean that's the that's that's the best thing, isn't it? Always gonna make me feel jealous. Go on then.

SPEAKER_01 36:16

Training to London, uh uh two hours uh walk across London to get my steps up beautiful and then spending the spending the afternoon with Kirk.

SPEAKER_00 36:26

Oh, yeah, I'm jealous now. Disgraceful. Well well, say hi to him for me. And I need to play golf with Kirk. So if you've got some time over the next four weeks, what he we were gonna do it, and I it never actually happened, but he and I both like around.

SPEAKER_01 36:41

There's no chance Kirk has time to play golf. Really, is he is he that busiest? He's the busiest fool I know.

SPEAKER_00 36:47

Yeah, okay. Well tell him to come and play golf with Simon and get a bit of um try and find some ways to chill. Might do him some good. See what I can do. Okay, um lovely speaking to you as always, buddy. And uh thanks for listening in, everyone. And uh we'll see you next month. Yeah, for another pod.

SPEAKER_01 37:06

Thanks so much for joining us on the Ban Speckability podcast with Simon Russell. We've really enjoyed your company. If you want to reach out to us, Simon, where can I reach you up?

SPEAKER_00 37:16

Um LinkedIn's best place, Simon Ertle, URS for sugar evil. Send me a message. Rusty, where can we find you?

SPEAKER_01 37:23

TikTok? No, not really. LinkedIn, Russell Anchor, and then the same on Twitter, but please uh ignore all my political thoughts.

SPEAKER_00 37:30

Yeah, second that over and over.