Adversity is something most of us try to avoid — yet it may be the most powerful force shaping who we become. In this thoughtful episode, Richard is joined by Mark DeBellis, founder of the Gifts of Adversity Project, who spent years collecting stories of people who have turned their hardest moments into their greatest strengths. Drawing on his own experience of homelessness and family breakdown in his early teens, Mark reflects on what adversity really gives us — and why we rarely recognise it as a gift until long after the fact.

From a young man who became a motivational speaker after losing his sight, to a father who turned grief into a foundation helping other children, this episode reframes what it means to struggle. Mark shares his five pillars for a resilient life and leaves listeners with a powerful analogy about living on two tracks at once — so the good doesn't get lost while you navigate the bad.

Key Takeaways

Adversity is a gift nobody asks for and rarely recognises until after the fact — but it builds skills and character nothing else can.

Hindsight is powerful — looking back at what we survived changes how we face what lies ahead.

Adversity is personal — what feels minor to one person may feel catastrophic to another.

Don't create your own adversity — many difficulties stem from unconscious decisions.

Life runs on two tracks — don't let focus on the bad cause you to miss the good still happening around you.

Episode Highlights

Mark's teenage years — bouncing between campgrounds and periods of homelessness as the oldest child holding the family together.

How shame kept him from acknowledging his experiences for years.

The blind motivational speaker who turned permanent vision loss into a platform.

The father who lost a son and built a foundation helping other children.

Mark's five pillars — faith, friends, finances, fun, and family.

The train track analogy — life is not a roller coaster but two parallel tracks running at once.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction — Richard welcomes Mark DeBellis

01:10 The Gifts of Adversity Project and why Mark created it

03:15 Homelessness, family breakdown and building resilience

05:28 Why Mark didn't recognise any of it at the time

08:08 Embracing adversity in the moment rather than only in retrospect

09:52 Rumination, getting stuck, and moving forward

11:03 Owning your outcome — the cancer survivor who challenged his doctors

12:29 Control the controllables

13:37 Turning pain into purpose — the father who lost a son

14:17 Are younger generations equipped to handle adversity?

18:06 Vulnerability and transparency in leadership

21:21 Blindness, transformation and becoming a motivational speaker

24:17 Adversity is personal — the iPhone versus the death of a spouse

27:54 Five pillars for a resilient life

33:22 The Gifts of Adversity website — how to share your story

38:07 The train track analogy — don't miss the good while navigating the bad

🔗 Connect with Mark DeBellis

Website: www.giftsofadversity.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markdebellis/

⭐️ Connect and Subscribe

Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid's work at www.richard-reid.com.

Download the first two chapters of Richard's "Charisma Unlocked", audio or PDF version for free and begin your transformation towards authentic charisma:

https://richard-reid.com/master-authentic-charisma/

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

What if the biggest thing standing between you and your potential is your own belief system and you've never been taught how to change it? In this rich and wide-ranging episode, Richard is joined by Espree Devora, founder of the Women in Tech and We Are LA Tech podcasts, entrepreneur, and fierce champion of human potential. Espree shares the daily practices that have transformed how she operates, from breathwork and nervous system regulation to the two-minute task method and the radical power of boundaries.

This is a conversation about far more than tech or women in business. It's about what it takes to show up fully and what gets in the way. Espree opens up about years of burnout from self-sacrifice, her ongoing recovery, and how learning to be selfish in the right way is the key to being truly selfless.

Key Takeaways

Self-limiting beliefs are the primary barrier between people and their potential — seeing others succeed is one of the most powerful ways to expand what you believe is possible for yourself.

Regulating your nervous system through breathwork is not woo-woo - it is a practical, tactical tool used by elite military units and high performers worldwide.

The two-minute method removes the resistance to starting small consistent actions compound into significant progress.

Good, kind, generous people are often the worst at boundaries and mastering them is essential to avoid burnout and resentment.

You have to be selfish in order to be selfless - taking care of yourself first is what enables you to serve others well.

Episode Highlights

Espree's founding story - why she created Women in Tech after noticing the conversation was focused on what wasn't possible for women.

The four-minute mile analogy and how one person breaking a barrier unlocks it for thousands.

How breathwork, Reality Transurfing, and nervous system regulation form Espree's daily morning ritual.

Burnout, resentment, and the long road back, Espree's honest account of years of self-sacrifice and recovery.

Social media as drug addiction — and the two-phone system Espree uses to take back control of her attention.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction — Creating Women in Tech and We Are LA Tech

02:32 Self-limiting beliefs — the real barrier to achievement

03:56 Nervous system regulation and why Espree studies it daily

05:23 Breathwork — not woo-woo, used by the Navy SEALs

07:08 Reality Transurfing and daily rituals to rewire perspective

08:10 Daniel Kahneman — System One, System Two and breathwork

11:11 Why breathwork has been unfairly positioned as far out there

12:20 Binaural beats, undiagnosed ADHD and learning how your brain works

15:16 Human design, anger, and embracing emotions rather than fighting them

17:06 Emotions are information — what you do with them is the work

18:55 The 18-year-old founder Espree wants to champion

20:46 Boundaries — the master skill for kind and generous people

26:11 Burnout, resentment, and the long road back

31:11 Writing your own headline — your career doesn't have to look a certain way

34:43 Social media as addiction — and the two-phone system

38:52 Self-medicating with screens — and the clarity on the other side

42:40 The book — principles, sincerity, and a promise to publish

🔗 Connect with Espree Devora

Website: podcast.womenintechshow.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/espree

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C_jI2v-PHf_/

Connect and Subscribe

Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid's work at www.richard-reid.com.

Download the first two chapters of Richard's "Charisma Unlocked", audio or PDF version for free and begin your transformation towards authentic charisma:

https://richard-reid.com/master-authentic-charisma/

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

Are you busy all day but not actually moving forward? In this episode, Richard is joined by Chris Adams, strategic growth advisor and founder of CJA Consulting, who works with professional services firms and business owners across the world to cut through overwhelm and build clear, focused growth strategies. Chris breaks down why the biggest block to business growth isn't technical skill — it's the mindset shift that nobody prepares you for when you make partner, go out on your own, or scale beyond yourself.

From the spray-and-pray trap of unfocused marketing to the uncomfortable truth that people buy you not your brand, this conversation is packed with practical insight. Chris shares why your referral network outperforms any social media campaign, how personal brand is non-negotiable in a crowded professional services market, and why even he struggles to take his own advice — and what he does about it.

Key Takeaways

Identifying your ideal client and referral network is the foundation of every growth strategy — without it, all activity is noise.

Personal brand is not optional in professional services; people buy people, not company names.

Your referral network will always outperform thought leadership or social media when it comes to driving new business.

Reflection time is not a luxury — without it, business owners make reactive decisions rather than strategic ones.

You must own your own growth; no advisor, marketer, or consultant can do that for you.

Episode Highlights

The mindset shift lawyers face overnight when they make partner — and why it derails so many high performers.

Chris's lightbulb moment at a personal branding workshop six months into his business.

Why 150 international law firms competing in Dubai is the perfect illustration of personal brand as differentiator.

The spray and pray trap — what happens when you market before you have a strategy.

How AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude can help business owners get unstuck when no external advisor is available.

The launch of Muhami — a legal knowledge platform built to connect people with legal answers in the Middle East.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction — Richard welcomes Chris Adams

00:39 What CJA Consulting does and who it serves

01:21 The mindset shift from lawyer to business owner

03:36 Overwhelm as the common thread — and how to cut through it

05:13 Chasing shiny objects and losing strategic focus

06:35 Why every business owner needs reflection time

08:01 Meetings — the silent killer of productive time

10:03 The hamster wheel of busyness and how to break it

11:10 Resistance to change — the lawyer who said it was all on Chris

13:07 Personal brand, charisma, and why you are the differentiator

15:32 Dubai's crowded legal market and the power of standing out

17:56 Why sales is not a dirty word in professional services

20:33 Strategy before marketing — stop spraying and praying

21:51 Why referral networks beat social media every time

24:04 LinkedIn thought leadership made simple and systematic

26:52 Getting out from behind the computer — networking that fits you

28:42 Final tips — make a plan, reflect, and use AI to get unstuck

31:28 CJA Consulting, Muhami platform and Muhami Matters podcast

🔗 Connect with Christopher Adams

Website: www.muhami.ae

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisadamsdxb/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muhami.ae/

⭐️ Connect and Subscribe

Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid's work at www.richard-reid.com.

Download the first two chapters of Richard's "Charisma Unlocked", audio or PDF version for free and begin your transformation towards authentic charisma:

https://richard-reid.com/master-authentic-charisma/

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

What if the thing that nearly killed you became the catalyst for changing thousands of lives? In this powerful episode, Richard is joined by Joyce Bender, founder of Bender Consulting Services and the Bender Leadership Academy, whose personal experience of epilepsy and a near-fatal seizure led her to transform how corporate America employs people with disabilities. Joyce pulls no punches: hiring people with disabilities is not charity — it is a smart business investment, and the data backs it up.

From winning the President's Award at the White House to placing 200 people per year with the National Security Agency, Joyce has spent three decades dismantling the stigma, fear, and ignorance that keep 70 percent of disabled people out of the workforce. She shares the story of her angel at the movie theatre, why people with epilepsy have firepower, and what it truly means when someone arrives at work on a stretcher rather than miss a single day.

Key Takeaways

Something bad can happen to you — what defines you is what you make of it.

Hiring people with disabilities is a business investment, not an act of charity, with exceptional retention and engagement.

Stigma, fear, and ignorance are the primary barriers keeping disabled talent out of the workforce.

Education changes everything — the iDisability software platform was built to tackle workplace stigma at scale.

People with disabilities who have been excluded value work in a way that consistently outperforms expectations.

Episode Highlights

Joyce's misdiagnosed seizures leading to a fractured skull, brain haemorrhage, and coma at a movie theatre in 1985.

The mysterious doctor who appeared out of nowhere, saved her life, and was never identified.

How she pivoted from IT executive search to launching Bender Consulting Services in 1995.

Placing 200 people per year with disabilities at the National Security Agency in STEM roles.

The employee who called an Uber to hospital after being hit by a cab — and was back at work the next day.

The iDisability software platform and the Slaughter Stigma Campaign with bestselling author Karin Slaughter.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction — Richard welcomes Joyce Bender

01:00 Growing up with undiagnosed epilepsy

05:30 Pivoting from IT executive search to disability employment

09:00 Why hiring people with disabilities is a business investment

11:00 Retention, engagement, and the 70% unemployment figure

14:00 The Bender Leadership Academy and anti-bullying work

18:00 Teaching confidence, initiative, and public speaking to students

20:00 500 students on Disability Mentoring Day

22:00 The iDisability software platform — 52 modules

25:00 The Slaughter Stigma Campaign with Karin Slaughter

27:00 The employee who went to work on a stretcher

31:00 New focus: employment for people with intellectual disabilities

32:00 University of Pittsburgh partnership and AI in healthcare 33:00 Final words — paychecks not pity

🔗 Connect with Joyce Bender

Website: www.benderconsult.com / www.benderleadership.org

LInkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joyce-bender-b840081/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joyce_a_bender/

⭐️ Connect and Subscribe

Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid's work at www.richard-reid.com.

Download the first two chapters of Richard's "Charisma Unlocked", audio or PDF version for free and begin your transformation towards authentic charisma:

https://richard-reid.com/master-authentic-charisma/

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

What happens when an ordinary man finds himself on death row? In this gripping episode, Richard is joined by Aubrey Brooks, author of Death Row in Paradise, whose extraordinary life story spans mercenary combat, a failed coup d'état in the Seychelles, 18 months on death row, and nine months in solitary confinement — all underpinned by an unshakeable belief in himself and in something greater. Aubrey traces the mindset that carried him through the unthinkable, from a childhood shaped by a mother who believed anything was possible, to the moment he said the Lord's Prayer with a rifle butt at his head.

Raised in Rhodesia with a can-do attitude instilled early, Aubrey became a special forces soldier, entrepreneur, and adrenaline junkie before a chance meeting led him into one of the most audacious missions of the Cold War era. Shot in the thigh, captured, tortured, and sentenced to death, Aubrey reveals how faith, mental discipline, and sheer will to live became his only weapons. His account of finding humanity in his captors, a presidential pardon, and returning home is both harrowing and deeply hopeful.

Key Takeaways

Belief in yourself compounds over time — the more you do, the more you become capable of doing.

Faith, whatever form it takes, provides an anchor when everything else is stripped away.

Mental discipline in isolation is a choice: Aubrey memorised songs, counted ceiling shapes, and walked daily to keep his mind alive.

Conducting yourself with dignity, even in captivity, changes how others treat you.

One never knows what is around the corner, holding on is always worth it.

Episode Highlights

Aubrey describes the moment a clairvoyant told him he was going overseas and would return — just days before he agreed to join the mission.

The chaos of the failed Seychelles coup when a loaded AK-47 was discovered in customs.

The beatings, the dark cell, and the orange glow of peace he experienced while saying the Lord's Prayer.

How saving two officers during a prison mutiny ultimately led to a full presidential pardon.

Timestamps

01:00 Childhood in Rhodesia and a mother's belief

11:00 Relocating to South Africa and building Mr. Printer

20:00 The mission to the Seychelles and what went wrong in customs

28:00 Shot, captured, and two days on the run

31:00 Arrest, beatings, and solitary confinement

39:00 Mental strategies for surviving isolation

54:00 Meeting the President of the Seychelles

57:00 Sentenced to death and keeping composure

🔗 Connect with Aubrey Brooks

Website: www.aubreybrooks.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/p/Aubrey-Brooks-Motivational-Speaker-100063549762539/

⭐️ Connect and Subscribe

Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid's work at www.richard-reid.com.

Download the first two chapters of Richard's "Charisma Unlocked", audio or PDF version for free and begin your transformation towards authentic charisma:

https://richard-reid.com/master-authentic-charisma/

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

What if the secret to doing more was actually doing less? In this episode, Richard Reid sits down with author, coach, and keynote speaker Chris Lovett to explore why busyness has become one of the biggest threats to performance and how simplification might be the sharpest competitive advantage most leaders are ignoring. It all started with a CD case, a Fawlty Towers moment, and a one-way ticket to Copenhagen.

Chris shares how stepping on a Mark Morrison CD in 2016 triggered a complete unravelling of his life, selling his flat, his car, and almost everything he owned — before returning to the corporate world with a radical new perspective. Now working with banks, tech firms, and leadership teams globally, Chris helps people strip back the noise, protect their energy, and deliver what actually matters.

Key Takeaways

Busyness is a badge and it's making us worse at our jobs.

Back-to-back meetings drain decision-making capacity far faster than most leaders realise.

The best ideas don't come from screens.

The incubation effect, showers, walks, boredom is scientifically proven to unlock creativity.

Simplicity is a competitive advantage, not a retreat.

Your lunch break might be one of the highest-performing things you can protect.

Episode Highlights

• The Mark Morrison CD case moment and the ripple effect that changed everything
• "Entrenched narratives" - the stories we keep telling ourselves long after they've expired
• Leaving meetings five minutes early: the smallest rebellion that becomes a cultural shift
• The Volkswagen diesel scandal - what happens when people are pushed too far
• JK Rowling, Keith Richards, Joni Mitchell and what boredom actually produces
• Relentless, the business book designed for people who don't have time to read one

Timestamps

• 00:00 Welcome and introduction
• 01:15 The CD case moment that started everything
• 04:14 Selling the flat, the car, and going around the world
• 05:42 Returning to corporate life with fresh eyes
• 09:36 The smallest act of rebellion — leaving five minutes early
• 11:57 Simplicity as competitive advantage
• 21:27 Mistakes caused by pushing people beyond their limits
• 29:09 Three things to free time and energy right now
• 33:25 Boredom, JK Rowling, and the incubation effect
• 41:53 About Relentless — and why it tells you to put it down

🔗 Connect With Chris Lovett

Find Relentless by Chris Lovett on Amazon, Waterstones, and Barnes & Noble.

⭐️ Connect And Subscribe

Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid's work at www.richard-reid.com.

Download the first two chapters of Richard's Charisma Unlocked, audio or PDF version for free: https://richard-reid.com/master-authentic-charisma/

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

What if the clarity, confidence, and peace of mind you've been searching for were already inside you? In this episode, Richard Reid sits down with bestselling author, coach, and keynote speaker Jamie Smart to explore why so many high-performers feel stuck - and the surprisingly simple shift that changes everything. As Jamie puts it, clarity is your mind's natural state. The problem isn't that you don't have it. You've simply been taught a misunderstanding of how your mind works.

Jamie shares how he went from running large IT projects to discovering principles for psychology that he believes are as fundamental as the discovery of germs was to medicine. From a client who more than doubled his business turnover after a three-day intensive, to the Harvard Business Review research linking calm, happy states to peak performance, this episode is packed with insight on what truly drives results in business and life.

Key Takeaways

Your experience is created from the inside out — not by external circumstances.

Happiness, wellbeing and clarity are internally generated, not dependent on achievement, relationships or bank balances.

Entrepreneurs often mistake what they've built for the source of their success, when the real source is the mindset that built it. Over 93% of 700+ senior executives performed at their best when calm, happy and energised.

Clarity is your mind's natural state. Overthinking fills it - understanding clears it.

Episode Highlights

Jamie's journey from IT project manager to Sunday Times bestselling author.

The "Ian formula" - how subtracting misunderstanding unlocks creativity and freedom.

The rope bridge metaphor - navigating AI, exponential change, and humanity's future.

Timestamps

• 00:00 Welcome and Introduction
• 01:00 Jamie's background and career pivot
• 04:27 The inside-out nature of experience
• 18:20 The three steps to real change
• 29:34 Reception in coaching and therapy communities
• 33:48 The future — AI, exponential thinking, and the rope bridge
• 38:00 Where to find Jamie Smart

🔗 Connect With Jamie Smart

Website: www.JamieSmart.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiesmartclarity/

YouTube: www.youtube.com/clarityjamiesmart

⭐️ Connect And Subscribe

Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid's work at www.richard-reid.com.

Download the first two chapters of Richard's "Charisma Unlocked", audio or PDF version for free and begin your transformation towards authentic charisma: https://richard-reid.com/master-authentic-charisma/

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/

What does it really take to perform at your best under pressure?

In this episode, Richard Reid sits down with Dr. Steven Stein - clinical psychologist, author, and globally recognised expert in emotional intelligence - to explore how EQ shapes leadership, decision-making, and resilience. Steven shares insights drawn from 40+ years of research and work with elite groups including Navy SEALs, the FBI, and professional athletes.

From managing anger constructively to trusting your gut in high-stakes moments, this conversation is packed with practical, research-backed strategies. As Steven puts it: "Find your purpose, and then find out how emotional intelligence can help you get there."

Key Takeaways

Emotional intelligence involves three core skills: awareness, management, and use of emotions. People tend to be either over-emotional or under-emotional, and both create problems.

Hardiness - built on Commitment, Challenge, and Control - is a proven framework for resilience. Daily small wins matter more than big rewards for sustained motivation.

In the age of AI, emotional intelligence will become even more critical for leadership.

Episode Highlights

EQ in elite military units - what Navy SEALs taught Steven about psychological safety and leadership.

Anger as a tool - how to manage it constructively rather than suppress or explode.

Gut instinct vs. analysis - when to trust your intuition and when to slow down.

The Three C's of Hardiness - Commitment, Challenge, and Control explained with real-world examples.

AI and the future of EQ - why human emotional skills will be the differentiator in an automated world.

Timestamps

03:37 — Common EQ challenges: over and under-emotion

05:12 — Managing anger effectively

07:46 — Working with Navy SEALs and elite military groups

13:14 — Instinct vs. emotional intelligence in fast decisions

16:24 — Practical EQ strategies for busy professionals

20:00 — Managing back-to-back meetings and mental load

22:11 — The power of daily small wins and positive emotions

25:30 — Hardiness: the three C's framework

40:34 — Steven's next book: life lessons from reality TV

43:44 — Final advice: find your purpose and use EQ to get there

🔗 Connect With Steven Stein

Website:

LinkedIn:

Instagram:

Facebook:

YouTube:

⭐️ Connect And Subscribe

Thank you for joining us on The Business of Thinking podcast. If you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe and leave a rating! It helps us bring more insightful content on the psychology of high performance. Find more about Richard Reid's work at www.richard-reid.com.

Download the first two chapters of Richard's "Charisma Unlocked", audio or PDF version for free and begin your transformation towards authentic charisma:

https://richard-reid.com/master-authentic-charisma/

Production Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/