I Am... With Jonny Wilkinson

Olympic champion and three-time world champion heptathlete, Jessica Ennis-Hill is one of Great Britain’s most successful athletes. Jess set some high bars for herself and cleared them all. Her Super Saturday gold medal winning show stopper during the 2012 London Olympics will live on in the minds of those whom saw it unfold. It was a moment that transcends sport and became a defining detail in the story of this immensely gifted heptathlete. But there is so much more to her and her success and I was privileged to be granted access to a lot of it.In today’s episode, Jess lets us in on her driving forces, her focused mindset, and her desire for balance. It’s an open, warm, and fascinating conversation. 

It is never actually about everything going perfectly. It is more to do with shaking loose everything that stands in the way of our self-worth and finding that feeling place.In today’s Tuesday episode Jonny remarks on how we often seem to find it so much easier and more comfortable to focus upon what we do not want to happen than it is to visualise our ideal outcomes. Taking on positive perspectives has almost become a means of distracting ourselves from the more justifiable, conventionally agreed (and therefore apparently more real) negative version.But what happens when we emotionally, mentally and physically align with what we want? What does it take? Can it be the secret to unlocking a totally different type of performance potential?Big questions in today's episode: - What does it mean to step out of our own way? - What are the different forces that drive us forward? - What happens when we are courageous enough to choose positive outcomes over old beliefs, fear, anger, and desperation? - How do we connect to our higher selves? - How do I do this when stuff is not happening as I want it to?

Australian Union rugby player, James O'Connor joins Jonny this week to walk us through his learnings from his phenomenal and at times misunderstood career so far. One of the most talented players of his generation, he gives us an incredible insight into the highs and lows of his career. Having played stints in London, Manchester and Toulon before returning to Australia he has encountered challenging moments on and off the pitch to go with the amazing ones and is happy to open up about them. James talks about the immense importance of listening to his body and constantly seeking for his truth. Absolute willingness to accept and relax and the courage to stay true to passion and excitement plays a big part in this episode.

Throughout every one of the previous 3 podcast series, we have been pointing to how our power and our potential is not something we possess but it is actually just what we are. It is our source, not our goal. This is why the things we earn and win, that we are so convinced will make everything ok and resolve our deeper sense of insufficiency, never do. Jonny expands on this in today's Tuesday episode and what this looked like in his own life.Big Questions explored by Jonny today:- Can we find our highest passion and excitement even in the things we have to do that we don’t want to do?- If what we are after is already in what we are then why are we looking for it? Why don’t we already know it?- How can we be more receptive, and loosen fixed ideas?- How can we find fulfilment by liberating and expressing our creativity? 

James Nestor is a journalist and author whose personal quest and discoveries into the world of breath work have the potential to transform our lives. His most recent book ‘Breathe’ looks deeply into this skill that we all possess and has been met with success all around the world.For Jonny, James’ personal quest and discoveries possess the power to change our lives if we are willing to remain open-minded about who we are and champion an indefatigable curiosity about life.

A worthy saying in performance is to focus on the basics and not to get bored of them. After all, it’s generally accepted that the team that has the basics locked down tends to come out on top - and those that skip the basics tend to find themselves coming unstuck and reactive further down the line.At the core of everything in life, according to Jonny, is how we are on the inside - here lies our worth, our gift and our potential. Without connecting to this source and consciously grounding ourselves in who we are, everything we do will feel like effort. It will lead to stress, fatigue and plateauing.How do we find our way inwards?Big questions in today’s episode include:- Why is breathing so important?- How can we work with our breathing to consciously return to relaxation in the presence of the fear?- How can harnessing our breathing help us grow?- How do we focus upon breathing? Can we become more aware of it?

TW - this episode contains personal stories from life on the frontlines that some listeners might be sensitive to.Jason Fox has spent a large part of his life serving in the armed forces. Today, Jason opens up about his journey, and what it was like being involved in matters of life and death everyday. With over 20 years’ experience in the marines and the SAS, his experiences have taken him to some of the most challenging conditions imaginable - and you may recognise him from the hit television programme ‘SAS: Who Dares Wins’. 

It is perhaps the biggest task anyone can take on – to stand and face our own unique challenges rather than go around blaming everything and taking it out on everyone else. Acceptance leads to responsibility, whereas resistance leads to reactivity. This path towards taking greater responsibility for ourselves forms the basis of this episode.Big questions in todays episode:- How can we be fully present and embrace the now?- What does it take to see through our knee jerk reactions and overcome our conditioning?- Can we say yes to this moment? Work with it rather than fight it? Can we explore the possibility of what it can be rather than attempt to control it back to what we believe it should have been?- Can I say yes to the unknown?- Can I surrender my fear and doubt, and in its place choose trust?*these questions are based off the question sent into our email hello@iampodcast.co.ukJonny can’t reply to them all, but they always inform his questions and own learning in the show. 

Julia Samuel MBE is an award-winning psychotherapist and best selling author who devotes her time and energy to helping people find their way in the most unimaginably tough circumstances; losing loved ones of all ages. In today's episode, Julia elaborates upon the grieving process, the importance of it and the forms it can take. She also provides some beautiful pointers for how we can engage with it and harness the life-affirming force of it for our performance and growth. Together, Jonny and Julia explore some of the proactive ways in which we can confront our own mortality and the limiting beliefs we hold around it whilst we are fit and able in the here and now.To Keep Up with Jonny:Email in on: Hello@Iampodcast.co.ukInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficialTwitter: @jonnywilkinsonTo keep up with Julia grab her on any of the following:Instagram: @juliasamuelmbeWebsite www.juliasamuel.co.ukand her Grief Works app https://griefworks.onelink.me/3iEA/gw

Loss, fear of loss, mortality it can hold such power over us, shifting our entire world view and shaping the way we relate to ourselves, our lives and the opportunities presented to us.Big questions in today’s episode include:- Are we just living to die or are we willing to die so that we may truly live?- How do we transcend the physically dominated concept of “life getting harder as we get older” and our glory days being behind us?- Are we really products of our environment or do we hold our potential?- Who is the I in I am?- What is original to who we are and what is acquired?- Why is awareness so important?*these questions are based off the question sent into our email hello@iampodcast.co.ukJonny can’t reply to them all, but they always inform his questions and own learning in the show.

In the final episode in this third series of the I am podcast, Jonny welcomes award-winning soulful business coach, Liz Roberta. Humble, energising and big on exploring life, Liz is creating an amazing path for herself. She spends her time doing what she loves, making a difference and tuning into her inner intuitive voice for assistance in facing her challenges and trusting in the unknown. Liz explains all about this during her conversation with Jonny. She has a powerful presence, emanates spontaneity, and lives an inspiring message. The perfect guest to round-off another electrifying series.  Liz helps and guides people towards uncovering and following their own passions, overcoming trauma, navigating struggles and limitations, and guiding people towards manifesting the kind of life they would like to live. To keep up with Liz, you can follow her on the below:Website: https://lizroberta.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlizroberta/?hl=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/iamLizRobertaAs ever Jonny is always keen to hear from anyone listening - so if you have questions that you’d like answered, please email hello@Iampodcast.co.uk or comment in the reviews section.Twitter: @JonnyWilkinsonInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficial

In the final Tuesday episode for this series, Jonny looks back over the breadth and depth of conversations and opportunities that his guests have shared. Inspired by insights from his fabulous guest on Thursday, Liz Roberta, Jonny asks how we can become a better teammate to ourselves in order to help us unlock more joy and engagement in our lives. He considers how we can express our gifts and talents more fully, how we can see with greater clarity, and how we liberate ourselves from limiting definitions of concepts like pressure, stress, and success in order to reach more of our true power. Liz Roberta website and social linksWebsite: https://lizroberta.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamlizroberta/?hl=enTwitter: https://twitter.com/iamLizRoberta As ever Jonny is always keen to hear from anyone listening - so if you have questions that you’d like answered, please email hello@Iampodcast.co.uk or comment in the reviews section.  Twitter: @JonnyWilkinsonInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficial

Today Jonny and his strength and conditioning coach who is also his brother explore human potential from a health, wellbeing and fitness angle. The episode centres around how to put more years in your life and more life in those years. What could be more important than that! They also delve into life changing concepts of rest and recovery and challenge the massively limiting work life balance idea too. Mark expands on how an immense passion for helping people reach their health and wellbeing goals has improved his life and his work as a fitness coach. Together, the two also get a chance to discuss family dynamics and how we can transcend and transform inherited relationships into ones of infinitely more power.As ever Jonny is always keen to hear from anyone listening - so if you have questions that you’d like answered, please email hello@Iampodcast.co.uk or comment in the reviews section.Twitter: @JonnyWilkinsonInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficial

“And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.” In today’s episode Jonny explores the concept of Life Fitness raised by our guest on Thursday,who happens to be Jonny’s brother, Mark Wilkinson. We can be very functionally fit for certainendeavours but this doesn’t necessarily make us healthy. Life fitness is about how we equipourselves to embrace every moment of our lives and live them to the fullest. Listen into today’sepisode to hear Jonny explore this further.Check out Mark's Wellnesss and Fitness Service in Newcastle here: https://tinyurl.com/3hvj54cmAs ever Jonny is always keen to hear from anyone listening - so if you have questions that you’dlike answered, please email hello@Iampodcast.co.uk or comment in the reviews section.Twitter: @JonnyWilkinsonInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficial

Today an I am we welcome Angie Tiwari, a yoga teacher and breathwork specialist. Through her retreats and many classes – she helps enormous amounts of people to break destructive cycles in their lives. Angie is an exciting example of contemporary spiritual practitioner whom doesn’t just balance a full time job in the tech world with her personal growth but lives it fully as an important part of her path. She has a relevant message that strikes a chord. Enjoy. Keep up with Angie:tiwariyoga.comUNEARTHED: Wellness Community & Platform@tiwariyoga@weareunearthedYoutube + TikTok + FacebookAs ever Jonny is always keen to hear from anyone listening - so if you have questions that you’d like answered, please email hello@Iampodcast.co.uk or comment in the reviews section.Twitter: @JonnyWilkinsonInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficial

Are there ways to empower the next generation to cultivate a deeper connection with themselves and expand their awareness, all in the name of their own thriving and also in order to lead the necessary change for the more widespread thriving and future thriving of our species? Jonny dives into this big topic in today’s Tuesday episode.  
If you are interested in the workshops Jonny mentions today, then please check out Angie Tiwari’s pages for more info:  
tiwariyoga.comUNEARTHED: Wellness Community & Platform@tiwariyoga@weareunearthedYoutube + TikTok + FacebookAs ever Jonny is always keen to hear from anyone listening - so if you have questions that you’d like answered, please email hello@Iampodcast.co.uk or comment in the reviews section.Twitter: @JonnyWilkinsonInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficial

Dr. Michael Gervais is a high-performance psychologist, author and one of the world’s leading experts on the relationship between the mind and human performance. Over the course of a 20-year career working with world class performers and organisations, Dr. Gervais has developed a framework for the mental skills and practices that allow organisations, teams and individuals to thrive in pressure-packed environments. Today Jonny and Michael discuss the opportunity at hand when we fully engage and connect with where we are right now and with the people around us too all in the name of consciously creating the type of world that we wish to live in. This is a big conversation around performance, and relationships and a chance to explore a leadership that has the power to really transform.Tune into Mike’s own podcast Finding Mystery to hear more from him! You won’t regret it.Jonny would love to hear from you! If you have any questions that you’d like answered, please email hello@Iampodcast.co.uk or comment in the reviews section.Twitter: @JonnyWilkinsonInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficial

As we get older, there seems to be a leaning towards taking on a more permanent identity, to become a something special or somebody, to stand out. We give the creative freedom we possess in all that we can be away in search of a solidified role in society. Today Jonny explores the importance of uncoupling ourselves and our worth from what it is that we do and some ideas for how to do it.As ever Jonny is always keen to hear from anyone listening - so if you have questions that you’d like answered, please email hello@Iampodcast.co.uk or comment in the reviews section.Twitter: @JonnyWilkinsonInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficial

Our guest this week is Dr Joe Cambray, a Psychologist, scientist, author and teacher who has been extensively researching and publishing all kinds of things in this field for decades, particularly around the workings of the mind and the process of psychological intervention. For us on this podcast he lays out the fascinating theory of emergent forms, which states that we possess the capacity to make something indescribably incredible out of every day interactions. Dr Cambray also brings into play the power of altered states - playfulness and reverie - as a way to access the deeper potential of the present moment and the immensity of who we are underneath all our limiting cycles.Jonny would love to hear from you! If you have any questions that you’d like answered, please email hello@Iampodcast.co.uk or comment in the reviews section.Twitter: @JonnyWilkinsonInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficial

Today I’m exploring something my guest on thursday Dr Joe Cambray said in our interview:  “Agents interacting in competitive environments can spontaneously self-organise to create emergent forms whose properties transcend the properties of the individuals involved.” Jonny explains why this resonates with him, and how it helps explain his “in the zone” rugby experiences. It’s a brilliant way of looking at potential and recognising the power we possess create so much more out of every interaction and every moment of our lives. It all depends upon how we turn up! Using Joe’s quote as a springboard, Jonny explores how we can lead a life full of wonder and surprise.  As ever Jonny is always keen to hear from anyone listening - so if you have questions that you’d like answered, please email hello@Iampodcast.co.uk or comment in the reviews section.  Twitter: @JonnyWilkinsonInstagram: @jonnywilkinsonofficial