Over the years, I’ve come to believe that energy, mood and motivation are the foundation of sustained high performance. And I didn’t learn that in a textbook—it’s something I’ve lived, tested, and refined through personal experience and my work with thousands of people over the last decade.
In this video, I share the story behind Sustain, my keynote designed to help people build personal resilience and develop the habits that keep them performing at their best over the long term.
From Burnout to Breakthrough
14 years ago, I walked away from a career in the City. I’d had enough. I was totally burnt out. I was drinking a bottle and a half of red wine a night, eating ready meals, and dragging myself through each week. So I left, with no job lined up and no plan other than to get healthy.
I retrained as a personal trainer and got my first client through a local forum. I’d cycle around on my single-speed bike, with a medicine ball and kettlebell on my back, slipping on corners in the rain as my kit bag was so heavy. Glamorous, right? But I loved it. I built up a solid client base and eventually brought a number of other trainers on board.
But even though the business was thriving, something didn’t feel quite right. Our clients were arriving exhausted, physically and mentally. They didn’t need a high-intensity workout. They needed to take the metaphorical rucksack off their backs (and the literal rucksack) and go for a walk, have a chat, and reset.
Creating a Holistic Model
That’s when we developed the Six Signals, our holistic health model: sleep, mental health, energy, body composition, digestive health and fitness. A much more complete way of looking at wellbeing than just focusing on physical fitness.
We explored DNA, blood, saliva and stool testing. We used wearable tech to get deeper insights into our clients’ health. But the more data we collected, the harder it became for people to make lasting changes. They were overwhelmed.
That was the lightbulb moment for me. What mattered wasn’t more data, it was better habits.
The Real Secret: Consistency
Building resilience isn’t about knowing more, it’s about doing more of the right things consistently.
Whether you’re navigating daily life, work pressures, perimenopause (as I have recently), or just the general unpredictability of the world, your ability to bounce back depends on your energy, mood and motivation. Everything is downstream of those three things.
If we don’t have the tools to consistently sustain them, performance, creativity, happiness and wellbeing all start to suffer.
Why I Created Sustain and the Sustain Framework
That’s what Sustain is all about: empowering people with the mindset and tools for sustained high performance.
In the keynote, I talk about the Sustain Framework:
- Values – What matters to you and how that drives behaviour
- Identity – Who you are and the impact you want to make
- Community – The support and connection that keeps us going
- Resources – The non-negotiable habits that fuel our energy, mood and motivation
When people understand these areas and start using the Sustain Framework to build their own Personal Sustainability Plan, they’re not just more resilient—they’re more engaged, more effective, and ultimately, more fulfilled.
If this message resonates and you’re looking for a powerful way to support your teams, get in touch. I’d love to help you create a culture of sustained high performance.
