A 6-minute investment to make you a better leader – In role. In life.

Hi, I’m Jason. I’m here to help you thrive mentally, physically, and emotionally through a powerful combination of science-based advice and coaching guidance.

Think of this as your weekly ‘cheat sheet’ to help you lead better and live better.

What’s coming up:

Prime Performance: This Week’s Best Transformation Tips & Life-Hacks
The Prime Perspective: 3 Home Truths & 4 Words You Need To Hear Right Now
Lessons from the Arena: Science-based Techniques To Manage Stress
Be a Prime Mover: 1 Quote to Spark Change

🎞️ WATCH 55 Seconds on What Leadership Really Is
Simon Sinek really cuts to the heart of the matter here – leadership is a skill and as the man himself says, the best leaders he knows are students of the game (and if you’re showing up here, I promise to keep on bringing the knowledge to help you grow).

📖 READ  Stand Up For What You Believe In
I trained in the psycho-dynamic model of coaching, which focuses a lot on the unconscious drivers behind behaviours, so I’m completely aligned with Mastery author Robert Greene when he talks about the value of observing people closely and interpreting nonverbal cues. Spend 8 minutes paying attention to this video and the ROI will be huge.

📻 LISTEN  How To Rewire Your Brain To Take More Risks
If, like me, you’re fascinated by what drives humans to push boundaries, don’t miss this episode of Modern Wisdom featuring science journalist Alex Hutchinson. He breaks down the neuroscience of exploration and risk-taking, explaining how to design your life to maximize reward pathways without going too far. Perfect for leaders looking to understand the delicate balance between curiosity and recklessness.

3 Home Truths & 4 Words You Need To Hear Right Now

I’ve had some powerful conversations with leaders over the past few weeks, including those participating in our first-ever Prime Movement Program cohort. There are consistent themes emerging each time, one of which is that so many of you have a drive that is the proverbial double-edged sword – both a strength and a risk factor for burnout.

In coaching terms, many of you are ‘insecure over-achievers’ – high performers who suffer from self doubt. 

Firstly, know that you’re not alone – this is a recognized pattern in high-achieving professionals who consistently deliver results while harboring a persistent feeling that they’re not quite measuring up. If you feel driven by a fear of failure more than the pull of success then you know exactly what I’m talking about. 

Secondly, please hear these 3 home truths from me:

1. The weight you feel, carrying not just your own expectations but those of your team and stakeholders is real and substantial. If it’s weighing heavy on you, it’s because you care. There is no world in which that is a bad thing. 

2. The vulnerability you sometimes feel isn’t weakness, it’s a natural consequence of the responsibility you’ve chosen to bear and your self-awareness about what that entails. 

3. Your occasional feeling of isolation isn’t abnormal – by their very nature, leadership positions often have t involve the creation of psychological distance and that can come at a cost.

Part of the problem is that we’re living in an era of distorted reality:

• The perfectly curated lives on social media.

• The business biographies that edit out the messiness, self-doubt and tangled personal lives.

• The conference keynotes that present leadership as a smooth series of confident decisions rather than the complex, uncertain process it actually is.

These narratives create impossible standards. They create dangerous mythologies around leadership that don’t bear any resemblance to reality. This make-believe world where ‘true’ leaders don’t experience doubt, don’t lie awake questioning their decisions, don’t feel overwhelmed by responsibility.

Let me be unequivocal: it’s performative ‘noise’ that you need to ignore.

Leadership is tough. Genuinely tough. It carries weight.

You’re in the trenches day after day, carrying not just your own burdens but absorbing the concerns and expectations of others. And the very fact you don’t take that lightly is why it can feel so heavy and exhausting.

I see that pain and my simple plea to you is this:

Stop beating yourself up. 

The very fact you’re reading this tells me something important about you. It tells me you have a desire to grow, to learn, to develop. That speaks volumes about your character and approach to leadership.

Experiencing stress, insecurity, vulnerability, isolation – these things can feel like weakness (I’ve been there, remember?), but I see it as bravery.

The fact that you experience these emotions and still show up day in, day out, seeking to do your best, seeking to lead by example when it’s choppy, turbulent, and volatile? You’re already in the 1%, you just don’t realise it.

Please remember that self-awareness doesn’t just apply to recognizing vulnerabilities or areas for improvement. Self-awareness should also involve making space for recognizing and celebrating your strengths, fortitude, resilience, values and empathy.

If you do only one thing after reading this, take some time to step back and acknowledge yourself for showing up and seeking to do your best – for you and for those around you.

I see you. And I salute you.

THE PRIME PERFORMANCE PROGRAM

Want to go from stressed and stuck to confident and in control?

We’ve designed an integrated, evidence-based progam that includes:

• Neuroscience so you think better

• Expert coaching so you perform better 

• Hyper-personalized data that proves it

Big News Coming Next Week!

Every week, I’ll share real challenges from coaching experiences, offering practical insights you can apply to your own leadership journey.

CHALLENGE:
“I’m the founder of a fast-growing start-up with 60 employees. We’re hitting our targets, but behind the scenes I’m struggling with mounting stress. I try and keep my ‘game face’ on for my team, but I’m finding it increasingly hard, especially in the moment. I’m worried I’m letting them down and that it could undermine confidence in me as a leader.”

MY GUIDANCE:
First, let’s unpack what’s happening as there are complex layers in a situation like this. When anyone I’m working with tells me they’re ‘stressed’, it’s crucial to identify the specific triggers and resulting emotions. Only when that context has been established can you turn to action. 

1. Stress Self-awareness

Understanding what those triggers are is vital to deadline with them. Neuroscience tells us that:

• Your body reacts to psychological threats the same way as physical ones – think of this as your ‘flight or fight’ mode.

• When repeatedly activated, this impairs the very brain functions you need most as a leader: clear decision-making, creative problem-solving and emotional regulation.

• Recognizing when you’re in this state is the first step to managing it.

2. Immediate Stress Management Tools

When you’re in the heat of the situation, there are some evidence-based coping mechanisms you can deploy to immediate effect: 

• Breathe A Sigh: The ‘Physiological Sigh’ is a double inhale through nose followed by a slow exhale through mouth –  this activates your parasympathetic system, helping lower your heart rate and restore a sense of balance. A genuinely effective tool for leaders to quickly reset during high-pressure moments.

• Get A Change of Scenery: You’ve heard that old adage before, I’m sure, but the science now proves it’s effective – stepping outside, ideally into a natural environment is proven to reduce stress. It activates brain regions associated with attention, calm and positive emotions, while reducing activity in areas linked to stress and negative mood.

• Name It To Tame It: Research shows that labeling emotions can help regulate them. When you precisely identify what you’re experiencing (“I’m feeling overwhelmed by this deadline”, for example), you engage neural networks associated with cognitive processing, while reducing activity in the amygdala region associated with stress responses. This creates psychological distance between you and the intense emotion, allowing for more deliberate responses rather than ‘knee-jerk’ reactions.

Remember, acknowledging stress isn’t weakness – it’s the first step toward more effective leadership. These evidence-based techniques can help you navigate it more effectively, without compromising your authentic leadership approach.

“Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.” ​​

— Brené Brown

Send this to a fellow leader – they’ll thank you for it.