Will Ahmed On The Biggest Lesson Learnt From The World's Greatest Athletes | Bitesize #83

These bitesize episodes focus on the greatest lessons we’ve learnt from the guests we've had on the podcast. 

This week we go back to episode 86 with WHOOP founder Will Ahmed (https://pod.fo/e/f256a) and hear the biggest lesson he’s learnt from working with some of the world’s greatest athletes including LeBron James and Michael Phelps, and why passion can help build a multi-billion dollar business. 

We have also partnered with WHOOP to bring you an amazing competition where you can win:

* WHOOP 12-month membership plus accessory bundle (worth over £350) 

* Two tickets to a live High Performance Podcast recording in 2023 

* Signed High Performance book 

All you have to do for a chance to win is be a WHOOP member and join the High Performance Podcast Community Group on WHOOP with code: COMM-PRFORM

You can join WHOOP and get your first month completely FREE - just use the link join.whoop.com/hpp . If you do sign-up, you'll also have a 30 day window during which you can decide whether it's for you or not, so it's a risk-free way of seeing how WHOOP might be able to you improve your sleep, training, recovery and overall performance.

Winner will be chosen at random on November 25th. For all competition details and T&Cs, go to: https://www.thehighperformancepodcast.com/competition 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

## The Essence of High Performance: Lessons from Elite Athletes and Building a Multi-Billion Dollar Business with Passion

### Key Insights:

- Elite athletes possess a remarkable mindset focused on staying present, avoiding nostalgic reflection, and maintaining a driven yet grateful attitude.

- The pursuit of greatness often involves a relentless drive and a simultaneous sense of gratitude, leading to continuous motivation and happiness.

- Life's true fulfillment lies in embracing the challenges and struggles, rather than solely seeking moments of pure joy.

- The concept of the "hedonic treadmill" highlights the constant pursuit of more without reaching true satisfaction.

- Self-care and enjoying the journey are essential for overall happiness and well-being.

- Setting ambitious goals and pursuing dreams is encouraged, but it's crucial to appreciate the process and not solely focus on the end result.

- Building a successful business requires obsession with a problem, willingness to sacrifice, overcome obstacles, and endure personal anxiety.

- Contrary to popular belief, building a business, while challenging, is not impossible, and it's important to have a strong belief in one's ability to succeed.

### Summary:

In this episode, the podcast delves into the lessons learned from elite athletes and the journey of building a multi-billion dollar business driven by passion. Will Ahmed, the founder of WHOOP, a wearable technology company, shares his insights gained from working with world-renowned athletes like LeBron James and Michael Phelps.

Ahmed emphasizes the mindset of elite athletes, characterized by their ability to stay present, avoid dwelling on past achievements, and maintain a relentless drive towards greatness. He highlights the importance of balancing this drive with gratitude, creating a sense of happiness and fulfillment.

The discussion explores the concept of the "hedonic treadmill," where individuals constantly pursue more without ever reaching true satisfaction. The podcast emphasizes the significance of enjoying the journey, appreciating the challenges, and practicing self-care for overall well-being.

Ahmed addresses the common misconception that success is solely defined by achieving great things. He encourages individuals to recognize their own value, regardless of their level of achievement, and to appreciate the daily grind of life.

The episode also delves into the topic of building a successful business. Ahmed stresses the importance of having a genuine passion for solving a problem, being willing to make sacrifices, and possessing the resilience to overcome obstacles and personal anxieties. He dispels the notion that building a business is impossible, emphasizing that it's challenging but achievable with determination and belief.

The podcast concludes with a call to action for listeners to join the WHOOP High Performance community group and participate in a competition to win a 12-month WHOOP membership, tickets to a live podcast recording, and a signed book.

Overall, this episode offers valuable insights into the mindset of elite athletes, the importance of enjoying the journey, and the key ingredients for building a successful business driven by passion.

[00:00.000 -> 00:04.240] Hi there, welcome along to this bite-sized episode of the High Performance Podcast.
[00:04.240 -> 00:09.120] This podcast exists to get you closer to your own version of high performance,
[00:09.120 -> 00:13.600] but I also know that you don't always have an hour or an hour and a half to spend
[00:13.600 -> 00:17.440] listening to the guests that join us. So on a Friday, we like to give you a short,
[00:17.440 -> 00:24.400] sharp hit of inspiration. And today we welcome a CEO who has built a business worth over £3 billion.
[00:25.120 -> 00:25.480] But the important thing about this conversation is what the business is about. You may well We welcome a CEO who has built a business worth over three billion pounds.
[00:29.480 -> 00:29.520] But the important thing about this conversation is what the business is about.
[00:31.480 -> 00:31.560] You may well hear me often talk about whoop.
[00:32.840 -> 00:33.080] I wear a whoop band.
[00:35.440 -> 00:35.800] The whole team on high performance wear a whoop band.
[00:40.320 -> 00:40.360] I've never owned anything that gives me more feedback about the way that I live my life.
[00:43.720 -> 00:43.760] The things I should be doing more of and the things I should be doing less of.
[00:47.760 -> 00:49.420] Whoop is sort of wearable tech that doesn't just tell you what you've done, it tells you what you need to do.
[00:49.420 -> 00:53.860] And Whoop was founded by a guy called Will Ahmed and he joined us on the High Performance
[00:53.860 -> 00:59.360] Podcast because the very first elite athletes wearing Whoop were some of the best known
[00:59.360 -> 01:01.140] athletes in the world.
[01:01.140 -> 01:05.520] In fact, two of their first 100 users of whoop were LeBron James and
[01:05.520 -> 01:09.880] Michael Phelps. So what has Will Ahmed learned from some of the world's
[01:09.880 -> 01:14.480] greatest athletes that could inform you and the way you live your life? Have a
[01:14.480 -> 01:20.480] listen. This was when Will Ahmed joined us on the High Performance Podcast.
[01:20.480 -> 01:28.460] The thing that I've taken most from the world's best athletes personally is just the general
[01:28.460 -> 01:32.360] mindset that they have towards greatness.
[01:32.360 -> 01:39.780] They do a phenomenal job staying present in the sense that they're hyper-focused in the
[01:39.780 -> 01:42.880] moment on being great.
[01:42.880 -> 01:48.360] They don't spend a lot of time really reflecting from a nostalgist standpoint.
[01:48.360 -> 01:51.340] And in a way, it seems they're almost driven to a fault.
[01:51.340 -> 01:57.000] And the ones who tend to be happiest in being driven to a fault also have some form of gratitude
[01:57.000 -> 01:58.900] that they bring into their life.
[01:58.900 -> 02:05.400] So they're simultaneously hungry, and they're on that dopamine dopamine train of I need to win the next
[02:05.400 -> 02:11.640] thing while also being grateful for their success. I think that's a really
[02:11.640 -> 02:15.600] interesting clip right and the thing that stands out for me is this sense
[02:15.600 -> 02:19.280] that there's no satisfaction with some of these elite athletes I mean he talks
[02:19.280 -> 02:22.760] their will doesn't he that they don't reflect on what they've done and if you
[02:22.760 -> 02:26.300] heard our high-performance conversation with Johnny Wilkinson, you would have heard him say
[02:26.300 -> 02:28.960] that the thrill of winning the Rugby World Cup
[02:28.960 -> 02:31.080] lasted for 30 seconds.
[02:31.080 -> 02:33.400] And there's a really important lesson for all of us
[02:33.400 -> 02:35.320] in all of our lives from these people.
[02:35.320 -> 02:36.560] Because what we have to realise
[02:36.560 -> 02:38.440] is that the chemical in our brain
[02:38.440 -> 02:40.840] that makes us want more and keeps us going
[02:40.840 -> 02:43.360] and gives us that thrill when we reach something
[02:43.360 -> 02:45.600] is dopamine. and dopamine is
[02:45.600 -> 02:47.320] never satisfied.
[02:47.320 -> 02:51.760] So how can we be happy in a world where it's so hard to feel satisfaction?
[02:51.760 -> 02:54.600] Well, here's the thing, okay?
[02:54.600 -> 02:58.040] Life isn't meant to be all about those moments of pure joy.
[02:58.040 -> 03:02.000] Life isn't supposed to be us with a sense of entitlement getting more out of life than
[03:02.000 -> 03:03.000] we put in.
[03:03.000 -> 03:08.820] Because actually what we're on is this hedonic treadmill where we're constantly on the go, we're
[03:08.820 -> 03:11.800] constantly moving, we're using up all our calories, we're using up all of our
[03:11.800 -> 03:15.360] energy but we're not going anywhere. But we're not supposed to go anywhere
[03:15.360 -> 03:20.200] because this is it. The life that you're living right now, this is it. And if all
[03:20.200 -> 03:22.740] you're doing is spending your time telling yourself that you're going to be
[03:22.740 -> 03:27.780] happy when you get a certain promotion, or you get a certain house, or you finally get married,
[03:27.780 -> 03:33.520] or you finally find a partner, or have a baby, then all you're doing is delaying your own
[03:33.520 -> 03:34.760] happiness.
[03:34.760 -> 03:38.640] You have to understand this is it, and all that happens is you miss all the things that
[03:38.640 -> 03:43.820] you're achieving while you wait for that great moment, but when that great moment comes,
[03:43.820 -> 03:46.920] you realise there's another one over the horizon.
[03:46.920 -> 03:50.560] And you can't spend your life waiting to see the view
[03:50.560 -> 03:51.800] and not enjoying the climb.
[03:51.800 -> 03:52.800] Because I'm telling you now,
[03:52.800 -> 03:54.900] you need to be sure that view is worth it,
[03:54.900 -> 03:57.320] if you're gonna spend your life climbing.
[03:57.320 -> 03:58.680] So enjoy the struggle.
[03:58.680 -> 04:00.340] Like life is meant to be a challenge.
[04:00.340 -> 04:01.740] That is where the thrill is.
[04:02.760 -> 04:04.800] The thrill of life isn't about having no problems.
[04:04.800 -> 04:06.600] It's about learning to overcome those problems.
[04:06.600 -> 04:12.760] And of course you get moments where you feel a thrill and it's wonderful, but you can't live your life just for those moments.
[04:13.280 -> 04:15.120] It is.
[04:15.120 -> 04:17.120] Otherwise, you're going to get to the point where
[04:18.000 -> 04:19.600] you look back and think,
[04:19.600 -> 04:21.080] that was it.
[04:21.080 -> 04:24.440] That was life. And all I thought about was the endgame.
[04:24.440 -> 04:26.880] I didn't enjoy it while I was in it. That was life. And all I thought about was the end game. I didn't enjoy it while I was in it.
[04:26.880 -> 04:28.820] But at the same time, you still deserve
[04:28.820 -> 04:29.660] to give it your all,
[04:29.660 -> 04:32.480] and you still deserve to enjoy life as long as possible.
[04:33.380 -> 04:36.260] And so that comes down to self-care.
[04:36.260 -> 04:37.960] And self-care is something that we're talking about
[04:37.960 -> 04:40.080] more and more on the High Performance Podcast,
[04:40.080 -> 04:41.620] whether it's Mark Cavendish,
[04:41.620 -> 04:42.860] whether it's Tyson Fury,
[04:42.860 -> 04:44.340] whose episode comes out on Monday,
[04:44.340 -> 04:47.400] whether it's Danny Cipriani, doesn't matter.
[04:47.400 -> 04:50.760] All of these people, all of these elite athletes
[04:50.760 -> 04:54.100] that have achieved great things are a reminder to you
[04:54.100 -> 04:54.940] that they're not happy
[04:54.940 -> 04:56.940] because they achieved those great things.
[04:56.940 -> 04:58.960] They're happy because they've realized
[04:58.960 -> 05:01.100] that life is where the good stuff is.
[05:01.100 -> 05:03.120] The struggle is where the good stuff is
[05:03.120 -> 05:04.900] because that's what life is.
[05:04.900 -> 05:08.160] And you can still do amazing things and actually we spoke to
[05:08.160 -> 05:11.560] Will Ahmed about that as well because I think we have to be really careful. There
[05:11.560 -> 05:14.520] are lots of podcasts, there are lots of motivational speakers, there are lots of
[05:14.520 -> 05:17.280] books out there telling you that you can do anything and that you're really
[05:17.280 -> 05:22.800] special and you're superb and amazing things await you. That in many ways is a
[05:22.800 -> 05:25.800] rather unhealthy thing to tell people. What we
[05:25.800 -> 05:29.280] should actually be telling people is that none of us are special, none of us
[05:29.280 -> 05:33.320] are elite, none of us are amazing. You know in 100 years everything that we
[05:33.320 -> 05:36.040] know, every person that we know, everything that we know is going to be
[05:36.040 -> 05:40.720] gone. Most of the businesses, most of the conversations, it's all going to be gone
[05:40.720 -> 05:46.200] in just 100 years. So are we really that special?
[05:50.600 -> 05:52.800] We're at a real risk of delusion, I think, because we're obsessed with telling people all the time that they're special, they're special, and I don't know if that's realistic.
[05:53.300 -> 05:57.600] And it's a challenge because the modern world exposes us to only the best people.
[05:57.900 -> 05:59.800] You only see the best people on Instagram.
[06:00.000 -> 06:01.400] You only see the most talented.
[06:01.400 -> 06:06.160] You only see people who are constantly showing you themselves doing amazing things in amazing locations.
[06:06.720 -> 06:10.560] But don't feel that just because you're not a so-called chosen one or you're not
[06:10.560 -> 06:12.480] special, then you're not special.
[06:13.520 -> 06:16.760] You're as special as anybody else because none of us are really special.
[06:17.080 -> 06:19.680] We're all just here doing our best.
[06:20.640 -> 06:22.200] That's all we're doing, doing our best.
[06:23.280 -> 06:25.000] But of course, you should still have dreams,
[06:25.000 -> 06:27.000] you should still have ambitions,
[06:27.000 -> 06:29.000] and you should still go for great moments.
[06:29.000 -> 06:31.000] But just be happy while you're doing it.
[06:31.000 -> 06:33.000] And actually, when we were joined by Will Ahmed,
[06:33.000 -> 06:35.000] who is a hugely impressive individual, by the way,
[06:35.000 -> 06:39.000] I did ask him about whether anyone can do what he's done
[06:39.000 -> 06:40.000] and set up a business.
[06:40.000 -> 06:42.000] Here's what he had to say.
[06:42.000 -> 06:51.680] set up a business, here's what he had to say. Do you really believe that anyone can be as successful as you, that they can build a business
[06:51.680 -> 06:54.760] based really on passion, which is what you've created?
[06:54.760 -> 06:56.400] Do you think that's there for anyone?
[06:56.400 -> 06:57.400] I do.
[06:57.400 -> 06:59.040] I think you have to be obsessed with a problem.
[06:59.040 -> 07:05.140] I think you have to be willing to sacrifice an enormous amount. I think you have to be willing to overcome an
[07:05.140 -> 07:14.180] incredible degree of pain and sort of personal anxiety along the way. But look, you can build
[07:14.180 -> 07:21.660] your dream job. I think building a business is much harder than you think it will be,
[07:21.660 -> 07:26.680] but it's not nearly as hard as what everyone will tell you it is, which is to say that it's impossible.
[07:26.680 -> 07:31.080] I remember when I was starting Whoop, it was everyone telling me I was going to fail and
[07:31.080 -> 07:32.680] it was impossible.
[07:32.680 -> 07:36.200] And frankly, it was a really hard, it was just really hard dealing with that.
[07:36.200 -> 07:39.880] Like I put up a real wall to that feedback.
[07:39.880 -> 07:46.360] And the truth is it was just a lot harder, but it wasn't impossible. I
[07:52.380 -> 07:52.680] Really enjoyed our conversation with will Ahmed if you want to hear it in full then just go to episode 86 of the high-performance
[07:58.000 -> 08:00.900] Podcast but you know do what will's done find your ambition chase your dreams go for it But don't put all of your happiness on reaching that thing
[08:01.600 -> 08:05.840] Realize that the challenge of life, the daily grind of life,
[08:05.840 -> 08:07.820] like that is what life is.
[08:07.820 -> 08:09.320] It shouldn't be constantly easy.
[08:09.320 -> 08:11.820] And it isn't only successful if you achieve great things.
[08:11.820 -> 08:13.480] Like you are enough.
[08:13.480 -> 08:14.800] You are enough.
[08:14.800 -> 08:16.600] Trust me when I tell you that.
[08:16.600 -> 08:17.800] Listen, before I go,
[08:17.800 -> 08:19.460] I would love to give you the opportunity
[08:19.460 -> 08:23.680] to get your hands on Woop for a year, absolutely free.
[08:23.680 -> 08:25.520] I'm gonna give away a 12-month WOOP
[08:25.520 -> 08:30.360] membership plus an accessory bundle worth over £350, two tickets to a
[08:30.360 -> 08:35.540] live high-performance podcast recording in 2023 and a signed high-performance
[08:35.540 -> 08:40.000] book. Now all you have to do for a chance to win is be a WOOP member and then join
[08:40.000 -> 08:49.240] the high-performance podcast community group on WOOP. So you can join WOOP and get your first month completely free just use the link join.woop.com
[08:49.240 -> 08:57.280] forward slash HPP. That's go to join.woop.com forward slash HPP and if you
[08:57.280 -> 09:00.440] sign up you will then have a 30-day window during which you can decide
[09:00.440 -> 09:04.360] whether or not it's for you so it's a risk-free way of seeing if WOOP will
[09:04.360 -> 09:05.640] have an impact on your life,
[09:05.640 -> 09:08.360] whether it's your sleep, your training, your recovery,
[09:08.360 -> 09:10.160] or your overall performance.
[09:10.160 -> 09:12.400] And then we will choose a winner at random
[09:12.400 -> 09:13.880] on November the 25th
[09:13.880 -> 09:16.780] from the WOOP High Performance community,
[09:16.780 -> 09:19.680] and that person will win the prize.
[09:19.680 -> 09:22.120] For all the details and the terms and conditions,
[09:22.120 -> 09:24.640] go to the link I've put in the podcast description,
[09:24.640 -> 09:32.400] or just head to the highperformancepodcast.com forward slash competition that's the highperformancepodcast.com
[09:32.400 -> 09:37.360] forward slash competition I'd love you to get your hands on whoop I'd love even more
[09:37.360 -> 09:43.520] if I could give you that prize so get involved and good luck and before I go here's a little
[09:43.520 -> 09:45.320] taster for what's coming your way
[09:45.320 -> 09:53.040] on the High Performance Podcast on Monday when we're joined by Tyson Fury.
[09:53.040 -> 10:00.680] I know the physical risks, I know the costs, I know everything. However, I can't leave
[10:00.680 -> 10:07.360] it alone. I'm addicted to fighting. I must be sick in the mind because I love getting
[10:07.360 -> 10:14.080] punched. I love punching. Hand on heart, swear to God in Jesus name. I meant retirement. I did not
[10:14.080 -> 10:19.200] want a box. In fact, I don't want a box now. But I'm going to get to that in a minute.
[10:15.090 -> 10:17.150] you