Crisis What Crisis with Andy Coulson

After building MTV and rising to the very top of the global media industry, Tom Freston experienced dramatic setbacks that forced him to rebuild - not for the first time.In this Crisis Compass segment, the co-founder of MTV and former CEO of Viacom reveals the personal habits, relationships and mindset that helped him navigate the highs and lows of an extraordinary life.Tom shares the quiet routines and pieces of advice that keep him grounded today.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.IN THIS EPISODE:01:10 – The people Tom relies on for advice and perspective02:25 – The daily habit that keeps Tom grounded04:05 – The moment that changed how Tom sees business problems05:30 – Finding comfort in nature and musicTOM’S BOOK:Read Tom’s book: Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu Follow Tom Freston:https://www.amazon.com/Unplugged-Adventures-Timbuktu-Tom-Freston/dp/1668089793FOLLOW TOM: Instagram – www.instagram.com/tomfrestonunplugged/?hl=enFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

From building a multimillion-dollar clothing business in India only to be wiped out by a global trade embargo, to redefining pop culture for a generation at MTV and Nickelodeon, Tom Freston’s career is a masterclass for any aspiring entrepreneur.In this episode, Tom joins me to discuss the resilience required to reach the top and the sheer guts needed to start over when it's all taken away. He shares his "decidedly non-traditional" path to the C-suite and why humility, earnestness, and curiosity are the ultimate defining traits for success.POWERED BY KINGSLEY NAPLEY:I know what it is to have the right legal support around you when facing crisis. Kingsley Napley are the kind of lawyers I wish more people knew about – there to help you make the right decisions, protect what matters and build real resilience when the pressure is on.This episode is powered by Kingsley Napley, visit www.kingsleynapley.co.uk for more details.IN THIS EPISODE, WE EXPLORE:Building the MTV empire: The legendary "I Want My MTV" campaign and the David Bowie sauna story.The reality of being fired as the boss at Viacom by Sumner Redstone and receiving a hero’s send-off from 1,000 employees.Returning to Afghanistan to help launch the country’s first television network.Why stepping off the "conveyor belt of conformity" is the best classroom for a young person today.LESSONS YOU’LL LEARNSkills are transferable: It’s never too late to change careers.Optimism is a competitive advantage: back yourself when no one else willThe most successful careers are rarely the most conventionalKnow when to disappear: recovery needs space, don't rush the next moveHire people smarter than you: it's your best protection against your worst instinctsTIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Intro04:44 - Stepping off the conveyor belt of conformity12:30 - Where does confidence come from?17:23 - Becoming a millionaire in your 20s22:11 - The sudden collapse of Hindu Kush31:06 - The ground floor of MTV36:44 - The "I Want My MTV" Hail Mary pass45:28 - Being fired as CEO of Viacom53:30 - Reassessing life and finding Phil Stutz56:28 - The "perfect circle" back to Afghanistan1:00:26 - The Tom Freston manual for young peopleTOM’S BOOK:Read Tom’s book: Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu Follow Tom Freston:https://www.amazon.com/Unplugged-Adventures-Timbuktu-Tom-Freston/dp/1668089793FOLLOW TOM: Instagram – www.instagram.com/tomfrestonunplugged/?hl=enFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcastTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Following the loss of his daughter Sushila to anorexia, broadcaster Sir Trevor Phillips reveals the daily habits, personal anchors, and life advice that keep him grounded.In this "Crisis Compass" segment, we move away from the headlines to look at the personal resilience required to survive a 22-year battle with mental illness.THE COMPASS QUESTIONS:In this episode, Andy Coulson asks Trevor to reveal:The person who shaped his perspective during his darkest hours.The daily habit he refuses to give up (even in crisis).The piece of advice he returns to when uncertainty takes over.His ultimate source of comfort.WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW:This is a bonus segment. Listen to the full, wide-ranging conversation with Sir Trevor Phillips here:https://player.captivate.fm/episode/8be66777-24c2-42ee-9d97-c59f4996be30/IN THIS EPISODE:00:00 – Sir Trevor Phillips: A life forged in crisis01:06 – The people he turns to for strength02:32 – The daily habit for mental clarity04:00 – Life-changing advice for hard times05:26 – Finding comfort after lossFOLLOW TREVOR:X – https://x.com/TrevorPTweetsFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

After a 22-year battle with anorexia, Sir Trevor Phillips' daughter Sushila died aged 36 in April 2021. Now he's calling for a radical shift in how we talk about mental illness – and he's not holding back.The broadcaster, writer, and equality campaigner joins Crisis What Crisis? to explain why banning social media for under-16s is "preposterous," why celebrity "mental health struggles" make him furious, and what the "seventh circle of hell" really looks like in an eating disorder ward.Trevor also talks to us about his remarkable upbringing and career across media, business and politics - all of it etched with resilience.⚠️ Please note: This episode contains frank discussions of anorexia, eating disorders, mental illness, and grief that some listeners may find distressing.WHAT YOU’LL HEAR:The brutal reality of a 22-year battle with severe anorexiaWhy mental illness and sadness are NOT the same thingTrevor's message to celebrities who conflate difficulty with trauma: "F*** off"Why removing friction from children's lives destroys resilienceLESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Separate mental illness from sadness: stop confusing clinical illness with being "a bit fed up"Teach resilience, don't remove pain: you can't take friction out of the human conditionThe good guys can win: but you have to fight for itKnow what you cannot do: in crisis, understand your limitationsLight a candle: don't curse the darknessIN THIS EPISODE:00:00 – Introduction: Sir Trevor Phillips' remarkable life21:23 – What Britain should learn from its racial progress27:10 – What real resilience looks like in a crisis31:26 – The Leadership Lesson: knowing what you can't do33:06 – Shushila: A 22-year battle with anorexia44:39 – How grief changed everything49:27 – Mental Illness vs. Feeling Sad: "stop conflating them"57:12 – Why banning under-16s from social media Is "preposterous"01:04:30 – What immigrants can teach Britain about resilienceSUPPORT & RESOURCES: If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder: Beat Eating Disorders - www.beateatingdisorders.org.ukFOLLOW TREVOR: X – https://x.com/TrevorPTweetsFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS? Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispodIF YOU FOUND THIS USEFUL... If you found this episode useful I recommend heading into our archive and listening to:Lisa Squire - whose daughter, Libby Squire, was rapped and murdered. Lisa's resilience and methods for managing unimaginable heartache left me beyond moved.Click here to listen now – https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crisis-what-crisis/id1517015748?i=1000592846650

In 2021, the UK energy market collapsed. More than 30 of the big energy suppliers went under. But, the business Greg Jackson founded, Octopus Energy, didn't just survive, it grew. In this bonus Crisis Compass episode of Crisis What Crisis?, Greg shares with us the four anchors he relies on when pressure mounts and uncertainty takes over.In this segment, Andy asks Greg for:1) A person who shaped his perspective2) A piece of advice he returns to3) A source of comfort4) A daily habit he refuses to give upThis is Part Two of a longer conversation with Greg. If you enjoyed this episode, you can listen to the full interview on our podcast homepage.Follow Octopus EnergyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/octopusenergy/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@octopusenergyFollow Crisis What Crisis?Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of energy giant Octopus Energy, is perhaps one of Britain’s most innovative CEOs.In 2021, the British energy market collapsed. Wholesale gas prices surged six-fold, thirty suppliers went under in months, while millions of families faced impossible bills.Rather than sticking his head in the sand, Greg went public, putting his own credibility on the line to explain why prices were rising. He cut his own salary to minimum wage, provided £150 million in bill relief packages, and became the face of the energy crisis when everyone told him not to.The result? Octopus became the UK's largest energy supplier during the worst energy crisis in a generation, now valued at over £7 billion.Greg is an entrepreneur who's built multiple businesses by doing exactly what everyone else refuses to do – a true lesson in why fortune really does favour the brave.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Character matters more than ability.When you see something clearly, don't hesitate.Fortune favors the brave, zig when others zag!Being smart isn't enough. The combination of being smart and working hard is critical.Communicate relentlessly, especially in crisis.FOLLOW OCTOPUS:Instagram – www.instagram.com/octopusenergy/?hl=enTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@octopusenergy?lang=enFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Johnnie Boden, founder of Boden, reveals how he survives crisis as a business leader.In this Crisis Compass bonus episode of Crisis What Crisis?, Johnnie shares the person, piece of advice, the daily habit and comfort that he uses to navigate life under pressure.This is the second part of a longer conversation with Johnnie – if you enjoyed this be sure to check out the full episode on our podcast homepage.Whether you’re an entrepreneur, CEO or leader, this episode offers a snapshot personal insight into the mindset of one of Britain's most successful fashion founders.FOLLOW BODEN: Instagram – www.instagram.com/boden/?hl=enTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@boden_clothingFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

For three decades, Johnnie Boden has turned cheerful prints, quality fabrics, and unmistakable English charm into one of Britain's most distinctive retail brands – worn by royals, loved internationally, with nearly 2 million active customers and the second-biggest British clothing business in America. But as Johnnie so candidly reveals, his success has been far from linear…In this business special of Crisis What Crisis? we delve deep into the challenges of starting and running a multinational fashion label offering lessons that apply to almost every founder, entrepreneur and leader.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Hire people who complement you, not clone you.Match paranoia about people with confidence about your core idea.Ask the stupid questions.Listen intensely.Admit failure fast.FOLLOW BODEN:Instagram – www.instagram.com/boden/?hl=enTikTok – www.tiktok.com/@boden_clothingFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

For over a decade at BBC Newsnight, Sam McAlister secured the interviews others couldn't – Bill Clinton, Elon Musk, Stormy Daniels. But it was six months of negotiation that led to the conversation that changed everything: Prince Andrew discussing his ties to Jeffrey Epstein in 2019.Today, Sam teaches negotiation at LSE and is one of Britain's most compelling voices on persuasion, power, and resilience.This is Sam McAlister's Crisis CompassFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

For over a decade at BBC Newsnight, Sam McAlister secured the interviews others couldn't – Bill Clinton, Elon Musk, Stormy Daniels. But it was 13 months of negotiation that led to the conversation that changed everything: Prince Andrew discussing his ties to Jeffrey Epstein in 2019. The interview became a global news event, resulted in Andrew stepping back from royal duties, and is still making headlines six years later.In July 2021, Sam threw the dice, she gave up her BBC pension and security as a single mother in the middle of a pandemic to write a book. That gamble paid off. Her memoir Scoops became a bestseller and a Netflix film starring Gillian Anderson and Billie Piper. Today, Sam teaches negotiation at LSE and is one of Britain's most compelling voices on persuasion, power, and resilience.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Don't get bitter, take control - When Sam wasn't getting credit for the Prince Andrew interview, she didn't whine or play victim. She took voluntary redundancy, wrote a book, and ended up with a Netflix deal and 30 million viewers watching Billie Piper play her.Imposter syndrome is mostly a crock - When you've worked hard and earned your place, confidence isn't arrogance – it's honesty.Build trust through respect, not manipulation - Sam's superpower wasn't sucking up to powerful people. It was treating them with respect while demanding it of herself. Know your financial bottom line before taking risks - Sam had three outcomes mapped before leaving the BBC. That clarity gave her the courage to leap.No one is dead – If you can't control it, suck it up. If you can, do something about it.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

This is a relaunch of a previous episode, but the lessons contained within it are as important today as they were when we sat down to speak over two years ago. Rory Stewart has spent his life running toward gunfire. At thirty, he was governing millions of Iraqis under siege, rockets landing in his compound while insurgents climbed the walls. Years earlier, he'd walked six thousand miles across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and India – surviving on strangers' floors, dodging bullets, and at one point sitting down in the snow ready to freeze to death until his dog Babur barked him back to life. Then he tried to fix British politics from the inside – becoming Prisons Minister, running for Prime Minister, and standing as an Independent for London Mayor before Covid cancelled the election seven weeks out and ended his political career. Today he's the force behind the podcasting phenomenon The Rest Is Politics – currently touring the country giving erudite political commentary. While his most recent book, Middleland, launched last month (October 2025), draws on pieces originally written for a local newspaper when he was serving as an MP in Cumbria, it is an urgent and inspiring portrait of rural Britain today.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Permission to fail breeds confidence - Rory's father set impossibly high expectations while making him feel it was okay to fail. That paradox became the foundation for handling extreme crisis without paralysis.Beware thinking in clichés during crisis - Under siege in Iraq, Rory evacuated civilians into an ambush because he fell into a "women and children first" narrative. When you're living the movie version instead of the real version, you make dangerous decisions.Animals are crisis teachers - Babur the dog saved Rory's life by refusing to let him give up in the snow. Animals approach the world with courage, presence, and forgiveness.Bitterness is backwards motion - After being defeated by Boris Johnson, Rory struggled with anger. Whenever you have bitter days, you always go backwards. It's not just bad for you – it's terrible for everyone around you.Test yourself before crisis finds you - By voluntarily embracing discomfort and risk when you don't have to, you build the capacity to handle it when you must.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Bitterness is the poison you drink expecting someone else to die. It's the corrosive emotion born from crisis that fills your throat with bile and consumes your every waking thought with questions like "why me?".In this special compilation episode, I've pulled together five extraordinary conversations with people who have every right to be bitter about what they've faced, but who have found their own methods of beating it back: Anthony Scaramucci, fired from the White House in 11 days while missing his son's birth and facing divorce; Amanda Knox, who served four years in an Italian prison for a murder she didn't commit; Mo Gawdat, former Google X exec who lost his son Ali to medical negligence; Lisa Squire, whose daughter Libby was tragically abducted, raped and murdered; and David Holmes, Harry Potter's stunt double who was paralysed from the waist down in an accident that should never have happened.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Close the gap between "should" and "is" - Bitterness lives in the space between what ought to have happened and what actually did. Accept the world as it is, not as you think it should be.Shift from victimhood to agency - Work out what is in your control and what isn’t, then focus on the former.Pair emotional honesty with tiny steps forward - Feel everything, embrace it, sit in it - but understand that emotion alone changes nothing.Choose your narrative consciously - In any crisis, there are multiple stories you can tell. Choose those that dial up pride, purpose or perspective and dial down bitterness.Forgiveness is for you, not them - Holding onto blame and hate doesn't punish those who wronged you; it only prolongs your suffering.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Professor James Brown is an author, podcaster and ADHD expert. Burnout, and a Christmas day spent contemplating his own death led him to get a private ADHD diagnosis. The result helped him reframe his entire life. This is James Brown's Crisis CompassFOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Professor James Brown is an author, podcaster and ADHD expert. Burnout, and a Christmas day spent contemplating his own death led him to get a private ADHD diagnosis. The result helped him reframe his entire life. Expect an honest look at the realities of ADHD, bipolar, cyclothymia, binge-eating disorder, and chronic anhedonia – the inability to feel joy. James teaches us how to co-exist with your neurodivergence, while his productivity shows us how it can be deployed to your advantage. LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:ADHD is a reason, never an excuse: understanding your condition gives you a lens to reframe your past, but it doesn't absolve you of responsibility. Consistent inconsistency is the reality: with ADHD, you can be incredibly productive one day and unable to open your inbox the next. It’s a game of averages. Motivation often comes from fear, not passion: many with ADHD are driven by external deadlines and fear of letting others down rather than internal drive.You can create meaning without feeling joy: James proves that even without experiencing happiness, you can build a life of profound purpose and impact. Society fails neurodivergent people systematically: a third of male prisoners likely have ADHD. Early diagnosis and medication improve outcomes in every domain. The cost of not treating ADHD properly is £19 billion per year to the UK economy.Book:ADHD Unpacked https://www.amazon.co.uk/ADHD-Unpacked-Everything-survive-thrive/dp/1526679361Podcast: ADHD Adultshttps://theadhdadults.uk/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Richard Walker OBE could’ve stepped straight into the top job at Iceland Foods, but chose to prove himself first—building a property empire in Poland. But when his mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Richard decided it was time to be closer to the family unit and join the business, starting at the very bottom stacking shelves in London stores.Since then, he's transformed Iceland into one of Britain's most pioneering retailers, removing palm oil from all own-brand products, launching radical campaigns on plastic and food poverty, and proposing that low-risk offenders serve their sentences working in Iceland stores rather than taking up valuable space in prison.This is Richard’s Crisis Compass.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

In this second episode in our AI mini-series I met with Professor Gary Marcus live at the RAID conference in Brussels. Gary has been writing code since he was 10, built a Latin translation program at 16, and became a professor of psychology and neuroscience at NYU.He's founded AI startups, testified before the US Senate, authored multiple books including his latest: Taming Silicon Valley: How to Protect Our Jobs, Safety, and Society in the Age of AI, meanwhile his Substack has over 80,000 subscribers who rely on him to cut through the hype.When he warned that AI was heading toward catastrophe, Sam Altman called him a troll. Gary argues that large language models are a glorified autocomplete that hallucinate constantly. He also reveals why "P Doom" (probability of AI ending humanity) is overblown, but "P Dystopia" is approaching 100%. He explains why GPT-5 disappointed everyone, and why he believes we're witnessing the greatest theft of intellectual property in history. This is the conversation Silicon Valley doesn't want you to hear.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN FROM GARY:P Dystopia is far more dangerous than P Doom. Forget AI ending humanity. Focus on the real threat: universal surveillance states, free misinformation, and the collapse of trust in truth itself.Large language models don't understand the world, they just predict what words come next. That's why they still hallucinate constantly and, in Gary’s opinion, will never achieve AGI.We're witnessing “the greatest data heist in history”. AI companies are training on all copyrighted material without paying a penny, with the ultimate aim of replacing everyone - including you.Democracies are under threat from AI-powered misinformation. Generative AI is the "machine gun of disinformation" - making it faster, cheaper, and pitch-perfect.Critical thinking is the only defense. In a world where misinformation is free to generate, teaching kids to question everything - especially AI output - is the most important skill we can develop.Taming Silicon Valley: How to Protect Our Jobs, Safety, and Society in the Age of AIhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Taming-Silicon-Valley-Protect-Society/dp/0262551063His Substack Marcus on AI is available here:https://garymarcus.substack.com/FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

You’d think as the son of the founder Richard Walker OBE could have walked straight into the top job at Iceland Foods - the supermarket empire his parents built from a tiny shop in North Shropshire. Instead, he spent years building his own property empire in Poland, determined to prove himself on his own terms.But when his mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's Richard decided it was time to be closer to the family unit and join the business, starting at the very bottom stacking shelves in London stores - the best year of his life, he claims.Since then, he's transformed Iceland into one of Britain's most pioneering retailers, removing palm oil from all own-brand products, launching radical campaigns on plastic and food poverty, and proposing that low-risk offenders serve their sentences working in Iceland stores rather than taking up valuable space in prison. This is a masterclass in how to earn respect, and use business as a platform for change.LESSONS YOU'LL LEARN:Never ever ever ever give up - originally Richard’s father’s mantra that carried Iceland through countless crises. When kicked out of his own company, he started a rival chain that became his ticket back in. Tenacity isn't just admirable - it's essential.Prove yourself from the bottom up - Richard spent a year stacking shelves to earn his right to lead. The privilege of family succession means nothing without the respect of 30,000 employees who need to see you're one of them.There's a difference between delegation and abdication - leading 30,000 people requires trusting an amazing team while keeping your eye on the details. Effective leadership is knowing when to step back and when to dive in.Get comfortable being uncomfortable - whether it's climbing Everest with failing eyesight, lying next to a dead body at 29,000 feet, or building a business from scratch in Poland where you don't speak the language, growth lives outside your comfort zone. Embrace the risk.Appreciate what you already have - Chasing unicorns (like becoming an MP) can blind you to the platform you already possess. Richard realised Iceland gave him more power to drive change than any backbench seat ever could.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Gratitude is a mindset. It’s a tool that when deployed in crisis can be essential for reframing your narrative and your understanding. How we find gratitude in crisis, however, is not always obvious, nor is it easy.In this special episode I’ve looked back into our archive to find five extraordinary and unique situations where gratitude has been the difference between despair and resilience.Today’s episode features important learnings from Strictly dancer Amy Dowden; celebrity chef Jon Watts; the late tech-founder and philanthropist Stephanie Shirley; self-help powerhouse Paul Mckenna; and Falklands veteran Simon Weston.LESSONS YOU’LL LEARN:Gratitude + passion = purpose. When you're thankful for something you love, that gratitude transforms into determination that can push you through unimaginable pain.When there's nothing else to be thankful for, clarity can be all you need - A hard truth is better than no truth. Knowing the boundaries of your crisis stops the spiral and gives you a place to start.Even the most devastating experiences can transform you for the better. Crisis can deliver a resilience dividend, dismantling what doesn't serve you and building something more meaningful in its place.Deliberately notice what you have, not what's missing. You get more of what you focus on. Gratitude retrains your brain to see abundance instead of lack during crisis.Be grateful for the chance to contribute. After losing everything, gratitude can simply be thankfulness for time and ability to make a difference. Learn to like yourself for that, not despite your scars.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Alex Goldie grew up walking on eggshells in a violent, alcohol-fueled household where he became the family peacemaker - literally throwing pillows into rooms to break up fights. Today, with 2.5 million followers and a bestselling book, Alex is a force in the digital and mental health space.This is Alex's Crisis Compass.FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod

Alex Goldie grew up walking on eggshells in a violent, alcohol-fueled household where he became the family peacemaker - literally throwing pillows into rooms to break up fights. By his twenties, that traumatised child had become an anxious, procrastinating young man stuck in patterns he desperately wanted to break. Then COVID hit, he lost his job with British Airways, and from his lowest point, Alex turned to TikTok, making videos about mental health that weren't meant to go viral - but did. His honesty and raw emotion struck a nerve with millions who recognised their own struggles in his words.Today, with 2.5 million followers and a bestselling book, Alex has built his platform on a radical premise: his ultimate goal is to be unfollowed, because that means you've healed enough to move on without him.Five lessons you'll learn:Embarrassment is an unexplored emotion - some of the best things in life are on the other side of embarrassment. If you can be okay with being embarrassed, you can accomplish anything.You are not wedded to anyone - people can become walls that limit your creativity and growth. Set strong boundaries with those who hold you back, including family if necessary.Success is boring and mundane - real achievement isn't glamorous - it's doing small things consistently every day. Stop waiting for motivation and start taking steps, however tiny.Depression can't hit a moving target - the remedy to anxiety and depression is movement. Leave your house, experience weather, meet people, have real-life adventures instead of relying on convenience.Compare yourself only to yesterday's version - in this age of comparison, the only healthy benchmark is your own progress. Ask yourself: am I in a better place than I was yesterday?FOLLOW CRISIS WHAT CRISIS?Instagram – www.instagram.com/crisiswhatcrisispodcast/?hl=enTikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@crisispod