OPTIMISE | Health and Business

Chris Griffin started his journey fuelled by delusion, naivety, and a deep need to prove himself, chasing a life far bigger than anything he’d seen growing up. Through years of hardship and persistence, he went on to build The Pocket into a podcast reaching a large audience, driven by a simple curiosity to learn from others and share those lessons in his own way. I sat down with Chris to unpack how his drive has evolved from ego and proving people wrong to something far deeper.We also get into why noisy seasons are okay but noisy lives are not, how a public setback became a turning point in learning to speak from the heart, why feeding the soul matters as much as training the body, how falling in love redefined what home means to him, and his open minded journey into exploring faith after growing up with no religion at all.Key Discussion PointsEgo as the early driverNoisy seasons vs noisy livesStaying calm through cancellationSpeaking from the heartFeeding the soul, not just the bodyMaking a house a homeInfatuation vs real loveExploring faith with an open mindLiving in alignment with your calling00:00 Why Chris started podcasting01:49 Fuelled by delusion and naivety03:33 Ego as the early driver04:45 Running away from pain06:13 Curiosity lives in all of us07:33 Noisy seasons vs noisy lives08:09 Getting cancelled in Australia11:48 Finding calm in the biggest storm14:04 Closing the gap between heart and words15:16 Longevity vs actually living16:01 When the soul is fed, the body follows18:24 A high achiever’s greatest gift19:19 Making a house a home21:17 Happiness is presence25:36 Would your dream partner want you?26:32 Build the garden and the butterflies come29:12 Infatuation vs love31:03 Filling your cup from something greater32:55 Love as a knowing38:09 Exploring faith with no religious upbringing39:02 The utility of belief43:22 Removing the blockages48:22 Why she inspired him to level up52:25 Learning about Jesus is like drinking beer56:37 Accountability partners1:01:01 Getting out of your head1:03:14 Noisy sprints are okay, noisy lives are not1:05:34 You can’t work for a gift1:08:22 Jesus vs religion1:11:33 Questioning strengthens belief1:15:44 Adding rules that make you better1:17:30 Business in service of something greater1:20:57 Living in alignment with your calling1:22:54 The meaning of life at 241:24:57 Closing thoughts

Nick Jackson is a clinical psychologist who specialises in EMDR, and on paper his life looked great. Then a near death experience on New Year’s Eve forced him to stop and ask the question so many high achievers avoid: is this it? I sat down with Nick to talk about what that moment taught him, why letting go of control has been his biggest shift, and how working on his inner game changed the way he lives, trains, and practises.We also get into the emerging neuroscience showing that your brain actively predicts your reality, how EMDR works to update old memories, why insight alone rarely creates lasting change, and how moving from hustle to flow can make striving feel joyful instead of exhausting.Key Discussion Points:A near death wake up callSuccess that still felt emptyLetting go of controlTrusting your intuitionHow your brain predicts realityHow EMDR worksWhy insight alone isn’t enoughHidden trauma in high achieversFrom hustle to flowTime Stamps:00:00 Meeting Nick00:34 The near death experience02:58 Searching for meaning04:24 Is this it?06:09 Letting go of control07:43 Why high achievers feel unfulfilled09:17 When he couldn’t exercise10:55 The feather, the brick and the truck12:27 Trusting your intuition14:16 Why logic can keep you limited15:41 Growth never stops17:01 Perception shifts vs toxic positivity18:11 Your brain predicts your reality21:05 What is EMDR?25:02 EMDR vs subconscious reprogramming26:51 The future of therapy30:05 How healing is evolving33:01 High achievers who say they have no trauma35:05 Two triathlons, two very different races39:11 From hustle to flow40:12 Your energetic intention41:32 Trusting what comes next43:13 Why even psychologists need a coach45:08 Making heaven out of hell46:08 Where to find Nick47:56 Final reflections

Brendt Langdon is a country Victoria business owner who built his career in civil excavation and construction before moving into the AI and tech space. On paper, life looked great, yet he still felt something was missing. I sat down with Brendt to talk about what happened when he started working on his inner game, and how asking one simple question, “what does Brendt actually want?”, changed the way he leads, decides, and lives.We also get into letting go of guilt and second guessing, why giving should come from capacity rather than obligation, becoming more open and vulnerable as a business owner, and how he now uses AI to help founders stop being the bottleneck so they can get back to what matters most: relationships and connection.Doing what you want vs what you shouldGiving from capacity, not obligationEnding the second guessingLetting go of holiday guiltTrusting your gut over the to do listVulnerability as a business ownerNever waiting for life to clear upRemoving yourself as the bottleneckBuilding business through relationships00:00 Introducing Brendt00:45 The conversation that started it all05:01 Why a country boy gave mindset coaching a go07:31 When life looks good on paper09:38 Doing what you want vs what you should10:44 Giving from capacity, not obligation12:37 Less overthinking, less second guessing13:22 How subconscious shifts show up15:34 Letting go of holiday guilt18:42 How this differs from business coaching20:30 Why he couldn’t trust himself21:43 Trusting your gut in business23:41 Taking the lid off your potential25:36 The biggest change in himself27:13 Vulnerability and relationships29:08 Science meets spirituality33:15 Having support as a leader36:02 From doing to receiving37:01 Still a blokey bloke38:02 Why you shouldn’t wait for life to clear up38:58 From tradie to AI41:54 Removing yourself as the bottleneck44:33 Who he wants to help48:03 Business doesn’t have to be lonely48:51 Why he signed on again53:34 Health habits and dropping old stories57:29 Collaboration over competition59:35 Where to find BrendtKey Discussion PointsTimestamps

Jeremy Cabral spent 17 years helping build Finder into one of Australia’s best known comparison platforms, starting from a single Google problem he solved as a young self-taught web builder. I sat down with Jeremy to explore where his drive really comes from, including a childhood belief that he didn’t want to be a burden to his family, and how that quietly shaped his entire career.We also talk about the punk concert that sparked a complete physical transformation, running a marathon after being told he couldn’t, why letting go is often where the breakthrough happens, and what it means to finally choose a purpose for yourself rather than solving problems for everyone else.Saving the family business at 15Solving Finder’s Google penaltyRedefining the word selfishProving the doctor wrongLeaving Finder after 17 yearsWhen obsession becomes self-doubtAmbition vs curiosityClearing old subconscious programmingPassing self-belief on to his daughters00:00 Meeting Jeremy00:33 Becoming a Finder co-founder02:06 Not wanting to be a burden03:43 Saving the family business with a website06:11 Going out on his own and meeting Fred08:16 Redefining selfish09:04 The punk concert that changed everything10:23 Committing to a marathon12:43 Leaving Finder after 17 years13:33 When strengths become weaknesses14:38 Solving the Google penalty by letting go17:17 Does he even have ambition?20:28 Ambition vs following your curiosity21:03 Why the marathon really mattered24:00 Searching for a bigger purpose25:37 Clearing the programming that holds you back28:35 An unconventional breakthrough29:46 From closed minded pharmacist to open31:02 Marathon week mindset32:22 A message to his daughters34:17 Why high achievers keep things hard35:02 The Bruny Island adventure39:13 Documenting life for his kids40:00 Seeing himself in his daughters42:01 Shortening the time of sufferingKey Discussion PointsTimestamps

Luke Altschwager left school in year 10 to chase a professional golf career, spent a decade grinding the lower tours around the world, and came home with about $11 to his name. A few years later he owned a golf course. I sat down with Luke to talk about how he went from club pro to business owner, how he bought Parkwood International with no capital, and the mindset that let him treat a failed sporting career as the starting line rather than the finish.We also get into the vision behind Palm Valley, the surf park and lifestyle precinct he is building in the heart of the Gold Coast with Mick Fanning, what it takes to raise over $160 million while protecting your investors, and how losing his dad has shaped what he values most: family, community, and giving back.Key Discussion PointsLeaving school in year 10 to play golf full timeHandling the end of a sporting career without losing momentumLearning business from the ground up in a pro shopBuying a 56 hectare golf course with no moneyBreaking golf traditions to bring the whole community inWhy looking forward can be both a strength and a coping mechanismNot riding the highs too high or the lows too lowThe vision for Palm Valley and partnering with Mick FanningRaising capital while putting investors firstTimestamps00:00 How we met01:06 Leaving school to play golf02:05 Landing on the Gold Coast02:53 From tour player to club pro06:04 Turning a losing pro shop around07:33 Bringing community into golf09:50 Buying a golf course with no money12:32 The mindset behind the pivot from sport15:45 Where his groundedness comes from18:42 Not riding the highs and lows21:03 Staying present through a hard season22:24 Meeting his wife23:25 From golf course to wave pool25:04 The vision for Palm Valley28:02 Bringing Mick Fanning on board30:38 The $160M capital raise33:10 Build timeline and why they won't rush it35:30 Surf tourism next to world class breaks37:22 Gratitude and losing his dad39:22 Giving back