As regular listeners to Better Under Pressure know, I often draw connections between the principles found in sport and those that underpin leadership and performance coaching, identifying habits that are highly transferable to the business world and everyday life.

No surprise then that I loved this conversation with Dr. Ara Suppiah, Chief Medical Officer for LIV Golf (and keeping players like Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose and Anna Nordqvist on course) Known as “the elite athlete’s secret weapon”, this episode is packed with high-performance insights and tips that I hope you’ll find useful and can apply to your own life when pressure shows up!

I love this episode because, in addition to discussing pressure, difficult deals, and making no money for two years, we also explore what happens when you decide to trust the universe and how to navigate moments of uncertainty.

I'm talking to Joti Balani, a remarkable leader who walked away from corporate success to build something extraordinary in the world of AI. She has over 25 years’ experience in technology & design, leading AI and Automation projects for Fortune 500 enterprises and government agencies. But she walked away from that predictable career with prestigious titles to start again from scratch, founding and building Freshriver.ai - what she now calls an organism rather than a company – that is attracting top talent who are seeking meaningful adventure in the AI world.

Alongside this, Joti speaks at global industry, academic, and social impact events, such as CES and Fintech Connect, and is a member of the Infrastructure Masons NYC Chapter, collaborating with Data Center Industry leaders to ensure AI is sustainable and carbon-neutral as it grows exponentially. This episode explores how she navigated the pressure of reinvention and how invisible forces can align when you truly commit to your purpose, as well as the role of what I call spirit and discipline in creating a meaningful future. So, this episode is for you if you're wondering: - Can I leave corporate life and create something transformative? - How can I stay grounded if I’m pioneering an unknown path? Or - What if my next chapter is about impact, not just income?

When I ask most guests on Better Under Pressure when they first experienced pressure, they normally say it was from either parents or school in exams or on sports day, but when you’re born into a notorious cult where you’re raised knowing the world is ending and you are one of god’s endtime soldiers, the pressure is on a whole other level. Petra Velzeboer managed to escape from the cult in her early twenties, and started a family and working, only to find the latter not too dissimilar to those original pressures of the cult - which is why - to use her phrase - she crashed. So it’s no wonder that, when she managed to very consciously extract herself from that second cycle, Petra became a psychotherapist and champion of mental health support with her organisation - PVL - combatting psychologically toxic cultures and promoting mentally healthy work environments.