Sam Allardyce is one of English football’s most seasoned and straight-talking managers, known as much for his no-nonsense attitude as for his deep understanding of the game. With a career spanning decades, he’s led clubs like Bolton, West Ham, and Everton, and even had a brief but infamous spell as England manager.

In this episode, Big Sam opens up about what it really takes to build a football club from the ground up. From keeping your job long enough to make lasting changes, to scouting better players and improving performance fast, he lays out the reality of trying to grow while constantly under pressure.

He also reflects on his time in charge of England and the regret over how that chapter ended, showing a more reflective and human side to his story. The conversation also dives into Allardyce’s more forward-thinking strategies, like bringing cryotherapy into football before it was cool, and using player data to back up tough decisions.

This episode offers an honest, behind-the-scenes look at what football management is really like, tough, complex, and full of lessons you won’t find in a textbook.

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You don’t have to be who the world tells you to be, and sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is step outside the box others have put you in.

In this episode, Jake and Damian dive into the idea of breaking free from the labels others place on us, and the ones we place on ourselves. Through compelling reflections and lessons from guests like Rio Ferdinand, Fearne Cotton, Tom Kerridge, and Lee Child, they unpack how we can reclaim our identities and live more purposefully.

From Rio’s determination to be more than a footballer, to Fearne’s courageous shift away from mainstream TV, and Tom and Lee’s decisions to redefine their lives in the face of challenge, this episode uncovers what it means to live beyond expectation.

Listen in as they offer practical insights into redefining yourself on your own terms, and why embracing multiple identities may be the key to a more fulfilled, high-performance life.

Undefeated boxing champion and entrepreneur Laila Ali takes us ringside, then into the heart of what it means to belong.

In this episode of Essential Habits, we uncover the deceptively simple practice her father, Muhammad Ali, modeled again and again: looking after the person no one else notices.

Through Laila’s stories, from waiting in queues of adoring fans to earning her father’s reluctant blessing to box, we learn how true leadership is less about spotlight and more about presence. By tuning into the quiet moments and the people at the back of the line, we tap into a habit that transforms culture, boosts trust, and fuels high performance.

In this episode, we explore:

- Why 'the last person in line' matters more than the loudest voice

- The neurobiology of inclusion and how exclusion literally hurts

- Three simple shifts to build social awareness every day

- How Laila earned her father’s respect and claimed her own greatness

- What high-performing teams gain when everyone feels seen

Whether you lead a team, a family, or just want to notice people more fully, this episode shows why the smallest acts of attention can have the biggest impact.

Listen to the full episode with Laila Ali: https://pod.fo/e/265de7

Here is a link to more information on the studies referenced:

1. The Good Samaritan Study (Darley & Batson, 1973)

2. Ingroup Bias and Empathy (fMRI Study, 2006)

3. The Spotlight Effect (Gilovich, Medvec, & Savitsky, 2000)

4. The Bystander Effect (Darley & Latané, 1968)