Forging Resilience
Episodes
S3 Ep89 Judith Kromberg: Belonging Without Borders
22 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this conversation, I sit down with Judith Kromberg a political scientist shaped less by theory and more by lived experience. Judith has worked acro...
S3 Ep 88 Dean Leak: Disagreeing Well
15 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If the room is full of nods but decisions still stall, the problem isn’t a lack of harmony it might be a lack of skilful disagreement. Aaron sits do...
S3 Ep 87: Carl, Ron & Jon: There's a Devil At Every Level
08 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The moment you level up, the doubts level up too. We tackle that head-on with a lively, honest conversation about the “devil at every level” the w...
S3 Ep 86 Oli Johnson: Seeing the Warning Lights Turn Red
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The shine of rapid growth can hide a brutal truth: when success arrives as a sprint, your life becomes the finish line. Sitting down with Ollie Johnso...
S3 Ep 85 Joe Rowntree: When Success Feels Empty
24 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Joe Rowntree spent years chasing the buzz on stage as a stand-up, in casinos, and on nights out that ended with him stabbed on Las Ramblas in Barcelon...
S3 Ep 84 Helen Lunnon - Wood: The Masks We Wear
17 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Helen Lunnon-Wood knows what it means to say “good to go” and put the mask on. In this episode of Forging Resilience, we walk through the three th...
S3 Ep 83 Jeannette Linfoot: Unlock Your Brilliant
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Forging Resilience, Aaron sits down with Jeannette Linfoot CEO, board advisor, entrepreneur, and host of Brave, Bold and Brilliant....
S3 Ep 82 Dr. Rebecca Nicholson: Healing Moral Injuries
06 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when everything you believe about yourself and your purpose suddenly collapses? When the institutions and systems you trusted betray your...
S3 Ep 81 Callum Wilson: Living Beyond Limits We Create
03 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if the very thing stealing your performance is the urge to fit in? We sit down with coach and former professional rugby player Callum Wilson to u...
S3 Ep 80 Aaron Hill: Finding Peace
27 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if calm doesn’t live on the far side of your to-do list? I share hard-won lessons from coaching two high performers on the edge of overwhelm a...
S3 Ep79 Phil Richards MBE: Proof Of Life
16 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Phil Richards MBE spent 32 years at Tesco before life changed in 2017 with stage-four cancer. In this conversation we unpack how he reframed fear into...
S3 Ep78 Craig White: Redefining Male Leadership
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if the strongest thing you can bring to the room isn’t control, but connection? We sit down with leadership mentor and former elite high-perfor...
S3 Ep 77 Robin Caine: Fast Jets to Human Performance
02 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Season 3 opens with Air Commodore Rob Caine, Head of UK Military Flying Training. We get straight into resilience, how stoicism and The Obstacle Is th...
Season 2 Round Up
11 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wrapping up Season Two of Forging Resilience with reflections on the journey so far and exciting changes ahead for Season Three. Sharing five key insi...
76 Kevin Halborg: Creating Financial Resilience For an Uncertain World
08 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does a former commando know about financial freedom? As it turns out, quite a lot. In this illuminating conversation with Kev Halborg, chartered ...
75 James Porter: The Rhythms of Life and Faith
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
James Porter's story is a testament to resilience and transformation. After his teenage dream of becoming an RAF fighter pilot was medically disq...
73 Nicky Bevan: The Courage to Parent from Love Instead of Fear Changes Everything
28 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it really take to raise emotionally resilient boys in today's digital world? This question sits at the heart of my conversation with Ni...
72 Adam Gornall: Killing Peter Pan: Ending the Eternal-Boy Epidemic
24 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What does it take to guide a boy into healthy manhood? In this profound conversation, Adam Gornow returns to explore the challenges facing teenage boy...
71 Jordan Dawes: Diversity isn’t a checkbox. It’s a performance multiplier.
21 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when elite sport collides with military service? Jordan Dawes knows this terrain intimately. As both a professional basketball player an...
70 Jeanette Meier: Why True Leadership Begins With the Heart
10 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when a leader steps away from strategy and embraces their heart? Twenty years ago, Jeanette Meier made a radical decision – to stop liv...
69 Aaron Hill: The Noise Can Be Relentless
03 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"The noise is relentless." When a client shared this profound observation during a recent coaching session, it struck a deep chord. Not just...
68 Greg Barden: "We’re starving for real connection, here’s one way back”
26 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Greg Barden's journey defies conventional career paths in ways that might make most of us rethink our own trajectories. From his early days in th...
67 Aaron Hill: Do It Scared
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fear has a unique way of announcing its presence in our bodies. For me, it's the cold sweat under my arms that appears despite the warm spring ai...
66 Matt Addison-Black: Cancer Wasn’t the End. It Was the Start.
12 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when everything you’ve worked for is ripped away in an instant? Just weeks before beginning his military career, Matt Addison-Black wa...
65 Aaron Hill: Finding Clarity When You Feel Stuck
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt completely stuck on a project despite your expertise?In this episode, I explore a powerful mental framework that emerged from my co...
64 Dr. Sharon Pickering: The Art of Personal Alignment, Discovering Your True North
29 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Sharon Pickering shares her perspective on personal and professional alignment, challenging us to explore what alignment means to us as individuals...
63 Aaron Hill: Stop Shoulding All Over Yourself
22 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever caught yourself saying "I should" before tackling a task, only to feel immediate resistance? That simple word reveals volumes about our...
62 Dr. Nick Wadsworth: Gold Doesn't Glitter: When Achievement Feels Empty
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What drives us to persevere through challenges? How can we find meaning in the struggle? And why do some high achievers reach their goals only to fe...
61 Aaron Hill: Courage First, Confidence Later: Rewriting Your Success Story
09 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever found yourself waiting to feel confident before taking that important step? You're not alone. The myth of confidence keeps countless people ...
59 Aaron Hill: What We Resist, Persists, Until Acceptance
24 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever noticed how resistance to uncomfortable feelings can keep you stuck in patterns that no longer serve you? Prompted by feedback from men...
58 Dean Stott: The Man Who Conquered the Pan-American Highway in 99 Days
17 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dean Stott didn't grow up dreaming of joining special forces he wanted to be a fireman. Yet a chance conversation with his father redirected his ...
57 Nigel MacLennan: From Striving to Thriving in Toxic Workplaces
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What if toxic workplaces aren't the exception, but the rule? Leadership psychologist Professor Nigel McLennan delivers a sobering reality check a...
56 James Elliott: "Who are you, really?"
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What happens to resilience when the uniform comes off? This profound question lies at the heart of my conversation with James Elliott, a former Britis...
55 Kai-Nneka Townsend: "Burnout shouldn’t be the price you pay for success".
27 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Burnout doesn't happen overnight—it creeps up slowly, often disguised as dedication or high performance. In this revealing conversation, leader...
54 Aaron Hill: Your 'Yes' Is Waiting in the Land of 'No'
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A simple request for popcorn from my eight-year-old daughter completely transformed my understanding of what it means to ask for what we want in life....
53 Tom Burgess: "I've been an alcoholic since I picked up my first drink..."
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Join us for an enlightening episode where Tom Burgess, from Save a Warrior UK, shares his personal journey through trauma and emotional healing. Tom&a...
52 Joe Bates: "People assume because of what we have done, that you can’t ever show weakness..."
06 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Discover the powerful journey of Joe Bates, who takes us from his early life in Devon through the challenges of losing his father to illness, then int...
51 Carl Radley: Transformative Journeys
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Episode Number 50! (I had to delete one at the guests request...)This stimulating conversation featuring Carl Radley, host of the "Weightloss War...
50 Gina Atkinson: "From Tragedy to Purpose"
20 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Gina Atkinson shares her remarkable journey from military service to mental health advocacy, revealing how personal loss propelled her to raise awaren...
49 Tom Satterly: "You weren't trained on emotions or relationships, we can help you with that"
13 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Satterly, a retired US Army veteran with a notable tenure in special operations, shares his compelling experiences. From being on the ground durin...
48 Andy Williams: "There was only a few days where the Taliban didn't try to overrun our compound..."
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
WARNING: This podcast discusses and goes into details about a suicide attempt.What does it take to rise from a childhood of abandonment? Join us in ...
47 Phil Hilton: "I find that 90’s lad culture, really uncomfortable and obnoxious now".
31 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Phil Hilton, was a magazine editor and writer, shares his journey from the 'lad mag' era of the 90s to his current endeavors in midlife fi...
46 Sam Smith: Living Nudge to Nudge.
23 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode explores the concept of "living nudge to nudge" with Sam Smith, who discusses his transformation from a professional athlete to...
45 Graham House: Going upstream to impact society for real change.
16 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Graham House shares his insightful journey from a troubled childhood to a dedicated advocate in youth leadership and personal development, underscorin...
44 Dr. Sharon Pickering: "Humans are humans first, before we do anything we need to breath".
23 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us on Forging Resilience as we uncover the incredible journey of Dr. Sharon Pickering, a trailblazer in the world of aviation and human factors. ...
43 Chris Tamdjidi: How cultivating resilience skills can drive business success.
18 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Chris Tamdjidi, co-founder of Awaris and co-author of "The Resilience Culture," joins us to explore how mindfulness and resilience intersect...
42 Ross Tomkins: From Misdiagnosis to Mission
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Meet Ross Tomkins, a former NHS physiotherapist turned healthcare entrepreneur, who shares his captivating journey from sports enthusiast to founding ...
41 David O'Neill: "Be a leader by creating an environment where people can open up".
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as we uncover the fascinating journey of David O'Neill, a former London Fire Brigade officer with over three decades of experience, now a...
40 Rich Hunwicks: "One of the traits high performing leaders have, is one of servantship".
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Rich, a high-performance coach who found his calling after an unexpected injury, shares his incredible journey Discover how his unique experiences, cu...
39 Oli France: "You can be ½ way around the world and stuck in your own head."
20 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us as we welcome Oli France, an international adventurer and founder of the Wild Edge. Oli shares how pushing personal boundaries in remote loca...
38 Dr. Nick Wadsworth: “There’s a huge distinction between High Performance and sustainable High Performance.”
04 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join me in a captivating conversation with Dr. Nick Wadsworth, a distinguished sports performance psychologist and director of MAP Performance Limited...
37 Andy McKenzie: "You can’t be just the physical beast..."
30 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us on a riveting journey with Andy McKenzie, the esteemed strength and conditioning coach behind No Weak Links. Hear firsthand how a life-alterin...
36: Season Round Up!
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Primarily this is an opportunity for me to say thanks to all of the incredible people that allowed me to take some of their valuable time to talk. I ...
35 Nic (Rosie) Steevenson: "The opportunity to fire missiles as a new navigator, empowered me".
28 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Join us on Forging Resilience as we sit down with Rosie Steevenson, a former RAF navigator Rosie's journey into aviation began at age 12, driven ...
34 Richard Mann: "I've seen it so many times, as stress and pressure increase, we effort more"
17 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Richard Mann's incredible journey from the Royal Marines to elite private security and ultimately to transformative leadership training is insp...
33 Coaching - Ryan Pickard: "I just need to get back to basics".
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can you juggle multiple careers while pursuing your creative dreams? Our latest episode of "Forging Resilience" brings you the inspiring sto...
32 Mike Bates: Life and Leadership Through Jiu-Jitsu
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What drives a young boy from Doncaster to overcome tremendous adversity and become a renowned leader in covert operations? Join us on "Forging Re...
31 Coaching - Jon Bevan: "Nothing's gone wrong, there is nothing to fix".
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What if celebrating your achievements could be the key to unlocking sustained success and happiness? Join us as we welcome John, a remarkable individ...
30 Andy Brown: The Art of Life-Saving Negotiation
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Experience the evolution of Andy Brown, as he transitions from a lone officer patrolling Scotland's vast Highlands and Islands to an internationa...
29 Brendan Chaplin: "In business impostor syndrome is a teacher, if it’s not there, you’re too comfortable".
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dive headfirst into the wisdom of Brendan Chaplin, a renowned performance coach and entrepreneur who's mastered the art of impactful teaching and...
28 Liz McConaghy: "You're not going to get more purpose than saving lives in Helmand".
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
WARNING: Listener discretion is advised. This episode discusses a suicide attempt. Liz McConaghy was a former RAF loadmaster. Our latest episode unpa...
27 Vix Anderton: "I’ve spent 40 years being a perfectionist, it’ll take more than 4 min to undo".
04 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Vix Anderton, a former intelligence officer turned coach, understands the feeling all too well. On our latest episode, she takes us on a personal jour...
26 Jeremy Evans: "I knew I was going to die..."
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
WARNING: Listener discretion is advised. This episode contains the harrowing details of a traumatic grizzly bear attack and mentions a suicide attem...
25 Tom Foxley: "I was cycling home from school one day and my heart just stopped"!
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our latest episode features Tom Foxley, an inspiring former Royal Marine who redefined himself as a coach for elite athletes and entrepreneurs. His gr...
24 Dan Lowes: "The team would improve 33% every single year and become world class".
07 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Dan Lowes, our guest who takes us from the cockpit of an RAF fighter jet to the frontlines of leadership consultancy. From member of the elite Red Arr...
23 Josh Fletcher: "We don’t need to remove stress, just approach it in a different way".
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Life has a way of throwing curveballs, and sometimes they come at you fast and hard. Just ask Josh Fletcher, as a former rugby player turned F2 and F3...
22 Ben Medlock: "Wealth solves a lot of problems, but it also creates it's own problems".
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When Ben Medlock, co-founder of SwiftKey, stepped into our "studio", we unearthed the layers of an entrepreneur's journey that often st...
21 Lindsay Bruce: "It’s up to us to show people there is another way".
15 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I sit down with Lindsay Bruce for a casual chat and decide to record it just in case...just as well we did. Lindsay is ex SAS and founder of the Moder...
20 Professor Martin I. Jones: "If your sense of worth is based on always winning, it becomes a slippery slope".
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Embark on a psychological expedition as we join forces with Professor Martin Jones, a distinguished sport and exercise psychologist, who walks us thro...
19 Jonny Bevan (& Aaron Hill): FEAR
08 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When the heart races and palms sweat, it's the unmistakable signature of fear—a universal sensation.Our conversation peels back the layers, exp...
18 Jade Heusen: “I thought I had to be perfect at everything, including relaxing!”
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jade Heuson, a former Birmingham Royal Ballet dancer, graces us with her story of pirouetting from the disciplined world of dance into the arms of men...
17 Liam Eves: "Hearing from our kids that we don't spend enough time with them, it's soul destroying."
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today our guest Liam Eves takes us through his extraordinary transformation from professional football player to the world of clinical trails. In our ...
16 Aaron Hill: "How we see the world, becomes our world.”
14 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A cancelled guest give me an opportunity to talk a bit about this podcast project as I get out for a stroll. An example of some B- work and recount ...
15 Dr. Kate Pate: "There is so much we don't know about neuroscience, its exciting".
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode brings the brilliant Dr. Kate Pate into the spotlight, a neurophysiologist who understands the intricate dance of the brain p...
14 Stevie Ward: "Authenticity is creative flow and imagination."
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Stevie Ward, former rugby warrior joins us to share his transformative journey. Stevie's story is not just about the physicality of sports but th...
13 Simon Jeffries: “Mindset is a skill set yet nobody treats it that way.”
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From the relentless discipline of the Royal Marines to the unpredictable waves of entrepreneurship, Si, co-founder of The Natural Edge, joins us for a...
12 Ryan Pickard: "Even if I was undisputed World Champion, it wouldn't have been enough".
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ryan Pickard, accomplished boxer and co-founder of 12x3 boxing club, joins us for a discussion about the perils of perfectionism and the unexpected fr...
11 Rick Cooper: "If we don't define ourselves, the world will do it for us."
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In our latest episode, we're joined by Rick Cooper - an ex firefighter, former professional rugby player, and GB athlete turned coach. Armed wit...
10 Jan Vertonghen: "The base of everything is working hard".
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine juggling the pressures of being a professional football player whilst maintaining a balanced family life! Jan Vertonghen is a Belgian professi...
09 Francesc Garrido: "Mistakes are gifts."
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today, my guest Francesc Garrido, a distinguished actor from Spain, offers a compelling insight into the world of acting. He shares the journey of h...
08 Adam Gornall (part 2): "Suffering is where we allow situations to stifle us, it's optional."
06 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This week, we're fortunate to sit down once again with Adam, co-founder of Save A Warrior UK CIC, a beacon of hope dedicated to suicide preventio...
07 Jason Fox: "Everyone's got resilience, some make it easier to access than others."
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jason Fox is a presenter, adventurer and a former UK Special Forces solider. Maybe best known from the Channel 4 television series SAS: Who Dares Wins...
06 Jonny Bevan: "We think happy should be our default, but it's not."
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jonny Bevan is a serving police officer and also a stress and burnout coach. Having been on the brink of burnout himself and seeing the effects it h...
05 Adam Gornall: "It's not about the things that happen to us, it's what we make them mean."
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
WARNING: This podcast discusses and goes into details about a suicide attempt. Today, we welcome our guest, Adam Gornel, onto the podcast. We sit do...
04 Matt C. Smith: “I’ve done high hundreds of talks and shows and I still get nervous.”
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt’s career started in growth-stage venture capital at Conde Nast, investing in 2 unicorns; Farfetch & Vestiare Collective. He then followed h...
03 Ric Moylan: "You get what you communicate."
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today we are joined by my mentor Ric Moylan. Ric has coached World Champions, Olympians and Premiership footballers and also runs mentorship and cons...
01 - Carl Radley: "Helping others, that's success."
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Friend and client Carl opens up about his struggles and motivation to push comfort on his way to try give back. He started a podcast called Weigh Los...