What's the one idea?

It's not energy

Been thinking about what the central idea behind my work actually is.

I know I want to help people thrive. And I think nervous system regulation is a huge part of that.

But what regulates our nervous system most aside from our habits?

The environment we’re in.

I’ve only recently realised this and why I’ve spent years building environments. First at The Dock, where people come to connect, and then with Running for Resilience , where I’ve watched hundreds of people slowly spiral up simply because they found a place where they can exercise regularly with friends.

But I’ve also been talking about identity in my keynotes and how tying your self-worth to what you do can quietly become the path to burnout (Another topic I could happily spend years exploring).

And then there’s decision making.

I define peak performance as consistently making good decisions, especially under pressure.

And the state of your nervous system is what determines the quality of your decisions. Again, another rabbit hole I keep getting pulled towards.

But the reason all this is on my mind is because my speaking coach checked in last week and asked whether I’d made any progress on the work we’d done together.

The answer was no.

He still thinks I should be writing about the spiral and how people and teams either spiral up or spiral down depending on the environment around them.

But I just don’t know what to do.

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My last blog was about trying to choose between writing a book or rebuilding Alfred.

But I think that’s the wrong question and I probably don’t need another project.

Maybe I simply need to keep writing and thinking about what leads to human thriving.

For years I’ve talked about energy.

But I don’t think energy is actually the thing anymore.

Energy is the output and a sign that your nervous system is in a good place.

And looking back, I’ve probably been chasing that feeling of energy ever since I retired from rugby.

Which has made me realise why so many athletes struggle when they finish playing.

Sport regulates your nervous system. It gives you routine, movement, connection, identity and purpose. I

Basically it’s an environment that quietly shapes who you are.

And when that’s taken away, it’s no surprise many people spiral down.

And I think that’s why I still miss the Brumbies environment from 2012-13.

Not because I miss playing rugby.

But because I miss being surrounded by people chasing the same goal, training together, laughing together and bringing out the best in one another every day.

So I don’t miss the sport as much as I miss that Brumbies environment.

Again, another topic I could write about for years and maybe that’s my problem.

I get bored easily.

I jump from my talks, to writing, to Running for Resilience, to The Dock, to AI, to Alfred because I find it all interesting.

But jumping around like that makes it hard for everyone else to understand what I actually do, and be able to help.

People know I give talks.

But even I sometimes struggle to explain what they’re about.

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I know everything I’m doing is connected and maybe they’re all just pulling me towards the same question:

What actually helps humans thrive?

Maybe my coach is right and I don’t need another idea.

Maybe I just need to keep exploring that one question and trust everything else fits underneath it?

Thanks for reading.