Let’s hit pause and look back on 2025. What actually worked this year? What nearly broke the process. And what it takes to build a podcast that lasts.

This is a countdown from the 5th most downloaded episode to the one that sat at #1 all year.

Some were expected. A few surprised us. There’s one episode that was harder to make than any other. And one conversation that quietly changed how I think about performance.

If you’ve already listened to the most downloaded episode of the year — you’ll know why it landed.
If you haven’t… you probably didn’t realise what you missed.

And before we close it out, we share a glimpse of what’s coming in 2026 — and why the next chapter of the podcast will be different.

1:15 — The lessons from 2025 that will shape the podcast long-term
4:30 — The episode that nearly broke the process (and why it mattered)
7:50 — Top 5 episodes of the year

18:40 — YouTube’s rise and the top 5 videos of the year

28:15 — The most overlooked episode — and Andrew’s biggest personal insight
30:45 — The Bite Size people shared and texted about most
34:45 — Guess the Guest Game
38:00 — What’s next in 2026

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Interested in sharing your story? Email Producer Shannon at support@performanceintelligence.com today with your story and contact details.

Learn more about Andrew and Performance Intelligence: https://performanceintelligence.com/
Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://performanceintelligence.com/keynotes/

Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/

Watch the Performance Intelligence Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@performanceintelligencepodcast

If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

End-of-year is when intention meets opportunity. Before we close out the year, take a moment to reset your direction. Kamal Sarma walks through the ritual he follows every year to choose his word — the anchor that keeps him aligned when life gets noisy.

Kamal also opens up about how last year’s word helped him navigate the emotional toll of his work in domestic violence advocacy. If you’ve tried choosing a word before — or want to start fresh — this episode will guide you into the new year with clarity and purpose.

Listen to Kamal's previous episode here:https://shorturl.at/rQEMO
You can enter your word of the year here: https://www.rezilium.com/word-for-the-year
You can find Kamal at his website: https://www.rezilium.com/

or Linkedin: https://rb.gy/qemwq

Use Code "PQPODCAST10" to get 10% off your Lumo Coffee order:https://lumocoffee.com/

Interested in sharing your story? Email Producer Shannon at support@performanceintelligence.com today with your story and contact details.

Learn more about Andrew and Performance Intelligence: https://performanceintelligence.com/
Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://performanceintelligence.com/keynotes/

Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/

Watch the Performance Intelligence Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@performanceintelligencepodcast

If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

Earl Evans is one of the most influential figures in Australian wealth management (CEO of Shaw and Partners), but the way he leads isn’t what you’d expect.

He doesn’t help people to look good. He helps them because he means it. Loyalty isn’t a strategy for Earl, it’s his default setting. And he’s built not just relationships, but an entire business this way: a company run by two CEOs, a model almost no one dares to try because it demands trust, humility, and respect.

With a growing footprint across Australia and New Zealand, and more than $49 billion in assets under advice, Shaw and Partners offers the intimacy of a boutique investment firm, backed by the resources and scale of a major global financial group, EFG International, managing over $310 billion of assets.

You'll hear:

• How a partnership built on shared values, trust, and clear boundaries created one of Australia’s most successful wealth firms
• The philosophy that drives his leadership — and how it shatters typical finance stereotypes of ego and power
• Stories from a decade-long friendship with his co-CEO and how they navigated agreement, disagreement, and decision-making
• Why building culture, loyalty, and connection can be more powerful than any strategy or title

If you’ve ever wondered what leadership looks like when it’s human, honest, and surprisingly effective, this episode shows you exactly how.

This is Performance Intelligence: the show that unlocks potential for everyday life.

2:00 Co-CEO model with Allan Zion — how it began and the challenges.
5:10 Reflections on Shaw and Partners’ success, Allan’s retirement, and whether Earl would share leadership again.
10:35 Earl’s early years and discovering his path.
14:30 The “loose and tight” leadership philosophy and leading by example.
21:30 Why sport is core to Earl and the firm.
25:45 How sport, the arts, and children’s programs shape the business culture.
29:45 Ali Day’s thoughts and Earl’s response.
33:15 Learning through mistakes and matching prize money when athletes earn it.
36:30 Tom Trbojevic’s reflections and travelling with Earl during injury.
40:30 Earl’s purpose, perspective on death, and enjoying life.
45:45 His one-of-a-kind 60th and approach to philanthropy.
52:45 Gus Worland’s take on Earl and their connection.
57:10 Earl’s vision for the next decade — and living to 100.

Connect with Earl on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/earl-evans-2631b334/
Find out more about Shaw and Partners: https://shawandpartners.com.au/home

Use Code "PQPODCAST10" to get 10% off your Lumo Coffee order:https://lumocoffee.com/

Interested in sharing your story? Email Producer Shannon at support@performanceintelligence.com today with your story and contact details.

Learn more about Andrew and Performance Intelligence: https://performanceintelligence.com/
Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://performanceintelligence.com/keynotes/

Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/

Watch the Performance Intelligence Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@performanceintelligencepodcast

If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

Are you actually planning your week with intention — or just reacting to whatever hits your calendar?

In this Bite Size, Angela and Andrew break down the simple weekly structure used by top performers: the 5 Big Rocks that shape your direction, and the 3 Anchors that keep you grounded.

If you want a week that feels clearer, calmer, and actually aligned with what matters, this is where it starts.

Use Code "PQPODCAST10" to get 10% off your Lumo Coffee order:https://lumocoffee.com/

Interested in sharing your story? Email Producer Shannon at support@performanceintelligence.com today with your story and contact details.

Learn more about Andrew and Performance Intelligence: https://performanceintelligence.com/
Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://performanceintelligence.com/keynotes/

Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/

Watch the Performance Intelligence Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@performanceintelligencepodcast

If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

You know those moments where you wish you could go back, undo a decision, or handle a pressure moment differently? Dan Abrahams knows them well. As a world-renowned sports psychologist who has worked with elite athletes across tennis, football, and rugby, he’s turned those experiences into a framework that reshapes how top performers think, prepare, and show up.

Hear why your mind is a time traveller (and how Novak Djokovic proves it), what mindfulness actually is beyond the clichés, and how to finally anchor your own mental skills practice so it actually sticks.

If you’re serious about performing under pressure, this conversation gives you the tools, language, and mindset to start today.

00:05 Dan on the setbacks that shaped his mental skills practice.

03:35 The mind as a time traveller & mindfulness vs meditation.

16:45 Domain-specific mindfulness explained.

22:45 Anchoring your mental skills practice in a framework.

30:30 From golfer to coach & the athlete he wished he worked with.

36:00 Coaching unicorn-level players & the pitfalls to avoid.

41:00 Attention, intensity & intent: the three pillars of performance.

50:00 How performance moments and frameworks guide his day.

56:30 The power of a “game face” in high-pressure moments.

1:04:30 Roy Keane & the use of an alter ego on the pitch.

1:14:30 Why he always starts with the strength and conditioning coach.

Listen to Dan's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sport-psych-show/id1434313037
You can find Dan at his website: https://danabrahams.com/
Buy a copy of Dan's books: https://danabrahams.com/books/
Connect with Dan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-abrahams-b72a306/

Use Code "PQPODCAST10" to get 10% off your Lumo Coffee order:https://lumocoffee.com/

Interested in sharing your story? Email Producer Shannon at support@performanceintelligence.com today with your story and contact details.

Learn more about Andrew and Performance Intelligence: https://performanceintelligence.com/
Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://performanceintelligence.com/keynotes/

Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/

Watch the Performance Intelligence Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@performanceintelligencepodcast

If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

Hear how Ironman legend Ali Day built the mindset that’s kept him at the top of one of the toughest sports on the planet. Ali shares why he started training his mind early in his career and how you can use the same tools to get your own edge—whether you’re competing, leading, or simply pushing for a better version of yourself.

You’ll also step inside Ali’s imagery routine: how he visualised an entire race, felt it unfold exactly as he’d rehearsed it, and crossed the finish line in the exact way he’d seen in his mind. If you want to understand what separates good from great, this episode gives you a front-row seat.

Follow Ali on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alastairday/?hl=en
Find out more about ACTV Strength Co: https://actvstrengthco.com/

Use Code "PQPODCAST10" to get 10% off your Lumo Coffee order:https://lumocoffee.com/

Interested in sharing your story? Email Producer Shannon at support@performanceintelligence.com today with your story and contact details.

Learn more about Andrew and Performance Intelligence: https://performanceintelligence.com/
Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://performanceintelligence.com/keynotes/

Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/

Watch the Performance Intelligence Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@performanceintelligencepodcast

If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

Harry Moffitt wants you to feel what it actually takes to be an SAS Soldier. The bone-deep pressure, the tests designed to break you before you’ve even begun, the kind of training that doesn’t just challenge you - it leaves marks you carry for life.

Harry has lived through wounds, brutal recovery, and moments of unexpected humanity that shift how you see the world. He pulls you inside that experience - the highs, the lows, and the messy reality of trying to rebuild a life after the battlefield.

You’ll walk away with insights you can use: how to prepare yourself for pressure, how to build resilience that lasts, how to perform when everything in you wants to quit. And yes — you’ll even hear how all of this ends up forming a very real, very punk, all–special forces band.

In this episode Andrew and Harry discuss:

0:05 Putting a mission on hold to help people in need and the outpouring of humanity that caused the situation.

5:45 Being wounded and the lengthy and tough recovery process that followed.

10:00 One of the most beautiful moments of Harry’s time in the SASR.

16:30 An average day in the SASR and the type of person who makes the perfect recruit.

25:00 The gruelling training SASR recruits go through and how close is it to the Hollywood version?

28:45 What drew Harry to the military and heading up the operator stream of the SASR.

33:30 What surprised Harry the most about transitioning to civilian life and how he prepared for that during his career.

40:00 Preparing new recruits for life outside the military.

44:30 looking at your whole life and not just one part at a time.

50:00 The human performance revolution and learning about high performance from Percy Cerutty.

59:30 Harry’s definition of high performance and why he is in an all special forces punk band.

You can find Harry at his website: https://harrymoffitt.com.au/
Order a copy of Harry's book: https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781761563133/
Connect with Harry at his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrymoffitt/
Follow Harry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harrymoffitt353/?hl=en

Use Code "PQPODCAST10" to get 10% off your Lumo Coffee order:https://lumocoffee.com/

Interested in sharing your story? Email Producer Shannon at support@performanceintelligence.com today with your story and contact details.

Learn more about Andrew and Performance Intelligence: https://performanceintelligence.com/
Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://performanceintelligence.com/keynotes/

Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/

Watch the Performance Intelligence Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@performanceintelligencepodcast

If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.

What if the people we idolise are far more ordinary than we imagine?

In this Bite Size from episode #154, Dr Bill Anseline pulls back the curtain on life with some of the world’s biggest celebrities. He explains why, beneath the fame, pressure and spectacle, the thing they crave most is to be treated like everyone else.

Bill also shares a story he’s never told publicly: the night he took U2 to Mardi Gras… and Bono ended up halfway up a lighting tower, watching Kylie Minogue bring the house down at the after-party.

A rare look at what really happens when the spotlight switches off.

You can find Dr Bill at his website:https://drbillanseline.com.au/
Follow Dr Bill on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drbillanseline/?hl=en

Use Code "PQPODCAST10" to get 10% off your Lumo Coffee order:https://lumocoffee.com/

Interested in sharing your story? Email Producer Shannon at support@performanceintelligence.com today with your story and contact details.

Learn more about Andrew and Performance Intelligence: https://performanceintelligence.com/
Find out more about Andrew's Keynotes : https://performanceintelligence.com/keynotes/

Follow Andrew May: https://www.instagram.com/andrewmay/

Watch the Performance Intelligence Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@performanceintelligencepodcast

If you enjoy the podcast, we would really appreciate you leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Play. It takes less than 60 seconds and really helps us build our audience and continue to provide high quality guests.