#62 Matt Poole Speaks on how to deal with pressure & why focusing on your own life is the key to success.

My guest on the show today is Australian Iron Man Champion, Matt Poole. Matt is an absolute legend and at 32 he’s the oldest competitor to compete in the 2021/2022 Nutri-Grain Series. He has had several race wins over his career, with five overall Nutri-Grain Series podiums and came first in the 2016/2017 Iron Man. After 15 years of sitting at the top, Matt is retiring after the current competition, preparing for his new role, and becoming a dad. 

We discuss the intense training regime that Matt has been doing throughout his career and how it is now affecting his body at 32. Can you imagine training multiple sessions a day, 6 days a week? It sounds exhausting! 

Matt shares his wisdom and experience during races to master his mindset and ‘wear blinkers’ to what everyone else is doing and focus on his own performance. He has endured ups and downs when it comes to social media and being in the public eye. He shares how important it is to switch off when you need to and to stop yourself from comparing your life to others. 

The pressure professional athletes are under is immense, both physically and mentally. There is never enough time spent celebrating the wins and far too much time spent dwelling on the losses. Over Matt’s extensive career, he has learned to take the lesson from the race instead of focusing on any feelings of failure. 

We explore his plans after retiring from competing and starting his new job at Therabody. He’s also excitedly expecting a baby with his fiance and is ready for this new adventure in his life. 

Matt is an inspiration of dedication, perseverance and resilience and I’m very grateful to have him on the show today to share his story with you. 

Topics we cover and where to find them:

• [0:00]: Intro.
• [1:52]: Healthy Mind Competition. 
• [3:32]: Iron Man Series. 
• [5:35]: Training. 
• [12:06]: Recovery. 
• [15:01]: Mindset during races (and life). 
• [19:47]: Highlight of career. 
• [21:37]: Retiring and last races. 
• [26:23]: Becoming a dad. 
• [28:20]: Pressure as a professional athlete. 
• [32:33]: Looking for the next win. 
• [33:33]: Impact of social media. 
• [37:03]: New role at Therabody. 
• [40:29]: Resilience. 
  

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Episode Resources:

Previous episode mentioned: 

• #61 Mary Hoang Speaks On The Messiness of Relationships & How To Transform Them

• Instagram: @matt_poole1
• Website: https://www.therabody.com
  

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