Shows
The Unforgiving60Reviving S2E17 – On Parenting with Steve Biddulph, AMSteve Biddulph is one of the world’s best-known parent educators. Steve has been a psychologist for 30 years and his books have sold over four million copies as well as having been translated into 31 languages.
Ben and Tim talk with Steve about their own transformations after reading his books and talk the differences between raising boys and raising girls.
As well as plenty of good old-fashioned hugging. It’s alright to be affectionate peeps!
Listen in then try a few of Steve’s practical techniques.
...
2026-01-231h 11The Unforgiving60Revival of S2E1- SAS Tactics to Fight the Apocalypse - with Mick Neven from the Apocalypse Comedy PodcastIt's the year 2100. How would SAS inspired tactics fight the Zombie Apocalypse? Mick Neven is 120 years old but still a comedic legend. He loves a good apocalypse and has a comedy show to prove it!
Zombies are descending. What's YOUR life choice!?!?
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
0:30. The Situation in the year 2100
5:05. Welcome Mick Neven – Genius Mind & 'What do you have'?
7:20. When running from the tiger when do you rest?
8:30. From your childhood what do you bring?
9:00. Ben and Tim’s biological relationship
09:30. Mark Wales .... from Survivor.... Sux!
12:20. Ben and Tim’s early story
14:00. Talking...
2026-01-221h 20
Breadwinning MumsBen PronkIt is my pleasure to end this season’s episodes with a conversation with my good friend, Ben Pronk. Ben is the Managing Partner of Mettle Global, one of the co-founders of The Resilience Shield, the co-host of the Unforgiving60 podcast, and an adjunct faculty at the University of New South Wales.
We discussed all things about life, how to build resilience, and the topic of his upcoming book: how to find happiness, not despite, but with the full knowledge, that we’re all going to die in the end.
Breadwinning Mums informs liste...
2025-11-161h 16Breadwinning MumsBen PronkIt is my pleasure to end this season’s episodes with a conversation with my good friend, Ben Pronk. Ben is the Managing Partner of Mettle Global, one of the co-founders of The Resilience Shield, the co-host of the Unforgiving60 podcast, and an adjunct faculty at the University of New South Wales.
We discussed all things about life, how to build resilience, and the topic of his upcoming book: how to find happiness, not despite, but with the full knowledge, that we’re all going to die in the end.
Breadwinning Mums informs liste...
2025-11-161h 16The Unforgiving60S5E17- Ashley Semmens: The Clearance Diver who is finning the English ChannelAshley Semmens is a former Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diver who served for 18 years, specialising in explosive ordnance disposal. He has deployed multiple times, including to Afghanistan, and participated in Australia's military withdrawal in 2021. After surviving trauma from an IED attack, a sniper incident, and a horrific shark attack aftermath in Sydney Harbour, Ashley was medically discharged due to PTSD. Now, he's preparing to swim the English Channel — not just any swim, but on his back, using fins. It's a fundraising mission for the Navy Clearance Diver Trust and a deeply personal journey into fear, resilience, and purpose.
...
2025-05-311h 08The Unforgiving60S5E16 – Jade MacDonald Razvi: Freediving and ‘EH4AR’Jade MacDonald Razvi is a prominent Australian free diver and occupational therapist. She holds the second deepest dive in Australian history and recently won a bronze medal at the Free Diving World Cup. On this episode we talk about Jade’s growing up and freediving- how it works and how she trains.
As well as EH4AR (‘everything happens for a reason').
00:40 Starts with Ben’s hijack!
04:15 Jade on her lineage and growing up.
07:15 Sign language demonstration for the podcast audience
11:45 Jade’s swimming background- swimming into life! And swim times. And injurie...
2024-10-311h 33The Unforgiving60S5E15 – Leigh Anderson: The Paramedic MindsetWe first had the privilege of meeting Leigh Anderson on the 2022 Resilience Retreat and have been stoked to stay in touch from there – particularly so given the recent publication of his book, ‘The Paramedic Mindset’. In this episode, Leigh talk with us about that book, as well as his 14+ years as a paramedic. Leigh discusses the ups and downs of the role including not only the amazing lifesaving assistance he has provided on countless occasions, but also those rare moments when his best wasn’t good enough. Along the way, he’s developed some impressive practical tools for grappling with pressure...
2024-09-0957 min
Behind the Badge005: The Resilience Shield - Ben Pronk DSCIn this episode, we sit down with Ben Pronk, Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) recipient and former Commanding Officer of the Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), to explore the concept of resilience. Ben shares his experiences from two decades of service, including his deployments to Timor Leste, Iraq, and Afghanistan, and how resilience became his cornerstone in overcoming the toughest challenges. We dive into his co-authored book The Resilience Shield and discuss practical ways to build mental toughness, bounce back from adversity, and apply these principles to both military life and everyday challenges.Want more on the Resilience Shield? Hit this...
2024-07-271h 22The Unforgiving60S5E13 – Bill Lennan: Making us 40% BetterThis week we host Bill Lennan who will teach us how to be 40% better! He was a kit who was introverted and had social anxiety.. so Bill built his own toolkit.
As Bills tells his story...
Friend: How'd you get that role?
Me: Talking with strangers.
Friend: What?
Talking with strangers is a gateway skill.
It enables you to talk with team-mates, stakeholders, leaders, execs, and clients. It also makes interviews way easier.
Let’s get into it
04:50 Bill growing up… and Tim n...
2024-07-181h 07The Unforgiving60S5E12 - Martin McPhilimey: Take a Deep BreathTim and Ben love breathing. Not just for the fact that it keeps them alive (although that is undoubtedly a strong benefit…) but also for the opportunity it gives to tap into the body’s autonomic nervous system and impact its emotional state. In this episode, they speak with Martin McPhilimey – someone who was researching the impacts of breath long before it was cool - and find out how the differences between some popular breathing techniques and when these are best applied.
07:30 Breath as the ‘core of the dynamic interplay’ between mind and body
08:30 Marti...
2024-06-201h 09The Unforgiving60S5E9 – Adam Blum is No Easy TargetCONTENT WARNING- This episode discusses mental health challenges and suicidal ideations as well as discussing the tragic death of a veteran.
Adam Blum had a troubled start to life, plagued by health issues and enduring a debilitating series of surgical procedures.
His school years were a torture.
Experiencing health and weight issues and diagnosed with ADHD, Adam faced constant bullying. His self-esteem was shattered under the weight of the relentless taunts and physical abuse of his peers. The persistent bullying continued into adulthood and in the workplace. At the age of 22, while suffering f...
2024-05-131h 11The Unforgiving60S5E8 – Riana Crehan ‘Suffers Well’; From Supercars to SAS AustraliaOn Riana during SAS Australia: “She’s a brilliant human. No bullshit, no ego, she just knuckled down and suffered well on the show” - Dr Dan Pronk
In this episode, Ben and Tim speak to television personality, SAS Australia candidate and all round superstar Riana Crehan- footnote that she is also a fellow West Coast Eagle supporter!
Brought up on a chicken farm Riana spent most of her childhood outdoors and dancing. In 2007 Riana got a work experience role with the V8 Supercars working on their onsite broadcast. The rest is (Supercars) history. She is a jou...
2024-05-021h 03
Dr. Ryan GleesonBen Pronk: Former SAS Soldier Teaches You How to Build ResilienceBen Pronk, a former SAS soldier and co-founder of The Resilience Shield. Ben explores the complex concept of resilience, which he defines as achieving unexpectedly positive outcomes in the face of adversity. He elaborates on the six layers of resilience, emphasising both innate and modifiable factors. These layers include nature and nurture, mental and physical health, social interactions, professional life, and the capacity for adaptation to unexpected challenges. Drawing from his extensive military experience and his work on resilience training, Ben offers profound insights into how individuals can strengthen their resilience through a comprehensive approach that incorporates physical fitness...
2024-04-291h 22The Unforgiving60S5E6 – Dr. Luana Main – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly of stress and (over)trainingThis week’s guest is Dr Luana Main, a Senior Lecturer in Applied Sport Science at Deakin University. An athlete herself, Luana’s research focuses on optimizing human performance and, in particular, finding the sweet spot between optimal load and overtraining. She has applied this research in areas including elite sport and the military and talks with Ben and Tim about how we can all apply some of these same concepts in our day-to-day lives.
04:45 Luana’s background – and the third-year uni lecture that sparked her lifelong interest in overtraining syndrome.
07:00 First of all – what is overtraini...
2024-04-2249 minThe Unforgiving60@RV31 - Reconciliation, Travel and Reflections on GuestsBen and Tim try to remember what an 'RV' actually is.... reconciliation and reflection, before we talk about our respective travel. From Morocco, Barcelona, Chicago, Brisbane, Hobart .... and more!
Then reflections on Jaz Diab, Dr Rob Barbour, Ian Prior and the Festival of Veterans Art.
Then as usual talking rubbish about the perfect Easter Egg, Popcorn from Chicago..... and encouraging outright criticism!
Music:
With thanks to The Externals as well as Ben Frichot
Contact:
www.unforgiving60.com
debrief@unforgiving60.com...
2024-04-0845 minThe Unforgiving60S5E5 – Rachel Vickery “Don’t Fix Broken – Create Awesome”In this episode, Ben and Tim speak to Rachel Vickery. Rachel spent her formative years as a national level gymnast and Commonwealth Games representative for her native New Zealand before training as a respiratory physiotherapist. Drawing from this unique background, Rachel now works to help people increase their performance in domains ranging from NBA basketball to the boardroom. Rachel shares her thoughts on how to deal with stress, both in your daily life and at ‘go time’ and provides a unique insight into some of the pressures faced by athletes and coaches at the elite levels of sport. And to wrap...
2024-03-151h 27The Unforgiving60S5E4– Creativity Builds Resilience: Artists in Foxholes @fova.org.auDo you believe that being creativity builds resilience?
Well this week we aim to convince you so get ready. In support of the the upcoming www.fova.org.au we outline how:
when you engage in creative activities, you increase your brain’s capacity for creative thinking, pattern recognition, and developing visual-spatial skills.
These skills enhance your problem-solving abilities in real-life situations
From Ruth Richards (Harvard), “Engaging in creative behaviours, makes us more dynamic, conscious, non-defensive, observant, collaborative, and brave.”
“Everyday creative activity is a path to flourishing”- Conner, DeYoung and Silvia in the Jour...
2024-03-071h 03The Unforgiving60S5E3– Ian Prior: How Professional Athletes Stay In the ArenaIan Prior is MORE than just a professional rugby player with over a decade of ‘high speed collisions in confined spaces’. He’s incredibly well read and researched. He meditates and practices journaling. He uses ice baths and loves the beach. He’s about performance and optimisation, but uses that to improve his being a dedicated father and husband.
This is also a story about tenacity. In the early stages of his career Ian was on the fringes of representative and first class rugby. But his determination and commitment to self improvement got him playing across th...
2024-02-291h 36The Unforgiving60S5E2– Dr Rob Barbour: SAS Doctor Out of AfricaGet a medical degree and then do SAS selection – as a Doctor!? Sounds mad. Well listen in.
Born in Kenya, Dr Rob Barbour spent his formative years in Australia gaining a medical degree and serving in the Australian special forces including on peacekeeping missions.Having never lost his love for his birthplace, Rob migrated to Tanzania to start a socially responsible and community conservation orientated safari operation and a private community conservation area.
Rob subsequently joined Epic Private Journeys as a partner and private guide in Eastern and Southern Africa where he was able to sh...
2024-02-221h 23The Unforgiving60S5E1B – Jaz Diab – Special Forces Nuclear Scientist, Nerd and Mum! Part BIn this episode, we continue our chat with Jaz Diab, the multi-talented former Commanding Officer of the Australian Special Operations Engineer Regiment. Jaz reflects on her experiences as one of the first females in combat roles within Special Operations, before looking at her transition out of the military and subsequent focus on nuclear science. Jaz then talks us through some of the difficulties in progressing the conversation related to nuclear energy in Australia, as well as her role as the President of Women in Nuclear – Australia.
01:30 Was Jaz forging a new path for women through her example...
2024-02-1556 minThe Unforgiving60S5E1A – Jaz Diab: Special Forces Nuclear Scientist, Nerd and Mum! Part AIn this special double episode, we talk with Jaz Diab – a mum, a self-described ‘nerd’ and crochet aficionado, who also happens to be a nuclear scientist and the former Commanding Officer of the Australian Special Operations Engineer Regiment. Jaz talks us through her childhood, getting bitten by the science bug and her eventual entry into the military, as well as her experiences as a (very humble) trailblazer for females in combat roles. And along the way, reflects on some of the key decisions she’s made throughout her life and the potential crossover between Broadway actors and Army officers!
2024-02-0644 minThe Unforgiving60@RV30 – The Season 5 Kick OffIn this RV Ben and Tim discuss last year’s events, why they didn’t podcast last year, and where and what they have been up to.
01:00 Where have we been and why have we been off air?
01:50 Thanks to you and Vale Tim ‘Robbo’ Robertson- an inspiration to us
06:30 Tim runs The Wine Marathon
09:30 Ben talks running
14:00 Talking about 2023 travel destinations
15:00 Languages…. And Emily drops in to give an opinion
26:30 Tim talks about losing his Dad in October 2023
30:00 Resilience Mentor courses
32:55 Case Study- Leadership- Imposte...
2024-01-271h 06The Unforgiving60Season 5 - And We're Back!Ben and Tim are back for Season 5 of the Unforgiving60 podcast..... some amazing new guests lined up as well as new format (albeit with the same old dudes).
debrief@unforgiving60.com
2024-01-2602 min
Getting To The Heart Of It#10: Always a little further with Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk and Tim CurtisJoin us on an extraordinary journey with three Australian SAS veterans: Dr. Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk, and Tim Curtis. In this episode of "Always a little further," these remarkable individuals, who are also the authors of the book "The Resilience Shield," share their unique perspectives on overcoming adversity, shaped by their special operations experience. "The Resilience Shield" is not just another book. It is a powerful manual meticulously crafted from their lived experiences and cutting-edge academic research. Through their stories, you will gain insights into mastering your mindset, navigating the world's complexities, and finding happiness even amidst th...
2023-12-211h 03The Unforgiving60@RV29 – Events and Reflections: The Year in ReviewIn this RV Ben and Tim discuss the years events, trends and ‘best ofs’ now that the world has opened back up and life has returned to having velocity.
From books, global change, travel, music ….. and what challenges have the boys set themselves for 2023.
01:30 What is an RV?
03:15 Let’s start with some stats
05:30 What is the 5th rated country by download? You’ll be surprised!
07:00 Some of the guest episodes…. Reflecting
14:15 How guests fight back…. Maccas Christmas Card to the boys.
18:00 Musical interlude…. I on U by The Externals
18:45 ...
2022-12-211h 29The Unforgiving60S4E21- Ben and Tim on the Golds Gym PodcastBen and Tim are interviewed by Emily and Callum from Golds Gym.
***********
The SAS guys with MBA's and Authors of the best-selling book 'The Resilience Shield' join us on the Gold's Gym podcast! Tim Curtis and Ben Pronk are leaders in their field and chat to us about all things resilience. You can also take their test to find out how resilient you are.
Assess, understand and improve your resilience here:
https://resilienceshield.com/assess-your-resilience/
Resilience is a lifelong individual endeavour and you can get active in your own...
2022-12-121h 09The Unforgiving60S4E20 – Senator David Van – Politics and Conflict, at home and abroadSenator David Van is a Liberal Senator for Victoria, who was elected to the Senate in 2019. As part of this, and arguably as the main reason many Australians might recognise him, David has recently been very prominent in his support for the people of Ukraine. In this discussion, we speak with David about what this cause means to him and what the situation there might mean for all of us in Australia.
We also explore David’s fascinating background, which includes time as a horticulturalist, in public relations and as a ski instructor, as well as his extens...
2022-11-1751 minThe Unforgiving60S4E18 – Associate Professor Justine Gatt: Providing a COMPAS to navigate wellbeing and resilienceThrough their work with The Resilience Shield, Ben and Tim have become fascinated with the topic – and in particular, with evidence-based research related to it. A few months back, they saw an article talking about an Australian academic conducting a range of ground-breaking research into this exact topic and reached out to see if she would be interested in sharing her perspectives with the Unforgiving60. Associate Professor Justine Gatt is Lead Scientist of the Gatt Wellbeing & Resilience Group at Neuroscience Research Australia and the School of Psychology, UNSW. In this capacity, she leads a research program looking at the neuros...
2022-09-2150 minThe Unforgiving60S4E16 – David Knoff Redux: 537 Days of Winter in 65 minutes of podcast!We first spoke to David way back in Season 3, when he was kind enough to dial in from Antarctica and talk about his experiences as an Australian Antarctic Division Station Leader. At the time of that episode, David’s team’s trip had already been extended due to COVID, however at that point, he didn’t realise just how long he would be on the ice for, nor what sorts of challenges his trip would present him with. Turns out, the total deployment time was 537 Days, which ended up being the name of his outstanding new book.
In...
2022-08-241h 04The Unforgiving60S4E14 – Dr Michael Mumford: Pioneering Medical MarijuanaWhen many of us think about marijuana, our immediate thoughts are of illicit use. But across the world, this attitude is changing as researchers uncover the benefits of medicinal marijuana across a range of conditions. Progression within Australia has been relatively slow, however our guest this week aims to speed things up in this groundbreaking area.
Dr Michael Mumford started his career as an Australian Army engineer and saw operational service in Afghanistan with the Special Operations Engineer Regiment. He then studied postgraduate medicine through the army and is now working to increase awareness of the...
2022-07-2149 minThe Unforgiving60S4E13 – How to be Indistractable with Nir EyalLet’s talk how to focus! Nir Eyal’s is an incredible thinker- describing himself as a ‘behavioural design expert’- which is the point of intersection between psychology, technology, and business. Then add some behavioural economics, and a twist of neuroscience.
Our conversation in this episode ranges from how to be ‘indistractable’- the title of Nir’s book (and a word he invented), but also what tools and techniques can bring us to a pont of focus. And what about neurochemistry- is it real, or do we use it as an excuse? How can we correctly alloc...
2022-07-0455 minThe Unforgiving60S4E12 - Mark Wales: Survivor ReduxMark Wales is one of our favourite guests – so much so that Ben can’t remember how many times he’s been on the show (turns out this is only the second). But each time has been a great conversation, and this is certainly no exception. Mark, fresh off his momentous half-million dollar Survivor: Blood and Water victory, joins Ben and Tim to talk all things reality TV, tough luxury, fathering, books, music, Anzac Day….and conspiracy theories. A must-listen episode!
3:25 Welcoming Mark back for the second – or is it third?! – no, wait – second time!
5:30 On Surviv...
2022-06-251h 08The Unforgiving60S4E11 – Cam & Sharn Watts: Foxhole Buddies In the Fight Against PTSDThis is a very special episode of the Unforgiving 60 podcast. Over the years, we’ve spoken with a number of people who have suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder – and a number of people who are helping those who are suffering. But while a lot of the focus is – rightly – placed on the individual with this diagnosis, it’s rarely just that person who is impacted. In this episode, we get to hear the perspectives of both an individual who has fought PTSD – as well as his amazing partner.
Cam Watts spent almost 14 years in the Australian F...
2022-06-081h 33The Unforgiving60S4E9–Cleared Hot! Shannon Huffman Polson on flying Apache Gunships, bagging big peaks and being a badassShannon Polson was one of Americas first female gunship pilots. We talk flying and that incredible aircraft but also climbing, losing loved ones and grit and resilience.
After a childhood in Alaska, Shannon studied English literature and art history at Duke University then commissioned into the Army to fly Apache helicopters, serving on three continents and leading two flight platoons and a line company.
In the midst of school and flying came skydiving, scuba diving, big-mountain climbing and long-course triathlons. She climbed Tim’s dream mountain- Denali.
Now she devotes her work to sp...
2022-05-3059 minThe Unforgiving60S4E8– Olympian Melissa Wu is Diving Into Life!Melissa Wu is an Australian treasure- and of course Olympic, World and Commonwealth Games Diving medallist! Starting diving at 10, Melissa immediately fell in love with the sport… and here we are 20 years later. In 2008 she was the youngest Australian ever to win an Olympic medal in diving, and she is still medalling including in Tokyo 2020 Olympics where she won Bronze in the 10metre platform.
But she doesn’t much like water!
We talk motivation and how Melissa remains focussed and in the moment.
More recently she has been on SAS Australia, and she expl...
2022-05-121h 04The Unforgiving60S4E7– Brian Firth – Breathing – you’re doing it wrong!Breathing is something most of us take for granted. But the more we’ve looked into it, the more there seems to be to this ostensibly simple practice. You don’t have to search far to find a wide range of advice on breathing – ranging from the obvious, to the counterintuitive, to the downright strange! In this week’s episode, Ben and Tim take a deep dive into Buteyko breathing with one of Australia’s leading practitioners, Brian Firth.
Brian’s own struggles with asthma led him to discover Buteyko breathing. As Brian explains, Buteyko is not a breathing...
2022-05-041h 07The Unforgiving60S4E6– Mick Neven is Fair DinkumThe 3-way….. (or is it 3-peat?) with Mick Neven is here!
Either way for the 3rd time Mick joins us on the podcast. The first we were combatting the Zombie Apocalypse; the second Mick was Melon Head, and this time Mick is Fair Dinkum.
We talk about the show and presenting in comedy festivals. How comedy IS a team sport. And the differences between festivals… including the uniqueness of Edinburgh Comedy Festival.
03:30. The Stats on Mick Neven and the Unforgiving60 podcast. The etymology of 'Fair Dinkum'.... and why this fits Mick.
1...
2022-04-2155 minThe Unforgiving60S4E5B– Kev Toonen – Training SpecOps, Sports Stars and Celebrities: Part BIn Ben and Tim’s book The Resilience Shield, they refer to Kev Toonen as a ‘superstar Army PTI (Physical Training Instructor)’ - and certainly when they first met him, that’s exactly what Kev was – a thought leader in the development of special operations physical capability, who helped evolved SAS training methodologies, as well as prepare the amazing Monika Georgieva (see Season 2 Episode 3 for more on Mon!) for her pioneering attempts at the SAS selection course.
Since that time, Kev has taken his passion and knowledge for human performance to clients ranging from some of Australi...
2022-04-1359 minThe Unforgiving60S4E5A– Kev Toonen – Training SpecOps, Sports Stars and Celebrities: Part AIn Ben and Tim’s book The Resilience Shield, they refer to Kev Toonen as a ‘superstar Army PTI (Physical Training Instructor)’ - and certainly when they first met him, that’s exactly what Kev was – a thought leader in the development of special operations physical capability, who helped evolved SAS training methodologies, as well as prepare the amazing Monika Georgieva (see Season 2 Episode 3 for more on Mon!) for her pioneering attempts at the SAS selection course.
Since that time, Kev has taken his passion and knowledge for human performance to clients ranging from some of Australi...
2022-04-0646 minThe Unforgiving60S4E4 – Be All There to Enjoy the Moments of Magic with Psychologist Ali HillFor the second time Ben and Tim talk to psychologist Al Hill. The first time Ali interviewed Ben, Tim and Dr Dan Pronk…. And Ben and Tim nicked the audio!
This time around they interview Ali on ‘Stand Out Lives’. Talking ‘working from anywhere’, psychological transition and what leaders need to be aware of in this brave new world! Also- what are your moments
Ali is CEO of AFR Fast 100 company Pragmatic Thinking, Ali is a Psychologist, an award-winning business woman, an influential keynote speaker, producer and host of Stand Out Life podcast, regular on mainstream me...
2022-03-311h 00The Unforgiving60S4E3 – Dean Fechner: Sharing hard-won lessons on resilienceDean Fechner is a tough human. From a first career as an Air Force Physical Training Instructor, through subsequent work in law enforcement in places ranging from the Australian Parliament House to the battlefields of Southern Iraq, he has demonstrated an incredible amount of character and resilience. But his toughest challenge came not in uniform, but on the operating table. In this episode, Dean chats with Ben and Tim about how he built his resilience and how it was tested through the medical challenges that he has faced – and how he is now using the lessons that he has learn...
2022-03-251h 09The Unforgiving60S4E1 - Harry Garside: Fighting the good fight – inside and outside the ringHarry Garside is all about challenging stereotypes. So let’s start by challenging some of yours. What do you think of when you think ‘champion boxer’? Is it someone who dances ballet? Who paints their nails? Who augments their training with meditation, juggling and Schulte tables? If you answered no to these questions (or if you simply want to know what a Schulte table is!), this episode is for you. Fresh from his bronze medal performance in Tokyo, Harry joins Ben and Tim to open Season Four of the Unforgiving60 with an amazing reflection on his life to date – inside and outs...
2022-02-2854 minThe Unforgiving60@RV28 – Season 3 Finale ….. Reflections & into the FutureBen and Tim look back at 2021…. What a wild year it was and they give the key takeaways …. to takeaway!
Plus, listener and guest feedback.
** We also talk about Shannon Lemanski who on 12 Mar will be conducting the Better-at-Life Sprint Triathlon as part of the Mooloolaba Triathlon festival. This will see him attempt a 750m open water swim in combat cams, a 20km bike ride in body armour, and a 5km run with an 18kg pack – symbolising the 18+ Veterans lost to suicide in 2021.
Sponsor him at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/betteratlife-triathlon
Or l...
2022-02-1447 minThe Unforgiving60S3E20 –Standout Life with Ali HillAli Hill is a professional ‘head-mechanic’ (aka psychologist) and has worked with big businesses and small to improve performance. In this episode Ben and Tim are joined by Dr Dan Pronk to chat to Ali on her Standout Life Podcast.
We talk resilient minds and psychological drivers to being more (or less) resilient.
More on Ali Here:
https://www.alisonhill.com.au/
https://www.alisonhill.com.au/standoutlife
Our Website: www.unforgiving60.com
Email us at debrief@unforgivi...
2021-12-171h 04
Roll With The PunchesEP261 Gym Training For Your Mind | Ben PronkBen Pronk, Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) veteran who is now dangerously equipped with an MBA and a microphone as host of The Unforgiving 60 podcast joins me today to banter about all things 'mental deadlifts', mindset and resilience. From the battlefields of military life where I quizz Ben over the reality of, let's be honest, taking human life in the name of war. To maintaining a marriage and family life amidst the commitment to such career. I loved chatting with Ben and I think ya'll going to love him too! SP...
2021-12-1252 minThe Unforgiving60S3E19 –Lessons in Leadership with Randy PowellThis week Ben and Tim cross into America and join Randy Powell and guests on the Lessons in Leadership Show. We talk leadership, resilience and how Prince Harry got shot in the bum!
Each week Randy has conversations with leaders who have started businesses, founded charities, gone away to war, endured unimaginable hardship, and taken on breathtaking challenges, and through it all developed grit, perseverance, determination, and resilience. Ben and Tim haven't done much of any of that!
Enjoy!
More on Randy here: https://randallwpowell.com
2021-11-151h 28The Unforgiving60S3E18 - MCTI Teamcast – Creativity within Mission Critical TeamsThis week we plagiarise some content – and have an episode without Tim! Ben was recently invited to participate in a podcast with the Mission Critical Teams Institute discussing the potential links between creativity and the kinds of people who end up in Mission Critical Teams. This is an area of significant interest for Ben. There is an old saying that there are no atheists in a foxhole - while we’re not sure about that, Ben has noticed that there seem to be a bunch of artists in foxholes! On every deployment he has been on, he has been surprise...
2021-11-031h 52
Stand Out LifeEp 118 - Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk & Tim Curtis - The Resilience ShieldLife is hard for all of us. Rocketing rates of physical and mental health issues are a testimony to the immense pressures of our complex modern world - and then you throw in a global pandemic, economic uncertainty, and restrictions on movement. So how do we become strong and adaptable to face life’s challenges?
Three Australian SAS veterans reveal their groundbreaking resilience techniques to master your mindset and overcome adversity. They’ve culminated their findings into a book ‘The Resilience Shield’.
Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk DSC and Tim Curtis are Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) veterans with MBAs. They have o...
2021-10-3156 minThe Unforgiving60S3E17b – Hamish Blake: The Importance of Wheelies & Other Tips for LifeIn Part B of the Hamish Blake interview we talk resilience. As well as how Hamish practices mindfulness, meaningful challenges, the mind-body connection and The Melbourne Football Club!
We also talk about how to crack open a safe!
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
01:50 Hamish completes our Resilience Survey
06:40 Presenting the data on resilience
08:00 Resilience is more than strengthening your one-legged table
08:45 Friends v family
12:00 Picking an activity to be bad at! Enter the wheelie!
14:30 Talking status and ego & mindset
18:30 The principle of locus of control
27:00 Hamish’s advice to...
2021-10-041h 09The Unforgiving60S3E17a – Hamish Blake: The Importance of Wheelies & Other Tips for LifeHamish Blake needs no introduction.
So, we won’t give him one.
Part A discusses getting into comedy, bombing and learning from failure and who/ what is the real Hamish. We talk about Hamish and Andy and sustaining a personal and professional relationship. And their trip into Afghanistan.
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
00:00 Hamish proves that he’s as bad as Ben and Tim on recording.
01:00 Why we are on a last name basis
03:30 How did Hamish get to be the Hamish he is today?
06:55 Breaki...
2021-09-2852 min
Leadership With RandyRandy's Lessons in Leadership with guests Ben Pronk and Tim CurtisWe’ve travelled around the world by zoom for today’s guests, Austrialian SAS officers Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis, co-authors along with Dr. Dan Pronk of their new book The Resilience Shield. Following years of special operations forces combat with the Australian army, Dan Ben and Tim saw firsthand the impact of trauma and post-traumatic stress. They dedicated themselves to years of research, study and interviews of others to develop their model of layers of Resilience, and wove the stories of their own journey and those they interviewed into their incredible and insightful book. You can learn more about thei...
2021-09-161h 25
Leadership With RandyHighlights of Lessons in Leadership with guests Ben Pronk and Tim CurtisWe’ve travelled around the world by zoom for today’s guests, Austrialian SAS officers Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis, co-authors along with Dr. Dan Pronk of their new book The Resilience Shield. Following years of special operations forces combat with the Australian army, Dan Ben and Tim saw firsthand the impact of trauma and post-traumatic stress. They dedicated themselves to years of research, study and interviews of others to develop their model of layers of Resilience, and wove the stories of their own journey and those they interviewed into their incredible and insightful book. You can learn more about thei...
2021-09-1607 min
Kerwin Rae PodcastThe 6 Steps To Greater Resilience | Ben Pronk | S2E22An Ex-Special Forces operative with 24 years in the Australian Army and the co-founder of the Mettle Global consultancy, today I interview Ben Pronk. Ben is a specialist in risk, resilience, process improvement and leadership in high-pressure situations and in this episode we discuss the Resilience Shield, decision fatigue, hacks to increase motivation and more. Ben has just released a new book called The Resilience Shield: SAS Resilience Techniques to master your mindset and overcome adversity. Find out more in the link below: 0:00 Intro 1:39 Ben's story 12:34 The SAS selection process 16:44 The Locus of Focus 19:41 Defining resilience & grit - 6 layers of the...
2021-09-1257 min
UNSTOPPABLE with Kerwin RaeThe 6 Steps To Greater Resilience | Ben Pronk | S2E22An Ex-Special Forces operative with 24 years in the Australian Army and the co-founder of the Mettle Global consultancy, today I interview Ben Pronk. Ben is a specialist in risk, resilience, process improvement and leadership in high-pressure situations and in this episode we discuss the Resilience Shield, decision fatigue, hacks to increase motivation and more. Ben has just released a new book called The Resilience Shield: SAS Resilience Techniques to master your mindset and overcome adversity. Find out more in the link below: https://resilienceshield.com/shop/ 0:00 Intro 1:39 Ben's...
2021-09-1257 minThe Unforgiving60S3E16 – Christian ‘Boo’ Boucousis – The Fighter Pilot MindsetSince as long as he could remember, Boo wanted to be a fighter pilot. Even before he’d seen Top Gun! In this episode, Ben and Tim pick Boo’s brains about his connection to purpose, the difference between ‘High Performance’ and ‘Deep Performance’ and how he and the team at Afterburner have helped countless corporate clients embrace the fighter pilot mindset and improve their performance by adopting the mantra ‘Plan, Brief, Execute, Debrief!’
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
02:45 What would Tim’s callsign be if he was a fighter pilot?
06:00 Boo’s story, including how he found his dream to be a pil...
2021-08-311h 03
Becoming Badass#94 Resilience with Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk DSC & Tim CurtisIn this episode I had the pleasure of chatting with the authors of 'The Resilience Shield'. If you haven't heard of this book then you soon will. Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk DSC and Tim Curtis have co-written an incredible book on Resilience. It takes everything they have learnt during their time serving with SASR and combined this with research on resilience and brings you an epic collection of SAS Resilience techniques to master your mindset and overcome adversity. In this episode we chat about the book, the process of...
2021-08-1659 minThe Unforgiving60S3E15- Dr Dan Pronk and the Making of Resilience (Shield)Following up from last week, this week we have Dr Dan Pronk back on the show to talk about the making of The Resilience Shield.
And what the three authors do in their lives to contribute to their own Resilience Shields.
More on The Resilience Shield is here...
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
no show notes this week. Email us if you love show notes!
Contact Us:
www.unforgiving60.com
debrief@unforgiving60.com
Music:
The Externals
2021-08-131h 21The Unforgiving60S3E14- Life on the Line Reciprocal: SAS Resilience with Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk and Tim CurtisAlex Lloyd from Life on the Line Podcast interviews Ben, Tim and Dr Dan Pronk discussing resilience.
More about the incredible Life on the Line Podcast here:
More on the amazingly selfless Alex Lloyd here:
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Life on the Line Episode Notes:
Alex Lloyd interviews three Australian Special Forces veterans about the secrets to unlock greater personal resilience.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk DSC and Tim Curtis return to the show in this sp...
2021-08-051h 14
Life on the LineSAS Resilience with Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk and Tim CurtisAlex Lloyd interviews three Australian Special Forces veterans about the secrets to unlock greater personal resilience.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Dr Dan Pronk, Ben Pronk DSC and Tim Curtis return to the show in this special podcast to talk about their new book, THE RESILIENCE SHIELD. From lessons learned in Afghanistan to Sierra Leone, the board room to the hospital, the SAS veterans have demystified and defined resilience and unlocked how anyone can better equip themselves to overcome adversity in life. Alex Lloyd, the publisher of their book...
2021-08-021h 04The Unforgiving60S3E13 – The Reverse Episode: Ben & Tim Talking Parenting with Jump Daddy and Dr TomA very intimate, raw and special reverse episode- where Ben and Tim tell honest stories about their own families, as well as their philosophy on death and dying, and the values they have tried to instil in their own families.
- With Jump Daddy and Dr Tom from the Dad to Me Podcast.
External Links
More information on Dad to Me is available here.
About Us
www.unforgiving60.com
Email us at debrief@unforgiving60.com
So...
2021-07-1558 minThe Unforgiving60S3E12 – Talking Parenting with Jump Daddy and Dr Tom from the Dad To Me PodcastA hilarious episode with Dr Tom and Jump Daddy who have a podcast that acts as a translation service between kids and their fathers! These two are as smart and funny as …. They interviewed Ben and Tim about parenting on the Dad to Me Podcast; and now Ben and Tim get their own back! The revenge episode!
The Dad to Me podcast interviews the world's hottest fathers. The series poses questions grown children have always wanted to ask their own dads, but have somehow felt too awkward, out-of-place or simply scary to ask.
Intel...
2021-06-2559 minThe Unforgiving60S3E11 – Dr Richard Magtengaard: Psychiatrist- Understanding Your Lizard BrainWhat do we do better? Decommissioning aircraft or decommissioning people? This episode will explore how well we do the latter.
Dr Richard Magtengaard is a psychiatrist with near 20 years of clinical experience, working extensive with veterans and first responders. But he’s pretty different to who and what you might expect...
Firstly, Richard served for 10 years as an officer in the Royal Australian Navy, before retiring to complete his Postgraduate Degree within Medicine (MBBS) and then into psychiatry.
Secondly, Richard prefers to use non-conventional therapies over medication.
We ask Richard about the merit of art th...
2021-06-171h 23The Unforgiving60S3E10 – Nicho Plowman – Meditation and the Cinema of LifeNicho Plowman reckons our lives are like an amazing movie – the trouble is that most of us are sitting way too close to the screen and being overwhelmed by it! In this podcast, Nicho, an entrepreneur and vedic meditation teacher, talks to us about the incredible benefits of using a meditation practice to move a few rows back in the movie of your life. Reflecting on his own journey into meditation, Nicho shares the history and principles of vedic meditation and some of the benefits that he has derived from his practice – not least of which is the ability to get...
2021-06-101h 01The Unforgiving60S3E9 – Dr Lies Notebaert: On Resilience & AdversityDr Lies Notebaert is a psychologist who examines cognitive processes such as attention, interpretation, memory, and complex planning, in order to find out how these affect mental health and resilience in people who are dealing with adversity. She also happens to be our long-suffering research partner in the Resilience Shield project, who has single-handedly had to endure an almost endless barrage of dumb questions as we work to refine our understanding of what resilience is – and how we can improve it. In particular, Lies has been at the forefront of interpreting and analysing the first tranche of results from our...
2021-06-0358 minThe Unforgiving60@RV27- The Resilience RVBen and Tim talk about the book that they have written with Dr Dan Pronk titled The Resilience Shield.
What is resilience and stress.... and how does the scientific proof explain how we can be more (or less) resilient.
More information including the individual resilience survey is at: www.resilienceshield.com
2021-05-2739 minThe Unforgiving60S3E8 – Pete Naschak: US Navy SEALs, Red Bull Athletes and Resilience ShepherdsBen and Tim first met Pete Naschak when he was on exchange from the US Navy SEALS to the Australian SAS.
Pete is an expert in resilience, elite performance and getting the most out of the people he works with, which has included Red Bull athletes and members of the US Olympic Team in their preparation for the upcoming Tokyo Olympic games. Of course in addition, Pete is a former US Navy SEAL, with an incredibly distinguished military career, and a current board member of the Lone Survivor Foundation.
We caught up with Pete on the...
2021-05-201h 27The Unforgiving60@RV26 – On Simon Eastaugh, Lee Goddard and ‘Billy’ BillinghamBen and Tim look back on Simon Eastaugh, Lee Goddard and Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham before turning their attention to the withdrawal from Afghanistan- & what has been achieved. Plus, listener feedback! Reflections on Anzac Day 2021 .... and much more.
As always, please let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you – please email debrief@unforgiving60.com.
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
01:20 On Simon Eastaugh – Assistant Coach Fremantle Football Club
06:00 Why Ben needs a co-host …. Because of podcast time travel
08:45 On Rear Admiral Lee Goddard – Former Naval Officer and now at Minderoo Foundation
10:30 ...
2021-05-1358 minThe Unforgiving60S3E6- Rear Admiral Lee Goddard CSC: The Pride of the Fleet!Ben first met Lee Goddard on the high seas, chasing North Korean drug smugglers. Tim’s history with Lee goes back a bit further – to his very first days in the military as a young cadet at the Australian Defence Force Academy, where Lee was the Academy Cadet Captain.
Since graduating from ADFA, Lee has excelled in pretty much endeavour he has turned his hand to, from crewing the tall ship, The Young Endeavour, through to command of warships on operations in places like the South China Sea and the Persian Gulf, and then to running the entire...
2021-04-081h 08The Unforgiving60S3E5 – Talking Elite Footy with Simon Eastaugh - Fremantle Football ClubThe very funny 6 foot 7 Simon Eastaugh knows Australian Football from both on field and off field vantage points. He was drafted from his Dad’s farm in rural Victoria to Richmond at the age of 16. He played professional football for three different AFL clubs for over a decade and then transitioned from the field into the coaches box. Simon was ruck and development coach for the West Coast Eagles from 2010 to 2013 and coached Dean Cox and Nic Naitanui with both players taking out All-Australian honours during that time. Simon is now an Assistant Coach with the Dockers with a massive...
2021-04-011h 02The Unforgiving60@RV25 – Season 3 Opener! On Mick Neven, Jacqui Lambie, David Knoff and Nick HudsonSeason 3!?! > How did that happen?! These guys should have been sacked!
***
The first RV of the third season! And what a cracking season opener – the boys look back with fondness on the season’s start, and in particular the interview with comedian Mick Neven, Senator Jacqui Lambie, Iceman David Knoff and Chief Push-up Officer Nick Hudson, before turning their attention to listener feedback – and some new music!
As always, please let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you – please email debrief@unforgiving60.com.
Intelligence Summary (INTS...
2021-03-2547 minThe Unforgiving60S3E1- Comedian Mick Neven is (a) Melon HeadLaunching Season 3, Comedian Mick Neven is back! After conquering zombie apocalypses using SAS tactics with Ben and Tim nearly exactly 12 months ago, Mick is back- as a Melon Head!
We talk about what is off limits, being a Melon Head, living in self isolation, about Mick being bullied, how to write gags, stagecraft and the unwritten rules of comedians.
Get your laughing gear around this..... Enjoy!
www.mickneven.com.au
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
03:30 Mick’s statistics on the Unforgiving60 podcast.
06:10 2020- The Year in Review for Mick (and Comedian...
2021-02-111h 04The Unforgiving60@RV24- Season 2 FinaleBen and Tim have now survived two seasons without getting cancelled! (Full disclosure – no-one pays us, so we can’t really get cancelled!).
In this final episode for the second season, Tim and Ben reflect on our recent discussions with Simon ‘Hawks’ Hawken and Anthony ‘Harry’ Moffitt, as well as a whole bunch of excellent listener questions and feedback – including a veritable library worth of outstanding books that we haven’t read!
As always, please let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you – please email debrief@unforgiving60.com.
See you...
2021-01-2843 minThe Unforgiving60S2E28 – A Story of Combat, Cricket and the SAS with ‘Harry’ MoffittAnthony 'Harry' Moffitt spent more than twenty years in the SAS. His multiple tours into East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan plus counter terrorist duties were coupled with his other love - cricket! He took a cricket bat on every one of his major overseas operational tours and had them signed by the most incredible groups of people. In this episode Harry talks passionately about his beloved SAS, tempo, tragic loss and trauma and the need for us to have wider life balance.
Harry is also a registered psychologist and we talk about what he knows now …. that he...
2021-01-2159 minThe Unforgiving60S2E27b – H Hour with Hawks: An Interview with Ben and TimS2E27b – H Hour with Hawks – An Interview with Ben and Tim
Part B of the interview by Simon Hawken (‘Hawks’) with Ben and Tim. Hawks had the misfortune of working for Tim and then Ben in a light infantry battalion in Townsville. Hawks knows them well and so it makes sense that this would turn the interview around and have him interview Ben and Tim.
We talk families and fathers. Joining the military and their days as junior officers in a light infantry battalion. It’s the personal stories of Ben and Ti...
2021-01-141h 32The Unforgiving60S2E27a – H Hour with Hawks: An Interview with Ben and TimSimon Hawken (‘Hawks’) had the misfortune of working for Tim and then Ben in a light infantry battalion in Townsville. Hawks knows them well and so it makes sense that this would turn the interview around and have him interview Ben and Tim.
We talk families and fathers. Joining the military and their days as junior officers in a light infantry battalion. It’s the personal stories of Ben and Tim as they reminisce.
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
02:50 About Ben’s Dad (Henk) … an army helicopter pilot.
09:30 The SAS and how they deal with tough...
2021-01-071h 20The Unforgiving60@RV23 – Happy New Year!As usual, Ben and Tim have not been invited to any cool New Years parties, so instead bring you this special RV where they talk all things 2020 including COVID, crisis management – and a book about resilience!
And we promise guests next week!
As always, please let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you – please email debrief@unforgiving60.com.
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
01:00 Broad reflections on 2020. Not much happened….
02:45 COVID-19 and crisis management – throw out the textbook and start thinking!
05:30 No improvement noted over 2020 in Ben and Tim’s skills...
2020-12-3139 minThe Unforgiving60@RV21 – On Meditating with Gary Gorrow, Surviving Massacres with Wayne Jones and Dying Three Times with Coco QuirkeThree interviews with three amazing guests, covering a range of topics that take us from the benefits of meditation, through the battlefields of Rwanda and Afghanistan and all the way to the Australian Stock Exchange. Our discussion with Gary Gorrow was incredibly thought-inspiring and re-affirmed our belief in the positive benefits of meditation – we reflect on this, and chat talk about Tim’s experiences with meditation, mindfulness and breathing. We look back on our discussion with Wayne Jones and how he has managed to successfully translate his decades of operational experience into his current role as the CEO of an ASX...
2020-11-1930 minThe Unforgiving60@RV20 - On Parenting – and other dilemmas!We’ve been a little slack with the RVs this year – we’re blaming it on the fact that we’ve had a whole heap of outstanding guests, however have found a break in the battle this week to reflect on some of those conversations. During this episode, we’ve grouped a few of the recent interviews into the topic of parenting and childhood. Over the past few weeks, we’ve learnt a lot from Steve Biddulph, Rick Pedley-Smith, David Gillespie and Marc Mexsom on what right (and wrong) looks like when it comes to raising children and in this RV, we loo...
2020-10-2931 minThe Unforgiving60S2E24- Marc Mexsom: When your cause is bigger than your case - Community CourageTrigger Warning. At the age of 14, Marc Mexsom was sexually abused by two much older men, in positions of power over him. In this moving episode, Marc tells his story; of the impact of that event, of the turmoil of keeping this secret inside him for 22 years and of the unimaginable courage to finally speak out about it.
Within 10 days of going public, Marc founded the Australian Not-for-Profit Charity, 'Community Courage', with a stated mission to encourage and support the reporting of current and historical child sexual abuse in the Australian community and for the elimination of chi...
2020-10-121h 04The Unforgiving60S2E23 – Hard to Keep Killed - McQuilty ‘Coco’ Quirke, NSCMcQuilty ‘Coco’ Quirke has died three times and also been awarded the Nursing Service Cross. In this incredible interview Ben and Tim talk to a career Army medic whose life is anything but ordinary.
Coco talks about the incident where he was awarded the NSC, and life beyond into the operational theatres of Iraq and Afghanistan. It was in Afghanistan where Coco found himself blown up by a roadside bomb. After all the medic was not the one who was supposed to get hurt. In the attack, Coco suffered two shattered vertebrae, a shattered left femur, a brok...
2020-10-051h 19The Unforgiving60S2E22- David Gillespie – Inside Teen BrainsDavid Gillespie describes himself as a father of six, a recovering corporate lawyer, a former co-founder of a successful software company and the author of eight bestselling books. He is widely known for his book Sweet Poison, which he wrote after recognising that the traditional dietary advice he was being sold wasn’t working. Since then, he has written extensively on issues that are close to his heart, including his latest work Teen Brain. This fantastic book should be compulsory reading for anyone who has anything to do with a teenager – it explains in very accessible terms the chemistry of teen...
2020-09-251h 04The Unforgiving60S2E21b – Wayne Jones: ex SAS Sky God and Rock Star turned ASX CEOPart B of our special double episode with Wayne Jones. Wayne picks up where we left off last week by talking about his transition out of the military… and into life as a CEO of the ASX listed iFly Australia. Taking a lot of risks and being supported by mentors including Steve Baxter… this is the story.
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
01:45 Intro from Tongue Charge
02:00 About the song ‘Kelly’s Last Dance … and then we play some of it.
03:50 The song ‘One Crowded Hour’, Wayne could never remember the song … and then we play some o...
2020-09-1047 minThe Unforgiving60S2E21a- Wayne Jones: ex SAS Sky God and Rockstar turned ASX CEOA former SAS soldier, many people would now know Wayne Jones as the co-founder, CEO and Director of the Indoor Skydive Australia Group, an ASX listed company operating wind tunnels throughout Australia and the near region. However, prior to his success in business, Wayne honed his freefall skills within the SAS Regiment, including leading the first operational military freefall mission in the history of the Australian Army.
In this special double episode, Wayne talks to Ben and Tim about his experiences inside and outside of uniform. In this first installment, Wayne shares a little about his background in...
2020-09-041h 02The Unforgiving60S2E20- Understanding Meditation with the Expert- Gary GorrowBased in Byron Bay, Gary is one of the world’s leading meditation teachers, with over 15 years of experience. Gary has given elite persons, actors, personalities and the ‘normal’ amongst us, an ‘edge’ through meditation. His client list includes Jessica Gomes, Jamie Durie, Gemma Ward, Hamish Blake and many many more. More widely Gary has worked with thousands of people from all walks of life and his services are sought after by some of the world’s leading
companies for his innovative meditation and mindfulness programs. He runs retreats, workshops and training Courses around the world.
We talk mindfulnes...
2020-08-2856 minThe Unforgiving60@RV19- On Beth Eggleston, Dr Linda Monshizadeh, Kim Martens & More on the SAS Selection CourseIn this episode, Ben and Tim reminisce about recent chats with some incredible guests, including humanitarian Beth Eggleston, plastic surgeon Linda Monshizadeh and security guru Kim Martens. And following those three amazing ladies, they bring another amazing lady, Monika Georgieva, back into the studio to ask some additional questions about the infamous SAS Selection Course, including the highs and lows, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and self-doubt. And finally, a whole bunch of outstanding emails, questions and feedback from listeners.
As always, please let us know what you think! Good, bad or indifferent, we’d love to hea...
2020-08-201h 10The Unforgiving60S2E19- David Olney: More Blind Insights on Collaboration & Battlefield InnovationWe couldn’t get enough into the first episode (Season 2 Epi 8) so here is the sequel. Another episode with David Olney -the smartest guy in the room on solving complex and wicked problems. In this episode we talk collaboration and innovation. Why is doctrinal thinking rewarded and how can we break paradigms.
David lectures on applied thinking, complex problem solving, philosophies of violence, group psychology, terrorism, strategic culture, and the clash of civilizations. He knows plenty of stuff.
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
04:00 Why we are back again
06:05 David’s question of Ben and Tim on collabor...
2020-08-1253 minThe Unforgiving60S2E18 – Turning Troubled Boys into Good Men with Rick Pedley-SmithRick Pedley-Smith is a good man. And, through his selfless work in developing and running the Rite of Passage Boys’ Program, he’s helping to make more good men. Rick began his career in 1997 as a classroom teacher in Sydney before heading to the UK where he worked as a classroom teacher and outdoor education coordinator for an ‘Emotional & Behavioural Disorder Unit’ in West London.
Then for the past 16 years, Rick has worked at one of Sydney’s largest high schools.
The Rite of Passage Boys’ Program is Rick’s initiative which aims to re-engage and support boys...
2020-08-051h 03The Unforgiving60S2E16 – Understanding Complexity with Dave Snowden (Comfort in Chaos and Uncertainty)Tim and Ben have previously drawn extensively on Dave Snowden’s material as a means of sense-making in complex environments. And here he is in person (virtually). In particular, Snowden’s Cynefin (pronounced ‘kin-ev-in’) framework has proven consistently to be an incredibly useful and intuitive sense-making tool for leaders in all contexts.
In the period of heightened COVID-19 risk it has been highly instructional to the management teams that Tim and Ben work with.
In this episode, Dave joins us from the UK and speaks to not only Cynefin, but also complexity...
2020-07-2259 minThe Unforgiving60S2E15- Phil M Jones: Using Words for Influence and Impact (ie = ‘Sales’ (is not a dirty word))Phil M Jones is one of the world’s best salespersons. But Phil admits that his success is related to his ability to only do three things. Phil’s started understanding ‘the art of sales’ with a car wash at the age of 14 when he discovered he was earning more than his school teachers. So, as a result he limited his time going to school!
Phil was the youngest Sales Manager in the history of UK fashion retailer Debenhams. He then worked with UK Premier League Football Clubs on negotiating sponsorships and licensing agreements, to then being a key pa...
2020-07-151h 15The Unforgiving60S2E14- Kim Martens: Surviving High Risk Environments from KFC to Karrada!Kim Martens is a high-risk expert in intelligence and security risk management who has worked extensively in hostile environments. She has been attacked by rockets, mortars and improvised explosive devices in Iraq. She’s even hard core enough to even have proposed to her love in Iraq! And then stood beside that same fiancée after he was later blown up in Iraq.
After her first career in the police Kim was one of the first female close protection operators into Iraq. She then worked with the United Nations and the Australian Diplomatic Mission in Iraq before ret...
2020-07-0846 minThe Unforgiving60S2E13 – The Beauty from Within - Dr Linda Monshizadeh, Plastic SurgeonDr Linda Monshizadeh is a refugee (and triplet!) who spent her early childhood in Iran before her family moved to Australia. She excelled at school and ended up studying medicine, later specialising in plastic surgery.
In this episode, Linda talks about plastic surgery and her specialty – cranio-maxillofacial surgery – before reflecting on the overemphasis being placed on physical beauty in today’s society, exacerbated by social media. Linda provides an amazing perspective on ‘selfie dysmorphia’ and how it’s resulting in people seeking surgical intervention to try to look more like a filtered social media photo.
Intelligen...
2020-07-0157 minThe Unforgiving60S2E12- Beth Eggleston- The HAG! The Humanitarian Edition.Beth Eggleston is a Fulbright Scholar with over twenty years of experience in humanitarian coordination in a range of peace operations and humanitarian response contexts, working alongside host governments, local and international NGOs, and the United Nations.
We discuss the frictions between humanitarian operations and military operations.
Beth has field experience in Afghanistan, Liberia, Tonga, Costa Rica, Laos PDR, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam and has been on short-term deployments to Pakistan, Solomon Islands, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. Whilst working with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) in Afghanistan for several years, B...
2020-06-241h 11The Unforgiving60@RV18- David Olney, Dr Kate Baecher, Tempus Fugit Double Episode and Life on the Line SpecialIn this episode, Tim and Ben look back on their discussions with David Olney, Dr Kate Baecher and the amazing guests from their special Tempus Fugit double episode, before turning a very critical eye on their own performance in Alex Lloyd’s Life on the Line podcast.
As always, please let us know what you think! Good, bad or indifferent, we’d love to hear from you – please email debrief@unforgiving60.com.
Intelligence Summary (INTSUM)
01:30 Reflections on Dave Olney
01:40 How we first came to be introduced to Dave Olney – through one of...
2020-06-2143 minThe Unforgiving60S2E11- Against Life’s Odds: ‘Fugit Inreparabile Tempus': (It Escapes, Irretrievable Time) - Matt Williams, OAM is 'Willy Beating Cancer'"If you want to go fast go alone. If you want to go far go together" .... The Prime Minister of Australia re-quoted Corporal Matt Williams ('Willy') in his 2020 ANZAC Day address.
Why?
Well, the backstory is around 1700 people are diagnosed with brain cancer in Australia annually and approximately 1200 die from the disease every year. Brain cancer kills more children in Australia than any other disease and more people under 40 than any other cancer.
And Willy has got it.
Shortly after returning to South Australia from active duty in Afghanistan, 21-year...
2020-06-1749 minThe Unforgiving60Special Episode- SAS Leadership Volume II: with Ben Pronk, DSC and Tim Curtis (via Life on the Line Podcast)Another Special Episode with thanks again to Life on the Line Podcast, with Alex Lloyd. This is the second volume talking leadership with Ben, Tim again interviewed by Alex.
This time around they talk about:
- Their inclusion in Richard Baker's awesome podcast: 'The Last Voyage of the PONG SU'.
- Leading through COVID-19- complexity and chaos.
- Campaign planning and wargaming.
- Seizing high value targets in Timor Leste.
- Planning and executing elections in Afghanistan.
- Adaptation.... and an example in the tr...
2020-06-111h 15Life on the LineSAS Leadership Vol II with Ben Pronk and Tim CurtisAlex Lloyd interviews SAS veterans Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis for a second time, with the dynamic duo sharing more military stories and lessons of leadership and resilience.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian military veterans and records their stories. Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis are two veterans of the Special Air Service Regiment. The ex-SAS officers swapped their rifles for MBAs and now co-run Mettle Global, a business specialising in crisis management. They also co-host The Unforgiving60 podcast. In their second interview with Alex Lloyd, Ben and Tim share more anecdotes from their time in...
2020-06-111h 15The Unforgiving60S2E10- Against Life’s Odds: ‘Tempus Fugit’ ('Time Flees') - Tim ReynoldsTim Reynolds was a normal West Aussie kid, left school after year 10 to seek a trade in the Army. From the Apprentices School to commissioning as an officer, Tim’s career took him all over Australia and beyond, including operational deployments to Banda Aceh and Iraq, on exchange with the British 1st Armd Div.
After 27 years of service, Tim started an engineering consultancy in North Queensland, building it into a multi-million dollar company. He was driven and charging hard at life – right up until the point that “God hit him with a big stick”. In January 2010, Tim was diagnos...
2020-06-0340 minThe Unforgiving60S2E9- Dr Kate Baecher: Clinical Psychologist. Developing High Performance MindsetsDr Kate Baecher is a clinical and performance psychologist who continues to work with elite sporting teams, corporate leaders, law enforcement, members of Australia’s Special Forces and high-profile television personalities. She spent time in the Army and on operations in Afghanistan and East Timor.
Ben and Tim talk with Kate about overcoming fear, distress, discomfort, using distraction as a form of focus and whether post traumatic growth can happen naturally without psychological intervention?
And the extreme value of taking shots of Apple Cider Vinegar. As well as the role of breathing.
She is...
2020-05-2757 minLife on the LineSAS Leadership with Ben Pronk and Tim CurtisAlex Lloyd speaks with former SAS officers Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis.
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories. Today's bonus episode is with Ben Pronk and Tim Curtis, both former officers of the Special Air Service Regiment. Now they're in the civilian workforce, armed with MBAs. The pair spoke Alex Lloyd about lessons of leadership and command from their time in the SASR, from principles to specific action-packed examples, how those lessons influence their work and lives today, and their new podcast, 'The Unforgiving60'.
Ben and Tim...
2019-04-2538 min
The Good Life: Andrew Leigh in Conversation76. Ben Pronk on SAS leadership, elite fitness and why specialisation is for insectsBen Pronk on SAS leadership, elite fitness and why specialisation is for insects.
2018-08-3055 min