Mastermind: David Smith MBE

Mastermind: David Smith MBE

Author: Jeremy Snape April 20, 2022 Duration: 37:14

Many of us take our health for granted. In today’s episode, I invite you to pause and reflect on what’s important to you – and chase your goals with increased motivation. Today we are joined by David Smith MBE, the Paralympic Gold Medalist, who speaks about his battle with a rare spinal tumor and his attitude towards optimism, mindfulness and resilience. 

David is a Nike Athlete, speaker, writer and coach – and he has competed internationally in several sports including GB Rowing and British Cycling. David has overcome tremendous adversity and now shares both his experience in high performance sport and his first hand experience of fighting for his life with a rare tumor and living with paralysis. He pushes both mental and physical boundaries in the hope to inspire others to live a flourishing life. 

This is an abridged interview that I had with David Smith MBE for the Sporting Edge members community.


If you want to watch the full version of this interview, you can join the Sporting Edge Members Club to get 24/7 access to over 900 insights to accelerate your personal and professional development, apply the discount code PODCAST100 in the checkout here to get your first month free.


You can also join our Winning Mindset for Leaders Programme starting on the 9th May here


Linked mentioned:

David Smith’s website https://davidsmithathlete.com/ 

Good genes are nice, but joy is better – Harvard 


Connect with Jeremy

Contact hello@sportingedge.com 

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremysnape/ 

Twitter https://twitter.com/thesportingedge

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/TheSportingEdge

Website https://www.sportingedge.com/


What does it actually take to perform at the very highest level? That’s the question driving Inside the Mind of Champions, hosted by former England cricketer Jeremy Snape. For a decade, Jeremy has been on a global quest to decode the psychology of success, moving far beyond the cricket pitch. His conversations aren’t just with legendary athletes and coaches; he sits down with neuroscientists, special forces operatives, top-tier business leaders, and performing artists to find the common threads in their mental frameworks. Each episode of this podcast feels like a privileged access pass, where you’ll hear firsthand accounts of pressure, resilience, and the subtle thought patterns that separate the good from the truly great. You won’t just get inspirational stories-you’ll get tangible insights into decision-making, leadership under stress, and cultivating a mindset that thrives on challenge. Whether you’re an entrepreneur facing a critical pitch, a manager building a team, or simply curious about the inner workings of excellence, this series translates the principles of championship thinking into something you can apply. Jeremy’s unique background as both an international sportsman and a performance consultant allows him to ask the nuanced questions that reveal how these exceptional individuals consistently win, create, and lead. Tune in for a deep, practical exploration of what happens behind the scenes of remarkable achievement.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Inside the Mind of Champions
Podcast Episodes
Mastermind: Lt Col Susie Hines – Understanding Mental Wellbeing [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:14
Lt Col Susie Hines is an experienced mental health nurse who transitioned to the British Army and has dedicated her career to managing and delivering clinical mental health services for defense personnel. This conversati…
Micro-lesson #46: Ubuntu and the Boks [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:43
Today we’re exploring how both the New Zealand All Blacks and South African Rugby team have created an emotional competitive advantage over their rivals. They’ve both harnessed their unique heritage, culture and a higher…
Mastermind: Jonny Wilkinson CBE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:20:51
Jonny Wilkinson is one of the most respected sports stars in the world. His rugby playing career was underpinned by an intense perfectionism and attention to detail. He became a household name by kicking England's winnin…
Mastermind: Paul Nicholls OBE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:32
Once a successful jump jockey with 133 wins, Paul Nicholls OBE possesses the unique qualities essential to excel in this demanding sport. After a life-altering leg injury at 27, Paul transitioned to training racehorses.…
Micro-lesson #44: Mindset strategies for sport, business and life [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:27
In this micro-lesson, we're diving into a section from my recent interview with Andrew May on the Performance Intelligence podcast. This section covers confidence, resilience, and the importance of seeing ourselves as mo…
Brain Break [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:44
In this episode, I pick some key insights from the Sporting Edge Digital Library about the effects of chronic stress and the need for recovery periods to sustain high performance. Tune in as experts share their personal…