Habits of High Performers Podcast with James Laughlin
Habits of High Performers is a podcast for people who want to win at life without burning out or losing what matters most.
Each week, James Laughlin sits down with world class performers including prime ministers, elite athletes, billionaires, founders, and cultural leaders to uncover the habits, thinking patterns, and daily disciplines that drive sustained success.
These are not hype driven conversations. They are practical, grounded, and deeply human. The focus is on what actually works when it comes to performance, health, leadership, relationships, and meaning.
Hosted by James Laughlin, author of the #1 best selling book Habits of High Performers, high performance leadership coach, keynote speaker, and seven time world champion drummer, the show distils lessons from the world’s best into simple, actionable tools you can apply immediately.
If you want to perform at a high level, live with intention, and build a life you do not need to escape from, this podcast is for you.
Habits of High Performers Podcast with James Laughlin
Jamie Kreiner Studied 1,500 Years of Distraction—Here’s What She Found
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Pre-order my new book Habits of High Performers today and learn the essential principles to thrive in life and work - www.thehabitbook.com
Jamie Kreiner went back 1,500 years to understand your biggest problem today.
In a world obsessed with hacking attention, Jamie didn’t look forward—she looked back.
In this conversation, we explore her book The Wandering Mind and what early Christian monks knew about distraction, productivity, and deep focus that modern science is only just catching up with.
But this isn’t a conversation about history. It’s about attention. It’s about how we can train our minds, structure our days, and create meaning in a world full of noise.
What we cover:
- How monks framed distraction as a life-or-death issue
- Why modern productivity might be killing your clarity
- The ancient mental practice of “discernment”
- The link between mind wandering and spiritual mastery
- Why community, structure, and solitude work together
- How writing, meditation, and “think time” build better leaders
- What monks can teach us about balance, burnout, and being useful
- Why your thoughts aren’t you—and why that’s good news
Jamie doesn’t just bring history to life—she uses it to help us live more fully, more intentionally, and with far greater focus.
If you’ve ever felt scattered, unproductive, or unsure how to slow down, this is the episode for you.
This episode was proudly sponsored by NZ Mortgages. You can contact them here - https://www.nzmortgages.co.nz
- Learn more about Jamie here - https://history.ucla.edu/person/jamie-kreiner/
- Grab a copy of Jamie’s book here - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61089439-the-wandering-mind
Website: https://www.jjlaughlin.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GETJbxpgulYcYc6QAKLHA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JamesLaughlinOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameslaughlinofficial/ Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/life-on-purpose-with-james-laughlin/id1547874035 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3WBElxcvhCHtJWBac3nOlF?si=hotcGzHVRACeAx4GvybVOQ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslaughlincoaching/
James Laughlin is a High Performance Leadership Coach, Former 7-Time World Champion, Host of the Lead On Purpose Podcast and an Executive Coach to high performers and leaders. James is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.
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- If you're interested in booking me for a keynote or workshop, contact Caroline at caroline@jjlaughlin.com