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The Human Element with Joe Massey
The Human Element is an investigation into the patterns of our past and the potential of our future. We bridge the gap between the four fundamental pillars to understand the core of who we are:
• HISTORY: The context for understanding today.
• SCIENCE: The blueprint of our identity.
• EXPERIENCE: The frontier of human capability.
• PHILOSOPHY: The connective tissue between the other pillars and humanity.
From the ruins of Ancient Egypt to the cutting edge of CRISPR and the minds of elite performers—we interview world-class experts to uncover the "Golden Threads" that connect us all.
The Human Element with Joe Massey
#14 - Shane Fielding: Inside the Extreme Life of a Pro Swimmer
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
What’s it really like to beat Michael Phelps in a race… then spend 20 years processing the “what ifs”? In this raw episode of The Human Element, ex-Australian swimmer Shane opens up about racing in the golden era alongside Thorpey, Hackett, and Klim, the brutal 1% margins that decide Olympic dreams, and the car accident that derailed his final shot at the Games.
He shares the heavy toll of near-misses, the long road to reframing “failure,” and how fatherhood + converting to Catholicism reshaped his definition of success. From idolising superstars to realising they’re human, this is a heartfelt conversation about sacrifice, resilience, fame’s dark side, and finding peace beyond the podium.
If you’ve ever chased a big goal and wondered “was it worth it?”, hit play.