James Owen Roberts Photography

24/08/2026

No, I didn't medal.

But that's an interesting way to define whether someone succeeded.

Around 11.9 million people in Britain were classified as disabled around the time of London 2012.

288 athletes represented ParalympicsGB.

I was one of them.

And four years earlier, I'd also represented ParalympicsGB in Beijing in a completely different sport.

So was the medal the only result that counted?

Or had I already achieved something extraordinarily difficult simply by earning the opportunity to compete at that level — twice?

Then you can bring Sir Alex Ferguson back in:

“You're judged on your results.”

I agree.

But which result are we judging?

21/08/2026

13/08/2026

I've been looking at productivity systems this week.

Pickle Jar Theory.

The 2-minute rule.

1-3-5.

3-3-3.

Timeboxing.

Task batching.

Getting Things Done.

Eat That Frog.

And there's something I think we get wrong about all of them.

We keep asking:

“Which productivity system should I use?”

Maybe that's the wrong question.

Because each system is trying to solve a different problem.

Too many priorities?

You need a way to choose.

Too much work expanding into the available time?

You need boundaries.

Too much context switching?

Batch the work.

Too many things occupying your head?

Capture them.

Avoiding the important task?

Do it first.

The problem isn't necessarily that you need a better productivity system.

It might be that you haven't identified what is actually creating the friction.

That's something I've started noticing more in business too.

Don't prescribe the solution before you've diagnosed the problem.

Sometimes the best system is the smallest intervention that removes the thing getting in the way.

What friction are you actually trying to solve?

12/08/2026

I’ve got quite a few new faces following along here, so I thought it was about time I re-introduced myself.

My name is James Roberts.

If you knew me a while back, you might remember me as a fitness transformation coach.

These days, things look a bit different.
I’ve shifted my focus entirely to Business Consultancy and Creative Strategy, helping entrepreneurs, sports organisations, and brands cut through the noise, build real resilience, and grow.

Being born with a disability, people often make assumptions.

They think you must view the world as adverse.
That you've got a chip on your shoulder.

Or an axe to grind.

From the outside, I can see why they think that.

Society loves to put people into neat little boxes, and being different meant I was already marked as an outlier.

I’ve had people look at me on crutches and say, "It must be hard for you".

Or whisper, "Such a shame".

Years ago, maybe that would have stung.
Now? I just shrug it off and keep moving.

Because here’s what I’ve learned over a lifetime of adapting, whether in elite sport, life, or business:

You don't let other people's limitations define your trajectory.

I’ve always been comfortable with who I am.

And that exact same mindset is what I bring to the table when working with businesses today.
We spend way too much time taking other people's beliefs at face value and letting external noise dictate how far we can go.

Life and business will throw obstacles in your path.

It’s completely up to you how you emotionally respond to them, adapt, and build what’s next.
So if you’re looking to scale your business, sharpen your message, or navigate a pivot of your own without the fluff…

Welcome.

You’re in the right place.

10/08/2026

Eight years ago, someone looked at me on crutches and said:

​"Such a shame."

​Back in 2018, my response was simple:

​Shrug. Move on. Don't take the bait.

​It made me think about where I am today in 2026.

​If you look back at who you were eight years ago...
​Are you still letting the same external noise get to you?

​Or have you built better armor?

​The world will always have an opinion on your life, your pace, and your path.

​The difference between struggling and growing isn't whether people talk.

​It’s whether you’re still listening.

05/08/2026

"I just assumed tap water was the best thing for me because it's cheap and treated. I never considered it might cause a problem."

A listener, , dropped me a message after catching the podcast episode with Doran on water quality and health.

What I loved about his feedback wasn't just that he found it interesting, it was that it forced him to look at a daily, automated habit completely differently. He went from a passive listener to actively questioning lifelong assumptions, navigating the real-world barrier of "what do I actually do if bottled water isn't practical?", and reading the research papers himself.

That’s the entire point of The Mindset Athlete.

It isn't about giving people neat, comfortable answers. It’s about starting the conversations that make you stop, question a default setting, and look at the evidence for yourself.

Curious about what raised those questions?

The link to the full conversation with is in my bio.