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Sustaining Excellence: What Longevity in Business and Sports Really Takes

  • Writer: lucymesbn
    lucymesbn
  • May 26
  • 3 min read



MESBN proudly hosted one if its most impactful discussions to date: "Sustaining Excellence: Health and Wellbeing longevity in Business and Sports" held at the state-of-the-art Brain and Performance centre; a DP World Company, the event bought together a diverse panel of experts spanning elite sport, neuroscience, corporate wellness, and high performance coaching .


The Central Question:

How do we not just perform at our best - but stay there - for the long haul?

In a time where burnout is widespread, mental health discussions are evolving, and recovery is fast becoming a business advantage, this conversation couldn't be more timely.


Key Takeaways from the Panel


  1. Sustainable Performance Requires Systems, Not Just Willpower.

    Clifford Tindell, founder of wellness tech platform Core Direction, emphasized that true wellness in the workplace starts with smart systems.

    "Its not about ticking a box - its about embedding wellbeing into your business model. When employees feel good, they perform better. And now companies are starting to see the ROI." He shared insights on how Core Direction's solutions are enabling Fortune 500 companies and government entities tp prioritise staff wellbeing across continents.


  2. The Body Knows Before We Do.

    Taif Al Delamie, Physical Performance Lead at The Brain & Performance Centre, highlighted the physiological cues behind burnout and recovery. "The atheletes who sustain performance long-term are the ones who prioritise recovery. Heart rate variability, sleep cycles, even screen time habits - these all matter."


  3. Adversity Can Be Our Superpower

    Ollie Ollerton, former UK Special Forces soldier, Channel 4's Who Dares Wins TV star and founder of Breakpoint, brought a powerful prospective rooted in mental resilience. "We know our phones better than we know ourselves. But silence - tuning into who you are - is a superpower. Thats where purpose lives." Ollie's journey from trauma to transformation captivated the audience , reminding us that sustained success is deeply linked to personal growth and discipline.


    The Middle East Context:

    The discussion also explored why these topics are particularly important in the Middle East:

    • The region's rapid economic growth has placed increasing pressure on performance, both in business and sport.

    • Cultural Shifts are driving conversations around mental health and wellbeing through stigma still lingers in some sectors.

    • With high temperatures, unique workweek patterns, and high-intensity industries, climate and lifestyle stressors demand regionally-adapted wellness strategies.


    Whats Next for the Future of Wellbeing?


    The panel closed by addressing concerns and hopes for the futire of human performance. And in MESBN style, we ended the panel by asking AI for their concerns on the future of wellbeing. To which, AI told us they "dont worry in the human sense" (slightly scary we are creating some superpower here as imagine our power without stress and worry....) but AI pointed to emerging challenges:


    • Burnout being normalised in hybrid work cultures

    • Overreliance on wellness tech at the cost of intuition

    • Inequality in access to wellness and recovery resources

    • The need to treat mental wellbeing as a core strategy, not a crisis response


    Final Thoughts


    Sustained Excellence isnt about chasing a singular peak - its about building the habits, mindsets and communities that allow us to thrive repeatedly, and over time. Whether in sport, business or life, the principles of wellness, resilience, and purpose are universal.


    At MESBN, we remain commited to creating platforms where leaders, performers and innovators can engage in conversations that matter-sparking change across industries and inspiring action.


    Special thanks to:


    • The Brain & Performance Center, a DP world Company - for hosting us in such a cutting-edge, energising venue.

    • First & Ten Productions - for their superb content capture and production support.


    Stay tuned for event wrap-up film, coming soon!








 
 
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