Modern WisdomSONNY WEBSTER | Bad Days, Good Days & Staying Resilient | Modern Wisdom Podcast 114
CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 1:00
Life after a 7-year weightlifting ban: identity loss and moving forward
Sonny explains how his initial four-year doping ban became a total seven-year ban after an additional sanction related to coaching. He describes the emotional impact of having weightlifting—his lifelong identity—taken away, and why he had to “draw a line in the sand” to keep progressing.
- 1:00 – 3:50
Catching up & the weightlifter drinking culture
Chris and Sonny reconnect with humor, reminiscing about past nights out and Sonny’s ability to function the next day. Sonny links this to weightlifting culture—periods of strict training followed by post-competition blowouts.
- 3:50 – 6:27
Leaving the UK: Australia tour, new relationship, and rapid relocation
Sonny shares why he felt unsettled in the UK and how constant travel became an escape. After touring Australia, falling in love with the country and meeting Lyndal, he made a fast, decisive move to Sydney.
- 6:27 – 8:45
Visas, moving countries, and making change happen
They discuss the practicalities of relocating—passports, visas, and the reality that many people find a way if the motivation is strong enough. Sonny explains his New Zealand passport advantage and notes others use sponsorship or regional work routes.
- 8:45 – 11:34
Settling into Sydney + launching Sonny Webster Academy to scale impact
Sonny explains the motivation behind building an online academy: seminars helped a small number in-person but heavy travel disrupted his training and routine. The academy allowed him to reach thousands while reducing the cost of constant travel.
- 11:34 – 13:33
The hidden difficulty of online coaching: service, time zones, personalization
Sonny and Chris dig into why online coaching is harder than it looks. Sonny outlines challenges like maintaining high service quality globally, meeting different personality expectations, and balancing mass programming with individual needs and retention.
- 13:33 – 15:04
Athlete-to-coach shift—and the loss of competition
Chris asks whether Sonny still identifies as an athlete, a coach, or both. Sonny describes a new training approach and admits that being unable to compete leaves an unresolved itch, making the ban emotionally heavy.
- 15:04 – 19:43
The ban escalates: sanctions, seminar warnings, and perceived double standards
Sonny details how federations warned competitive athletes against attending his seminars and how the additional three-year ban came after he spoke publicly about his case. He criticizes inconsistency in anti-doping enforcement and the role of money/power.
- 19:43 – 22:51
Bad days, good days: using transparency to teach resilience
Sonny explains why he shared both successes and failures in training online: beginners and elites both face bad days, missed lifts, and low motivation. Experienced athletes can shorten others’ learning curves by showing how they manage setbacks.
- 22:51 – 25:20
A resilience framework: depersonalize setbacks and iterate fast
Sonny lays out his practical philosophy: acknowledge anger/frustration, extract the lesson, then choose the next route quickly. He uses a parking ticket analogy to show how rumination worsens outcomes, while swift acceptance preserves momentum.
- 25:20 – 28:26
Choosing your response: Sam Harris & Viktor Frankl in practice
Chris connects Sonny’s approach to ideas from Sam Harris about the fleeting nature of emotion and to Viktor Frankl’s claim that your response is the one thing no one can take from you. Sonny adds that calm responses can frustrate others who expect reaction.
- 28:26 – 34:28
High agency and ignoring the ‘keyboard war’: building despite critics
Chris frames Sonny as ‘high agency’—the type of person who finds a way through barriers. Sonny explains he avoids responding publicly to negativity, keeping social media as a positive platform while acknowledging the private toll it can take.
- 34:28 – 40:44
The content creator’s trap: algorithms, TikTok randomness, and consistency
They discuss how platform incentives reward shallow or accidental viral content over high-value education. Sonny notes algorithm slowdowns on Instagram, experiments with TikTok, and commits to consistency even when his most valuable content performs worst.
- 40:44 – 44:53
Business growth principles: outsourcing, incentives, and ‘skin in the game’
Sonny and Chris compare notes on scaling: hiring help, outsourcing weaknesses, and structuring deals so collaborators share upside. Sonny explains bringing on a videographer with revenue share, while Chris gives examples from YouTube and nightclub promotions.
- 44:53 – 55:01
What’s next: smarter travel, retreats, Saudi coaching, and giving back (Soweto gym)
Sonny outlines upcoming plans: reducing constant globe-zigzagging, focusing on routine and training, and still running select seminars/retreats. He then shares a bigger mission—building a gym in Soweto via a ‘Lifting Dreams’ charity, fundraising events, and even a wine project whose proceeds support the gym build.
