Two Keynotes, Two Worlds: Reflections from FILEX 2025

I didn’t know who Jack Delosa was before FILEX. And if I’m being honest, all I had to go on initially was a bio that read like a flex on how much money he’s made — for himself and for others. To his credit, he’s built businesses, made millions, and inspired many. But as the keynote opener for Day 1, I found myself watching, not listening. And not in a good way.

He looked dishevelled, sweaty, barely making eye contact with the crowd — perhaps it was just a bad day. But that wasn’t what rubbed me the wrong way. It was the tone. A "do-it-my-way-and-you ’ll-win-like-me" attitude that I find completely one-dimensional.

If You Want to Be Like Me, Get a Wife

No, seriously. That was the vibe.

Jack shared his routine like it was gospel: wake up at 5am, don’t let anyone speak to you until midday, date your wife weekly, spend quality time with your kids daily, and outsource all the rest — including the cooking and the mowing.

Cool story, Jack. But what if you are the wife? Or the solo parent? Or anyone who doesn’t have an entourage (paid or unpaid) to offload life’s admin to?

I’m all for boundaries and systems. But when success is presented as a simple formula based on privilege and resources that most people don’t have, it’s hard to take seriously — especially in a room full of fitness professionals who work split shifts, juggle side hustles, and do their own invoicing.

Simplify to Scale... But At What Cost?

His five slides were neat: focus on the highest-impact work (The Asymmetry Principle), scale with simplicity, leverage AI, and live in your “genius zone.”

It’s not bad advice. It’s just… familiar. The kind of messaging you’ve probably come across in a podcast or seen distilled into a snappy reel on TikTok. That’s not necessarily a problem — he only had an hour to deliver his message, and those kinds of frameworks are easy to grasp and repeat. But for me, it didn’t go deep enough. It skimmed the surface of success without anchoring it in the messy, complex realities that many in the room are living.

At our table, the mood was unanimous.

Where was the authenticity? Where was the relevance?

Enter Day 2: Dr. Paul Taylor

Now this is a man I have followed. For years.

Paul Taylor has a PhD in Psychology, a Master's in Exercise Science and Nutrition, and a background as a British Royal Navy Aircrew Officer. And now a PhD in neuroscience. But it’s not his credentials that get me — it’s his curiosity. And his ability to translate complex neuroscience into something you can actually use in your own life.

And Paul is a bloody good storyteller. All his messages were rooted in real-world situations. Now, I am not about to become a professional boxer any time soon (one of his stories), but how he broke down his training plan and habit stacking meant that I could take it and run with my own goals.

The Brain Learns in Motion

Paul spoke about the Pomodoro technique — 25-minute blocks of focused work followed by movement breaks — and how this boosts cognition and retention. Not grind culture. Not martyrdom. Just smart, science-backed approaches to doing good work and staying well.

He spoke about breathwork (yes, my jam), stress regulation, and building what he calls “Hardiness” — a kind of resilience 2.0 that comes from choosing small discomforts daily to grow your capacity. Things like cold showers, short bursts of physical challenge, and yes, breath control.

And that resonated.

From Surviving to Showing Up

During my two-year slog with long COVID, I watched one of Paul’s lockdown webinars on breathwork and cold exposure. It led me to a Wim Hof weekend. And even now, I finish every morning shower with 60 seconds of cold water. Breathwork and meditation are a daily practice for me, and they are as important as exercise, good nutrition, good sleep hygiene, and being social.

When I returned home after my week of conferences, I noticed a note under my screen that says:

“Practice the art of small discomforts.”

I don’t remember when I scribbled it or where I read it. But I read this scrappy note daily. And it reminds me that meaningful change doesn't come from hacks or routines that only work if you have a wife to do everything else.

It comes from staying curious. From putting the science into practice. And small sustainable changes that are built on your existing habits. And incorporating a bit of grit (small discomforts) prepares us for the harder stuff. Paul calls this Hardiness.

Final Thoughts (But Not the Tidy Kind)

I get why someone like Jack opens Day 1. He's big, bold, and probably sells a lot of tickets.

But the more profound shift? The kind that changes lives and how we live them?

That showed up on Day 2.

What do you reckon? Were you there? Did you feel the same or totally different?

Let’s talk about it.

If this struck a chord with you, I write regularly about all things women’s health, from menopause and midlife to fitness and beyond.

You can sign up for my newsletter here to get my Friday Muse and Monday Musings straight to your inbox.