Your Time With James Sweetman

Episode 204 Behind the Pendulum Summit: Frankie Sheahan on Leadership and Focus

In this special episode, I sit down with Frankie Sheahan, co-founder and CEO of Pendulum Summit, for a wide-ranging and refreshingly honest conversation.
As well as chatting about this year’s Pendulum Summit, taking place on Friday 23rd January at the Convention Centre Dublin, Frankie shares insights into the thinking behind the event, the evolution of Pendulum over the years and what makes this year’s gathering particularly special. We touch on the stellar line-up of speakers including Brené Brown, Marc Randolph, Rory Sutherland, and Richard Susskind.
Beyond the event itself, our conversation goes behind the scenes, reflecting on past Pendulum moments, the realities and pressures of running a world-class summit, and Frankie’s personal approach to leadership, work life balance, and staying grounded when the pressure is on. It's a conversation not to be missed.

Episode 203 Book Review 2025

This week’s episode, the last in the current series, is one of my favourites, my annual book review. I speak about 10 books that have inspired, entertained and stretched me over the past 12 months, five non-fiction books and five novels.
From books about creativity, awareness and purpose, to stories that explore connection, courage, and the human condition each one reminded me why reading is high on my list of passions.
If like me, you’re a book lover, avid reader, on the lookout for a new read, or are curious about the themes and insights that shaped my reading year, then I think you’ll enjoy this episode.

Episode 202 Lessons for Leaders with Gerry Duffy

In this week’s episode, I’m joined once again by international keynote speaker and high performance coach Gerry Duffy (www.gerryduffyacademy.com) We chat about his latest book Lessons for Leaders, a collection of 28 practical and thought-provoking insights designed to help leaders reflect, grow and inspire. Our conversation explores what leaders are hungry for today and how common sense is not always common practice. Gerry also shares what his ideal week looks like and the leadership lesson that continues to re-teach itself to him. Whether you’re leading a team, managing projects, or simply seeking inspiration to show up as your best self, this is a conversation packed with ideas and insights.

Episode 201 The hidden cost of visibility

We all run the gamut between waiting to be found and waiting to be found out. On one hand we long to be seen and appreciated, on the other, we fear criticism and rejection. In this week’s episode, I explore the hidden cost of visibility, how it takes courage to show up, speak up and share our work with the world, but it’s the courage to rest and refill the well that keeps us whole. If you’ve ever felt that post-sharing wobble, or the emotional fatigue that follows exposure, this episode is for you.

Episode 200 Celebrating 200 episodes: Turning the microphone around

To celebrate 200 episodes of my podcast, I’m handing the microphone over! My friend and fellow podcaster Sharon Fitzmaurice interviews me in an open, heartfelt and often humorous conversation about life, purpose and my the journey so far. I share stories I’ve never spoken about before, from childhood challenges to coming out, from leaving the corporate world to finding my true calling. It’s the most personal conversation I’ve had behind a microphone, and I can’t think of a better way to mark 200 episodes.

Episode 199 'The things I no longer chase' - A meditative journey

This week’s episode is a reflective piece titled - “The things I no longer chase.” It’s a meditative journey that includes a meeting with my future self. It's also an opportunity to pause and consider what we can finally set down. If you’re in a season of reassessing what really matters, join me for this week’s reflection. It’s a reminder that sometimes the things we let go of allow peace to catch up with us.

Episode 198 In conversation with Samantha Kelly

This week, I’m joined by social media expert and entrepreneur Samantha Kelly. We chat about everything from practical social media strategies to the deeper power of connection and authenticity. With her trademark warmth and generosity, Samantha shares insights on courage, community and creativity, reminding us that, as she says, ‘If you can’t find what you’re looking for, create it yourself.’

Episode 197 Return on Attention

We’re all familiar with the idea of return on investment, but in today’s 'always on' world, I believe the real metric is return on attention. This week, I explore why multitasking is a myth and why busyness has become a hollow badge of honour. I  share practical ways to reclaim focus, from creating white space for quality thinking, to practising the discipline of exclusion.

When you manage your attention, you don’t just boost proactivity and productivity, you make better decisions and you create more space for what really matters. So if you’ve ever felt pulled in a hundred directions, join me as I explore how to increase your return on attention.

Episode 196 Productivity Anxiety

Do you feel guilty when you’re not being busy? Do you struggle to relax because your head starts listing all the things you should be doing? Do you fear that if you stopped, you’d fall behind? This is productivity anxiety and it’s the theme for this week. I explore where it comes from and why so many of us believe we have to earn the right to rest. I’ll share how productivity anxiety has shown up in my own life, as well as some practical strategies for counter-balancing it. So if you have a relentless chorus of ‘shoulds’ running in your mind, this episode is for you.

Episode 195 Trusting your intuition - recognising when life is guiding you

Have you ever felt nudged in a certain direction, or sensed something before it happened? This week I’m exploring the gentle power of intuition and guidance. Whether you call it gut instinct, soul wisdom, or divine guidance, I believe there’s an inner compass available to all of us. I share practical ways to recognise these signs and explore how guidance differs from the noisy demands of the ego. You’ll also hear personal stories, reflection questions, and gentle invitations to help you ‘tune’ in more deeply.