Episode #37
50: Travis Cochrane (The Technician): ADHD, Self-Worth & the Pressure to Prove Yourself
Episode title Travis Cochrane, The Technician: Who Are You Without the Achievements? Episode description What happens when you stop trying to prove yourself—and start asking why you felt you had to? Travis Cochrane, known as The Technician, joins Josh for an honest conversation about identity, self-worth, and the patterns we carry into adulthood. Travis opens up about walking away from a future with the Brisbane Broncos, struggling to fit in, and how receiving an ADHD and autism diagnosis helped him make sense of his life. He shares his journey into coaching, the cost of constantly pushing, and his personal experience of seeking support. Then the conversation turns back on Josh. Together, they explore achievement, control, fear of missing out, and the uncomfortable question: if you weren’t achieving, what would that mean about you? A raw conversation about asking for what you need, protecting your energy, and building a life that feels like your own. In this episode Can witnessing someone else’s resilience help you build your own? Letting people hold on to an older version of you. Ambition, self-worth, and the need to prove yourself. Travis’s experience of masking and late diagnosis. Recognising patterns around achievement and control. Boundaries, trust, and accepting support. Integrity and being honest about your capacity. Chapters 00:00 The Technician’s next chapter 03:16 Can resilience be learned? 06:43 Connection, men’s work, and finding breathwork 11:07 You can’t force someone to change 16:17 The cost of proving yourself 18:07 Purpose, trust, and taking action 28:09 When achievement becomes your identity 30:57 Understanding your parents 34:24 Diagnosis, masking, and fitting in 39:52 Walking away from the Broncos 42:31 Bullying, a mental health crisis, and starting again 48:43 Listening for the patterns beneath the words 54:11 Fear of being seen 1:00:06 Who are you without achievement? 1:05:35 Control, trust, and accepting help 1:09:42 Travis’s experience with diagnosis and medication 1:18:08 Building a week around your capacity 1:23:23 Boundaries and protecting your energy 1:26:07 Intuition and pattern recognition 1:30:33 Integrity, loyalty, and showing up 1:37:22 Future plans and the power of connection Content note Contains strong language and discussion of depression, suicidal thoughts, bullying, and substance use. Experiences of diagnosis and medication are personal to the speakers.
