Episode 248

Perform Under Fire with Leigh Anderson | Win the Day
August 5, 2025
Leigh Anderson is a renowned paramedic, author of The Paramedic Mindset, and expert in managing stress, fear, and adversity.
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In this episode of Win the Day:

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
― Viktor Frankl

What if you could stay calm, clear, and in control—no matter how intense the pressure? 🧐

Leigh Anderson is a renowned paramedic with 15 years of frontline experience in some of the most extreme, high-stakes environments imaginable. From natural disasters to marine rescues to pandemic deployments with the Special Response Team, Leigh has seen it all.

His diverse operational experience across urban, rural, remote, and marine settings has given him rare insight into how the human mind responds to stress—and more importantly, how to train it to thrive under pressure.

 

Leigh is the author of The Paramedic Mindset, a powerful guide to performing with poise, clarity, and confidence in any situation. Today, through his speaking, teaching, and writing, he brings these life-saving lessons to the public to help people show up stronger in their careers, relationships, and everyday lives.

In this episode:
• How to lead, adapt, and perform in high-stress environments.
• Lessons from life on the front lines.
• His best tips for success in everyday life.
• How to use failure to your advantage.

Let’s WIN THE DAY with Leigh Anderson!

Timestamps

00:00 Who is Leigh Anderson
1:26 Interview starts
1:54 The injury that crushed Leigh’s athletic dreams
5:39 The power of someone believing in you
9:13 What does a paramedic do
12:00 What being a paramedic teaches you about death
14:05 Life is suffering (find purpose in it)
16:48 The most stressful part of being a paramedic
21:13 The importance of a paramedic telling the patient the truth
23:40 What to do if your child is choking
25:41 Treating people under the influence of drugs
27:19 Do paramedics carry weapons for self-defense
29:50 Australian emergencies (snakes, sharks, box jellyfish, crocodiles)
35:10 Download your FREE Win the Day Action Plan
36:00 How paramedics avoid PTSD (and stay focused on the task at hand)
39:35 How to become more resilient (lessons from the SAS Regiment)
43:05 The gift of stress (challenge vs threat)
50:38 How to manage stress in daily life
56:18 The #1 paramedic habit to use every day
58:40 The luckiest survival stories
1:01:28 Affirmation
1:02:34 Rocket Round

 

Resources / links mentioned:

🎯 Download your FREE Win the Day action plan

🧠 ParaMind Online Course (for 50% off, use code: WINTHEDAY50)

📚 ‘The Paramedic Mindset’ by Leigh Anderson

⚡ Leigh Anderson website

📷 Paramedic Mindset Instagram

📝 Paramedic Mindset Facebook

🎬 Subscribe to Win the Day YouTube channel

💚 Give the Win the Day podcast a 5-star rating on Apple Podcasts

🙏 Give the Win the Day podcast a 5-star rating on Spotify

💕 Win the Day Facebook group

📝 Win the Day newsletter [weekly LinkedIn exclusive]

Inspiring quotes in this episode:
  • "The injury that ended my sporting dreams was actually one of the greatest gifts." — Leigh Anderson
  • "Positive self-talk is one of the best things you can do to improve your belief." — Leigh Anderson
  • “Give someone a kind word in their hour of need.” – James Whittaker
  • "You become a witness to suffering. Your job is to take away the pain." — Leigh Anderson
  • "It's a privilege to be there when someone takes their last breath." — Leigh Anderson
  • "I take more risks because I know that life's short. But they’re calculated risks." — Leigh Anderson
  • "Find the purpose of your suffering. Take on something that's worthy of it." — Leigh Anderson
  • "The most stressful point for all paramedics is the initial call." — Leigh Anderson
  • "It's very important the paramedic looks in control." — Leigh Anderson
  • "If we start to carry weapons, then we'll lose that trust." — Leigh Anderson
  • "Focus on the task, then the outcome will take care of itself." — Leigh Anderson
  • "Stop chasing the dream of being stress-free." — Leigh Anderson
  • "Change your perception. See things as a challenge, rather than a threat." — Leigh Anderson
Download Full Episode Transcript
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