Patrick Foster is a speaker and bestselling author who helps organisations understand the hidden human cost of high-performance, including burnout, pressure, emotional exhaustion, unhealthy coping strategies, and fear-driven success. Modern workplace culture often celebrates the very behaviours that quietly lead to burnout and breakdown: perfectionism, relentless ambition, constant availability, emotional suppression, and identity tied to achievement. Many of the people who appear to be coping best are often struggling most silently because success is not proof that someone is okay.
A former professional cricketer, insurance broker, and teacher, Patrick appeared successful on the outside while privately battling severe addiction and deteriorating mental health. By 2018, he came close to taking his own life. His personal experience, combined with years working across education, corporate environments, and elite performance settings, gives him a unique perspective on the psychology of pressure, performance, and human behaviour.
Today, Patrick combines lived experience with leadership insight to help organisations better understand the behavioural patterns and pressures that often sit beneath burnout, stress, addiction, perfectionism, and emotional exhaustion in high-performing environments. His talks explore burnout behind achievement, fear-driven performance, emotional suppression in leadership, unhealthy coping strategies, psychological safety, and sustainable high performance. Patrick is also the bestselling author of Might Bite: The Secret Life of a Gambling Addict, praised by national media including The Times, BBC Radio 5 Live, The Spectator, and the Daily Mail.
Patrick has spoken for organisations including HSBC and Manchester City FC, alongside a wide range of corporate, education, and leadership audiences. His keynotes are emotionally powerful, commercially relevant, and deeply human. This helps leaders and teams create healthier, more self-aware, and more sustainable workplace cultures where people can perform without losing themselves in the process. Audiences leave with a greater understanding of hidden struggle in high performers, stronger awareness around pressure and wellbeing, and practical insight into building cultures where people and performance thrive together.
Patrick Foster's official speaking topics are listed below:
The Human Cost of High Performance
Why burnout, perfectionism and fear-driven success emerge in high-performing cultures—and how
organisations can build healthier, more sustainable environments.
Sustainable High Performance
How leaders create cultures where ambition and wellbeing reinforce one another, enabling people to thrive
under pressure and sustain performance over time.
When Success Becomes Identity
Why high achievers silently struggle despite outward success, and how organisations can prevent
identity-driven burnout.
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
“Powerful … electrifying … compelling …” - The Times
“Searingly honest …” - Daily Mail
“An extraordinary story … vital stuff” - Adrian Chiles – BBC Radio 5 Live
“Patrick Foster is a trailblazer.” - Marcus Trescothick
"Thank you for your time yesterday. I have received some really positive feedback today from your session yesterday, and we have today sent out the recording of the session to the whole company along with all the information you sent over yesterday. That was a moving and inspiring story, as you have clearly turned your life around, and it touched a lot of our staff. Yesterday was one of our highest numbers of attendees for our lunch and learns, which is fantastic. It clearly shows the importance of your message, and I am delighted you got it across to such a wide audience." - Chief of Staff, Apollo Underwriting
"Our daughter was absolutely blown away by his honesty and said that you could hear a pin drop during the talk and everyone was incredibly impressed and full of admiration for him. Such a sobering subject that they all walked out and talked about it for hours afterwards and felt they had learnt so much." - Parent of Pupil, Oundle School
"Patrick Foster’s story is compelling and important. He holds every audience – whether younger pupils, sixth formers or parents – spellbound with the power of the message he conveys. Gambling addiction, and indeed all forms of addiction, are a very real risk for the pupils in our care. I think that we have made great strides in forewarning them and giving them protective factors through hearing his message. Top-notch INSET and PSHE, and a charming person to meet and have around the school for a day." - Headmaster, Eastbourne College
"The personal story had a huge impact on all pupils and staff who listened to him, and this topic needs to be at the forefront of all PHSE programmes." - Chris, Headmaster, Felstead School
"Yesterday was one of our highest number of attendees for our lunch and learns which is fantastic. It clearly shows the importance of your message.” - Associate Director, HSBC
“Patrick Foster’s talk on Addiction and Mental Health was truly eye-opening.” - Health, Wellbeing & Engagement Specialist, Peabody
“His willingness to share his personal journey in such a raw and authentic way created a powerful and impactful session.” - Senior Performance Lifestyle & Player Support Manager, Manchester City FC
- 2024 - Director of Year 9 Admissions at Repton School
- 2023 - Director of GAM-Ed
- 2022 - Interviewed by LADbible Stories - "My Gambling Addiction Ruined My Life"
- 2022 - Author of "Might Bite: The Secret Life of a Gambling Addict"
- 2020 - Director of Educational Programmes for EPIC Risk Management
- 2018 - Head of Education for EPIC Risk Management
- 2013 - Cricketer for Oxfordshire
- 2007 - Cricketer for Durham UCCE, making nine first-class appearances
How to hire Patrick Foster
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Patrick Foster for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
