A master-class in personal and professional development, ultra-athlete, wellness evangelist and bestselling author Rich Roll delves deep with the world's brightest and most thought provoking thought leaders to educate, inspire and empower you to unleash your best, most authentic self. More at: https://richroll.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Rip Esselstyn: In Plants We Trust
A cornerstone of this podcast is celebrating the power of a plant-based lifestyle. Today we do just that with one of the movement’s most influential founding fathers.That father is none other than the great Plantstrong pioneer himself, Rip Esselstyn—returning for his second appearance on the podcast for a continuing dissertation on all things plants.If you caught our first conversation in December of 2017 (RRP 336), you already know Rip and I go way back. As swimmers we crossed paths as teens, later as college rivals, then decades thereafter as plant-based athlete and advocate allies. From the outset of my journey, he’s been a steady source of inspiration, encouragement and wisdom. An incredible mentor. A lighthouse. A loyal friend.For those unfamiliar, Rip was a three-time NCAA All-American backstroker at the University of Texas. After graduation, he spent a decade as one of the premier triathletes in the world. He then joined the Austin Fire Department where he introduced his passion for a whole-food, plant-based diet to Austin’s Engine 2 Firehouse in order to rescue a firefighting brother’s health. To document his success he wrote the national bestselling book, The Engine 2 Diet, which shows the irrefutable connection between a plant-based diet and good health.Thus began an illustrious career as a multiple New York Times bestselling author, in demand public speaker, health advocate, and food entrepreneur—catapulting the fledgling plant-based movement into mainstream adoption.Not enough? At age 56, Rip broke the master’s world record in the 200-meter backstroke.Today we pick up where we left things in 2017. More Rip. More plants. More awesome.Given Rip’s OG status, it was only fitting that today’s exchange was conducted OG style. No fancy studio. No cameras. Just two guys and two mics seated at Rip’s breakfast table in Austin. An old school, back-in-the-day podcast.Of course, we discuss the many benefits of a whole food plant-based diet—the Planstrong lifestyle as he calls it.In addition, we review the exploding popularity of this movement. How to rewrite your relationship with food in the new year. Plant fueling strategies to perform athletically. And how to leverage the nascent power within to positively and sustainably change our lifestyles for the better.We also dissect his recent world record-setting swim. What the future of the plant-based movement looks like. And the story behind his brand new food company titled, of course, PLANTSTRONG.To read more, click here. You can also listen on YouTube, Apple Podcasts & Spotify.Stick around to the end, because things take a compelling turn towards the spiritual and esoteric—personally my favorite part of this conversation.As you will soon discover, Rip is a good dude. A loyal, solid friend. And sincerely passionate about helping people eat and live better.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Doug Abrams On Why Hope Is The Antidote For Apathy
As we grapple with a global pandemic, experiential climate change, mass species extinction, and many other dire calamities—it can feel like the world has lost its moral center. But every solution begins with hope—the antidote to what ails us.Famed primatologist, climate activist, and global icon Jane Goodall has devoted her life to better understanding our natural world and preserving its majesty. As one can expect, the 87-year-old has some thoughts about our enduring climate crisis—thoughts that don’t revolve around cynicism, anger or pessimism—but instead are all about hope. A hope that is fierce. A hope underscored by action, empathy, and optimism.How can someone who has studied the climate crisis for the better part of her life maintain such a positive disposition in the face of humanity’s self-destructive trajectory? What does hope even mean? And why is it desperately incumbent upon all of us to cultivate hope as a strategy to best evolve as humans and a global community?Today’s guest Douglas Abrams wanted answers to these questions. Needed answers. So he sought out Jane and spent countless curious hours with her, culminating in the Book of Hope, a beautiful and intimate look into the heart and mind of a woman who has truly revolutionized how we view the world around us.Returning for his second appearance on the show, Douglas is a literary agent, editor, author, and former Stanford classmate.He initially joined the podcast back in February 2017 (RRP 274) to discuss the first in his Global Icon series of books, The Book of Joy—an instant New York Times bestseller that beautifully synthesizes a series of conversations between Douglas, The Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu on the nature of human happiness and suffering.A continuation of our former conversation, today, we pivot from joy to focus on hope. Hope as an antidote to helplessness. Hope as our greatest strength. And hope as the foundation upon which all solutions emerge.It’s also a conversation about the importance of empathy. Meeting resistance with patience. Obstinate grace. And what it means to completely devote yourself to what’s right.But mostly, this is a discussion about what we can all learn from Jane Goodall’s example. Why it’s incumbent upon all of us to shoulder an urgent but hopeful responsibility for the future of our planet. And how to best lead by example.To read more, click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Douglas is an impressive intellect and a charming, curious conversation partner. I always leave time spent with him better than before. My hope is that this exchange will impact you similarly.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The Awakened Brain: Lisa Miller, PhD On The Neuroscience Of Spirituality
The many benefits to cultivating a spiritual practice are obvious to those with experience—but it’s a pursuit too long dismissed by skeptics and scientists. That is, until now.Recent research in neuroscience, genetics, and epidemiology now establish that humans are not only universally equipped with a capacity for (and inclination towards) spirituality, but that our brains, when so awakened, become more resilient and robust—and our lives more meaningful and content.Here today to discuss the emerging and fascinating ‘science of spirituality’ is the woman who helped pioneer it, Lisa Miller, PhD.A leading generational psychologist on the benefits of spirituality, Lisa is a graduate of Yale University and the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her doctorate in psychology. She is currently a professor of psychology and education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and is the Founder and Director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute,the first Ivy League graduate program and research institute in spirituality and psychology.Dr. Miller is widely published in leading academic journals, has appeared on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, and Weekend Today as an expert, and her first book, The Spiritual Child was a New York Times bestseller. Her latest work (and the focus of today’s discussion) is The Awakened Brain, a groundbreaking exploration of the neuroscience of spirituality that sets a bold new paradigm for health, healing, and resilience.My exchange with Dr. Miller is centered on the intersection of hard science and spirituality—what neurology, neurobiology, genetics, epidemiology, and psychiatry can tell us about the mental health benefits of cultivating your own awakened brain.I think you will find her work fascinating, full of counterintuitive findings and practical advice on the many concrete ways to access your own innate spirituality—and more importantly, how this can be deployed to enhance things like grit, optimism, and resilience.In addition, we explore the many ways you can leverage the awakened brain to insulate yourself against addiction, trauma, and depression.Ultimately, this is a conversation about how to build a life of greater joy and enhanced personal fulfillment to better thrive and contribute to the greater well-being of all.To read more, click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.An intellectual delight from start to finish, I thoroughly enjoyed talking to Dr. Miller, and I sincerely hope you enjoy the listen.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Coaches' Corner: Ritual Over Routine, Recalibration Over Resolution & Craft Over Competition
Goals are great. But far more important is who you become in the pursuit of said goals. Focus on the inside work. Process over results. Craft over competition. Ritual over routine. Recalibration over resolution. And watch your world change.After an extended break, the ever-so-popular Coaches’ Corner edition of the podcast is back with not one Olympian, not two Olympians, but three Olympians on deck.Packed with past podcast faves, today’s panel features endurance legend and Coach’s Corner OG Chris Hauth, swimmer Caroline Burckle, and track and field turned marathon superstar (and my Malibu Triathlon relay teammate!) Alexi Pappas.For those new to the pod, Chris is a sub-9 hour Ironman champion, a former Olympic Swimmer and professional triathlete, a veteran of many an ultra-endurance challenge, my ÖTILLÖ Swimrun World Championship teammate, and one of the world’s most respected endurance coaches.Caroline (aka Burks) is a former elite competitive swimmer & Olympic medalist with 23 All American titles, 2 NCAA individual victories & NCAA Female Swimmer of the Year accolades to her name. She is the co-founder of RISE, a mentor program that pairs Olympic athletes with young elite athletes for support and guidance.And finally, Alexi is a runner, award-winning writer, poet, actor, and filmmaker. In addition to setting the Greek national record in the 10,000 meters at the 2016 Olympics, Alexi has co-written, co-directed, and co-starred in three feature films and authored the bestselling memoir Bravey, a primer on self-actualization, surviving trauma, and pursuing disparate dreams.Today Chris, Caroline, & Alexi share sage advice on everything from endurance, training, goal setting, and more.But this is not your average kick in the pants “new year-new you” narrative. Instead, it’s a collective effort to voyage beyond the tired tropes and well-trodden bullet points. Courtesy of Olympic, experience-based wisdom, it’s about leveraging fitness to evolve, grow, and live according to your values.Not only will this conversation set you on a better path to actualizing your goals, but—more importantly—it will put you on a healthy and sustainable, long-term trajectory to becoming the better, more self-actualized you within.To read more, click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Chris, Caroline, and Alexi are some of my favorite people. This trifecta is over the top. My hope is that their words inspire you to bust through analysis paralysis and any preconceived notions you have about who you are and what you’re capable of.Enjoy!Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Joe De Sena On True Resilience, Choosing Your Hard & Why Discomfort Is Oxygen
We all have big dreams. But are you willing to pay the price required to make them manifest?There’s a big difference between those who quit and those who commit.At the core of that difference is one’s ability to tolerate discomfort.Discomfort is the price we pay for resilience.And resilience is the foundation of growth.Few grasp and practice this truth better than Spartan Race founder and CEO Joe De Sena, returning to the podcast to usher us into the new year correct and jumpstart our new year’s ambitions into action.Joe last graced the studio in December of 2020 (RRP #567), a conversation that probed his absolutely fascinating backstory and left us with powerful insights on the limits we impose on personal possibility.Continuing in the spirited annual tradition we have here to launch the new year with an uncomfortable kick in the pants, I thought it fit (literally) to invite Joe back for a more focused elaboration on the truths, mindset tools and motivation to translate ambition into positive results.For those new to Joe, he’s the entrepreneurial mastermind behind Spartan—the obstacle course racing series that became a global phenomenon, and the evil genius behind Death Race—perhaps the most absurd sufferfest ever conceived.He’s also an absolute endurance freak. Example A: in a mere week, Joe completed the Vermont 100 mile run, Ironman Lake Placid, and the Badwater 135. In addition, he crushed 50 ultramarathons and 14 Ironman events in a single year (a certain kind of insanity that must be some kind of record). And he’s the kind of guy who, on a whim, once ran from New York City to Vermont.Joe’s most striking talent is his facility for motivating the best out of people—a skill committed to print in his new book, 10 Rules For Resilience, which is a guide to developing mental toughness.Today we deconstruct resilience in all its forms—why it’s crucial to growth and how to cultivate it.We also go deep on discipline, courage, and discomfort. The importance of personal values in adhering to your goals. How to navigate failure. And why your reaction to challenging situations defines you.And finally, we explore the importance of imbuing these principles into our parenting.Joe is a force of nature—a bullshit-free and 100% authentic lunatic. But his heart is huge. His experience-based message is powerful. And paired with practical tools fundamental to shattering stagnation.To read more click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.May his words propel you to craft your own challenge for this impending new year—something extraordinary.So let’s dive into it 2022 headfirst. Or, as Joe is fond of saying, fire, ready, aim.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The Best Of 2021: Part Two
If there’s one thing we learned in 2021, it’s that conversation matters.Allow me to indulge this truth by introducing Part Two of my annual yearbook—a means to reflect upon the twelve months past by revisiting some of the year’s most compelling podcast guests.It’s been an honor to share my conversations with so many extraordinary people over the course of 2021. Second listens brought new insights—and more reminders that these evergreen exchanges continue to both inspire and inform.For long-time listeners, approach this episode as a refresher to launch you into 2022 with renewed vigor. For those new to the podcast, my hope is this anthology will stir you to peruse the back catalog and explore episodes you may have missed.Guests featured in this first of two total anthology episodes (hyperlinked to their respective episodes) are listed here: The Rich Roll Podcast: Best Of 2021: Part TwoCompiling this auditory yearbook is both a joy and a challenge. I have great fondness for all my guests. I take no comfort in leaving anyone out. Should you find one of your personal favorites missing, I get it—please don’t @ me!Special thanks to Blake Curtis, Jason Camiolo and Dan Drake for the behind-the-scenes heavy lifting required to pull this two-parter together.To read more click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Thank you for taking this journey of growth alongside me. Here’s to an extraordinary 2022.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The Best Of 2021: Part One
As the Earth embarks upon another miraculous arc around the sun, let us prepare by taking space to pause, breathe, and reflect.A blank slate represents potential energy. Let us infuse the 2022 tabula rasa with the energy of hope and inspiration to catalyze your new year ambitions into reality.This process requires taking inventory of the twelve months past. Where you were this time last year. Celebrate your victories. Deconstruct your setbacks. Imagine yourself this time next year. Set your intention for that experience. Establish specific time-bound goals and the stepping stones to get there. Create accountability for those benchmarks. And vision the better self laying dormant within, yearning to be more fully expressed.But first, we pause. Because it is in quiet that we gain clarity—a crucial first step on the trudge towards self-actualization.It is in this spirit that we indulge a tradition here at the podcast—our annual ‘Best Of’ series—wherein we reflect upon the previous 12 months with a 2-part compilation of clips excerpted from a handful of the year’s most compelling guests. Think of it as a refresher course for the avid fans. An anthology or digest for those newer to the podcast. A love letter to my guests. And most importantly, a way of thanking you, the audience, for taking this journey of growth alongside me.Guests featured in this first of two total anthology episodes (hyperlinked to their respective episodes) are listed here: The Rich Roll Podcast: Best Of 2021: Part OneCompiling this auditory yearbook is both a joy and a challenge. I have great fondness for all my guests. I take no comfort in leaving anyone out. Should you find one of your personal favorites missing, I get it—please don’t @ me!Special thanks to Blake Curtis, Jason Camiolo and Dan Drake for the behind-the-scenes heavy lifting required to pull this two-parter together.To read more click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Here’s to an extraordinary 2022.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Prophets Walk Among Us: Stories From Our Listeners
Every week, I send a show out into the ether. But it’s you, the audience, who has taken what is nothing more than an inert digital file comprised of ones and zeroes—and turned it into so much more.When I think back on the history of the show to date, it’s crystal clear what is truly important. And most beautiful.Community.No matter what your goal or aspiration—irrespective of how solitary you believe its pursuit—you simply cannot truly score on your own. Everyone needs a team. Everyone needs a support network. Everyone needs help. And that is what this show has become: a place to connect over a myriad of ideas with one collective goal—be and do better. Together. That’s what this podcast does—it is here to serve and support you, the listener, in your journey of transformation.It is with this sensibility that I asked you to share such stories, and how this podcast and its myriad of guests have inspired you, and what you learned, practiced, and shared with others along the way. My team and I have taken these powerful stories and compiled them into today’s very special episode, packed with empowering tales of perseverance through adversity, sobriety, new beginnings and new identities; successes, losses, tears, and triumphs; heartfelt stories of real-life epiphanies and transformations.To be clear, this episode is not a personal pat on the back. In no way do I take credit whatsoever for anybody’s journey. This is about celebrating our power to transform individually and as a collective. Any improvements you made to your life, well that’s on you entirely. Hats off and head bowed in reverence. I just love the stories. It helps me feel more connected to you. It helps dry the cement on this community bond I am trying to foster—a bond over just being better.Thank you for your courage; for taking the leap and walking this journey alongside me. Thank you for putting wind in my sails by tuning in week after week. And thank you for giving me hope in the good—the promise of a better more fulfilling, legacy-worthy purpose here on Earth in this short life.But most of all, thank you for letting me serve. Because it is in service that I find purpose, meaning, and a sense of deep satisfaction that positively infuses every aspect of my daily life experience.And finally, I want to thank each and every one of you who have taken the time to reach out and share with me your challenges, victories and struggles. I cannot overstate the extent to which your experiences humble me; hold me accountable for my own actions; inspire me to do and be better, and ennoble me to soldier on in the face of whatever obstacles I may face.To read more click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.I sincerely hope you enjoy this special conversation.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Endurance Poet Tommy Rivs Rages On: Surviving Cancer, The Gift of Pain & The Healing Power of Gratitude
At any moment, your could life could turn upside down. When tragedy strikes, what do you do?How you navigate events beyond your control reveals character. And character is something today’s guest possesses in abundance.Faced with a rare form of deadly cancer, Tommy Rivers Puzey—affectionately revered across the world as ‘Tommy Rivs’—refused pity. Instead, he doubled down on gratitude. He chose to learn from his suffering, expand his capacity to love, and more than anything, see the pain he endured as a teacher.A poet of endurance and philosopher of the human spirit, Tommy is a highly credentialed elite marathoner and ultrarunner with many victories and accolades to his name. He’s also an anthropologist, linguist, doctorate of physical therapy, and massage therapist who has worked with some of the best endurance athletes in the world. But more than anything, he’s a man who is universally beloved for his kindness, generosity, and soulful grace.In the summer of 2020, Tommy fell gravely ill with an extremely rare and advanced form of lung cancer that very nearly killed him—and most likely would have killed anyone else. But Rivs isn’t just anyone. Rivs is Rivs. He survived.Today Tommy shares his potent story, beautiful perspective, and copious wisdom in a beautifully vulnerable and heart-centered conversation for the ages.Without mincing words, this is an extremely real conversation about what it’s like to approach death.It’s soulful, at times emotional, and overall, a celebration of the human spirit in all its boundlessness.It’s a reminder that life itself is an absolute miracle.And it’s a powerful testament that gratitude, positivity, service, community, and love—mostly love—are what life is all about.To read more click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Note: This conversation was recorded on October 13th, 2021, and thus prior to Tommy’s most recent and perhaps most courageous and astonishing endurance feat to date. A mere year from having to relearn how to even walk, Tommy completed the NYC marathon. It took him over nine agonizing hours—7 hours longer than his 2:18 PR—but that nine hours was globally celebrated all over the world, including a must-read profile in the New York Times entitled, Cancer Nearly Took His Life. But the New York Marathon Awaited.Tommy is an exemplary human. A quiet and introspective mentor to many, he’s someone I aspire to emulate, a man who comports himself with an admirable degree of dignity, grace, humility, and generosity of spirit.It’s an honor to help share his powerful and inspiring story.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Roll On: Get Back (To Basics)
Why is creativity vital? What is the nature of culture? And why is pursuing happiness futile?Today we tackle this terrain and so much more in today’s rendition of ‘Roll On,’ wherein myself and my undefeated podcast co-pilot Adam Skolnick ‘get back’ to our original old school format.Aside from serving as my magnanimous sidecar hype-beast, Adam Skolnick is an activist and veteran journalist best known as David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me, co-author. Adam writes about adventure sports, environmental issues, and civil rights for outlets such as The New York Times, Outside, ESPN, BBC, and Men’s Health. He is the author of One Breath and is currently using the ‘new dad’ excuse to avoid working on his novel.Today’s discussion includes the following topics:Remembering British photojournalist Tom Stoddart & Australian swimmer Jason Plummer;The ascent of Norwegian triathlon dominance;The Kyle Rittenhouse and Ahmaud Arbery verdicts;Oscar Pistorius’ prison transfer & restorative justice;Lawsuits involving Tyson Foods and Impossible Foods;Toby Morse’s new children’s book ‘One Life One Chance’; and‘The Beatles: Get Back’ & ‘The Velvet Underground; documentariesAs always, we close things out by taking a few listener questions. Today we answer:How do optimize your caloric intake for recovery when intermittent fasting?Is happiness something that can realistically be achieved? How do you draw a line between people-pleasing and living a life of service?Thank you to Al from Washington D.C., Kendall from Boulder, Colorado, and Abby from Colorado for your questions. If you want your query discussed, drop it on our Facebook Page or better yet leave a voicemail at (424) 235-4626.To read more click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Special SriMu Offer: For a limited time, Julie is kindly offering all of you a special offer on her SriMu plant-based cheese for the holidays. Visit SriMu.com and enter code RRP22 at checkout and receive 22% off any product. Don’t delay, the offer ends December 13th, 2021.Enjoy the show!Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
RAAM Victor Leah Goldstein Turns Pain Into Fuel: Life Pivots & The Power of A No Quit, No Limit Attitude
What does it take to achieve the impossible? Don’t set limits. And never quit. Ever.The full embodiment of this ethos, today’s guest has never met an obstacle she couldn’t overcome, transcending every limit ever placed upon her. Her secret?Never give pain a voice.An extraordinary athlete and absolute force of nature, Leah Goldstein has lived one of the more interesting lives you will ever come across.After winning the Bantamweight World Kickboxing Championship at just 17 years old, Leah walked away from a bright future in competitive martial arts to join the Israeli Defense Force, becoming a Krav Maga specialist and the first female Elite Commando Instructor before a storied career as an undercover Special Forces intelligence officer.In yet another dramatic life pivot, Leah then embarked on a professional cycling career. A devastating crash ended her Olympic dreams, her pro career, and nearly her life. After being told she might not walk again and certainly would never race again, Leah remained undaunted, ultimately reinventing herself once again as an ultra-distance cyclist.In 2021, at age 52 (and entirely plant-based) she became the very first woman in the 39-year history of RAAM—the 3000-mile Race Across America transcontinental cycling race—to beat everyone, including all the men, and outright win the solo division.Today she shares her story. It’s a wild ride.Today’s conversation traverses the vast diversity of Leah’s life experiences and accomplishments—and the mindset that fuels her ability to face fear, overcome adversity, and transcend limits.It’s a conversation about grit, perseverance and work ethic. The importance of life pivots. How to expand your capacity to endure. And the ‘never quit’ drive required to do amazing things.It’s also about bullying, sexism, and channeling pain into achieving impossible goals.But more than anything, this exchange is about the importance of heeding your inner voice—and tapping the hidden reservoirs of potential that reside within us all to make audacious dreams manifest.To read more click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Leah may be extraordinary. But the wisdom and experience she shares is applicable to all.May her story spark your flame—and elevate your life aspirations.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Your Life Is Now: Mike Posner On Walking America, Summiting Everest & Crafting Hit Music
The core of every hero’s journey is a desire to step into the unknown, seek adventure, and above all, embrace metamorphosis.For Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Mike Posner, that meant trading the comforts of Hollywood for a Mount Everest base camp—and ditching the tour bus to instead walk across America.Let me explain.After skyrocketing to fame following the release of his debut song Cooler Than Me, Mike built a career writing infectious pop meditations (that have accrued billions of streams) for some of music’s biggest stars—people like Justin Beiber, Pharrell, Maroon 5, Tom Morello, Snoop Dogg, Nick Jonas, and Avicii. As follows, he also built a life on womanizing, partying, money, and fame.In our last exchange back in 2019, Mike and I discussed his moment of awakening—the events that led him to give away all his possessions, buy a van, and live more simply. But much has changed for Mike since we last sat down. Over the last two-plus years, he’s walked 2000+ miles across America and followed it up this past year by summiting Mt. Everest, racking up a depth of experience-based wisdom along the way.Mike moves through the world with such a beautiful, heart-centered perspective. I appreciate the way in which he wears his heart on his sleeve, his ability to lean into vulnerability, and the manner in which he confronts struggle with curiosity.Today’s exchange is centered on his quest for meaning and authenticity. It’s about channeling pain into art, grief into gratitude, and above all, redefining yourself and self-imposed limits.Note: Mike was kind enough to perform a few songs live in our studio, so please stick around to the very end, as he takes us out with a performance you will not want to miss.To read more click here. You can also watch listen to our exchange on YouTube.I’m proud to help share my friend’s experience, wisdom, and infectious hope. It’s truly magical, and my hope is that you find it as moving as I did.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
A Masterclass on Addiction & Recovery
Across the world, untold millions fall prey to some form of addiction. If you or someone you know suffers in silence, there is hope. Today’s episode casts a light on this epidemic of darkness and paves a solution-based path towards hope.A recovering alcoholic myself, I’ve danced with that darkness. Tasted the desperation. And felt the loneliness.Time and again I failed at arresting a disease hell-bent on killing me.Until that is, I let go of everything I thought I knew about how to live, think and be—and let others help me.The solution required an education.Given the ubiquity of addiction, it’s an education I feel a responsibility to share.Towards that end, today’s episode—the third installment in our burgeoning, deep-dive Masterclass series—explores the nature of addiction, the misconceptions that perpetuate it, and the many solutions available for confronting and ultimately overcoming it.For those unaware of this new semi-regular format, today’s episode is a compilation of 10 incredible and unique perspectives on addiction and recovery taken from previous conversations.My hope is that these stories bring you greater understanding, empathy, and perhaps a modicum of peace—and for those currently suffering, tools and encouragement to finally arrest the beast and embrace help.The visually inclined can watch it all unfold on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Big thanks to Dan Drake for his instrumental help crafting this very special episode.Masterclass Series: Click here to listen to our first deep dive on the microbiome, and here for our second on mental health. The full episodes for all guests featured in this episode can be found in the show notes below.Final Note: This conversation traverses difficult emotional terrain. If you are struggling, please raise your hand and reach out for help. You can call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP and if you are experiencing suicidal ideation, know you’re not alone. I encourage you to call the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1(800) 273-TALK.I sincerely hope you find this experiment helpful and instructive—and/or that you share the episode with those who could benefit from it.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
James & Sunny Lawrence: Crushing 101 Iron-Distance Triathlons In 101 days
Conquering a historic feat of stratospheric proportions nobody thought possible, today’s guests will challenge every assumption you ever harbored about the outer limits of human capability.In 2010, Jason Lester and I were the first to complete EPIC5—5 consecutive iron-distance triathlons on 5 Hawaiian Islands in just over 6 days.I’m proud of that accomplishment. More proud that it has inspired others to rewrite their rulebook on personal possibility.But today’s guests James Lawerence—aka The Iron Cowboy—alongside his wife and co-captain Sunny Jo Lawrence, somehow makes my resume just sound…cute.In 2015, the father of five did something I was convinced was impossible when he completed 50 iron-distance triathlons in 50 states in 50 days—a stunning feat chronicled way back on episodes 149 & 166, in the documentary The Iron Cowboy: The Story of The 50.50.50, and in his book, Redefine Impossible.But as many of you already know, James recently topped that seemingly untoppable feat by completing truly one of the most astonishing achievements in the history of voluntary human endurance—101 iron-distance triathlons in 101 consecutive days.In case you don’t quite grasp the enormity of this truly epic feat, let me spell it out. Beginning in March of this year, James climbed out of bed, swam 2.4 miles, jumped on his bike and rode 112 miles, then completed 26.2 miles on foot, repeating this routine every day without missing a single day, for 101 days in a row.That’s 14,200 self-powered miles!Today James and Sunny tell the tale in a warts-and-all conversation that is not to be missed.In addition to breaking down the enormity of this feat—a team and family endeavor in every respect—James and Sunny drop a full-fledged masterclass on mental toughness. Where it comes from, how to strengthen it, and how to ignite the power we all possess to endure the unimaginable.We also discuss the critical role that leadership, family, teamwork, community building, and service play in accomplishing audacious goals and how presence and mindfulness hold the key to unlocking the impossible.This is a powerful conversation that just might forever change your perspective on human potential broadly, and personal possibility specifically.To read more click here. You can also watch listen to our exchange on YouTube.I have tremendous respect for these two. I love them dearly. And I’m proud to share this candid, behind-the scenes excavation of one of the most mind-bending experiences I’ve ever been privileged to witness.Enjoy!Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Jason Caldwell On Rowing Oceans, High-Performance Team Building, Experiential Leadership & Chasing The Impossible
Adventure begins when things start to go wrong. So stop looking for the shortcut. Embrace the difficult journey ahead.Few embody this ethos better than today’s guest Jason Caldwell.An extraordinary adventure athlete and beautiful beast of a human, Jason holds 11 world records set across 5 continents and 3 oceans, including a 320-mile unassisted traverse of the Namib desert (the longest desert trek across Namibia), captaining the fastest team to row across the Atlantic Ocean unsupported, and most recently, victory in the Great Pacific Race as captain of the fastest team to ever row from San Francisco to Hawaii, a feat Jason and his 3 teammates accomplished in just 30 days 7 hours, smashing the previous world record by an astonishing 9 days.In addition, Jason is the CEO of Latitude 35, an experiential leadership and high-performance team building consulting company. He’s a widely sought-after public speaker on the Fortune 500 circuit and has taught at some of the country’s leading business schools, including Wharton, Columbia, Berkeley & West Point.This is a conversation about what is required to tackle and accomplish audacious goals.It’s about cultivating resilience, perseverance, and risk-taking. It’s about honing the willingness to fail, leveraging drive, and celebrating humility. It’s also about ‘healthy quits’—the importance of knowing how, when and why sometimes it’s crucial to just call it a day.But more than anything, this conversation is about the critical nature of team building. It’s about leadership through experience. Why success is never a solo affair. And how to get the best out those in your orbit.If you’re into wild stories of adventure this one’s for you. But you don’t have to be the slightest bit athletic to gain significant value out of what Jason shares today.To read more click here. You can also watch listen to our exchange on YouTube.My hope is that this conversation inspires you to reevaluate your limits, find power in your community and invest more in adventure.Needless to say, Jason has lived a wild life. This conversation nearly passed 2.5 hours—and I feel like we only scratched the surface.Peace + Plants, See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.