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Dean Karnazes Is Running For Good: Lessons On Longevity & Embracing Discomfort
7 november 2019 · 1 uur 50 min
Gracing us with his beautiful presence for a third appearance on the show, my guest today is none other than the legendary ultra-marathon man himself.
For those who missed RRP 115 and/or RRP 259, Dean Karnazes is an internationally recognized endurance athlete, New York Times bestselling author, and philanthropist globally lauded for his preternatural ability to push his body and mind to limits inconceivable to mere mortals.
Among his many palmerès, Dean has: Lees meer* Run 135 miles across Death Valley in 120+ degree temperatures several times;
* Run for 350 continuous miles, foregoing sleep for three nights;
* Run a marathon to the South Pole in negative 40 degrees.
* Run a 200-mile relay race solo, racing alongside teams of twelve — on ten different occasions; and
* Run 50 marathons, in all 50 U.S. states, in 50 consecutive days, finishing with the New York City Marathon, which he ran in three hours flatIn addition to his many feats of mind-bending athletic prowess, Dean's first book, Ultramarathon Man not only personally inspired my path, it put the previously sequestered subculture of ultrarunning on the map, laying the foundation for the sport’s explosion in popularity over the last decade.
In recognition of Dean's accomplishments, Time magazine named Dean one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World.” Men's Fitness hailed him as one of the fittest men on the planet. And Dean has been profiled in virtually every major publication, including features on 60 Minutes, The David Letterman Show, CBS News, CNN, BBC, ESPN, The Howard Stern Show, NPR's Morning Edition, and many others.
Most importantly, Dean is an overall stellar human, leveraging his copious talents for good.Picking up where we left off three years ago, this conversation focuses on Dean's latest book, Running for Good: 101 Stories for Runners & Walkers to Get You Moving. An inspirational collection of personal anecdotes, it chronicles the physical and mental health benefits of hitting the roa…
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Rodrigo y Gabriela: Musical Mystics On Mettavolution, Meditation & Mastery (+ Mini-Concert!)
4 november 2019 · 1 uur 36 min
It’s one thing to be an artist. But to become a successful creative — revered for your art — is quite another thing altogether.
Even more rare are the few who deftly navigate the vicissitudes of an acclaimed artistic career (or any career for that matter), with a highly conscious, devotional approach.
Musicians Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero – popularly known as the Mexican acoustic rock guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela — are not only incredible masters of their craft, they fully embody this ethos. It's a sensibility that has carried them from obscurity in Mexico. To busking on Grafton Street in Dublin. And ultimately to playing premier sold out venues all across the globe.
Along the way, Rod & Gab have performed at the White House for the Obamas. They've collaborated on film scores with world renowned composers like Hans Zimmer. And lent their talents to television shows like Breaking Bad — all while staying true to themselves and their utterly unique Metallica meets Flamenco artistic sensibility. Lees meerFor those unfamiliar with this dynamic duo, prepare to be amazed.
I had the good fortune to witness them perform live at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles the night before this conversation. Unlike anything I had previously seen or heard, it was a transcendent experience that defies attempts to adequately describe.
Fortunately, I don't have to. Today, in addition to the quality conversations you've come to expect with this show, we expand the format to weave a mini-concert into the experience — a rare treat certain to delight.
Beyond the acoustic wall of sound, this is a conversation about a creative spark that began with heavy metal roots in Mexico City. It's about how busking on the streets of Dublin led to a huge break. And the extraordinary career that followed.
We discuss the influences and evolution of Rod and Gab's unique style. The importance of mastery in their musicianship and personal lives. And we explore the role meditation, spirituality and veganism has… -
Stop Compromising Yourself: Mark Manson On Hope, Human Dignity & The Perils of Comfort
28 oktober 2019 · 2 uur
One day not long ago, I awoke to a bright orange book ubiquitously displayed everywhere I looked.
Provocatively titled The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, today's guest birthed a publishing sensation, custom tailored for click-bait embrace.
The title also made the book easy to dismiss. In fact, freely admit to downright refusing to read it. But it just would not go away. Not only did it top the New York Times bestseller list, the book stayed there. 6 million plus copies later, it still rests at #4 — a full 149 weeks since its publication.
So who is this Mark Manson guy?
Realizing that my reflexive reaction was perhaps misplaced, I finally relented. And was pleasantly surprised by what I discovered.
To be sure, the book is both contrarian and confrontational. Chock-a-block with f-bombs. But it's also surprisingly refreshing, upending the tired tropes of self-help with an intractable glee. Grappling with real issues, I relished Mark's unique voice — depth meets grit with an infectious philosophical sensibility.
Before he became a publishing juggernaut (his influence launching countless profanely titled copycat books), Mark began his writing career as a blogger. Sharing personal development advice that ‘doesn’t suck' (his words), he has amassed a devoted audience of 2 million monthly readers.
Dissecting our dysfunctional cultural relationship with money, entertainment and the internet, Mark's latest chart-topper, Everything Is F*cked: A Book About Hope is an equally compelling yet more mature follow up that deftly explores the perils of distraction, comfort and success. Lees meerThis is a conversation about what happens when you exceed your every ambition. What then?
Today we explore the high-altitude, existential crisis visited upon a young man who eclipsed his wildest dreams by age 32.
More specifically, we cover Mark’s backstory as a blogger. We dissect the method to his various forms of madness. We discuss the enormous unexpected success of his first book. And the pressu… -
Amelia Boone Is A Human Being (And Still A Badass)
24 oktober 2019 · 2 uur 22 min
Today's guest is lauded for her grit. And a preternatural ability to suffer.
Her name is Amelia Boone. And she is the most dominant & decorated female in the history of OCR (obstacle course racing).
Over the course of her storied athletic career, Amelia has amassed over 50 podiums and 30 victories. She is a Spartan Race World Champion and 3-time World's Toughest Mudder Champion. The ultimate weekend warrior, she’s done all of this while balancing a full time career as a corporate attorney — first at the prestigious Skadden Arps law firm in Chicago and currently at Apple in Silicon Valley.
Dubbed ‘The Queen of Pain', it’s a career that’s landed her magazine covers, major publication features, national television gigs, and a legion of adoring fans across the world.
But it's also a career that came with pressures that drained the fun out of competition. And a mask that obscured a deeper dysfunction lurking beneath the surface.
Amidst the celebration of Amelia as an unbreakable champion, prodded for her daily habits, morning routine and training regimen, she privately battled an obstacle more daunting than any race she’d endured: an eating disorder she kept hidden for the better part of two decades.
Today we celebrate Amelia not for her accolades, but for a different kind of courage — the vulnerability to face her disorder. Forge a path to wholeness. And change the way we talk about about a condition that debilitates millions. Lees meerI first met Amelia a couple years ago. I freely admit my projection of her steely disposition intimidated me. But slowly she began sharing more openly and about her struggles, culminating in a vulnerable blog post that laid bare her protracted struggle. Her guilt. Her shame. Her honesty. Her courage.
The facade gone, I fell for the human. I wanted to help amplify her powerful message. Today I have that honor.
This is a conversation about the perniciousness and pervasiveness of eating disorders. And the path towards healing.
More specifically, we… -
Can A Burger Help Save The Planet? Impossible Foods CEO Pat Brown Says Yes
21 oktober 2019 · 2 uur 23 min
By now, most of you have heard about the Impossible Burger.
I imagine many of you have tried it. Arguably the ‘beefiest' plant-based patty, even the most attuned palate has trouble believing it isn't real meat. Now ubiquitous at fine dining establishments and fast food franchises alike, it's a global phenomenon.
Today we explore the mission behind the burger with Impossible Foods founder & CEO Pat Brown, the man responsible for upending everything you thought you knew about plant-based meat, on a mission to forge a better environmental future for all.
A world-renowned geneticist, Pat is a former Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and Professor of Biochemistry at Stanford University. He is also a founder of Lyrical Foods, maker of Kite Hill artisanal nut milk-based cheeses and a founder of the Public Library of Science (PLOS), a nonprofit publisher that pioneered the open-access business model. Pat was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2002, and is a member of the Institute of Medicine. His numerous accolades include the American Cancer Society Medal of Honor, and the NAS Award in Molecular Biology.
Moved to action by the urgent need to redress global climate change, Pat founded Impossible Foods with one clear goal: to eliminate animal agriculture — inarguably one of the biggest contributors to planetary warming — by providing delicious, nutritious, and environmentally friendly alternatives to meat and dairy directly from plants.
The mission statement is ambitious, some would even say audacious. But his impact is already undeniable — and he’s just getting started.
Today he shares his story. Lees meerThis is a broad and far-reaching conversation that covers Pat's background and the impetus behind Impossible Foods.
We cover the company's initial success in converting high-end chefs, the subsequent penetration of the fast food industrial complex, and the entrepreneurial difficulties of rapid growth and meeting demand at scale.
We then turn attention to P… -
We Can Solve Climate Change Now: Paul Hawken & IN-Q LIVE
14 oktober 2019 · 2 uur 7 min
I'm ecstatic to share my first live podcast event, recorded at the Los Angeles Wilshire Ebell Theatre on September 27, 2019.
For all of us, this podcast is an abstraction. The motivation behind the event was to create a tactile, analog experience for 1,100 people to gather around shared purpose and passion. An opportunity to cultivate community. Raise consciousness. Elevate intimacy. Deepen personal connectivity around our collective humanity — and the important ideas of our time.
An unforgettable lifetime moment, the resulting impact exceeded my wildest expectations. I'm still basing in the glow. And deeply grateful for an experience that left me feeling more intimately connected with all of you — and optimistic about the future of our planet.
The program opens with the poetic spoken word genius of my friend and two-time podcast guest IN-Q (check out RRP 81 & RRP 118).
Named to Oprah Winfrey's SuperSoul 100 list of the world's most influential thought leaders, IN-Q is a National Poetry Slam Champion, multi-platinum songwriter, and world-renowned keynote speaker. His groundbreaking performances include selling out one of the largest one-man poetry shows in US history, being the first spoken word artist to perform with Cirque Du Soleil, and being featured on HBO's Def Poetry Jam and A&E’s Look Closer campaign, which debuted during the Emmys. He has been featured in major media ranging from Forbes to AdWeek and several of his recent videos have gone viral with over 60 million combined views. Lees meerI then take the stage to share some thoughts, including a powerful listener e-mail, before settling into a fascinating conversation with Paul Hawken — one of the world's pre-eminent authorities on global climate change and a man who has indelibly shaped my personal perspective on ecological responsibility.
A pioneering environmentalist, activist, entrepreneur, architect of corporate reform, and multiple New York Times bestselling author, Paul has dedicated his life to environmen… -
Chase Jarvis: Creativity Is Our Birthright
10 oktober 2019 · 2 uur 19 min
Conventional wisdom frames creativity as the purview of a certain select few — a rare gift that eludes us mere mortals.
This is a lie. We are all born creative. More birthright than blessing, creativity is a practice. A habit not unlike any other skill or discipline. A muscle that can be built and flexed.
This week's guest takes the notion one step further, asserting creativity as a biological necessity — a transformative force that resides within us all that when unleashed delivers vitality to everything we do.
Chase Jarvis is many things. One of the most influential and award-winning photographers of the last decade, he is the recipient of numerous awards and accolades. Dubbed by Forbes as ‘the photographer everyone wants to work with', Chase has created hundreds of campaigns and commercials for the likes of Nike, Apple, Samsung, Google, and Red Bull.
As a photojournalist, Chase contributed to the Pulitzer-Prize winning New York Times story Snow Fall and earned an Emmy nomination for Portrait of a City, his documentary chronicling the legendary Seattle music scene.
As an entrepreneur, Chase is the Founder and CEO of two influential companies. His iPhone app Best Camera earned ‘App of the Year' accolades in 2009 from Wired, the New York Times, and Macworld. The first app that allowed users to share images direct to social networks, it is widely credited with kicking off the multi-billion dollar, global photo-sharing craze. CreativeLive, Chase’s second (and current) company, is the world’s largest live-streaming education company featuring the top experts in photography, design, music and entrepreneurship.
In addition to being an in demand public speaker, Chase hosts the wildly popular YouTube series and podcast The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show and has authored 2 best-selling photography books.
The focus of today's exchange is Chase's latest literary offering, Creative Calling. A fantastic primer on the power of developing your innate creativity to infuse your life with … Lees meer -
The Craving Mind: Dr. Jud Brewer On Treating Addiction With Mindfulness
7 oktober 2019 · 2 uur 12 min
Addiction is tenacious. We're all craven animals, vulnerable to habits that don't serve us. Whether it’s a constantly checking social media, binge eating, smoking, excessive drinking, most of us fall prey to compulsions we feel powerless to arrest.
Why is this? And what can neuroscience teach us about the nature of cravings and how to overcome them?
Dr. Jud Brewer has devoted his career to answering these questions. His discoveries just might change your life.
A psychiatrist, neuroscientist, thought leader and scientific researcher in the field of habit change and the “science of self-mastery”, Dr. Brewer is the founder of MindSciences and Director of Research and Innovation at the Brown University Mindfulness Center. Formerly, he served as an associate professor in Medicine and Psychiatry at UMass Medical School, an adjunct faculty member at Yale University, and a research affiliate at MIT.
Dr. Brewer has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. He has trained U.S.A. Olympic coaches. His work has been featured on 60 Minutes, Time magazine, Forbes, BBC, NPR, Businessweek and many other prominent media outlets. And his TED Talk, A Simple Way To Break A Bad Habit, is the 4th most viewed TED talk of 2016 with over 13 million views to date. Lees meerAs a long-time recovering alcoholic prone to a myriad of compulsive behaviors, it's fair to say that habit change is an obsession. Always on the hunt to extend my sobriety routine beyond 12-step, I came across Dr. Brewer's book, The Craving Mind. A scientific primer on the mechanisms of habit and addiction formation, it makes the case for how mindfulness can help us transcend cravings, reduce stress, and ultimately live a fuller life.
I was compelled by Dr. Brewer's findings. I needed to know more. And so here we are.
This is a powerful and potentially life altering conversation about the psychiatric and neurological nature of addiction. It's a deep dive into the science of habit change. And it's a master class … -
Ryan Holiday: Stillness Is The Path To Everything We Want In Life
30 september 2019 · 2 uur 32 min
He's best known for popularizing Stoicism — an ancient philosophical yet highly practical operating system he pioneered to mainstream, modern adoption.
In his latest turn, Ryan Holiday expands his lens East.
In pursuit of shared wisdom across ancient Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, Hebrew, Greek, Christian and Epicurean traditions, he discovered one essential truth — that inner peace is essential to a life of purpose, meaning and fulfillment.
Ryan calls it stillness — to be steady while the world spins around you.
A crucial characteristic of all great leaders, thinkers, artists, athletes and visionaries, it's a practice to transcend the stress of everyday life. An antidote to the distractions of our fast-paced world. And the ultimate path to meaning, contentment, and excellence in a world that needs more of it than ever.
For those unfamiliar, Ryan is an autodidact who dropped out of college at 19, maturing into one of the most important thinkers of his generation. Now 32, he is a media strategist, prolific writer and public speaker with six perennial bestselling books to his name, including Ego Is The Enemy,The Obstacle Is The Way, and Conspiracy.
Making the digestible case for why slowing down is the secret weapon for charging ahead, Ryan's latest release — aptly titled Stillness Is The Key (hitting bookstores everywhere this week) — is your next must read and read again primer on living your best life. Lees meerReturning for this third appearance on the podcast (check out RRP #168 and #239), today we explore the essential elements of stillness — and its limitless applications for profound personal self-improvement.
Want to avoid distractions? Develop greater insight? Unlock creativity? Improve your decision making? Better your parenting skills? Enhance athletic performance?
The incredible power and practicality of cultivating placidity in our increasingly turbulent, tumultuous, reactive, distraction monopolized lives simply cannot be overstated.
Stillness is the key.
You can wa… -
Laila Ali’s Champion Mindset Begins With Self-Belief
23 september 2019 · 1 uur 50 min
How do you find your path in the vast shadow cast by one of history's most accomplished and beloved humans?
For Laila Ali, the daughter of late global icon and humanitarian Muhammad Ali (the 8th of his 9 children), it wasn't easy. It wasn't always pretty. But over time, she found her voice. Staked her claim in very the ring that propelled her father to god-like status. And transcended that shadow as a multi-faceted talent that honors her father and yet is hers alone.
Although she was never an athlete growing up — and didn't take to the pugilistic arts until she was 18 — Laila would become the most successful female in the history of women’s boxing. A 4-time undefeated world champion, she racked up 24 wins, 21 knockouts and zero losses over the course of her storied career.
Retirement was just the beginning. Today the mother of two is a fitness & wellness advocate, TV host, home chef, cookbook author, and founder of the Laila Ali Lifestyle Brand.
A cultural icon in her own right, Laila currently hosts the Emmy Award Winning show Home Made Simple (which airs every Saturday on the Oprah Winfrey Network) and has appeared on everything from Celebrity Apprentice to Dancing With The Stars as well as Rachael Ray, Dr. Oz, Good Morning America and many other national media outlets. Lees meerThis is a conversation about the interior experience of growing up as a daughter of ‘The Greatest' — and the pressures and expectations that held.
It's about growing up in a broken household. The troubled youth that followed. Getting arrested. Meeting her bottom in a juvenile detention home. And the journey that followed to recreate herself.
It's about her often misunderstood career as a professional boxer. The entrepreneurism that propels her success. And the legacy she is dedicated to emulating.
But more than anything, this is a conversation about mindset. The cultivation of self-belief required to become a champion. Letting go of other's expectations. Developing the courage to fail. And the to… -
The Seed Of Infinity: Guru Singh On Consciousness
19 september 2019 · 1 uur 15 min
Newly rebranded from Guru Corner to Guru Multiverse — because after all the infinite has no sharp edges — today marks yet another deep dive with Guru Singh, my treasured friend and favorite wizard of all things mystical.
For those newer to the show, imagine a modern-day Gandalf who rocks like Hendrix while dropping pearls of wisdom that beautifully fuse Eastern mysticism with Western pragmatism.
A celebrated third-generation Sikh yogi, master spiritual teacher, author, and family man, for the past 40 years Guru Singh has been studying and teaching Kundalini Yoga. He is the author of several books, a powerful lecturer, and behind-the-scenes guide to many a luminary, including Fortune 500 CEOs, athletes, and artists.
A peer of rock legends like Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead, Guru Singh is also a talented musician who began his recording career on Warner Bros’ Reprise label in the 1960s. When he isn’t recording tracks with people like Seal, he’s bringing down the house on the daily at Yoga West, his Los Angeles home base. Lees meerMarking his 7th appearance on the show, today’s discourse is an adventure into the very nature of consciousness. It’s vast potential. And the potency it contains to both create and destroy.
Because everything that exists in the physical realm is but a manifestation of consciousness, it is this unseen force that is the truth of reality itself. Born as a seed, with the same potential to flower and proliferate.
Serving as an ethereal bookend to my recent and more scientific exploration of this subject with Annaka Harris (RRP #460), this discussion explores the spiritual nature, limitless mystery and interconnected design of that which defines everything. Consciousness — human, botanical, animal, elemental and universal. But more than anything, infinite.
In addition, we take the liberty of pulling on a few tangential threads, including the power of journaling, the explosion of cancel culture, the importance of maintaining a strong center point, and… -
Kelly Corrigan Is The Poet Laureate Of The Ordinary
16 september 2019 · 2 uur 16 min
Love. Connection. Pain.
Finding the universal in the specific. And beauty in the mundane.
This is but a few of the themes explored today with the woman dubbed ‘the voice of her generation' by Oprah magazine and ‘the poet laureate of the ordinary' by HuffPost.
Meet Kelly Corrigan.
Best known for her insightful, candid takes on the too-often overlooked moments that define our lives, Kelly's writing spills over with warmth, courage, vulnerability and humor — rendering her many books beloved by millions.
A Today Show regular, Kelly has authored a stack of New York Times bestsellers including, The Middle Place,Lift, and Glitter and Glue.Tell Me More, her most recent offering, is a deeply personal and very funny story-driven collection of essays on the twelve powerful phrases we use to sustain our relationships and make love and connection possible.
Named one of the best books of 2019 by Real Simple and Bustle, Tell Me More is both a high-recommend and the backdrop for today's dive into how we can cultivate more meaningful connection and deeper understanding with the people in our lives. Lees meerI met Kelly exactly a year ago at The Nantucket Project. In addition to being an extraordinary writer, she serves as the creative director of TNP — the right hand to organization founder Tom Scott, who shared his story on the podcast in April, 2018 (episode #360).
The latest in my series of guests sourced from this extraordinary event, I was immediately taken by her fun and fearless stage presence. Her curiosity. Her unique insights. And her unmistakeable charm. I knew she would make an amazing guest for the show. Today she delivers.
We begin by traversing Kelly's arc as a writer — how she developed her voice — and her role in shaping TNP.
Then we broaden the aperture, exploring her observations and insights into how we relate to the people in our lives — from our loved ones and children, to co-workers and strangers.
This is about finding beauty and poetry in the simple things. And why … -
David Epstein On Why Late Bloomers Win
9 september 2019 · 2 uur 20 min
Conventional wisdom dictates that mastery demands an early start. Relentless focus at the exclusion of other pursuits. And as many hours of deliberate practice as humanly possible.
Be it violin, painting, basketball or boat building, there’s simply no substitute for a life wholly devoted to developing that narrowly defined skill.
Hence the “10,000 hour rule” zeitgeist embrace — an edict divined by psychologist Anders Ericcson and made famous by Malcolm Gladwell.
But is this actually true?
Today’s guest put this theory to the test, researching the world’s top performers across a wide variety of disciplines to discover a most counter-intuitive truth — that early specialization is actually the exception to the rule. It turns out that the most successful among us are those who developed broad interests and skills while everyone else was rushing to specialize.
Today we explore why breadth is the ally of depth – not the opposite. And why generalists are the ones most primed to excel.
Enter journalist and multiple New York Times bestselling author, David Epstein.
In addition to being an exceptional runner (he set the Columbia University record for 800 meters), David is a former investigative reporter for both ProPublica and Sports Illustrated with master's degrees in environmental science and journalism. Three of his stories have been optioned for films. And his TED Talk, Are Athletes Really Getting Better, Faster, Stronger? has been viewed over 8 million times (and even shared by Bill Gates).
David is currently best known for his two smash-hit bestsellers, The Sports Gene: Inside The Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance and Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World. A #1 New York Times bestseller, Range is arguably the must-read breakout hit of 2019 — a book as much about parenting as it is about performance. Lees meerThis is an insanely informative and engrossing conversation about the benefits of being a generalist — in career, sports, science, art, and li…
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Keep Evolving: Julie Piatt Returns
5 september 2019 · 1 uur 40 min
Has it really been a full year since Julie appeared on the podcast?
Well that's just not right.
So today marks the latest installment in my ongoing series of ponderous mind melds with my wife and in-house spiritual guru, the wise and ethereal Julie Piatt, aka SriMati.
Longtime listeners are well acquainted with my better half. For those newer to the show, Julie is many things — the bestselling author of three vegan cookbooks. An accomplished yogi, healer, musician, and mom to four children. The host of the For The Life of Me podcast. And the master of Water Tiger, her online spiritual community where she muses on all matters metaphysical.
Julie has a lot to say. And this time it's personal. Lees meerThis conversation opens with a wide-ranging discussion wherein we take stock of our marriage. Discuss the next evolution of our two-decade relationship. And share our collective experiences to explore relationship fulfillment in general.
We talk about low moments – my relapse (almost 8 years ago), grief, rebirth, and divorce. We discuss creativity and taking responsibility for our personal connections. We recap our recent retreat in Italy. And we conclude by diving into Julie’s current obsessions — her For The Life of Me podcast and quickly growing online spiritual community, Water Tiger.
And we conclude with a very big announcement.
Let me set the stage. As many of you know, Julie spent years devoted to mastering the art of plant-based cheese. That journey birthed This Cheese Is Nuts, her groundbreaking cookbook primer on all things non-dairy. In the years since that book's publication, she continued to iterate on her recipes, taking her creations next level.
The privileged few who have tested her achievements know very well just how insanely delicious it is. People literally freak out. Chances are you've even heard a few on mic raves from many a former podcast guest — Julie's favorite taste testers.
The response has been so unanimously positive, she spent the last year assemb… -
Lori Gottlieb: Stories From A Therapist In Therapy
2 september 2019 · 1 uur 49 min
Let's talk about talking to someone.
Personally, I've been in and out of therapy for more than two decades. Over the last couple years, I've been deeply immersed in a weekly therapist-led men's group — intimate game-changing sessions that have helped me work through deep-seated stuff that lives and breathes beyond 12-step.
We're only as sick as our secrets. The path to healing and personal growth requires openly sharing our hidden struggles. Bearing our vulnerabilities. And allowing others to identify the blind spots that elude us.
My point is that we all need help. And as today's guest will openly admit, even therapists benefit from therapy.
A Los Angeles-based psychotherapist, journalist and author, Lori Gottlieb writes the weekly ‘Dear Therapist’ column for The Atlantic. She contributes to several prominent publications including The New York Times. And she recurs as a mental health expert on a variety of national television and radio outlets including, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The CBS Early Show, Dr. Phil, CNN, and NPR’s ‘Fresh Air.'
In addition, Lori is the author of three books: Marry Him,Stick Figure and her latest, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, a fun and highly relatable romp behind the scenes of a therapist’s world. What it’s like to be a therapist. And what it’s like to be a therapist in therapy.
A hit that spent many weeks on The New York Times bestseller list, the book was listed as People magazine’s ‘Book of the Week.' O magazine named it one of the ‘Best Nonfiction Books of 2019.' And it's currently being developed into a TV series with Eva Longoria. Lees meerThis is a conversation about what happens when a therapist — someone specifically trained to understand what makes people do what they do — experiences her own personal crisis.
But it’s also a broader conversation about mental well-being in general. About the benefits of therapy. And why we can all better ourselves by talking to a professional.
In addition, we discuss the psychological i… -
Tony Riddle Wants To Rewild Your Life
26 augustus 2019 · 2 uur 49 min
Screens and cubicles. Shoes and chairs. Fluorescent lights and air conditioned offices. Processed foods. Netflix and chill.
Disconnecting us from our essential human nature, modern living isn't making us happier. Ironically, it's driving an existential crisis of unprecedented proportions — rendering us more sick, immobile, lonely, depressed, and unfulfilled than ever.
It's time to stop. It's time we reconnect with that which is most essential.
Nature. Movement. Community. Love.
To do that, we must adopt a more naturalistic approach to lifestyle.
This week's guest calls it rewilding.
Meet Tony Riddle – a natural lifestyle coach and barefoot running enthusiast who has devoted his life to studying what makes us human and how to live naturally in the modern world. Through the adoption of simple practices — many of which defined humanity for millennia — he aids people in living healthier and more connected lives by changing our relationship to ourselves, to others and our personal environments.
Putting his life philosophy into action, Tony is attempting to run the entire length of Great Britain, barefoot. Beginning September 1 at Land’s End, he will run 900 miles — 30 miles a day for 30 consecutive days — until he reaches John O'Groats, convening with sustainability experts along the way. To learn more, join him for a segment or otherwise get involved, visit tonyriddle.com. Lees meerI was initially introduced to Tony through The Happy Pear twins. Enamored with his instructional Instagram tutorials on natural lifestyle practices, I knew he’d make for a fun and highly instructive podcast.
My day with Tony began with a running technique tutorial, followed by a trail run (which Tony did barefoot of course, to my amazement given the sharp rocky terrain), and culminated in this conversation.
As an aside, please check out the fun and informative video we created from my run with Tony. It's called You've Been Running Wrong. Shout out to Ali Rogers for a bang up job directing and editin… -
Gwen Jorgensen’s Champion Mindset: Big Dreams, Taking Risks & Following Your Heart
22 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 33 min
How does a relatively conservative, risk averse person evolve into an unbreakable champion? Someone confident enough to put everything on the line for an audacious dream?
This is the story of Gwen Jorgensen — an accountant turned ‘Queen of Triathlon' who walked away from swim-bike-run at the peak of her powers to ply her skills in an entirely new discipline: the marathon.
Gwen’s athletic career began as a swimmer, competing at the University of Wisconsin as a walk on before making the switch to track & field, maturing into an NCAA standout and Big 10 Champion. But the end of college marked the end of her athletic ambitions. Declining a professional running career, she opted for civilian life, joining Ernst & Young as a CPA.
Eventually, USA Triathlon lured Gwen back to athletics. Within two years, Gwen made her first Olympic team and matured into the sport's dominant force, accumulating 2 Triathlon World Champion titles and 17 ITU World Triathlon Series wins, culminating in gold at the 2016 Games in Rio.
After a year off racing to give birth to her son Stanley, Gwen announced her retirement from triathlon, along with a brazen new goal: to win marathon gold in Tokyo.
It's a feat no American woman has accomplished since Joan Benoit Samuelson broke the tape at the inaugural women's marathon at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympiad. Lees meerA few weeks ago I was invited by Jaybird Sport to join a group of adventure-seeking endurance junkies in Montana's Glacier National Park. The official occasion was to celebrate the launch of Jaybird's new Vista wireless earbuds (which I'm loving by the way). The unofficial occasion was to retreat and connect — old-school, analog campfire style — with like-minded, high vibration humans. It's a group that included Gwen and husband Patrick Lemieux, as well as a few former podcast guests like Knox Robinson (RRP #394), Timothy Olson (RRP #78), and Sanjay Rawal (RRP #389).
This podcast is a product of that uniquely beautiful experience — a great conversa… -
How to Unlearn: Humble The Poet On Simple Truths For A Better Life
19 augustus 2019 · 2 uur 51 min
We craft our identity around story. And that story is comprised of beliefs. But you are not your beliefs. And that story isn't just incomplete, it's generally wrong.
The path to self-actualization requires deconstructing that story. And disentangling your beliefs from the truth of your highest self.
To do this we must unlearn much of what we reflexively accept as truth. And open ourselves to a more expansive perspective.
My guest for this exploration is the Toronto-based, rapper, author and spoken word artist, Kanwer Singh, known broadly as Humble The Poet.
Covered in tattoos, a thick beard, and Sikh head wrap, Humble commands attention with his silly smile and warm, inviting presence. A former school teacher turned artist, he challenges conventional wisdom with dynamic live sets that simultaneously entertain while questioning the status quo.
Humble shares his distinctive style and point of view on his wildly popular blog. He's been featured on a multitude of media outlets, including CBC's Canada Reads, as well as on Apple's first Canadian ad spot for their #ShotOnIphone campaign. He's the author of Unlearn: 101 Simple Truths for A Better Life* and the upcoming book, Things No One Else Can Teach Us*, hitting bookstores everywhere October 15, 2019 and available for pre-order now.
Flipping the script for happiness, Humble's point is simple — our hardest moments are our greatest teachers, because they invite us to change our perspectives. We can't control the setbacks in life but we do have the power to control how we react to them.
It's a process that begins with unlearning what we think we know. And being open to a new story — about ourselves, others and the world we share. Lees meerThis is a fun and wide-ranging conversation about that very shift. Sharing raw and honest stories from his own life — from his rocky start to becoming a rapper to nearly going broke to his worst breakups — it's an exploration of how a change in mindset can radically alter our outlook.
It's about… -
Annaka Harris On Consciousness
12 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 39 min
What is consciousness? How does it arise? And why does it exist?
We take ‘experience' for granted. But the very existence of consciousness raises profound questions: Why would any collection of matter in the universe be conscious? How are we able to think about this? And why should we?
Our guide for today's philosophic and scientific exploration of these mysteries is Annaka Harris.
An editor and consultant for science writers specializing in neuroscience and physics, Annaka is the author of the children's book I Wonder, a collaborator on the Mindful Games Activity Cards, by Susan Kaiser Greenland, and a volunteer mindfulness teacher for the Inner Kids organization.
Annaka's work has appeared in The New York Times and all of her guided meditations and lessons for children are available on the Waking Up app, the digital meditation platform created by her husband Sam Harris — the renown author, public intellectual, blogger, and podcast host.
Annaka’s latest book — which recently hit the New York Times bestseller list and provides the focus for today’s conversation — is entitled, Conscious: A Brief Guide to the Fundamental Mystery of the Mind. A must-read for any and all curious about one of the Universe's great mysteries, it's a brief yet mind-bending read that challenges our assumptions about the nature, origin and purpose of consciousness. Lees meerEqual parts nerdy and fun, this is a deeply profound conversation that tackles the very nature of consciousness itself — and what it means to be a living being having ‘an experience'.
We discuss how Annaka became interested in this field and the path undertaken to writing this book.
Parsing instinct from scientific fact, we deconstruct our assumptions about consciousness and grapple with its essential nature — what is consciousness exactly? And where does it physically reside?
We discuss meditation and artificial intelligence. We dive into plant consciousness. We explore panpsychism (a theory I quite fancy). And we muse about the… -
Amanda Palmer On Radical Compassion & The Power Of Vulnerability
8 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 24 min
Today's guest is many things. A fiercely independent singer, songwriter and musician. A bestselling author and blogger. A playwright and director. A riveting speaker and a viral TED Talk-er. A crowdfunding mom. An ardent feminist. And a fearless activist.
Living and breathing at the cutting edge of expression in all forms, Amanda Palmer is an iconic, bold and sui generis performer constantly innovating what it means to be an artist in the modern age.
Getting her start as a busking eight-foot bride statue in Harvard Square, she would go on to form one-half of the inventive, punk cabaret act The Dresden Dolls before launching one of the most successful crowd-funded solo careers in music history.
Leaning into her devoted audience to support her seemingly endless fount of creativity, Amanda helped resuscitate the ancient art of artistic patronage, giving us all permission to ask. And more importantly perhaps, the encouragement to receive.
Further to this idea, The Art of Asking, Amanda's sensational 2013 TED Talk, would go on to be viewed over 20 million times and led to her New York Times bestselling memoir, The Art of Asking: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let People Help*.
Leveraging her legion of 15,000 Patreon supporters, Amanda’s career is wholly devoted to her adoring fans eager to support her creations. Her latest offering, There Will Be No Intermission, is a beautiful, haunting and powerful solo album and world tour that grapples with the very personal and social emotional landscape of abortion, miscarriage and death. Lees meerThis past May I had the good fortune to witness Amanda's epic 4 1/2 hour show at the Ace Theatre here in LA. I was extremely moved by it. And even more privileged to host this conversation with her the following day.
This is a conversation about what it means to be radically compassionate — open-hearted to even those we deem undeserving — and why humanity depends on empathy for its survival.
It's about the strength that can be gathered when … -
Toby Morse On Punk, Parenting & PMA
5 augustus 2019 · 1 uur 40 min
Tattoos. High intensity sound. Stage diving. For the unfamiliar, it's chaos. Scary. Violent, even. But to today's guest, being hardcore straight edge is magical — a grassroots community dedicated to art, not anarchy. Celebrating life. And making the world a better place.
Best known around the world as the charismatic, energetic and always smiling front man for hardcore punk band H2O, Toby Morse was raised by a single mom in Massachusetts before moving to New York City in 1988 with a dream of becoming a musician. Immersing himself in the burgeoning punk rock scene of Manhattan's Lower East Side, he worked odd jobs. He was a roadie. And in 1994, inspired by Bad Brains, he formed a band that would ultimately become synonymous with the Straight Edge and Positive Mental Attitude (‘PMA”) movements.
Their self-titled debut album came out in 1996. Over the years, H2O has played alongside acts like No Doubt and Misfits. In 1998 and 1999 they joined the Warped Tour. Still together, the band continues to pack venues the world over, including a recent European tour that featured Toby's teenage son Max on drums.
A dedicated vegan who has never himself touched drugs or alcohol, Toby is also a family man, self-professed “Emo Dad” and the founder of One Life One Chance — a non-profit dedicated to inspiring elementary, middle and high school students to make healthy choices and live a drug-free life. Through public speaking engagements, Toby informs kids how possible it is to maintain PMA, break stereotypes, be a leader, and maintain self-respect. Lees meerToby first came on my radar a couple years ago by way of podcast favorite, Cro-Mags frontman and fellow hardcore PMA warrior John Joseph. A friend of JJ's is a friend of mine, so I got hip to Toby's Instagram and quickly fell in love with his consistent flow of uplifting posts. His family-centric high vibe. The gentle, beautiful and uncompromising way he celebrates individuality, honoring the misfits and uplifting the weirdos. And his un…
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Titus Welliver On Gratitude & Great Art
29 juli 2019 · 2 uur 55 min
Hey it's that guy. You know the guy, right?
The guy with the crazy moustache in that Ben Affleck movie? The Man In Black from Lost? The Irish gangster in Sons of Anarchy?
Oh, right. THAT GUY.
Titus Welliver has one of the longest lists of working actor credits in Hollywood. Nonetheless, this über-talented veteran of stage and screen spent most of his storied career slightly outside Tinsletown's white hot spotlight.
But that changed with the 2014 premier of Amazon's Original Series Bosch. A hardboiled noir crime procedural based on a series of Michael Connelly novels, the show caught fire and is currently in production on its sixth season. Suffice it to say, Titus' heavily lauded portrayal of L.A.P.D. detective Harry Bosch landed him center on the zeitgeist stage.
But this man is much more than an amazing actor finally enjoying his moment. He is a friend. And a true artist. Lees meerRaised by a fashion illustrator mom and celebrated landscape painter Neil Welliver, Titus spent his formative years surrounded by a community of influential poets, writers, photographers and fine artists. Initially a painter himself, his father taught young Titus early and often that creative mastery required discipline. Patience. And a work ethic as rugged as New England winters.
Perhaps an artist’s life was pre-destined for Titus. But his early passion for painting would eventually be displaced by a love of theater.
It's a career that would eventually put him on a trajectory to work alongside some of the most brilliant minds in storytelling. People like David Milch, the creator of NYPD Blue, Deadwood and John From Cincinatti, who would become a father figure to Titus. Steven Bochco, producer of Hill Street Blues and L.A. Law. And Ben Affleck, who has cast Titus in all of his movies: Gone Baby Gone, The Town and Argo.
In fact, it's been said that Titus has appeared in literally everything.
This is a conversation about what it means to live a creative life. What is required to succeed an artist.… -
Zach Bush, MD Wants You To Let Go Of Your Story
25 juli 2019 · 1 uur 53 min
He’s back! One of the most fascinating and popular guests to grace this platform, Today Zach Bush, MD returns for a third mind-altering bend around the multiverse.
For the uninitiated, Zach's varied interests belie attempts to properly define him — but I'll give it a try. One of the few triple board certified physicians in America with expertise in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism, and Hospice/Palliative care, he is the founder and director of M Clinic integrative health center in Virginia.
In addition to his experience in functional medicine, longevity, autism, gut health, cancer, and many other areas of medicine, he is an avid environmentalist and activist involved in a multitude of projects that focus on ecology, regenerative agriculture, farmer well-being and spirituality.
To advocate for soil health & food independence, Zach is also the creator of Farmer's Footprint. Seen through the lens of farmers and their communities, it's a documentary series & grassroots movement that evaluates the impact of monocrop farming and pesticide reliance on chronic disease and planetary health — while simultaneously exploring evidence-based solutions to rebuild living biodiversity and ultimately reverse climate change.
But more than anything, Zach is a healer. A master consciousness. A gift to humanity. And someone I am very proud to call friend. Lees meerZach's initial appearance on the podcast (RRP 353) blew minds across the world. Our second conversation (RRP 414) was one of the most moving conversations of my life. So it just seemed right to invite Zach and his holistic health coach, consultant and yoga teacher wife Jenn Perell Bush to join us on our recent retreat in Italy.
If you listened to either of our previous conversations, it would be reasonable to expect this discussion to further explore the impact of industrialized food systems on human and ecological health. However, that assumption would be wrong.
Instead, we delve inside to explore our individual and co… -
Matthew Futterman On The Secrets of Speed & Endurance
22 juli 2019 · 2 uur 13 min
What is the secret to running impossibly fast? Or distances longer than previously imagined?
Beginning in the 1960's, an unknown farm boy turned coach named Bob Larsen launched a decades-long quest to find the ‘secret sauce' of speed and endurance that would eventually revolutionize the sport and catapult American running onto the national stage.
This is the story of how Larsen took turned a rag-tag group of also-ran junior college athletes called the Jamul Toads into cult-favorite national champions. Later, he would apply his secret training regimen to athletes like Meb Keflezighi and Deena Kastor to create victories at the New York and Boston Marathons as well as the Olympics.
To unpack this incredible yarn, today I sit down with New York Times Deputy Sports Editor Matthew Futterman.
A graduate of Union College and Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, Matthew has previously worked for The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Star-Ledger of New Jersey, where he was a part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News in 2005.
An avid marathoner, Matthew became obsessed with the history of American distance running and the training innovations that create champions. The result of this quest is his new book, Running to the Edge: A Band of Misfits and the Guru Who Unlocked the Secrets of Speed. Part Bob Larsen biography and part autobiography, it's a fascinating account of how one maverick coach discovered and developed the unorthodox paradigm that would launch American runners to unprecedented breakthroughs and ultimately inform the protocols of some of today’s most fleet of foot. Lees meerFrom Bob Bowerman and Steve Prefontaine to the quest to break the 2-hour marathon, today's exploration focuses on the science behind running performance. The ongoing quest to find the secret sauce of speed and endurance. And the evolving crusade to run faster and farther than ever before.
It’s about what can be learned from Bob Larsen's examp… -
Pro Boxer Mike Lee On Why Mindset Is Everything
15 juli 2019 · 1 uur 53 min
To be totally honest, I don't follow the pugilistic arts all that closely. But professional boxer barely describes this week's guest — a man who has faced stacked odds and overcome career-ending setbacks to meet the biggest moment of his life.
Ask him how he did it, and Mike Lee answers with conviction: it's all about mindset.
A professional light heavyweight boxer currently 21 – 0 with 11 knockouts, this Saturday, July 20th Mike will be fighting for his first world title against Caleb Plant — the current Undefeated IBF Super Middleweight World Champion. It’s Mike’s first fight in 13 months. On the other hand, Plant (18-0 with 10 knockouts) is fresh off his biggest victory. Suffice it to say, it’s shaping up to be quite the bout. And it's all going down live on Fox PBC, live from the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Hardly your average fighter, what compels me about Mike is the unique path he's blazed to arrive at this place. This is a guy who studied business at Notre Dame, where he relaxed by reading The Wall Street Journal and watching CNBC. When he graduated in 2009 with a 3.8 GPA in finance, he was welcomed with lucrative opportunities on Wall Street. But then he takes the road less traveled, turning every job offer down to pursue a lifelong dream: winning Chicago’s Golden Gloves.
He did just that. The following year, he went pro, winning his first two professional fights. The national spotlight shone bright. Endorsement contracts followed. The boxing world, it appeared, was his oyster.
You might say the rest is history. But that belies the severity of his next bout — a fight for his life that blindsided him outside the ring. Lees meerAt the peak of his career, after knocking out Tyler Seever in 2012, Mike fell prey to a mysterious health condition that would bench him for over two years. Experiencing great pain in his joints, severe headaches and debilitating chronic fatigue, doctors struggled to determine the cause. Some believed it was psychological. Others prescribed a mul…
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Jeff Gordinier Is Hungry: Perfect Plates, Punk Rock & Prolific Prose
11 juli 2019 · 2 uur 36 min
Why is great food important? How and why did restaurants become culturally significant? And what life lessons can be gleaned from the world's greatest chef?
There is no more enthusiastic ringmaster for this exploration than the merry man of food himself, Jeff Gordinier.
A writer, journalist and author who sits at the converging junction of food and culture, Jeff is a frequent contributor to the New York Times and currently serves as the Food and Drinks editor at Esquire Magazine.
A graduate of Princeton University where he studied writing and poetry, Jeff is a former writer and editor for Entertainment Weekly, editor at large for Details magazine and over the years has written about music and culture for a multitude of national publications, including Travel + Leisure, GQ, Elle, Creative Nonfiction, Spin, Poetry Foundation, Fortune, and many others.
The occasion for today’s conversation is Jeff’s new book, Hungry: Eating, Road-Tripping, and Risking It All with the Greatest Chef in the World*. Equal parts mid-life crisis autobiography, adventure travelogue and biography, it chronicles the four years Jeff spent traveling with René Redzepi, the renowned chef of Copenhagen's Noma — recently fêted as the #2 best restaurant in the world — in search of the most tantalizing flavors the world has to offer. And yet, the book really isn't about food. A meditation on risk, re-invention, creative breakthroughs, and human connection, it sits atop my recommended summer reads. Lees meerI first met Jeff in 2015 when he visited our home for a New York Times feature he was penning on the rise of veganism. Dubbed Vegans Go Glam, the piece caught fire, including a day spent as the #1 most e-mailed story on the entire New York Times website. Suffice it say, this was an insanely big moment for us, and the plant-based movement at large.
In the aftermath of that experience, Jeff and I struck up a friendship He sent me an early copy of Hungry, which I devoured. It left me wanting to know more about… -
Miguel McKelvey Is Reimagining The Workplace — How Design Fuels Human Connection
8 juli 2019 · 2 uur 41 min
The tectonic plates of the workplace landscape are rapidly shifting. Gone are the days of multi-decade corporate allegiance, replaced with project-based careers. The rapid rise of the freelance economy. And a labor core increasingly distributed across the globe.
What are the economic and social implications of this trend? How can the traditional office be re-imagined to fit this escalating movement? And what role can architecture and design play to deepen community and foster personal happiness?
There is no better steward to explore these important questions than this week's guest, Miguel McKelvey.
A talented, multi-disciplinary designer and entrepreneur, Miguel is the Co-Founder of WeWork — the ubiquitous, communal co-working space company — where he currently serves as the Chief Culture Officer, directing construction, architecture and web design for the business.
Raised on a commune in Oregon, Miguel earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon, where he played on the Oregon Ducks basketball team for two years. Prior to WeWork, Miguel created the design framework and led the national retail roll-out for 170 American Apparel stores. Subsequently, he was involved in the early-stage development of several companies, including Green Desk, Barre3, Versation, and English, Baby! Lees meerBecause Miguel shares responsibility for creating and leading one of the world's most successful companies, one might predictably suspect this is a conversation about business. It is not. To be sure, we track his entrepreneurial journey. But this man's success has less to do with commerce and more to do with purpose. A deep commitment to community. And an intentional life devoted to fostering meaningful human connection.
Over the course of two and a half hours, we explore how Miguel's unusual upbringing in a five-mother commune and his experience playing NCAA Division I basketball created the ‘Communitarian' philosophy that would later inform the cultural foundation f… -
Dave Roll: Meditations On Character, Integrity & Leadership
1 juli 2019 · 2 uur 18 min
For reasons both obvious and perhaps less so, this week's episode holds a very special place in my heart.
There is something unique about sitting before a microphone that permits a species of conversation difficult to otherwise have. Done right, the inherent formality of putting it all on the record can countenance an experience of rare intimacy that scarcely transpires in the course of conventional human interaction.
From the very beginning of this podcast journey, I've longed to host my father on the show. To provide a ceremonial opportunity to probe his life, uninterrupted. To learn things about him I've always wanted to know — but for whatever reason just never found the right occasion to ask.
For years, I harbored the fear that if I didn't make such an experience a priority, it might never happen. And that would be something I would deeply regret for the rest of my days.
My drive was never to share such an experience with an audience. I wasn't convinced the conversation I yearned for would be appropriate for public consumption. It's always been about creating a moment just for us. A document I could privately keep for posterity. And for my children.
However, a compelling reason recently arose to transform this rumination into reality.
A gentleman and a scholar, Dave Roll has spent the better part of his life studying history. The apex of this passion is an incredible new book entitled, George Marshall: Defender of the Republic*. An enthralling and deeply thoughtful chronicle of America's most distinguished soldier since George Washington, it's also a deeply prescient and timely meditation on selflessness, leadership, and the momentous importance of moral character in political and social structures. The embodiment of these ideals, Marshall influenced the course of two world wars, and helped define the American century.
By way of background, my dad has enjoyed a very successful 35 year career as an accomplished attorney in the field of antitrust. Over the years… Lees meer -
Rebecca Rusch Is The Queen Of Pain
24 juni 2019 · 1 uur 59 min
This week I sit down with Rebecca Rusch – one of the world’s greatest adventure athletes.
Rebecca is a 7-time World Champion, best-selling author, activist, and Emmy winner. In addition to superhuman success on a mountain bike, she has performed at the elite level across a multitude of disciplines including rock climbing, white water rafting, and multi-day adventure events like Eco Challenge.
Still crushing it at 50, Rebecca is redefining human capability in real time.
Beyond athletics, Rebecca is a TEDx speaker, author of Rusch To Glory* and the founder of the Be Good Foundation. In addition, she is the event producer of Rebecca’s Private Idaho, a bike race in her hometown of Ketchum, and the protagonist in Blood Road, an extraordinary documentary that chronicles her 1,800 km mountain bike adventure along the Ho Chi Minh Trail to reach the site where her U.S. Air Force pilot father was shot down in Laos more than 40 years earlier during Vietnam.
Dubbed ‘The Queen of Pain' by Adventure Sports magazine, Rebecca was named #6 on Active.com’s list of the World's Top 100 Athletes, Singletrack.com’s Mountain Biker of the Year, Sports Illustrated Adventure Racing Team of the Year, and Outside magazine’s Top 20 Female Athletes of the Year. Lees meerRebecca's accomplishments are beyond impressive. But today's conversation lives beyond elite performance to explore things like curiosity. The richness of adventure. Feeding the soul. Continuous personal growth. Redefining age. Contributing to the greater good. And giving back.
But most of all, this is about what can be gleaned by leaning into the unknown. And living outside the comfort zone. Because there is so much more to this incredible woman than athletic prowess.
I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with Rebecca. My hope is that it leaves you re-evaluating your personal limits. And inspired to live more adventurously.
The visually inclined can watch our entire conversation on YouTube here: bit.ly/rebeccarusch450 (please subscribe!)
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Gemma Newman, MD Is The Plant Power Doctor
20 juni 2019 · 2 uur 5 min
Recorded live during our recent Plantpower Italia retreat in Tuscany, I'm delighted to share a fun and highly informative conversation and audience Q&A with the delightful, whip-smart “Plant Power Doctor” herself. Lees meer
Gemma Newman, MD has worked in medicine for 15 years, the last decade serving as Senior Partner at a family medical practice in the U.K.. She studied at the University of Wales College of Medicine and has worked in many specialities as a doctor including elderly care, endocrinology, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, psychiatry, general surgery, urology, vascular surgery, rehabilitation medicine and General Practice.
In recent years she has developed a specialist interest in plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine, serving as a Jikiden Reiki practitioner and advisory board member of Plant Based Health Professionals UK. On the daily, she provides evidence based nutrition, mental and physical health modalities, energetic healing and lifestyle advice to her patients, who have gained tremendous results using the power of their plate.As a broadcaster and writer she has been featured on numerous national press outlets including ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky News Sunrise. She is a regular contributor Glamour, Zest and Health magazines and has appeared in the feature film Vegan 2018.
Gemma's journey to plant-based advocacy isn't rooted in ideology or moral compunction, but rather on hard science matched with self-experimentation.
As a young doctor in a high-pressure environment, like many newly minted physicians she began neglecting her own health. Struggling with her weight, and having bought into the background hum of ‘cut the carbs', she adopted a low carb diet. Calorie counting ensued, combined with a modest daily exercise routine.
It worked. Sort of. Dropping from a size 18 to a size 8, she was feeling pretty good about herself. Then she checked her blood profile to discover an elevated lipid profile, markers suggesting a tendency to heart d… -
The Awakening Of Russell Brand
17 juni 2019 · 1 uur 56 min
Every podcaster has their dream list — guests they fantasize interviewing. From day one, today's guest has occupied my top slot.
Officially, Russell Brand is one of the most recognizable and best-loved comedy performers in the world. He is also is also a phenomenally successful author, broadcaster, actor, columnist, political commentator and mental health & drug rehabilitation activist. His global bestselling books include Revolution*,Recovery: Freedom from Our Addictions*, and his latest release, Mentors: How to Help and Be Helped*. Now a devoted dad and husband, when he isn't touring or performing he can be found hosting Under The Skin on Luminary, one of my very favorite podcasts.
Unofficially, Russell is iconic for his very public awakening. A recovering heroin addict, his struggles with drugs, sex, fame, money and power were custom tailored for tabloid fodder. And his satirical but always probing takes on politics, celebrity culture and religion often find him in the crosshairs of controversy. Lees meerI think of Russell as a hyper-intelligent master of modern discourse and disputation. Perpetually armed with a most delicious turn-of-phrase, he is a philosopher of the extreme. A man who has voyaged to the brink of overindulgence, he has returned to share the unique personal wisdom gleaned from such surfeit with razor-sharp musings on the broader humanity we collectively share — and have a laugh along the path.
With a sui generis brew of eccentric wit, subversive candor and extreme charm, Russell grapples fearlessly and out loud with that which lays beneath the surface. With the ideas that define our time. Of the history we are told. And the ulterior truth behind our constructed reality.
What is truly real? How can we craft a more fair and just society for all? How can we live a more intentional life of meaning? What does it mean be a spiritual being in a human existence?
Today we voyage beyond the walls of our constructed material world. We dive into The Matrix. And t… -
Cal Newport on Digital Minimalism: Why Focus Is the New Superpower
10 juni 2019 · 2 uur 11 min
It's become increasingly harder to just put the phone down. Because the latest apps and digital platforms are specifically designed to addict, we have become slaves to their irresistible allure.
Our precious attention is being hijacked. The ability to focus — to concentrate on that which is most meaningful — simply cannot compete with the magnetic pull of our Instagram feed. No longer need anyone ever be bored. Alone with one’s thoughts. Or simply present with one’s self.
The result is a global epidemic of distraction. A fomenting of loneliness and isolation. And a degradation of our humanity.
The solution isn't Ludditism. Instead it's agency. We need not be victims of technology. We have the power to liberate ourselves from the tether of digital dependency. And the freedom it creates isn't just the salve to what ails us, it's the gateway to that which we seek most. Meaning. True human connection. And a reconnection with our innate humanity.
Indeed, there is no substitute for real relationships. Boredom is useful. And focus is the new superpower.
Cal Newport is someone who has spent a lot of time thinking deeply about these issues.
An associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University, Cal is the author of six books, many of which focus on the impact of technology on society. The primary focus of today's conversation is rooted in his latest New York Times bestseller, Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World*.
Cal’s work has been published in over 20 languages. He is a frequent guest on NPR and has been featured in many major publications, including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, New Yorker, Washington Post, and Economist. Lees meerRegular listeners know I have a penchant for dropping Cal's name with regularity. I became acquainted with his work in early 2016 by way of his seminal book, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in A Distracted World* — pages that profoundly impacted how I think about and apply my attention. We struck u…
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Sanjay Gupta, MD On Chasing Health, Work-Life Balance & Responsible Journalism
7 juni 2019 · 1 uur 26 min
“Human existence is but the blink of an eye. It doesn’t take much research to think about how we evolved and why we evolve the way that we do.”
Dr. Sanjay Gupta Lees meerWestern medicine is extraordinary. Over the last several decades, scientific advances in the diagnosis and treatment of previously thought incurable diseases has utterly transformed how we live.
But with these breakthroughs comes an arrogance — a hubris that modalities outside the very narrow rubric of our dominant paradigm are without value — archaic, outdated legacies of less developed cultures.
But is this always the case? Or do lessons remain to be learned by taking a critical but objective look at how other societies approach health and well-being?
This question nagged at Sanjay Gupta, MD. So he decided to find answers for himself.
For those unfamiliar, Sanjay is the associate chief of neurosurgery at Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital and assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Emory University School of Medicine. But most people know him as the multiple Emmy-award winning chief medical correspondent for CNN. In his tenure as a journalist he has spent decades covering everything from the 2003 invasion of Iraq to the Haiti earthquake in 2010, where he performed surgery on a 12-year-old girl earthquake victim along with Henri Ford and two U.S. Navy doctors.
If that's not enough, this dad, husband, and novelist was named among “The Sexiest Man Alive” by People magazine and in 2009 was selected for the position of Surgeon General by President Barack Obama — a job he declined.
To answer the aforementioned question, Sanjay spent the last year traveling the world, finding where people live longer, happier and more functional lives than anywhere else on the planet. The result of his quest is the recently-aired CNN Original Series Chasing Life — must-see TV if you haven't caught it already.Today we cover his origin story and incredible career. We discuss the responsibility of journalism in the era of alte…
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You Are A Superorganism: Ara Katz & Raja Dhir On The Power Of Microbes
3 juni 2019 · 2 uur 26 min
“We are, by definition, an ecosystem. The microbiome reveals a more connected biology, radically transforming our approach to medicine, hygiene, diet, and living.”
Ara Katz & Raja Dhir Lees meerOur bodies are comprised of about ten trillion cells. But our microbiome — all the bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in or on our bodies – outnumber human cells by a factor of 10.
Indeed, we are far more microorganism than human.
Moreover, rapidly developing science reveals the vast extent to which the nature of our personal microbiome drives not only our propensity for disease and digestive health, but also, quite surprisingly, can dictate our mental disposition, cognitive function, and even our specific food cravings.
Today we take a magnifying glass to the mind-blowing netherworld of microbiota to illuminate their implications not just on human health, but the well-being of planet Earth at large.
Our stewards for this fantastic voyage are Ara Katz and Raja Dhir, the co-founders of Seed, a venture backed microbiome company at the pioneering edge of bacteria science.
Ara is a serial entrepreneur and fellow at the MIT Media Lab’s Center for Future Storytelling and CCA’s DesignMBA program. She was named one of the “50 Most Influential Women in America” by Marie Claire, listed on Business Insider’s “Silicon Alley Top 100” and “36 Rockstar Women in NYC Tech”, and was recently included in Create + Cultivate’s 100 List for STEM.One of the most knowledgeable people I have ever met when it comes to our rapidly evolving understanding of the microbiome, Raja is a life sciences entrepreneur and a member of the Microbiome Think Tank at Mass General Hospital. He sits on the editorial board for the scientific journal Microbiome as well as the advisory committee for the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics. In addition, he is a director and co-chair of the scientific advisory board for Micropia, a $20MM microbial ecology and education platform as well as the w…
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Andy Ramage On Creating The ‘One Year No Beer’ Movement & How Alcohol-Freedom Unlocked His Potential
26 mei 2019 · 1 uur 57 min
Over the years, I have openly shared my personal journey with alcoholism and that of many guests. A lifeline for the desperate many that struggle in silence, I do this to underscore that there is always hope, no matter how far down you find yourself.
But what if you’re not an alcoholic? What if you, like millions of people, occasionally drink just a little too much? Even though it doesn't destroy your life, it leaves you feeling off. You're tired of the hangovers, the lethargy and the low grade depression it provokes. You'd prefer to stop. But because drinking is integral to your social or professional life, opting out seems impossible. What then?
This week's guest faced this very predicament, a relatable scenario for a vast number of people. The only difference? Andy Ramage decided to do something about it.
A former professional footballer (as they say in the UK), a career-ending injury prompted Andy to hang up the cleats and enter the world of finance. Channeling his work ethic, it didn't take long for him to become successful in the traditional sense, co-creating two multimillion-dollar city brokerages.
But doing well in banking ‘required' (or so he thought) drinking. Lots of drinking. Long Mad Men style booze-soaked client lunches. Countless happy hours, pub crawls, and cocktail soirées, followed by clubbing and the occasional after party. It's just what you gotta do to play the game.
Andy didn’t necessarily have a drinking ‘problem’. But the lifestyle left him drained. Listless. And looking for a change.
Bucking the unwritten rules of his professional environment, he decided to to take a break from alcohol and embarked instead on a quest for peak performance and well-being. It stuck. Not only did Andy feel markedly better, his work performance improved. His relationships became more meaningful. He fell back in love with the simple things that brought him joy as a young lad. Slowly, a new world of life opportunities began to emerge.
Transformed, Andy enthusiast… Lees meer -
Doug Bopst On Fitness, Faith & The Jail Cell That Saved His Life
23 mei 2019 · 2 uur 17 min
“Always focus on how far you've come, not how far you have to go.”
Doug Bopst Lees meerAdmittedly, It's a thrill to converse with renown experts, world-class athletes and celebrities.
But the most rewarding aspect of my job is occasionally turning my spotlight on the everyman — relatable people who have conquered adversity to reinvent themselves wholesale, all in relative civilian anonymity.
These people are a gift. Amplifying their stories isn't just an honor. And it isn't just my joy. I see it as a responsibility.
Through these individuals we are better able to see ourselves. Their weaknesses, struggles and strengths mirror our own. Their relatability uniquely qualifies them to reflect back upon us our shared, collective humanity. In their victories we can connect more viscerally with our own inner power and potential.
Today it's my privilege to share yet another such story. This is the tale of Doug Bopst – an essentially normal kid who, like so many, suffered in silence from depression. To self-medicate he began experimenting with drugs in his teens. Smoking pot quickly evolved into a heavy opioid addiction. A day in the life involved snorting several hundred milligrams of OxyContin, complemented by a pack of cigarettes and the occasional cheesesteak. No exercise. No interest in maintaining relationships with anyone who didn't do drugs. No self-confidence. And no care for tomorrow.
At 21, it all came to a head. High on opiates and on his way to make a drug deal, a cop pulled Doug over for a broken taillight. The officer found $2,000 in cash plus half a pound of marijuana under the spare tire in the trunk. Promptly arrested on a felony drug charge, Doug ultimately served 2 months in jail.
It was hardly the harshest sentence. But it was more than sufficient for Doug to hit bottom. Reflect on his errant path. And commit to an entirely new life. A life redeemed by sobriety, faith, fitness and family.I was initially introduced to Doug through my friend Amy Dresner (another…
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Jesse Thomas: Work Hard, Play Harder & Love Hardest
20 mei 2019 · 2 uur 19 min
“There’s just no substitute for working hard.”
Jesse Thomas Lees meerHe's one of the world’s most popular and accomplished professional triathletes. But that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this week's guest — a humble athlete, proud dad, devoted husband and dedicated entrepreneur with a unique success equation: Work hard. Play harder. Love hardest.
His name is Jesse Thomas. He's rad. And this is his story.
It begins with a stand out track and field career at Stanford and the Olympic steeplechase dream cut short by a career-ending injury. While later pursuing a masters degree in mechanical engineering, he picked up a bike and progressed so rapidly he entertained a professional cycling career. But that dream too was crushed when a spill left him with a fractured C1 vertebra, nine months in a neck brace, a plate and 4 titanium screws to hold it all together.
Life as an athlete was over for Jesse. Or so he thought.
Spending the next several years as a tech entrepreneur, Jesse got itchy. He didn't like being out of shape. So he decided to do something about it.
Fast forward to 2011. The stage was Wildflower, a prestigious and formidable half-ironman distance triathlon set in the idyllic rolling hills of central California. A complete unknown amateur, Jesse nonetheless won the race outright, shocking the triathlon community by dominating an impressive professional field on a borrowed bike and a pair of $9 aviator sunglasses he bought at the drug store.
The victory was so unexpected, as Jesse crossed the finish line the race announcer had to ask, Who are you?
The story is legend. And the rest is history. Jesse went on to become the first person to win that race three years in a row. And along his circuitous path as a professional, he has graced the podium at many of the most lauded triathlons in the world, including 3rd at the coveted Challenge Roth ironman distance event last summer.
Jesse's ability to out-exercise the rest of us is impressive. But it's only a so… -
Pete Holmes: Comedy! Sex! God!
14 mei 2019 · 2 uur 17 min
Comedian! Writer! Author! Spiritual seeker!
One of my favorite people, Pete Holmes needs no introduction. But I'm going to give it to you anyway.
A stand up veteran with a cornucopia of comedy specials, television shows and late night appearances to his name, Pete is best known as the creator and star of the semi-autobiographical HBO show Crashing, a riotous and touching series he executive produced alongside Judd Apatow loosely based on Pete’s life in the early days of his comedy career.
In addition, Pete hosts You Made It Weird – hands down one of my absolute favorite podcasts (I was honored to be a guest) — and is the author of the brilliant and just released Comedy Sex God*. Part autobiography, part philosophical inquiry, part sacred quest, I can't recommend this book more highly. Equally hilarious and profound, it hits bookstores everywhere this week. Pick it up immediately*. Read. Ponder. Thank me later. Lees meerA long-time fan of Pete's, we were first introduced by our mutual friend (and former podcast guest) Rob Bell. From that moment forward I have yearned to get this fellow traveler on the show. It finally happened. And the experience is everything I hoped it would be.
Comedy. Sex. God. And everything in between. We cover it all.
We discuss his evangelical upbringing and how his failed attempt to live up to picture perfect standards forced him to question his faith and re-examine long-held beliefs, catalyzing the soul-seeking journey he has pursued ever since.
We talk comedy and creativity. How he squares Christianity with alternative faith modalities. And what he has learned spending time with spiritual savants like Ram Dass and experimenting with psychedelics.
We explore how fatherhood has impacted his spiritual and professional perspective. What it's like working with Judd Apatow. The experience of being a celebrity with a big show on HBO. And, more importantly, what happens when that show suddenly goes away.
But mostly, this is a beautiful exploration of the… -
The Awakening Of Jeff Grant: From Addiction & Incarceration To Prison Ministry
10 mei 2019 · 2 uur 14 min
An epidemic of colossal proportions, millions struggle with substance addiction. Suffering in silence, they too often slip through the cracks, desperate and alone.
As a society, it’s incumbent upon us to better address the problem. Improve our collective understanding of its underlying causes. And enhance access to the resources required to heal the decaying hungry ghosts among us.
It is for these reasons I felt compelled to share the story of Rev. Jeff Grant — a former well-respected New York City attorney who got hooked on painkillers and started making decisions so bad, he lost everything.
Like so many, Jeff’s using started rather innocently in the aftermath of a basketball injury. But it didn’t take long before the tectonic plates of his ethical landscape began to shift. Under the influence, he perpetrated a series of financial misdeeds that led to losing control of his law firm. A suicide attempt prompted sobriety, but the long shadow cast by past actions revisited Jeff with a felony fraud conviction and a federal prison sentence.
After serving 18 months, Jeff was faced with re-entry. His old life was no longer an option. He had to create an entirely new one. Lees meerSearching for a meaningful spiritual life line to help make sense of his transgressions and inform his trajectory moving forward, Jeff entered the Seminary, earning a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York, with a focus in Christian Social Ethics.
Upon graduation, he began serving at an inner-city church in Bridgeport, Connecticut as Associate Minister and Director of Prison Ministries. It is here that Jeff finds his calling assisting convicted felons and their families to navigate the treacherous waters of civilian re-entry.
Now an ordained minister with 16+ years of continuous sobriety, Jeff is the co-founder of Progressive Prison Ministries, the world’s first ministry created to provide confidential support to individuals, families and organizations with white collar incarcerat… -
Freeze Solo: Colin O’Brady Is The First to Cross Antarctica Alone & Unassisted
7 mei 2019 · 2 uur 27 min
Life has taught me one essential truth: the human spirit is boundless.
Just when you think we’ve reached the absolute pinnacle of what’s physically possible, someone performs a feat so utterly mind-bending you're left breathless. The skies of perception part. Blanketed in awe, we’re compelled to re-evaluate our own personal capabilities. And humanity is left just a little bit better than it was before.
This is the sensation I experience when I spend time with Colin O'Brady – a former Yale swimmer turned professional triathlete turned elite adventure athlete with 4 breathtaking world records to his name.
Colin's latest jaw-dropping feat of athletic prowess, stunning endurance and sheer human will was becoming the first person in history to cross the continent of Antarctica solo, unsupported and unaided. Under nothing but his own power, Colin pulled a 300lb sled 932 miles in just 54 days across the coldest, windiest, most remote continent on earth from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the South Pole.
Colin first appeared on the podcast in December of 2015 (RRP 207) — a deep dive into his unique upbringing on a commune; how he survived an almost lethal burn accident that left him unlikely to walk again; his phoenix like transformation into a professional ITU triathlete and Olympic hopeful; and how he morphed into a mountaineer with the audacity to attempt incomprehensible feats of adventure athleticism.
After conquering the Explorer’s Grand Slam, a challenge that encompassed scaling the highest mountain on each of the seven continents and treks to both the North and South Poles, Colin returned to the podcast in June of 2016 (RRP 235). Among the 44 who have completed the EGS, only 2 have done it under a year. Not only was Colin the youngest person to successfully complete this most prestigious undertaking, he crushed the world record by a stunning 53-day margin, completing it in a mere 139 days. Along the way, he simultaneously broke the 7 Summits world record by two da… Lees meer -
Lisa Damour, PhD On Parenting Teens Under Pressure
30 april 2019 · 2 uur 18 min
Today’s expedition takes us into the beautifully mysterious world of parenting, with a specific lens on navigating the perplexing vicissitudes of the teenage girl — one of the most beguiling and opaque creatures I've encountered in my 52 years.
I have been a parent and step-parent for two decades. Along the way, I successfully helped raise two young boys. Sure, I made many mistakes. But I also did a few things right. Today they are both amazing young men. And yet somehow that experience failed to adequately prepare me for the rather unique challenges I face guiding a teenage daughter towards adulthood — a joy that has at times brought me to my knees.
To elevate my parenting game, I began searching for greater insight into the idiosyncratic psyche of the female adolescent. That quest continuously referred me to one notable expert: Lisa Damour, PhD.
A teen whisperer par excellence, Lisa is a Yale educated psychotherapist with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Michigan who specializes in education and child development. But she is best known for her two New York Times bestselling books — Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood*; and her newest release, Under Pressure: Confronting the Epidemic of Stress and Anxiety in Girls*.
The parent of two teenage girls herself, Lisa writes the monthly Adolescence column for the New York Times. In addition to her private consulting and psychotherapy practice, she is a regular contributor to CBS News, speaks internationally, is a Senior Advisor to the Schubert Center for Child Studies at Case Western Reserve University, and serves as the Executive Director of Laurel School’s Center for Research on Girls.
This is all a long way of saying that when it comes to adolescents and teens, Lisa knows her shit. Lees meerToday's conversation deconstructs the particular emotional overload and unique social pressures young people face – everything from sex and drugs to body image, grades, nav…
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Optimizing Spring Training: Chris Hauth Returns
26 april 2019 · 1 uur 33 min
Making his latest appearance in our ongoing Coach’s Corner series is none other than Chris Hauth, one of the world’s most respected endurance and ultra-endurance coaches.
A sub-9 hour Ironman, Chris (@AIMPCoach) is a former professional triathlete, Age Group Ironman World Champion, and 2-time Olympic Swimmer. In 2006, Chris won the Ironman Coeur D’Alene and went on to be the first American amateur & 4th overall American at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii.
When he’s not training and racing, Chris hosts the Weekly Word Podcast and runs AIMP Coaching, mentoring a wide spectrum of athletes ranging from elite professionals — including Ironman and Western States top finishers, Ultraman winners and Olympic Trials qualifiers — to first time half-marathoners. Lees meerWhether you are an elite athlete or just starting out, Chris knows how to get the best out of athletes the right way. A long-time friend and mentor as much as a coach, I have been under Chris’ tutelage since 2008, during which time he deftly guided me through three Ultraman World Championships (’08, ’09 & ’11), EPIC5 in 2010 and the Ötillö Swimrun World Championships in 2017, an event we raced together as a team.
I could have never achieved the level of athletic success I have enjoyed without Chris’ deft counsel, so it is with pleasure that I share more of his wisdom with you today.
As we put the cold winter months behind us, today's conversation focuses on balancing your fitness goals against life's demands as we welcome warmer days. As always, Chris drops knowledge applicable whether you are a professional athlete or a cubicle warrior just looking to improve the quality of your day to day.
Specific topics discussed include:* optimizing fitness as we transition from winter to spring;
* scheduling training in balance with real-life pressures and expectations;
* when to hold back & how to avoid doing too much;
* experimenting with race nutrition during training;
* tips to develop the nuances of swimmi… -
David Sinclair On Extending Human Lifespan & The Science Behind Aging
23 april 2019 · 2 uur 26 min
Everybody grows old. Everyone dies.
But is this scientific fact? Or is it merely a story based on history and our current understanding of biology?
What if we instead consider aging as a disease? This begs the question: what is the cure?
Welcome to the mind of David Sinclair, PhD, one of the world’s leading scientific authorities on longevity, aging and how to slow its effects.
A professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School and co-Director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biological Mechanisms of Aging, David obtained his Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics at the University of New South Wales, Sydney in 1995 and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at M.I.T. where, among other things, he co-discovered the cause of aging for yeast.
The co-founder of several biotechnology companies, David is also co-founder and co-chief editor of the journal Aging. His work has been featured in a variety of books, documentaries, and media, including 60 Minutes, Nightline and NOVA. He is an inventor on 35 patents, has been lauded as one of the Top 100 Australian Innovators, and made TIME magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In addition, David is the author of the forthcoming book, Lifespan: The Revolutionary Science of Why We Age — and Why We Don't Have To* which hits bookstores on Sept. 10 and is currently available for pre-order here*. Lees meerThis is an absolutely fascinating conversation on all things human lifespan, aging and longevity. We begin with the specific scientific mechanisms that contribute to biological degeneration. Then we dive deep into the hard science David and his peers are examining to better understand what contributes to aging and how to prevent it.
According to David, the prospect of living to 200+ is not a pipe dream, but a very possible reality. If humans could indeed double lifespan, how would this change how you live? And what does this mean for the future of humanity?
This conversation travels deep into the scientific… -
The Strava Story: Building A Fitness Community Fueled By Emotional Connection
16 april 2019 · 2 uur 1 min
Riding up a local canyon climb back in what must have been late 2009, my Airstream-dwelling, frequent cycling compadre Stu Bone couldn't stop talking about this brand new social network specifically aimed at the 2-wheel community.
Always eager to test new tech, I signed up immediately, quickly fell in love and have been evangelizing the platform every since.
Meet Strava – the fitness social network designed by athletes for athletes.
Evolving beyond it’s cycling roots as a platform for all who sweat, today Strava is widely embraced as the premier workout sharing fitness network — a rapidly expanding ecosystem of Olympic, professional, elite, amateur and beginner athletes that boasts over 1 million new registered new users every month and growing.
What distinguishes Strava from other fitness trackers and social media platforms is the positive emotional connection it engenders. Encouraging and community oriented, it’s devoid of the negativity and toxicity that plagues most sharing networks. There’s something uniquely special about being privy to the daily grind of my favorite multi-sport athletes. Their transparency holds me accountable. In turn I help hold my community accountable. And openly sharing our collective fitness experience – the highs and the lows — makes all of us better.
So just how did Strava become the only fitness app that matters?
To get the story behind the story, today I sit down with Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath — the dynamic duo co-founders who gave birth to Strava and continue to guide it's ongoing growth and evolution. Lees meerCurrently Strava’s interim CFO, Michael Horvath previously served as Chief Executive Officer from 2010-2013 and President from 2014-2017. Holding a Ph.D. in economics from Northwestern University and an A.B. in economics from Harvard (where he was men’s lightweight crew team captain), Michael is a former Stanford economics professor and entrepreneurship professor at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth. Prior to Strava, M…
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Guru Singh On Positivity — Why Receptivity Is The Better Path
12 april 2019 · 1 uur 24 min
Welcome to yet another edition Guru Corner featuring Guru Singh, my favorite teacher on all things mystic and metaphysical.
Fusing Eastern mysticism with Western pragmatism, Guru Singh is a celebrated third-generation Sikh yogi and master spiritual teacher who has been studying and teaching Kundalini Yoga for more than 40 years. He is the author of several books, a powerful lecturer and behind-the-scenes guide to many a luminary, including Fortune 500 CEOs, athletes, and artists.
A peer of rock legends like Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead, Guru Singh is also an accomplished musician who began his recording career on Warner Bros’ Reprise label in the 1960's. When he isn’t laying down tracks with people like Seal, he’s bringing down the house on the daily at Yoga West, his Los Angeles home base. Lees meerToday we spin the wheel on positivity. Not your typical disquisition on the benefits of adopting a positive mental attitude, we take a more nuanced approach to self-awareness. Focusing on receptivity over repression, it's a call to embrace the power of both negativity and positivity as important forces to be experienced without getting lost in either extreme. And we discuss how to break free from the entrenched, looping stories we tell ourselves about ourselves that don't serve the lives we aspire to lead.
Note: If you missed my previous conversations with Guru Singh, start with episode 267 and then enjoy episodes 332,368, 393, 400 and 418.
Final Note: You can watch our conversation on YouTube at bit.ly/gurucorner434b and the show is also now available on Spotify.
I love this beautiful being. It's my privilege to once agains share his wisdom with you today. So let the master class resume.
Peace + Plants,
Rich
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Kevin Smith On The Heart Attack That Saved His Life & The Art Of Prolific Creativity
8 april 2019 · 2 uur 38 min
About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year. In other words, America's number one killer claims 1 out of every 4 deaths.
Not all heart attacks are fatal. But when your heart's left anterior descending artery becomes 100% blocked, the result is a massive heart attack known as The Widowmaker.
Few survive its fatal clutch.
Kevin Smith is the rare exception that proves the rule.
The arch villain in his own personal superhero comic book narrative, Kevin's Widowmaker nemesis failed in it's dastardly quest to claim his young life. Instead, like Spiderman in the aftermath of that fateful bite, it made our protagonist hero stronger — more convicted about his life, purpose, family and art.
One might even say it gave him superpowers — a new life animated by an urgent productivity. An emboldened creativity. And, more than anything, a spirit ennobled.
This week's guest beat the odds. But this should come as no surprise for those well versed in the Kevin Smith canon. Because Kevin has always been an outlier — a fiercely independent voice who has been successfully cutting against the grain for as long as he can remember.
Today this charismatic master storyteller shares his most amazing tale to date — the story of Kevin Smith. Lees meerFor the few unfamiliar among us, Kevin is a filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author and early podcast pioneer. In 1994 he burst into prominence with his hyper low-budget comedy Clerks, a film he wrote, directed, co-produced, and filmed in the convenience store where he worked. Premiering at Sundance, it was feted with the festival's highest award before going on to become an indie cult classic.
In addition to countless appearances in both movies and television, Kevin has created a litany of films, including Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Cop Out, Jersey Girl, Red State, Tusk, Yoga Hosers and Clerks 2. Just last week he wrapped production on Jay and Silent Bob Reboot.
An iconic and be… -
David Bronner On Cosmic Engagement, Conscious Capitalism & Cultivating Unity
2 april 2019 · 1 uur 47 min
Eat local. Buy organic. Avoid GMO. Give back. Be of service. These are all great practices. Good for your health. Good for humanity. And good for the planet.
But it's not enough.
The health and environmental problems we currently face are global epidemics of unprecedented scope and scale.
We simply cannot solve these issues with the mindset that created them.
What we need, now more than ever, is a revolution of consciousness.
There are few people more well suited for this conversation than David Bronner. By far the most unique ‘CEO' I have ever met, this week's guest is the Cosmic Engagement Officer of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, the top-selling brand of natural soaps in North America and producer of a range of organic body care and food products.
The Dr. Bronner story, which is amazing, begins in 1948 with Emanuel Bronner — a German immigrant, third-generation master soapmaker, master consciousness and generally far out dude — who used his ecological soaps to proselytize his “All One” philosophy, labeling product bottles with the key tenets of his teachings on self-realization and unity across religious and ethnic divides. Embraced by 1960's counterculture for its ecological properties and spiritual sensibility, the brand soon found it's way into most natural foods markets across the United States.
David and his brother Michael eventually took stewardship of the family business, shepherding their grandfather's brand from counterculture cult status to mainstream embrace by growing revenues from $4 million in 1998 to over $111 million in 2017.
Along the way, David went to great lengths to respect, protect and ultimately deepen Emanuel's vision, cultivating a thriving and truly conscious capitalistic enterprise making socially & environmentally responsible products while successfully pursuing its broader mission to create a better world for ourselves and future generations. Lees meerEnvironmental activist. Psychonaut. Visionary.These are but a few of the words that describe D…
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Mike Posner On Making Art, Embracing Growth & Walking Across America
26 maart 2019 · 2 uur
An accomplished singer, songwriter, poet & producer, Mike Posner knows what it's like to be rich and famous.
He also knows what it's like to be forgotten. To grieve. To grow. To embrace that which is most important. And ultimately express his truth through art.
This is the story of a remarkable talent's attempt to live an artist's life — the struggles faced and lessons learned along his most mercurial path.
In 2010, while still an undergraduate at Duke, the Detroit native's career exploded with the release of his debut song Cooler Than Me. The irresistible pop song topped charts worldwide, selling more than two million copies and launching him into the stratosphere almost overnight.
But fame is fleeting. Unable to immediately top his debut, Mike's solo career soon faltered. Turning to writing, Mike spent the next several years behind the curtain churning out hit songs for everyone from Justin Bieber (‘Boyfriend') and Maroon 5 (‘Sugar') to Pharrell, Snoop Dogg, Nick Jonas and Avicii.
Then, in 2016, his career as a solo artist once again blossomed. A remix of his song ‘I Took A Pill In Ibiza' unexpectedly surfaced as an international smash on the electronic dance scene, landing him a Grammy nomination for Best Song that year.
Not long after, Mike was hit with a trifecta of heartache. He weathered a break up with his girlfriend. His father passed after a bout with brain cancer. And his friend and frequent collaborator Avicii took his own life. It was a dark time for the young musician. But the life of an artist is one of persistence. No matter what, Mike continued to show up for music.
The result, and his best work to date, is the recently released album, A Real Good Kid — a mature, vulnerable and infectious pop meditation on grief, celebrity, ego, loss, art and personal growth. Lees meerWithout a doubt, Mike is an incredibly talented musician. But what inspired this conversation has little to do with music and everything to do with character.
What draws me to this human is h… -
Jack Dorsey On Solitude, Self-Care & Shouldering The Health of Global Conversation
22 maart 2019 · 2 uur 28 min
Imagine shouldering responsibility of one of the planet's largest social networks. Now imagine that's just one of your jobs, the second focused on reinventing the world's relationship with money.
This is Jack Dorsey's life.
The co-founder and CEO of both Twitter and Square, today's guest is one of the most influential figures of the modern age — a man who has made an indelible impact on our cultural landscape by quite literally shaping how society communicates in the emergent digital era.
What started as a simple means to share personal status updates, Twitter has swelled into arguably the most important social media platform for breaking news, journalism, and political discourse. A powerful tool for speaking truth to power, it's put wind in the sails of important social movements. Provided safe haven for whistle blowers. And given marginalized groups and dissidents a voice that can be heard across the globe.
But Twitter must also account for the noxious devolution of civil discourse — a behemoth apparatus easily weaponized for motives nefarious.
Twitter is nothing if not controversial. And Jack is the face of such controversy — a polarizing figure in the crosshairs of Twitter critics across all sides of the social and political spectrum.
Recognizing the need to more thoroughly address Twitter's role and responsibility in the growing toxicity of public conversation, Jack has spent the last month publicly addressing the platform's missteps, challenges and aspirations on a wide variety of media platforms and podcasts that include two appearances on The Joe Rogan Experience, Sam Harris' podcast Making Sense, and many others.
My sense is that critics were left unsatisfied with Jack's answers to the many hard questions posed.
I understand and appreciate the criticism. Just how exactly can Twitter successfully promote healthy conversation, eliminate toxicity and fairly police bad actors across 500 million daily tweets? I don't know the answer. But I do know that I heard … Lees meer -
The Paradox of Passion With Brad Stulberg & Steve Magness
19 maart 2019 · 2 uur 6 min
Follow your passion.
For many it's a mantra. For others, an over-hyped trope.
I plead guilty to advocating this pursuit — a subject worthy of frequent exploration on the podcast.
But is a life propelled by passion always the best course of action?
The answer, it turns out, is complicated.
Passion can be a gift. But only if you know how to properly channel it. The same drive that fuels breakthroughs — whether they're athletic, scientific, entrepreneurial, or artistic — can be every bit as destructive as it is productive. Unchecked by balance (that other culturally touted virtue), passion can manifest as a curse, leading to endless seeking, suffering, and burnout.
Simply put, passion is a paradox.
To demystify this important subject, my friends Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness return to the podcast (their 1st appearance was RRP 293 back in June 2017) to explore how to develop, harness and express the right kind of passion to unlock potential and actualize a meaningful, purpose-driven life. Lees meerLong time listeners might recall Steve as a former elite track & field athlete who clocked an extraordinary 4:01 mile in high school. Today, Steve is one of the most accomplished, respected and in demand track & field and cross country coaches in the world. In addition to serving up duties at the University of Houston, he is the personal coach to some of the most accomplished professional and Olympic runners on the planet. In addition, he consults with start-up technology companies on innovation and growth, holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Science from George Mason University, and serves as an adjunct professor at St. Mary’s University in the United Kingdom.
Brad is a former McKinsey & Co. health care consultant turned writer specializing in the health and science of human performance. Lauded for his ability to merge the latest science with compelling personal stories and practical insights, his work has been published in The New York Times, Outside Magazine, New York Magazine, …