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How to Cultivate Your Authentic Voice With Sam Jones
19 januari 2015 · 1 uur 59 min
This week's episode is a bit of a departure. But like Frost's road less travelled, it's a direction well worth pursuing.
My podcast was borne from a love of the art of the long form conversation. Authentic expression is a predominant theme of virtually every episode. And I sheepishly admit to a slight obsession with talented people at the nadir of their creativity, expressing their specific life purpose with unapologetic conviction.
Sam Jones is the embodiment and ethos of all these ideals and more. Lauded photographer, documentary filmmaker, award winning music video director, magazine publisher, television creator and podcast host. Oh yeah, he's also married with kids.
As a photographer, Sam is the go to guy for top tier magazines such as Vanity Fair, Esquire, Rolling Stone, GQ and Time for creating timeless portraits of luminaries, A-list actors and musicians like Barak Obama, George Clooney, Robert Downey Jr., Bob Dylan, Jack Nicholson and Dave Grohl. Lees meerAll of this is super cool of course. But quite frankly it's not what motivated me to want to sit down with Sam. What really captivated me about this talented artist is Sam's newest venture, a multi-media, multi-faceted project he created entitled offCamera.
It's photography. It's a magazine. It's a television show. It's a podcast. It's journalism. It's entertainment. It's art – the art of exquisite portraiture achieved through images, words and conversation.
Simply put, Sam performs up close and personal, uninterrupted long-form conversations with today's most prolific cultural icons – people like Matt Damon, Sarah Silverman, Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges, Laura Dern and more. Each conversation is filmed for initial broadcast on DirectTV's Audience Network and subsequently available on the offCamera website as well as on iTunes as an audio podcast. Accompanied by a formal portrait, the interviews are also reformatted in print to comprise a printed magazine.
After listening to Sam's intimate dialog with Robert D… -
How Food Can Fix Your Mood With Heather Lounsbury
12 januari 2015 · 2 uur 12 min
If we want to repair our broken health care system and move culture towards true, long-term sustainable wellness, then medicine must embrace a a new approach to healing. An approach that's so new, it's old.
Less reductive, more holistic.
Less diagnose & prescribe and more all-encompassing, functional and preventive.
Let’s kick start that conversation. This week's guest is nutritionist, acupuncturist, herbalist, Reiki Master and expert Chinese Medicine practitioner Heather Lounsbury, author of Fix Your Mood with Food*.
Although she gave up meat nearly 30 years ago for ethical reasons, Heather was a junk food vegetarian with zero interest health until hers hit the skids. Moody and constantly fatigued, she began experimenting with nutrition and was astonished to discover the extent to which she could modulate her physical and emotional vitality relative to the types of foods she would eat. This realization lead Heather to pursue graduate degrees in nutrition and Chinese medicine. Today Heather is a well respected clinical practitioner with over a decade of experience treating patients with a wide variety of mental, emotional and physical issues.
Her basic message? Live natural. Live well. Food has a far greater impact than we recognize on not only our physical health but on our mental and emotional health as well. Not only can proper diet (amplified by additional holistic healing measures) alleviate stress and elevate your mood naturally, it can prevent and often reverse a wide variety of chronic infirmities, including heart disease, elevated cholesterol, digestive issues, diabetes (diabesity!) and more.
Over the course of our conversation we discuss:
How pain and digestive disorders can be holistically managed and alleviated;
How holistic healing practices can be used to treat mental health & addiction issues;
The importance of progress over perfection;
The role and function of certain herbs on physiological functions;
Primer and origin of food allergies;
Thoughts on… Lees meer -
Optimize Your Morning Routine To Begin Your Day Right
8 januari 2015 · 1 uur 3 min
Welcome back to our second spin around the listener Q&A merry-go-round!
Due to popular demand (and all the great questions flooding our inbox), we're happy to once again banter on the subjects, issues and topics you want addressed.
In this episode Julie and I cover a ton of ground, name dropping resources like an over-caffeinated publicist. Here's a top down view on the landscape: Lees meer* The importance of the morning ritual to optimize your day;
* Inspirational and educational books, websites, podcasts & other online resources;
* Resources to facilitate your shift to a Plantpower lifestyle;
* A few (very brief) thoughts on high carb / low carb / gluten and nutritional density;
* More brief thoughts on certain foods to avoid and others to embrace; and
* A few closing thoughts on running volume.No need to break out pen and paper. Due to the hard work of my trusty right hand Chris Swan, everything is detailed, itemized and hyperlinked for your convenience in the below show notes. So just sit back and enjoy.
Special thanks and shoutout to everyone who submitted questions. Keep them coming!
Peace + Plants,
Rich
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Why Purpose Is The Strongest Form of Activism
5 januari 2015 · 1 uur 54 min
What if the path you think you're meant to be living isn't your path at all?
I grappled with this mental and spiritual Rubik’s cube for decades. Only now — at 48 — do I feel like I have any insight whatsoever into this quandary.
Not so with today’s guest. After a drunken car accident at age 19, Jake Ducey had an epiphany: maybe, just maybe, the traditional promise of the American Dream isn't my path to happiness and personal fulfillment. What did he do with this realization? He up and quit school, walking out on a collegiate basketball scholarship to instead light out and travel the world.
Along the way, Jake chronicled his journey, distilling his insights down to a book entitled Into the Wind . Undaunted by being turned down by every publisher, he nonetheless self-published his book. And without any marketing budget or publicist, Jake still managed to self-promote Into the Wind to Amazon’s top 300 – no small accomplishment.
Jake subsequently piqued the interest and mentorship of people like Chicken Soup for the Soul* author Jack Canfield and Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus* author John Gray. He became a TEDx speaker. And at 23, Jake became the youngest author to land a motivational book publishing deal at a major publishing house (Tarcher/Penguin).
The Purpose Principles* – hitting book stores this week — is the product of Jake's journey to date, drawing on the stories of success, failure, and the common threads among some of today’s most successful and influential people to illuminate a plan for living your best life in a changing world – a theme not inconsistent with this show.
I’ve hosted more than a few impressive young and precocious twenty-somethings on the show over the last two years because I love getting the millennial perspective on life. I like young people and as a parent of two teenage boys and two soon to be teenage girls, I truly want to understand what makes the next generation tick. What is important to millennials? What is the lens throu… Lees meer -
The Best of 2014 (Part 2)
1 januari 2015 · 1 uur 50 min
Welcome to Part 2 of our second annual Best of the RRP Anthology series. If you haven't already, I suggest listening to The Best of 2014 Part 1 first.
Once again, this is a compendium of some of my favorite conversations of 2014. Our way of saying thanks. Our way of giving back. Our way of trying to catapult you into the new year armed with the information and inspiration required to make it your best year yet.
Once again, it's worth reflecting upon the incredible year that was 2014. My blessings are many. My gratitude is overflowing. This is my way way of saying thank you. I appreciate you. Here's to an extraordinary 2015 — the year we manifest our greatest dreams into reality. Join me, and let's do this thing together.
Peace + Plants,
Rich
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The Best of 2014 (Part 1)
29 december 2014 · 1 uur 46 min
This is the time of year for celebration. This is the time of year for giving back. This is the time of year for gratitude.
This is the time of year for reflection. Lees meerSo let's do all those things. Welcome to the second annual Best of the RRP Anthology. This is our way of reflecting back. Our way of expressing gratitude. Our way of giving thanks for taking this journey with us.
I pride myself on bringing a wide variety of personalities, opinions and attitudes to the show. When I look back over 2014, even I am surprised by how many incredibly interesting and unique people and perspectives I was honored to entertain and share with you. Second listens brought new insights. Another reminder of what a gift this show has been to me. A gift that gives and keeps on giving.A compendium of some of my favorite conversations of 2014, the next two episodes of the podcast are certain to catapult you into the new year inspired.
If you’ve been with me all along, these offerings will bring certain insights back into the forefront of your consciousness as you contemplate your trajectory heading into the new year. If you're new to the show, then these episodes will definitely inspire you to peruse the catalog and listen in full to some of the guests and or episodes you may have missed. Links to the full episodes excerpted in this anthology are enumerated below.
It has been an incredible year. My blessings are many. My gratitude is overflowing. This is my way way of saying thank you. I appreciate you. Here's to an extraordinary 2015 — the year we manifest our greatest dreams into reality. Join me, and let's do this thing together.
Peace + Plants,
Rich
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High Performance Psychologist Michael Gervais on How To Master Mindfulness in Sports & Life
22 december 2014 · 2 uur
At the highest echelons of sport, all the athletes are supremely talented. All have devoted their lives to being the best they can be. All train as hard as they possibly can. And all are optimizing their sleep, nutrition and recovery to glean every extra edge imaginable.
So what distinguishes the gold medalist from the also ran?
Is it luck? Talent? Support? Resources? Of course every result is significantly influenced by some combination of these important variables. But all things being equal, the athlete with the mental and emotional edge will stand atop the podium every time.
Once the embarrassing last stop on a flailing athlete’s career, the world's top sports psychologists now enjoy a highly influential and respected role proactively honing the mental and emotional edge of today's most successful athletes, CEOs and creatives looking to elevate peak performance beyond the imaginable.
Enter Dr. Michael Gervais- the go to high performance psychologist everyone is talking about.
Director of the High Performance Psychology arm of DISC (Diagnostic and Interventional Surgical Center) Sports & Spine Center in Marina Del Rey and a key member of the Red Bull High Performance Program, Michael works in the trenches of high-stakes environments, where there is no luxury for mistakes, hesitation, or failure to respond. With the vision of helping his clients thrive under pressure, Michael has created a performance model — melding state-of-the-art brain mapping techniques with an approach grounded in high-performance psychology — that allows people to achieve their maximum potential, whether on or off the field.
Dr. Gervais' results are staggering. If you follow the NFL, then you might recall Michael as the guy Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll credits as integral in their Super Bowl win for the meditation, mindfulness and other crucial team building techniques he helped foster and instill into the fabric of the Seahawks organization and team culture that paved the team’s pa… Lees meer -
How To Pursue Your Dream When Your Partner Is Non-Supportive | Ask Me Anything |
18 december 2014 · 1 uur 13 min
And now for something completely different…
In an effort to create a little more intimacy, a little more community, and a little more connection with you — the audience — I thought I would open the show up to your burning questions. Talk about what you want to talk about for a change. A few weeks back I put the word out for question submissions and you responded — our inbox was flooded with e-mails.
So here we are. My first spin with a Q&A format. I picked a handful of queries I thought would make for an interesting and broadly applicable discussion, asked Julie to occupy the co-pilot seat (talking into a microphone alone is really hard, and not that fun) and we gave it our all to answer your questions to the best of our collective abilities.
Topics discussed and questions answered pivot around the following: Lees meerHow to pursue your dream when your partner is non-supportive;
How to escape an unfulfilling career when you don't know what you really want;
How to balance physical fitness against spiritual fitness;
How to manage extended family put off by your life choices and dietary preferences; and
How to raise a healthy toddler plant-based.Special thanks and shoutout to Jen B., Tommy F., Pete D., Dawn and Hugh for the great questions. Not sure about whether or not you want to be identified publicly, so I'm going to err on the side of anonymity.
Did you guys like the episode? Is this format something you think I should I do it again? Was it too long? Too short? How about rotating guests for co-pilot duty?
If the demand exists and I continue to get great submissions from you, then I’ll keep doing it. Maybe not every week, but we’ll see. In the interim, send your questions for an (anticipated) future episode to: info@richroll.com and leave your comments below.
Peace + Plants,
Rich
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Have You Ever Been Excited For Now?
15 december 2014 · 1 uur 28 min
IN-Q returns. It's time to question everything. It's time to get excited for now.
If you've been on this journey with me for a while, no doubt RRP 81 seared Q into your permanent consciousness. If you’re new to the show, I strongly suggest you give that episode a listen first. Not only is it an epic conversation, it will give you some crucial context and foundation for today's mind meld.
Nonetheless, here's a quick breakdown on the impressive IN-Q curriculum vitae:
Rapper. Actor. Teacher. Songwriter, TED Talker & internationally revered spoken word artist, IN-Q is a national poetry slam champion who has shared the stage with people like Barack Obama, De La Soul, Eminem, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Legend and even Cirque du Soleil. He has toured over 70 colleges; written songs for Miley Cyrus, Rock Mafia, Selena Gomez and Aloe Blacc and has been featured on virtually every TV network from A&E to ABC, including HBO’s Def Poetry Jam and Versus & Flow.
Why is a spoken word poet guesting on a health & wellness podcast?
Because wellness isn't just diet, exercise and yoga mats. Someone who is truly “well” exudes positivity, soul, spirit, honesty, service, selflessness and integrity from their very core. IN-Q represents a life fully expressed – spreading a message of healing, love and positivity in service to others. Not only is IN-Q a man living his most authentic self, he is what I would call the very definition of health.
On January 15, for one night only, IN-Q will be performing at the beautiful Mark Taper Forum in downtown Los Angeles. It is going to be an epic evening (I'll definitely be there), so if you are in town that day I strongly suggest you pick up tickets now — it will definitely sell out and it's a one time deal not to be missed. For tickets and additional information on this one time performance, go to in-q.com.*
If you can't make the show, then this podcast is the next best thing. IN-Q is a special guy — touched in a very real, tactile way. I aspire t… Lees meer -
Your Imperfections Make You Human. Your Humanity Makes You Influential (Part 2)
11 december 2014 · 1 uur 51 min
Welcome back for Part 2 of my conversation with Teen Whisperer Josh Shipp.
You haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Go do that first, then come on back. It will save me some explaining. But as long as we're on the subject, let's recap the situation.
Josh is a recognized teen behavior expert well known for helping adults understand teens and teens understand themselves. He’s worked with, appeared on and/or contributed to MTV, CNN, FOX, The New York Times, 20/20, Anderson Cooper Live, Oprah.com and Good Morning America. In 2009 Josh was named to Inc. magazine's “30 Under 30″ of successful entrepreneurs. He has lectured at Harvard, Stanford, UCLA and MIT, starred in two documentary-style television series and authored two books: The Teen's Guide to World Domination and Jump Ship.
If you did listen to my intro and outro to Part 1, then you know Josh challenged me to remove e-mail and social media from my iPhone as a means of increasing my overall productivity and enhancing the quality of my interpersonal interactions. Today is day 3 and as Josh so adeptly predicts in this second part of our conversation, I am indeed twitchy. A little anxious. Scattered and basically just uncomfortable with the whole idea. Why? Because I like being connected at all times. I like the buzz and anticipation of checking social media. And I can easily justify it as part of my job. But this does not mean it's healthy because it isn't. My relationship might not fall into Her (the movie) territory, but it's definitely obsessive compulsive, if not just a downright addiction.
What does this remind me of?
Rehab.
Weathering a detox — or in this case an iDetox – isn't fun. But for me it's familiar territory. I know that if I stick with it, it will pass. I also know that the simple fact I am experiencing withdrawal symptoms is a pretty good indicator that I am onto something. Something I need to do if I want to grow.
Monday night I fired an e-mail off to Josh to thank him again for doing the podcast and t… Lees meer -
Why Every Kid is One Caring Adult Away From Being a Success Story (Part 1)
8 december 2014 · 1 uur 47 min
The road gets narrower.
In sobriety, this phrase gets tossed around early and often. When I was new to recovery, I had no idea what these words meant. Now I catch myself reprising this mantra daily.
Translation: left to my own devices, I will unconsciously and obsessively latch onto and lose myself in almost anything that promises to remove me from myself, take me out of the moment, numb my emotions, undermine my productivity and (preferably) isolate me from other humans — this is alcoholism.
If I want to grow, I have to be willing to let go of old habits that no longer serve me. The more sober I get, the more certain seemingly innocuous behaviors become problematic — impediments to accessing the best version of myself. Growth requires that such behaviors constantly be assessed, addressed, modified, and in some cases discarded altogether.
For me, drugs and alcohol were obviously the first to go. But the inquiry didn't end there. When drugs and alcohol were removed from my system, my dis-ease had to find secondary behavioral weaknesses to exploit — things like how I navigate my relationships and intimacy, how I relate to food, and even how I use television.
Changing my diet 8 years ago helped me understand the full extent to which I would use food to medicate and regulate my emotional state — something that never previously even occurred to me. Next up was TV – a perfect way to lose myself in “harmless” entertainment and “not feel” whatever I was experiencing emotionally. So a year ago we pulled the plug on DirectTV. This was not my idea. Like giving up drugs or cheeseburgers, this was not something I wanted to do. It was something I needed to do if I wanted to continue evolving. The detox was brutal. But I can tell you now that I would never go back — my life is way better now without the box.
The road continues to grow narrower.
My latest struggle? Owning up to the obsessive manner in which I use my iPhone to “check out.” What good is all the meditation and mindfu… Lees meer -
To Struggle Is To Be Alive
1 december 2014 · 2 uur 13 min
Lots of excitement and anticipation about today’s guest. One of the most lauded, celebrated and accomplished athletes on the planet, let me introduce you to the guy who can seemingly run forever:
Dean Karnazes.
We're talking about a guy TIME magazine named one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World.” Men's Fitness magazine hailed him as one of the fittest men on the planet. An internationally recognized endurance athlete, NY Times bestselling author, in demand public speaker, and successful entrepreneur, Dean has pushed his body, mind and spirit to places most people simply cannot fathom. Lees meerTo give you an idea of what Dean is all about, let's briefly run through a few of his ridiculous mind-bending running accomplishments:
* Ran 350 miles in under 81 hours foregoing sleep for 3 days;
* Ran a marathon in each of the 50 states in 50 consecutive days;
* On 11 occasions, ran a 200 mile relay race solo, racing alongside teams of 12;
* Won the 4 Desert Race Series in 2008, traversing the Gobi, Antacara, Sahara and Antarctica;
* Won the Badwater 135 in 2004 and has run this race 10 times;
* Ran 148 miles on a treadmill in 24 hours; and
* Ran 3000 miles across the US from Disneyland to NYC in 75 days, running 40-50 miles / dayGiven all of these feats of astounding endurance and more, Dean is widely lauded as one of the greatest athletes of our time — an accolade deserved if you ask me.
But it wasn't alway this way. After success on the track in high school, Dean put running in his rear view in favor of business. But by age 30, he found himself at a spiritual crossroads. Dissatisfied with the successful, comfortable life he had built for himself, he yearned for something more. He yearned for challenge. He yearned for discomfort. He yearned for struggle. Because to struggle is to be alive.
After a now famous drunken all night run following his 30th birthday party, the rest is well documented running history. Dean chronicles his discovery and love of running i… -
How To Maintain Optimal Physical, Emotional & Spiritual Health During The Holidays
24 november 2014 · 1 uur 46 min
Prepare thyself, because ready or not, the holiday season is indeed upon us.
For most, this is that special time of year when — whether by conscious choice or simply due to external circumstance — we find ourselves overeating, overspending and simply overindulging in anything and everything, all in the name of celebratory merriment. When we're not charging it on the card or spread paper thin desperately trying to fulfill all the heightened expectations this time of year presents, we find ourselves weathering an unnatural battery of social engagements and the emotionally hyper-charged land mines presented by extended family get togethers.
The result? A massive and unnatural outpouring of energy that leaves us not just out of balance, but utterly depleted — spit out the other side physically and emotionally exhausted to the core, all too often overweight and riddled with unnecessary debt.
Then what? We awake on New Year's Day committed to do and be better next time — the annual renewal ritual that inevitably falls short. A slow burn leading up to next November to repeat the cycle.
The standard American approach to the holidays is unhealthy, out of balance, verging on lunacy.
Let's have a different experience. Let's relax. Let's make sure we're exercising self-care. Let's focus on the giving part. And let's not over extend ourselves financially, emotionally or physically so we can emerge in January not just intact but truly enriched — optimistic, feeling great and energized for all the challenges and adventures presented with the birth of a new year.
As we did last November ( RRP 60 ), this week Julie and I once again sit down to hash out all things holiday season with a focus on providing helpful, experience-based strategies to assist in managing the financial pitfalls, dietary challenges, precarious social environments and heightened emotional states presented by this unique time of year. In my experience, these are issues common to us all. And yet issues we go to g… Lees meer -
How One Man Overcame Alcoholism, Lost 150 Pounds & Conquered Badwater, The World’s Toughest Footrace
17 november 2014 · 2 uur 32 min
I’m obsessed with the idea that we can all do and be better. That's what this show is about — a loud and clear call to action. A graceful nudge to help anyone and everyone not just understand, but actually believe that we are all capable of so much more than we often allow ourselves to accept.
Enter David Clark.
It’s fun to interview the celebrated. But quite honestly there is just something far more personally gratifying about sharing the story of an anonymous, everyman hero. What truly moves and inspires me are tales of regular people with regular problems who courageously meet severe challenges head on; do something unexpected and astounding that strains the boundaries of what we imagine possible; and come out the other side transformed with life lessons that can benefit us all.
Much like my conversation with Josh LaJaunie ( RRP #63 is a must listen if you haven’t already and in my top-5 most downloaded shows), this interview will move you. It will touch you. It will erase whatever obstacles and excuses you rely on that perpetuate bad habits, keep you stuck and reinforce denial. My sincere hope is that David's story will help you really get that no matter what your circumstances or environment, that you always hold the power to implement personal change that can profoundly alter the trajectory of your life — beyond your wildest imagination even.
I was first introduced to David by my friend Mishka Shubaly ( another RRP fave with a shocking 5 appearances on the show ). I didn’t know anything about him, but when Mishka says he's worth investigating, I investigate.
I winced at photos of a guy pushing 320 pounds, prematurely aged, red-faced and bloated, cocktail in hand. I know an alcoholic when I see one, and this image of David cut a little too close to home. A guy who looked like hell, red lining towards death without a care while wrecking havoc, destruction and woe in the lives of loved ones and anyone and who happened to cross his path.
Then I saw a picture of a… Lees meer -
On Why Good Food Should Be an Everyday Right for Everybody
10 november 2014 · 1 uur 58 min
You could say this show has been on a bit of a plant-based tear lately, and this week it continues with with my friend Bryant Terry – eco-chef, cookbook author, educator and most interesting to me, a renown social justice activist focused on promoting and healthy, just, affordable and sustainable food systems for all people – particularly the underprivileged living in underserved urban communities. His goal? To foster awareness, promote change and create opportunities for people living in urban food deserts — places where fresh, healthy, sustainable food is difficult or impossible to obtain.
Why? Because good food should be an everyday right — not a privilege.
Bryant’s got a slew of really beautiful cookbooks that fuse his Memphis family roots and the traditions of true southern African American cooking with art, music, literature a modern plant-based perspective. His most recent offering, Afro Vegan* was named one of the “Best Cookbooks of 2014″ by Amazon.com and his critically acclaimed Vegan Soul Kitchen* was named one of the best vegetarian/vegan cookbooks of the last 25 years by Cooking Light Magazine.
Bryant’s work has been featured in The New York Times, Food and Wine, Gourmet, Sunset, Oprah Magazine and Essence and he has appeared on The Martha Stewart Show, Emeril, All Things COnsidered, Morning Edition, The Splendid Table, and The Tavis Smiley Show. In addition, Bryant has deleivered keynote addresses at countless events and on college campuses including Brown, Columbia, NYU, Smith, Stanford and Yale.
In addition, TheRoot.com included him on its list of “100 most influential African Americans,” and Ebony magazine listed him on its annual “Power 100” list.
Still not impressed? On top of everything else, Bryant is also the 2014 Artist in Residence at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, where he is curating interesting gatherings with an eye towards promoting deeper community roots.
I could go on – Bryant's accolades are many – but you get the idea. This guy is… Lees meer -
Lisa Lange’s Vision For a Better World & Why It’s Cool To Be Compassionate
3 november 2014 · 2 uur 11 min
Confession time.
I’m the first to admit that my initial reasons for adopting a plant-based lifestyle were selfish. I was overweight. I felt lousy. I looked lousy. I had a health scare. Basically, I just wanted to look and feel better. I wanted to enjoy my kids at their energy level. I wasn’t ready to succumb to middle age defeat.
So I took the leap. A leap without much expectation I might add.
Then the miracle. I dropped 50 pounds. My vitality returned. That long-gone youthful glow restored. I didn't just get my life back, I got an entirely new one. Today I am living the life beyond my wildest dreams.
I could have never predicted the journey that would follow this simple decision. It has been long, at times hard, but ultimately extraordinary in every way imaginable. It's not an understatement that everything in my life has changed for the better. And for that I am extremely grateful.
There is one thing I know with certainty. If you want a great life, give more than you receive. This is primary reason behind my decision to start this podcast — to share with you the people, information, tools and inspiration that have been so incredibly transformative in my life.
But let's be honest. I didn't get into this plant-based lifestyle because I wanted to save the animals. Frankly, my concern for the health of the planet could be characterized as passive lip service at best. I was the furthest thing from a food activist. And when it came to environmental, ethical and political issues like GMO’s, the deleterious effects of factory farming, slaughterhouse conditions, carbon emissions, the deforestation of the rainforests, species extinction, the mistreatment of circus animals, the pollution and overfishing of our oceans and the moral implications of harvesting animals for food, the truth is that I didn't really give it much thought.
That was then. But this is now.
In the eight years since I began this journey, I have changed. I have grown. Ever so slowly, my eyes have started … Lees meer -
Badwater – What It’s Like to Run 135 Miles Across The Desert
27 oktober 2014 · 2 uur 15 min
This show is about chasing dreams. Making stuff happen. Helping others. And sharing the journey.
We can all use a little education. Some solid information. And a dose of experience-based inspiration to guide our own path towards self-betterment. My goal is to help you see and understand that we are generally our own self-limiter. That we are all capable of being better and doing more, irrespective of circumstances. That we all have a more authentic self lying dormant within yearning to be more self-expressed.
We owe it to ourselves to fertilize that seed. Why? Lees meerBecause life is short.
Trite? yes. Cheesy? definitely. But nonetheless oh so true. Right now I'm up in Palo Alto at Stanford University for my 25th Reunion. 25 years since I graduated from college. How is that possible? Translation: I am old.
Old is a mindset. Another lame idiom I choose to believe. Honestly, I feel like I am about 28. But this weekend made me acutely aware of the fleeting and transitory nature of our lives.
It seems like yesterday I was in school with all these amazing people with whom I spent the last few days reconnecting and reminiscing. People that have ventured forth to do extraordinary things like found billion dollar startups; create non-profits that have helped millions; and launch movements that have forever altered how we think and live.
This not hyperbole. This is Stanford — a place; an institution; and a mindset that fosters the ethos that truly anything is possible. That you should challenge authority. That you must question the status quo. It's a culture that empowers the philosophy that not only can you change the world, but that it’s in fact your responsibility.
This weekend I was surrounded by people who have done and are doing just that. I am tremendously grateful for the experience. And it left me inspired to do and be better.
25 years, man. Life is short. There is no time for idleness. There is no time to equivocate.
Speaking of eradicating limitations, today marks the r… -
On Letting Go Of Perfectionism & Why We Should “Lean In” To Positive Change
20 oktober 2014 · 1 uur 47 min
I say it all the time. Change is not an overnight miracle, people. I know there's nothing like the neatly packaged narrative of the overnight success story, but honestly that’s just well, not that honest.
The truth is that long-lasting, sustainable personal growth is never instantaneous. It’s messy. Non-linear. Two steps backwards for every step in the right direction. It’s forged out of self-experimentation, research, discomfort, failure, courage, and all too often a lot of stumbling around in the dark.
The point? It’s not a clean line. We don’t have to hold on to this perfectionist ideal. In fact, it’s this ideal that generally hold us back. Paralyzes us. Or leads to self-defeatism when we fall short of idealized goals.
When I began the process of repairing my health, I made a million mistakes. Slipped up countless times. And when I committed to getting fit, Ultraman didn't even qualify as a fantasy because I had never heard of it. I just wanted to be able to run a mile. Goals and success came later. I was able to get off the dime because I just started. Implicit in this was the permission I gave myself to fail.
Let go of perfection. Whether the change you seek is related to diet, fitness, career, finances, education or some specific skill set, the important thing is to allow yourself to just begin, and begin messy. You don’t have to know where anything is leading. You don’t have to change evertything overnight. And the steps you take don’t have to be plotted, overthought or even pretty. But you do have to start.
Or as today’s guest suggests, Lean In…
My friend Kathy Freston is a 4-time New York Times bestselling author of The Lean, Veganist, Quantum Wellness and Quantum Wellness Cleanse. She has appeared frequently on national television, including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Ellen, The Dr. Oz Show, The View, Good Morning America, Charlie Rose, The Martha Stewart Show, and Extra. Her work has been featured notably in Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, Self, W, and Fitnes… Lees meer -
On Why “Pain Don’t Hurt” and What It Takes to Overcome Extraordinary Obstacles
13 oktober 2014 · 2 uur 24 min
Life throws all of us obstacles. Everyone meets barriers. Nobody is immune from setbacks. It’s how we confront and navigate past the curve balls life throws that moulds character and ultimately defines who we really are.
Do you crumble or rise to the challenge? Do you shrink down and become the victim? Or do you stand tall and walk through adversity like a warrior?
And what do you do if everything just goes to shit?
You are hard pressed to find a man who has met so much adversity with such a grounded sense of purpose and honest willingness to share about it as Mark Miller.
Meet Fightshark. Just make sure you check your grousing at the door.
Born with both Type-1 Diabetes and a congenital heart defect (CHD), Mark was reared by the back hand of an alcoholic abusive father. A World War II vet and notable professional athlete who played in the very fist NBA game ever, “Moose” Miller was a domineering force of nature who experienced the world as a dark, unfair and often violent place – and made sure he prepared his son accordingly.
To escape the emotional and physical violence that greeted him at home, Mark immersed himself in the world of sports at a very young age. Thrown into a boxing gym at age 6, he quickly adapted, eventually mastering every sport imaginable by the time he finished high school. During his free time he worked in the Pittsburgh Steelers locker room (from age six through high school), grabbing towels, taking grief and learning about sport and life from the hand of legends like Lynn Swann, Mel Blount, Jack Ham and Mean Joe Greene while also working on his pitching with guys like Barry Bonds. All champions that in some sense served surrogate dad duty for this evolving teen.
By the time he was 18, Mark was poised to go professional as a major league pitcher. But Mark had other plans – he wanted to become a professional kickboxer.
By 2007, Mark was a rising star in this emerging sport until a routine physical uncovered a serious cardiac condition that re… Lees meer -
Tim Van Orden Runs Beyond The Kale — Why Personal Growth Begins With Self-Acceptance
6 oktober 2014 · 2 uur 13 min
If you are a consistent listener to this show, then you know very well that my goal is to elucidate the experience, insights and knowledge of my guests as a tool to aid you on your progress towards greater self-actualization.
Food is a super important aspect of this process. I believe it’s the best place to begin the process of transforming your life. But it’s also easy to get overly caught up in the dogmatic aspects of diet and nutrition. Unnecessarily boxed in by labels. Overly focused on details and minutiae. This presents a treacherous social, political and internal minefield that can result in truncating long-term growth potential. Because when we obsess on our plate at the exclusion of objectively redressing the many other very important areas of our lives that warrant focus and attention, our overall development towards full actualization is arrested.
I didn't clean up my diet so I could get stuck pontificating on the various types of dark leafy greens until all my friends fled for the hills. I cleaned up my diet so I could raise my energy levels, shift my consciousness and direct my newfound lease on life towards continual growth and expansion. A search for greater meaning, purpose and answers that will hopefully occupy me for the remainder of my days here on Earth.
Optimal nutrition based on plant-based foods is a great step in the direction of optimal wellness.. But that is all that it is — a step. Hardly the be-all-end-all. Because wellness encompasses so much more than food. Far from the end of inquiry, think of quality nutrition more as a right of initiation that will repair your physical body, raise your vibration, elevate your consciousness and take you on a wild and unexpected journey towards healing, a sense of purpose, greater authenticity and actualization that will be unpredictable and challenging but ultimately astounding.
This is a process Julie and I call going beyond the kale. And it's the primary theme of this week's offering.
Enter Tim Van… Lees meer -
Millennials & Why It’s Cool To Be Conscious and Actively Involved
29 september 2014 · 2 uur 20 min
The subject of “Millennials” generally conjures up adjectives like lazy or entitled. No work ethic. Spoiled brats, the lot of them. TIME Magazine went so far as to call millennials the “Me Me Me Generation”.
This has not been my experience with the teens and twenty-somethings among us. In fact, I can honestly say that I find myself relating to many millennials better than I relate to my own generation. Maybe that just makes me juvenile. But that's a perspective lazier that the millennial stereotype itself.
Admittedly, my exposure to this cross-section of our society is somewhat self-selecting. But it's worth noting that over the last several years I've had the good fortune of meeting dozens of incredibly dynamic, conscious and entrepreneurial young people. Kids highly engaged in things my generation didn’t give a crap about like permaculture, social issues, sustainability, conservation and mindfulness. Students with doctorates and business degrees who could be on Wall Street instead toiling away on organic farms, working for non-profits, or starting their own — choosing career paths based not on security and salary but on impact. People leveraging the power of social media to challenge societal norms, disrupt outdated modalities, create self-styled careers that didn't previously exist and launch their own grassroots movements.
The common thread is the singular goal — to make the world a better place for all of us.
Jackson Foster is one of these guys — the best kind of millennial. A guy whose life presented him with every open door possible, it would have been easy for Jackson to simply step into a safe and secure (an illusion I know, but you get my point) high paying business career.
But Jackson has other plans.
In high school, while most of Jackson’s teen peers were playing video games, partying and generally just acting like, well teenagers, Jackson spent a year in the Colorado wilderness. After being accepted into the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, h… Lees meer -
From Chubby Kid to Celebrated Athlete & Host of Dancing With The Stars
22 september 2014 · 1 uur 52 min
Some people are artists. Others are athletes. It's the rare individual who can excel at both.
As I kid, I was interested in sport and things creative. But for some reason, I came to the conclusion that you just can't do it all. I had to pick and never the ‘twain shall meet. Call it a left brain, right brain thing.
Most of us lean in one direction. We're either logical and calculated by nature, or we're whimsical dreamers. We settle on a side and call it a day. But what if we really could excel at both?
My Australian mate Daniel MacPherson is great example of someone who seamlessly traverses back and forth between seemingly unrelated worlds, tightrope walking both hemispheres of the mysterious cranium with facile grace and ease. Not only is he a tremendously talented and gifted athlete – a guy who has competed at the highest levels in triathlon, he is also a quite gifted artist – as an actor, television host and media personality. Not to mention an exceptionally successful and celebrated one at that.
It's by no means a stretch to call Dan the Ryan Secrest of Australia — and I mean that in the most complimentary, non-perjorative sense. Brimming with good looks, endless charm, intelligence, athletic prowess and creativity to boot, quite simply put it's hard to imagine there is anything Dan can't do, and do well.
Dan has qualified for and raced the Ironman World Championships, the Half Ironman 70.3 World Championships, and began his triathlon career at the storied Cronulla Triathlon Club in the suburbs of Sydney, training amidst the sport's greatest athletes – world champions like Craig Alexander & Chris McCormack (my guest on RRP episode 24 ). This is the same club that produced triathlon legends Greg Welch and Michellie Jones – the biggest names in the more formative years of triathlon.
As a youth, Dan was intent on becoming the best triathlete he could be. Then something totally out of the blue happened. At the conclusion of a local race, he was “discovered.”
The re… Lees meer -
“Of Mice and Me” — The Journey From Being Loved To Giving Love
15 september 2014 · 2 uur 29 min
Safe to say I am mildly obsessed with Ganesh, the famous Hindu elephant boy god.
Even if you don't know anything about this odd creature or what he represents, you likely know who I'm talking about. The iconic youngster’s unmistakeable visage is ubiquitous these days — adorning yoga studios, hanging around people’s homes, emblazoned on t-shirts and even splayed across brick wall street art in hipster neighborhoods across America.
But how does this have anything to do with this week’s guest?
Patience. I’ll bring it around. I always do.
The thumbnail fable of Ganesh goes something like this: young boy warrior fiercely devoted to his beloved mother Parvati meets his match in Parvati's abusive husband Shiva. Defending Parvati from Shiva's angry rage late one night while Parvati bathed, Shiva up and just decapitates the young boy. Cut his head straight off!
Inconsolable and furious, Parvati is determined to bring her boy back to life. Towards this end, she strikes a deal with Shiva that (inexplicably) involves replacing Ganesh's missing head with that of a young elephant (again, don't ask me how this works, it just does). Rejoice! It works. Not only does Ganesh return to life, he ascends the covetous deity pecking order, becoming one of the most worshipped of ancient Hindu devas.
Ganesh the remover of obstacles. Ganesh the patron of arts. Ganesh the deity of intellect and wisdom. Ganesh the Lord of success.
The elephant head represents the displacement of individual ego with Universal ego – the idea that before we leave this life we must no longer identify with the limited individual self, but rather with the large universal Self. In this way, our spiritual life is renewed, maturing into one that can truly benefit Creation.
Associated with mental agility, Ganesh’s single broken tusk represents the “pen” he creates to transcribe epic poetry — the vast learnings he has experienced. What I'm saying is that Ganesh was a writer.
Ganesh was also a god of astounding appetites.… Lees meer -
It’s Your Job To Be The Dopest Version of You
8 september 2014 · 2 uur 8 min
Wise words that capture the essence of this week's guest, Preston Smiles. Lees meer
When you meet Preston, you immediately understand who this guy is. He wears it on his sleeve. It's written all over his face. He just is exactly who he is.
It's much harder to describe Preston in words. But I'll give it a shot. A leader in the emergent world of conscious media, Preston is a pretty unique cat — one of the most present, focused, passionate, open and giving people I have ever met. But honestly, everything that Preston is can be boiled down to one word – maybe the most important word in our lexicon – love.
A wellspring of creativity, Preston is a writer (Huff Po / The Daily Love), a motivational messenger, a thought leader and co-founder of something called The Love Mob – a global, grassroots flash mob movement that ignites community building through “Organized Acts of Love.”The Preston I know is an unlikely evolution from a very different guy. Raised under challenging circumstances, young Preston was a hyperactive, dyslexic gang member prone to beatings and beating others. An angry, disenfranchised young man looking at an almost certain future of violence, drug abuse, jails and institutions.
But Preston was able to escape this path. An emotional and spiritual transformation that instead produced a man full of life, devoted to serving others and downright unafraid to embrace and exude love, consciousness and unity — hardly the most popular subjects among men in our society.Preston is both a friend and an inspiration, and I am proud to share his powerful story and message with you today.
I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
Peace + Plants,
Rich
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The Power of Community to Catalyze Positive Social Change
1 september 2014 · 2 uur 22 min
In case you missed it, and because it's highly relevant to today's show, let's begin this week's offering with a read (or re-read?) of a piece I posted a while back on Medium.com entitled, Why You Should Stop Hacking Your Life & Invest in The Journey.
Before you pounce on me for going all Grandpa Roll on you, let me point out that I’m all for efficiencies. But I’m more about the 10,000 hours of hard work that goes into creating something amazing. The hustle, passion, focus, and grit required to birth a dream. The work ethic and commitment to not just be good, but great – not just for you – driven by ego or self-aggrandizement – but for the betterment of everyone.
Whether you get there or not, it’s the commitment I admire. It's the action that matters. So stop resisting it by obsessing on shortcuts and instead just embrace the work. Because the inherent value in any undertaking is the road travelled to get there anyway. Do this, and you will be amazed by the places your life will take you.
Today’s guest embodies this ethos perfectly.
I love Amanda Slavin because she gets it. Someone who had a crazy vision, set aside her fear, took a leap of faith, followed her gut and worked her butt off — all because she believed in something big — the possibility to improve lives and make a positive difference in the world.
Looking back on her life, it all makes perfect sense. She was born to do what she does. It wasn't always that way however. But things began to change for Amanda when she made a firm decision to just start surrounding herself with positive, inspiring people committed to advancing change. Over time, Amanda began to exude the wavelength of these new associations, providing her with the courage and self belief to then channel that positivity into her dream — the creation of a new community of paradigm-busting thought leaders leveraging technology and relationships to forge positive social, economic, educational and civic change in urban centers across the nation.
D… Lees meer -
From Professional Athlete to Bestselling Author and Beyond – The Story of a Most Unlikely Entrepreneurial Success
25 augustus 2014 · 2 uur 9 min
It’s been a crazy week. This past Monday, we launched our new iOS mobile app to immediate and rave reviews, posted our 100th episode and surpassed 3 million podcast downloads.
Pretty awesome, thanks entirely to you guys — the audience. Most appreciated. But how did all these momentous milestones mysteriously transpire on the exact same day?
I call this the principle of Universal Synchronicity.
In my book, I wrote something like, “when purpose aligns with faith, the Universe will conspire to support you” (actually I don't remember exactly what I said and right now I'm too lazy to look it up, but I digress). Toss service into the equation and that’s when stuff gets really crazy. My version of the age-old precept (and again I am paraphrasing), give of yourself freely and you will receive tenfold in return.
I don’t know why – it doesn’t make sense in the context of our logical three-dimensional world based in fact and physical laws like gravity. But that doesn't change the fact that these karmic principles seem to indeed be law. Spiritual tenets I suppose. Truths you can't touch, feel, see or hear. And yet without a doubt they are undeniable certitudes.
The aforementioned events in my life are a small thing in the context of life. They really don't mean that much. And easy to chalk up as mere “coincidence.” But through direct experience I know better. Cosmic signals. Roadsigns along the journey. I am being supported. And for that I am incredibly grateful.
When you begin to pay attention — I mean center your attention, turn off the chattering mind, get present and really tune in to your environment — you begin to realize that even the tiniest observations, events and exchanges can carry meaning. Not always. And not necessarily in any external sense, but with the implication that everything is evidence — forensic tools to help calibrate the compass of your life's trajectory.
To put things in perspective, I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count the number of times I… Lees meer -
The Power of Community for Transformation
18 augustus 2014 · 2 uur 1 min
100 EPISODES!
Wow. I can't believe how amazing this podcast journey has been.
Over the last week, I have been flooded with inquiries on social media – so who is going to be the special guest for the big episode 100?
A lot of speculation. Big names getting thrown around with anticipatory question marks. I understand the appeal. But this landmark has me sentimental. Thinking a lot about what was going on in my life when I made the decision to start this show. And when perceived through this lens, there is only one person appropriate to sit across from me for 100 — the same person who sat across from me for #1.
Julie Piatt.
The wheel turns. We come full circle. Revisit. Reflect. Give thanks. And move forward.
So much has changed since November 2012 when the show launched. To take a quantum leap forward, we must connect with and better understand the past. So I went back and listened to that very first offering — for the first time since I recorded it. Admittedly rough. Unpolished. Nervous energy, echo chamber audio and uncertainty converging in a vacant warehouse on an organic farm on the north shore of Kauai. Just me, Julie, a couple really bad mics and no expectations or idea as to where this leap would land.
And yet I was dumbstruck by just how much the show has stayed true to the seed I planted that day.
I vividly recall that day. My son Tyler and my nephew Harrison jerry-rigging their musical equipment to manage the audio. I remember the theme music they wrote and recorded in the warehouse just hours before the first show — a riff they came up without much thought and always intended as “temp” until they wrote something better. Julie and I sitting across from each other, wondering just what we might talk about.
Two years later and I'm astonished at just how little has changed. Today Ty (who is now my producer and the guy behind all the show music) and Harrison strummed guitars and checked audio levels as I set up in our garage. That temp theme music still begins … Lees meer -
From Corporate Lawyer to Ambassador of Sweat & Swagger — How to Undo Ordinary and Tell Your Own Story
11 augustus 2014 · 2 uur 13 min
I like to think this show sparks that fire by seeking out and sharing the stories of those who fan my flames. A mixed bag of inspiration and education. A diversity of in-depth conversations: life experiences, incredible personal stories, tales of transformation and a wealth of information to light your personal path towards maximum life satisfaction. A grab-bag toolbox to help you escape the status quo doldrums of life, raise your personal vibration and simply live better.
At the end of the day, it's all about story. Others sharing theirs so you can begin to reframe, tell and live a better story of yourself.
It’s easy to keep doing what you’re doing, propelled by a story you tell yourself about yourself, in whatever shape or form that may take. Life has a momentum like that. A particular gestalt. The relentless pressures and priorities of daily life take over and before we even consciously realize it, we fall victim to a rut we justify under the rubric of routine.
The rut is easy. It's the default imprimatur of social acceptance. Do what you're told. Don't ask questions. Shut up and keep shopping. Play that video game. Escape. And numb out your latent voice; your inner potential; and the world at large.
To escape this prison we must first change the story. This begins with the inside work. Investigate what makes you the only you there is. Develop a sense of self that renders your intuition not just reliable, but the only true compass directing your path. Walk through the fear that constrains the emergence of the true self. Unleash the courage to blaze your own path. And execute. Because talk is cheap. And action is everything.
Doing this is hard. Maybe the hardest thing you will ever do, it's like a salmon swimming upstream. Or setting sail in stormy seas in a canoe without a paddle.
But let's flip our perspective and view this path through a new pair of glasses. Not from a perspective of struggle and hardship but instead as more of a letting go. Rather than fight,… Lees meer -
How One Man Reimagined His Life, Went Off-Grid & Found His Zen
4 augustus 2014 · 2 uur 21 min
Today we go off-grid.
As some of you know, this show was launched from a yurt on Hawaii. It was about a year and half ago. At the time, we were at a crossroads. Unsure about our family's future in Los Angeles, we were looking for something new and different. Then out of the blue, a unique opportunity arose and we seized it. An opportunity for myself, my wife and our kids to see and embrace a different approach to life.
Next thing we knew, we found ourselves living at Common Ground– a living, breathing organic farm on the north shore of Kauai. For three months we ate and lived off the land (well, mostly). Our kids learned farming and permaculture harvesting food in the gardens. We cohabited in communal yurts shared with a bevy of energetic young people passionate about the environment, sustainability, food and soil. All told, we embraced a completely new and different experience of daily existence, cementing the idea that we have choice when it comes to lifestyle. The notion that — all of the plenty excuses aside — we don’t have to live the way everyone else does.
A powerful concept we wanted our kids to see, understand and experience on a fundamental, tactile level.
It takes courage to step outside the norm. In our case, we obviously returned to Los Angeles. In all honesty, I just wasn’t ready for that level of disconnect on a permanent basis at this stage in my life. But that doesn't mean it wasn't invaluable, because it was — an experience I will always treasure and never forget. It's an understatement to say that it broadened my horizons. As a family unit, we were permanently changed. A powerful and constant reminder that there is another way. Always another way.
During our time on Kauai, I got a call from my friend Evan Rock.
A successful young, enterprising commercial real estate executive, I first met Evan when he was dating the young woman who frequently babysits for our little girls. I didn’t know much about him at that time, other than that Evan was a youn… Lees meer -
How A Panic Attack On National TV Led To Meditation As The Path To Happiness
28 juli 2014 · 1 uur 25 min
Everyone loves a good transformation story. Lees meer
We like it even better when it’s super dramatic. Preferably framed to appear like it all went down like some kind of overnight miracle. Bonus points for million dollar paydays, instantaneous cures, extreme but effortless weight loss and age reversal.
But that’s just not how this stuff works, people.
Growth and change are hard. And never overnight. It’s a process. 2, 3, 5 even 10 steps backwards for every single step in the right direction. Rinse & repeat, generally in obscurity. It requires dedication, faith, time, toil and pain — because getting out of your comfort zone is just that: uncomfortable. It means taking an honest look in the mirror and objectively evaluating your unpleasantries, missteps and weaknesses. Shedding light on blind spots. And grappling with demons, hardwired patterns and deeply ingrained perspectives on ourselves and our place in the world.
But change is also simple. It begins with a basic a decision to do (or not do) something; anything. A decision generally followed by tiny — sometimes almost imperceptible — changes in behavior made consistently over extended periods of time.
In other words, the trite annoying adage is true. Baby steps do move mountains.
True, sustainable personal growth rarely comes about by changing everything overnight. Instead, it’s about exploring and ultimately developing some level of mastery over just a few small yet important shifts – or even just one aspect of how you spend your time each day. Adopt this approach – a slight shift in perspective and behavior – and you just might be amazed at how impactful this can be on your life experience. How you see, feel about and ultimately interact with yourself, others and the world at large.
Do this — and like today's guest — you just might find yourself 10% Happier*.
Dan Harris.
This guy is impressive. Young and ambitious, Dan joined ABC News in 2000 and quickly rose through the ranks under the mentorship of broadcasting legen… -
Balance, Surrender, Faith & Risking It All To Live Your Best Life
21 juli 2014 · 1 uur 59 min
Finding balance in life. Developing trust in something bigger than yourself. Surrendering your self-will. Relying on faith to guide you. And the courage to risk it all for the sake of living your best, most authentic life.
Today marks the return of my erstwhile co–host, mother of my children and my wife of 11 years.
Julie Piatt.
Last week we celebrated our anniversary by renewing our vows. A small little ceremony with just the kids, it was a meaningful way to pay tribute to this journey we've taken. Bringing the kids into the equation, all six of us took the opportunity to share our own “vows” by expressing gratitude for what each member of the family brings to our communal band.
It's important to create ceremony around seminal moments. To pause. And take the time to honor each other. It was profound. An event that brought us all closer to each other. And more connected to the journey ahead.
After being married for many years its easy to fall into cruise control – my across the board default mode. Whether its fitness, diet, profession, relationships, or (in my case) sobriety, it doesn't take much to convince ourselves that everything is cool, then ease off the gas.
Personally, taking things for granted is my pastime. Avoiding this pitfall is a daily practice that demands a level of focused consciousness around all aspects of my life to help me understand that there is always improvement to be had. That growth requires constant work and pressure and focus.
But a crucial truism I learned very early on in recovery is that there is no stasis. In every given moment you are either growing or regressing. Moving towards a drink or away from a drink. Heading towards something better or lapsing backwards into bad habits, behaviors, addictions, assumptions, modalities, whatever.
Without attention, my life can quickly spiral out of balance. Prone to obsessiveness, it's my nature to lose myself. To become so immersed in what I am doing, whatever it is – training, writing, podca… Lees meer -
[EXPLICIT] The Post-Punk Algonquin Round Table: Peace, Plants & PMA
14 juli 2014 · 2 uur 26 min
Oh snap — s*$%t is about to get real!
Back by popular demand, I am overjoyed to bring together two of my most popular repeat guests on the RRP — John Joseph and Mishka Shubaly– for an epic threesome.
Call it my Post-Punk Algonquin Round Table: uncensored ruminations NYC style on sobriety, writing books, eating plants, running ridiculously long distances, expanding consciousness, walking a spiritual path and PMA — John's personal mantra for positive mental attitude.
I cannot overstate how much I love these guys. And on the mic they never disappoint.
As you might suspect, the Cro-Mags' frontman aka Bloodclot returns to do what he does best — incite, provoke, educate and entertain. Straight talk directly from the streets of the Lower East Side with one singular, driving purpose: getting people to “wake the f&*k up”, expand consciousness and take control of our lives.
Not to be outdone, Mishka fills the co-host role today and holds his own with JJ (not easy), rounding out the conversation with his always humorous, astute observations on the creative, athletic, sober life.
But the predominant subject of today's show revolves around the release of John's new book — a completely updated and rewritten version of his previously self-published cult hit: Meat Is For Pussies: A How To Guide For Dudes Who Want to Get Fit, Kick Ass and Take Names*
If you're a long-time listener to the show, my boys need no introduction. If you're new and unfamiliar with these phenomenons, I urge you to check out my earlier introductory posts and tune into their multiple previous appearances (hyperlinks to previous shows in the below Notes).
As for JJ, suffice it to say the guy is a true American original. Lower East Side thief, abuse survivor, drug dealer & brawling gutter rat reborn as spiritual warrior. CBGB Street Poet. Punk-ass Robin Hood. Plantpowered Ironman. Spiritual evangelist.
A life story so astounding, I can only describe it like this:
“Take a little Charles Bukowski, add some Hugh S… Lees meer -
How One Man Reinvented Himself Wholesale — Ruminations On Simplicity, Life In the Zone & The Great Iceberg of Consciousness
7 juli 2014 · 2 uur 38 min
I started this show because I truly believe that too many of us are wasting our lives in a reflexive daze. Disconnected from who we are, what makes our hearts beat and what we truly need to be happy. Just trying to make it through the day intact. Pay the bills. And make ends meet so we can numb out to Dancing With The Stars. Living for the weekend, we celebrate by getting drunk and then do it all over again. You know what I’m talking about.
It's no way to live. Believe me, I tried.
Remember when you were a kid? No older than 11 when the world was wide open. Everything was amazing. Even the tiniest of things could provoke endless fascination. Pure joy in the simplest of activities like running around in the yard with a garden hose; jumping off a diving board into a pool or riding your bike around the neighborhood with friends. The effortless ability to be truly present in the world. Gifted with an innate sense of wonder – and a moral compass that naturally understood right from wrong, good from bad.
Then we grow up. That child falls by the wayside. Drops away. Or simply becomes repressed as we morph out of that natural state of what it is to be fundamentally alive, only to step into the objective, material fear-based world of ego, status, and comparison that leaves us obsessed with the past and maniacally pre-occupied with the future yet never fully present in the now.
This is the chronic collective human condition today's guest calls being lost in the rational world. A state of being that all too often leaves us anxious, afraid, depressed, isolated, lonely and sometimes even desperate – resigned to a life we're not sure we ever really even signed up for.
I know what that’s like. I've been there. And so has today’s guest.
But there is a way out. Because that inner child is still there – lurking deep down. We just have to find a way to access it. Tap in. Find a way to bring it to the surface. Unlock and unleash it.
This is the path to the authentic self. This is the … Lees meer -
Embracing a Sustainable Lifestyle Philosophy That Transcends Diet
30 juni 2014 · 2 uur 1 min
Today we’re back with some heavy nutrition talk!
There is so much confusion out there about diet, food & optimal health. It's enough to make even the most discerning, conscientious consumer’s head split wide open in frustration. Exasperated, we end up simply paralyzed — continuing to perpetuate unhealthy eating habits that enslave us to an inevitable future of disease, obesity and dependence upon the pharmaceutical industry.
My humble opinion? Last week's Time Magazine cover story on the comeback of butter doesn't exactly help matters. Seriously? Lees meerTo help set matters to rights and slice through the wide swath of confusion, obfuscation and downright misinformation, I am pleased to host the lovely and sagacious Sharon Palmer RD. For the uninitiated, “RD” stands for Registered Dietitian. But a more apropos professional acronym just might be “PPRD” – for PlantPowered Registered Dietitian.
Sharon is the editor of the award-winning health newsletter Environmental Nutrition, and a nationally recognized nutrition expert who has personally impacted thousands of people’s lives through her writing and clinical work. She is the author of The Plant-Powered Diet: The Lifelong Eating Plan For Achieving Optimal Health, Starting Today* and her new book Plant-Powered For Life: Eat Your Way to Lasting Health with 52 Simple Steps and 125 Delicious Recipes* comes out on July 8 (available now for pre-order). These are books that empower everyone — whether vegan, vegetarian, or omnivorous — to put that Plantpower manifesto into practice by adopting a largely or entirely whole-foods, plant-based diet and thereby reaping such benefits as weight loss, optimal health, and longer life.
Indeed, the Plantpower / Plant-Power meme isn't just alive and well, it's picking up steam.
What's great about Sharon is her easy-to-grasp, personal approach to food and diet, an approach that marshals the most up-to-date findings in nutrition to explain both why you should eat more plant-based fare and exactly… -
From Soccer Star to Sports Agent — How To Pursue Your Dream Job, The Elements of Athletic Greatness & Running on Plants
23 juni 2014 · 1 uur 40 min
Must be nice to have your life [sneer]……I wish I could…. [fill in the blank, with scorn]….but some people have to work for a living [biting sarcasm].
The easy road is to resent those that have what you want. Or at least more of what you wish you had. Actually it's more of a cop out than an easy road. But a cop out most of us take (usually unconsciously), which in turn leads to nothing good.
Envy, anger, denial, self-loathing and defeatism are but a few of the common and predictable human emotions most likely to arise by default when confronted with that rare person living a fully actualized, aspirational life. A rewarding life where work and play are merged. A life that from the outside makes everything appear smooth, easy and obstacle free.
You know the kind of guy I'm talking about right? Guys with names like Elon, Biz and LeBron. How annoying!
I get it. But I also understand that annoyance is just a mild form of resentment. And resentment is an emotional luxury I personally can't afford. Because it inevitably leads me to a place of deep suffering. Meanwhile, the object of my deep resentment remains blissfully unaware of my inner turmoil, continuing that envious life of authentic expression unperturbed and none the wiser. All the more maddening!
So begins the downward shame spiral.
Now let's try a different tactic. Instead of foisting negative energy outward upon this unassuming third person, let's instead turn that powerful forefinger around — the one that loves to point and judge. Instead, let's look within with honesty. Let's accept where we are and invest in the plausibility of a positive new, forward moving trajectory. Let's take action based on belief in your own personal potential and deservedness. And let's embrace the process of unlocking and expressing your best, most authentic self to the fullest of your abilities.
Yeah I know. Easier said than done.
This is where today's guest comes in. Not because he's going to give you some version of “10 Steps To L… Lees meer -
“Cowspiracy”: The Devastating Global Impact of Industrialized Animal Agriculture on the Health of Our Planet
16 juni 2014 · 1 uur 33 min
You care about the planet, right?
Of course you do. We're all concerned about global climate change, melting ice caps, fracking, the pollution of our oceans and all the many more issues we currently face that threaten Earth's long term sustainable health.
As such, we do our best to be good planetary citizens. To keep our carbon footprint light, we eat local, recycle and compost. We opt for the bike and leave the hybrid car in the garage to reduce our fossil fuel dependance. We've swapped our lightbulbs for those new expensive ones that for whatever reason are supposed to be so much better. And here in California (and wherever we face drought) we limit our showers and curtail excess water usage.
This is a very positive shift in consciousness. These are all great habits. So go ahead. It's OK to feel good about yourself. In fact, give yourself a pat on the back for being awesome.
But what if I told you that all of our individual good citizenship efforts are just the tiniest drop in the bucket when compared to the massively deleterious impact of just one particular industry most of us quite simply and unconsciously support on a daily basis every day of our lives?
Whether we are talking about global climate change, the blindingly rapid destruction of our rain forests, over consumption of water, species extinction, the depletion and destruction of our soil, the pollution of our rivers, lakes and oceans or the obliteration of natural wildlife habitats, you might be surprised to discover the very inconvenient and uncomfortable truth that there is one industry single-handedly responsible for destroying and undermining the health and sustainability of our planet far more than any other.
The elephant in the room – animal agriculture.
It is indisputable that our global industrialized system of factory livestock harvesting is unsustainable. It's killing us and it's killing the planet. We must embrace this reality and work collectively to create new sustainable systems to feed t… Lees meer -
The Power of Plants to Nourish & Heal
9 juni 2014 · 1 uur 42 min
Imagine this: you are a practicing pediatric ER doctor; all day long every day you treat kids that are not just overweight, but obese. More than obese, these kids are sick — really sick.
What do you do?
Well, you can do what most doctors do – tell the kids to ditch the salt, sugar and fat; swap the video games for some fresh air; maybe prescribe some medication for the cholesterol or blood pressure; then move on to the next patient. No time to linger….
Or you can take a harder road. Despite a fellowship at Harvard Medical School, full time employment as an emergency room pediatrician, and editor of 3 medical textbooks, Dr. Sujit Sharma felt the need to do more. It was time to try something new: address the cause; focus on prevention; identify and provide doable, sustainable solutions that actually work.
Radical!
It was around this time that Dr. Sanjay Gupta– Sujit's longtime University of Michigan buddy and yes, the guy from CNN — introduced Sujit to his friend Ladell Hill — a molecular health specialist, herbalist, fitness trainer and wellness expert who had been spent the last 20 years researching and experimenting with nutrition. A passion for healing Ladell inherited as legacy from his Native American grandfather.
When he wasn't training celebrities like Gwen Stefani & Lenny Kravitz, Ladell studied tirelessly for years to understand how to best apply the wisdom of his grandfather to his modern practice of health and wellness. He came to realize that science now substantiated much of what he learned from his grandfather: the power of an indigenous, whole food plant-based diet to not only promote overall well being and wellness optimization but to also expedite physiological recovery from exercise induced stress and even — in certain cases — prevent and reverse disease.
Bold and powerful, particularly when you get a glimpse of Ladell, who at almost 50 sports jacked guns and the physique a 26 year old NFL running back would envy.
Sujit and Ladell immediately hit i… Lees meer -
Path to Olympic Gold – Mind Over Matter (Part 2)
5 juni 2014 · 1 uur 23 min
Welcome to Part 2 of my conversation with the lovely Rebecca Soni!
To recap from Monday, Reb is a two-time World Swimmer of the Year; a multiple Olympic gold medalist & World Record Holder; a six-time NCAA Champion; a giant inspiration, especially to young women across the globe; as well as a beach dweller, dog owner, basic delight & overall legend now focused on giving back to sport through Atlas Ventures– brain training young athletes on the mental aspects of peak performance along with her best friend and fellow Olympian Ariana Kukors.
If you have not yet listened to Part 1 of our sit down, check that out first. Then tune in here. It just gets better as it goes.
I hope you enjoy the show. Let me know what you think in the comments section below. And if you have been enjoying the show, tell a friend!
Peace + Plants,
Rich
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Lees meer -
The Mental Aspects of Peak Athletic Performance (Part 1)
2 juni 2014 · 1 uur 28 min
When I use the word “best” in reference to my guests, I mean it.
Today's guest truly earns the adjective. If you follow the sport of competitive swimming, then this woman needs no introduction. Quite simply put, Rebecca Soni is one of the most accomplished athletes in the world, period. Here are just a few of her notables:
2-time Olympian (2008 / 2012)
6-time Olympic medalist
Multiple world record holder
1st woman to earn back to back Olympic Gold Medals in the 200-meter breaststroke
Broke the World Record in the 200-meter breaststroke in consecutive Olympiads (2008 / 2012)
First woman in history to break the 2:20 barrier in the 200-meter breaststroke
6-time NCAA Champion at USC
2x “World Swimmer Of The Year” (2010 & 2011) Lees meerIn other words, don't mess with Reb. But meet her on the street and you'd never know just how badass she is — her sweetNESS and genuine humility simply won't allow it.
If you know me, you know swimming is my first love. So anytime I get the chance to talk on the subject, it’s going to be long — sorry just can't help it. This conversation holds true, running at around 2 ½ hours. So I'm breaking the interview up into 2 parts. Part 1 today (Sunday night — 6.1.14); Part 2 will post sometime Thursday — 6.5.14.
Good stuff. A compelling journey through the the ups and downs of Rebecca’s unparalleled career, we dig deep into:The mental aspects of peak performance, including Rebecca's personal struggles;
Rebecca's early years as a young swimmer in New Jersey raised by Hungarian immigrants;
The important role of coaches have played in her career;
Social media pressures on the global Olympic stage;
Her perspective on being a positive role model for young women;
Her evolving perspective on nutrition & new found embrace of the plant-based lifestyle;
The performance impacts of different modalities of training (volume vs. intensity);
Her transition from celebrity athlete to civilian retirement; and
Atlas Ventures- Rebecca's start up with fellow Olympian Aria… -
Zen & The Art & Importance of Living Tea
26 mei 2014 · 2 uur 3 min
Today we delve into an entirely new world. The world of tea.
I can hear you now: Tea?? Really? Why should I care about tea? I've been enjoying the podcast a lot lately, Rich. But I'm not sure about this…I think you might have lost the thread this week.
A couple years ago I would have probably said the same thing. I don't feel that way anymore. So if you are thinking of skipping this episode because on the surface it doesn't sound like something you are interested in, reconsider. Because — and as I always say — contempt prior to investigation imprisons one to everlasting ignorance.
WuDe.
Born in the United States as Aaron Daniel Fisher, Wude was drawn to the East from a very early age. After studying philosophy in college, he travelled the world and ultimately settled in Taiwan, where he has since become a Buddhist monk – steeped in the sutras and wisdom of that tradition – as well as a tea master – a vituoso of not just the living tradition of harvesting tea, but the living tradition of what tea means in a sort of meta sense – why it’s important and why we should care about it.
Tea as medicine. Tea as healing. Tea as life.
Tea Practice as Zen.
The easiest way to put it is that WuDe comes from this idea that tea is a universal living, breathing thing that unifies us all — the tree of life.
Think of tea as a metaphor. A foundational concept around which to structure a set of ancient teachings, principles, knowledge and wisdom to glean a broader truth about health, healing, community, the environment, life, life’s meaning and the unifying oneness – or undeniable interconnectedness of everything
In Taiwan WuDe founded and runs Global Tea Hut– a school and center devoted to the education and preservation of the ancient tradition of harvesting living tea and welcomes people from all over the world to come study and practice tea preparation, meditation, tea history, tea crafting, the sutras of tea and its relevance in society, and how to cultivate the Dao of Tea as a meth… Lees meer -
Eat Concrete, Not Meat
19 mei 2014 · 1 uur 47 min
People say people don’t change.
Bullshit.
I have the great honor of seeing and participating in lives that have changed so dramatically the people they are today bear almost no resemblance to who they once were.
Weight loss, sure – I see that all the time. I'm talking more about drastic career changes; dramatic spiritual awakenings; and impossible recovery from profound addictions. I'm talking about people who change from that person you’d shuffle across the street to avoid – literal mental insanity – to becoming inspirational leaders among men. Alterations so stunning I'm left awestruck; and with a profound sense that there must be powers at work beyond the mere mortal.
If this show is anything, it's an effort to share those stories to inspire that kind of hope, aspiration and possibility in you. That no matter what your circumstance or plight in life, that transcending the obstacles you face is within reach.
When I recorded the introduction to this episode and wrote down these thoughts, it was 3:30 am. Jetlagged and wide awake, I just returned from a whirlwind trip across the globe – 3 weeks on the road in Canada, Beirut, Lebanon and all across Saudi Arabia. Riyadh in the heart of the Arabian desert, Al Khobar on the Persian Gulf & Jeddah on the Red Sea. If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you might have seem some pictures of me running in all those places. Apologies for all the selfies, but I just wanted to share what I was experiencing with everyone. It was such a fantastic journey and privilege to see parts of the world I never in a million years thought I would ever have the opportunity to see.
I gave 6 talks over the course of the trip; all in their own right amazing. Particularly in the Middle East, where the cultural divide can seem so profound and impenetrable that making a true connection seemed almost impossible.
And yet to connect with people on a fundamental level over things and concerns we all share no matter what the dictates of our cultural … Lees meer -
The Transformative Power of Practicing Gratitude
11 mei 2014 · 1 uur 55 min
Unless you are a new listener to the show, then you very well may be fatigued by my show opening mantra. If so, you're out of luck, because I'm going to repeat it here anyway:
Each week I bring you the best most forward thinking, paradigm busting minds in health, fitness, athleticism, creativity, diet, nutrition, art, entrepreneurship, personal growth & spirituality….
The goal is simple: to empower YOU with the tools, the knowledge, the inspiration and motivation to take your life to the next level. To help you discover, unlock and unleash your BEST most AUTHENTIC self.
I repeat it here because it's particularly relevant to today's guest and topic.
I repeat it here because I need to remind myself that in order to make that leap to so unlock and unleash, I must say yes to experiences outside my comfort zone. I must be and remain open to new ideas that are unfamiliar. I must continue to be willing to risk. And I must be willing to experience things that still scare me.
There is a truism I find myself repeating under my breath: you cannot transmit something you haven't got.
In other words, if I hope to so transmit, by way of this podcast, the inspiration and tools I profess to offer, then I must walk that talk. Otherwise I strike a false chord – my words become inauthentic. And this house I bled to build becomes a mere house of cards, soon to fall in upon itself.
After a rewarding 7 days in Ontario with Julie, I’m now traveling alone — in the midst of this extraordinary speaking tour across the Middle East — Beirut, Lebanon and three cities across Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, Jeddah and Al Khobar.
Traveling to this part of the world intimidates me. Is it safe? Can I go outside and run without negative repercussion? And how will I and my message be received by cultures so different from my own?
I love traveling. I can think of few things that excite me more than getting on a plane for a very long flight to some exotic place I have never before seen. And yet, I am definitely w… Lees meer -
Building a Legacy on Athleticism, Faith & Humility (Part 2)
8 mei 2014 · 1 uur 42 min
Today were back with Ultraman competitor and EPIC5 finisher Christian Isakson for Part 2 of our conversation.
Thanks for all the great comments and feedback I received on social media this week in response to Part 1. If you haven’t listened to that one yet dial it up first before tuning in here
Part 2 just gets better. We delve into Christian's racing. He walks us through his first-hand experience completing EPIC5 and what it took to put his imprimatur on last year's Ultraman World Championships.
Then we turn to service. Christian's commitment to giving back through his involvement with Chris Lieto's non-profit More Than Sport and and his recent work in Kenya with Ameena Project. And how faith, family and humility are keystones to remain grounded, focused and on point.
The message is this — if you want your life to have true meaning, satisfaction, fulfillment and a legacy of value, giving back in a meaningful way is essential.
If you are feeling adrift, Christian's message will help right your ship. If he has inspired you to seek out a more fulfilling path for yourself but you're just not sure how to embark on your own version of his story, then — as mentioned in the introduction to this episode — you might be encouraged by my new online course on MindBodyGreen.com entitled The Art of Living With Purpose- 2+ hours of streaming video content with an array of downloadable tools I learned, honed and devised to course correct my life — tools I continue to rely on to this day to keep my life focused and on track. Give it a look if it feels right to you.
I hope you enjoy Part 2 as much as Part 1. As always, let me know what you think in the comments section below and on social media.
Peace + Plants,
Rich
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Lees meer -
How Endurance, Faith, Family & Service Equate to Success (Part 1)
5 mei 2014 · 1 uur 50 min
Today's guest is a guy I relate to on so many levels. Like a big Venn diagram of overlapping circles — ultra-endurance multi-sport athlete, dad, husband, Ultraman competitor and EPIC5 finisher.
Today's guest is unique in that he is the only guy I have ever had on the show who, like me, has competed in both the Ultraman World Championships and EPIC5 (not that there are very many of us – I think only a few).
Today’s guest is also unique for his strong sense of faith, directed purpose and commitment to giving back in service to others the blessings bestowed upon him.
Today’s guest is Christian Isakson.
Christian and I first connected online several years ago on the eve of his 2011 attempt on EPIC5 (one year after I completed that challenge). Christian absolutely rocked it, completing the distance within the five day period I strived for, yet fell short. In the wake of that effort, I vividly recall several conversations in which I encouraged him to ply his trade at Ultraman. Ironically, Christian was unsure — at the time not yet wholly confident in his abilities despite the potential I clearly saw in him. Yet he obliged. To be clear, not because of me – I just gave him a nudge. And at this past year's World Championship in Hawaii, he proved his mettle and then some. His race was far from perfect, but Christian more than distinguished himself as a future contender for the top podium spot, putting his imprimatur on the race with a stunning Day 2 bike effort that had him leading the field for the majority of the brutal 170-mile day.
Since our first Facebook exchange, Christian and I have been e-mail pen pals and phone buddies — corresponding consistently over the years about everything from balancing parenting & marriage to nutrition, training strategies, racing, the role of faith and most importantly service — how best to give this whole ultra-endurance experience greater meaning for others beyond mere race results.
And yet Christian and I had never actually met in perso… Lees meer -
Surfing For Change: Buy Local, Surf Global
28 april 2014 · 1 uur 27 min
So many things wrong in the world.
Melting ice caps. Greenhouse gas emissions. Global climate change. GMO Frankenfoods. Depleted soils. Poisoned fish. Rampant childhood obesity. Unsustainable food systems. Horrifying school lunch programs. Unprecedented hurricanes. Insane tsunamis. Constant forest fires. And oh yeah – how about that Texas-sized flotilla of plasticized garbage goo floating out in the Pacific somewhere?
I could go on like this all day. We all could. Because in truth it's easy to identify — and become despondent (if not just altogether passive and nonplussed) about the state of the planet, the environment, our citizenship and basic humanity when you take an honest look at the havoc we have wrecked upon ourselves.
F-it. I give up. It's too late.
Then you meet a guy like Kyle Thiermann. Pro Surfer. Filmmaker. Public Speaker. Environmentalist. Humanitarian. 24 years old.
Suddenly, all that despondency is replaced with hope – optimism for the future of the planet and humanity courtesy of the next generation.
I had never heard of Kyle until a buddy of mine posted an image on Instagram a few months back that promoted Kyle's latest short film: Pro Surfers vs. GMO's :
I immediately clicked to watch and was honestly moved. Sure, the film is informative and inspiring. But beyond the content, I was genuinely impressed to find such a young guy so passionate about our food system. Digging deeper I realized this doc was nothing new for this Santa Cruz kid, who was raised by documentary filmmaker parents and has been putting out short films on global health and environmental issues for years via Surfing For Change — Kyle's online YouTube series merging surf imagery & lifestyle with current global issues with focus on the power of individuals to create a better world through everyday decisions.
Kyle's impact has already been substantial. Beyond speaking gigs at universities across the US and features in publications like Outside Magazine and Surfer Magazine, one of K… Lees meer -
IN-Q On Reimagining Your Truth
21 april 2014 · 1 uur 39 min
The past couple weeks we went deep into nutrition. Now it's time to take a new direction. To delve into spirit. Creativity. And art. All powerful vehicles for connecting with, unlocking and ultimately expressing the authentic truth of who you are — the crux of life transformation.
Today we Reimagine Your Truth.
Today we meet IN-Q.
Rapper. Actor. Teacher. Songwriter & internationally revered spoken word artist.
Wait a minute — what?? A poet? How could spoken word, rap music and this guy possibly have anything to do with the themes of this show?
I can read your mind. I get it. But I ask you to please reserve whatever preconceived ideas or opinions you may have about what's to come. Because ignorance is contempt prior to investigation. I promise you this — after this interview you won’t be asking yourself that question.
I first met IN-Q up at a thing called Summit Series — an organization that began in 2008 with a small group of young entrepreneurs harboring a giant collective dream to change the world. Led by an enterprising young man named Eliot Bisnow (who coincidentally went to my high school), Summit began as an annual four-day events for 1,000 of the world’s leading entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, artists, scientists, athletes, and change makers with the intention of driving positive growth and collaboration.
The events were extremely successful. But Summit has since evolved far beyond a mere producer of TED-like events. Today, it stands tall as a truly unique community of compelling thought leaders who truly are changing the world. About a year ago, the Summit organization took up permanent residence in Eden, Utah — a quiet hamlet north of Salt Lake nestled in the Wasatch Mountains — when they purchased a mountain. That’s right: an entire mountain & functioning ski resort called Powder Mountain. Not just any ski resort, “PowMow” is in fact the largest ski mountain in the entire United States.
Ambitious? It's just the beginning. Summit's goal is to unite thoug… Lees meer -
Rethinking the Science of Nutrition
14 april 2014 · 1 uur 24 min
Wow! Last week's guest, T. Colin Campbell, got a huge response. It's only a week since publication and the episode is well on its way to becoming one of the most popular editions of the RRP to date. Glad you enjoyed it and — as always — thanks for tuning in.
Because the Dr. Campbell conversation introduced a large new population to the show, thought I would take a brief moment to clarify what we do here. You may think this is just another podcast focused on running & triathlon. I love those subjects and feature plenty of guests in those arenas. But my focus is broader.
In short, each week I do my best to bring to you the most forward thinking, paradigm busting minds in health, fitness, wellness, diet, nutrition, spirituality, creativity, entrepreneurship and life transformation.
My goal is pure and it is simple. To help motivate and inspire you take your life to the next level. To help you discover, unlock and unleash your best, most authentic self. BOOM.
If you have yet to check out last week's episode, I urge everyone to give that one a listen before checking out today’s show. Even if you think you know all there is to know about T. Colin Campbell, his research, The China Study* and the quote unquote alleged “controversy” surrounding the findings of this seminal work, you might be surprised. Dr. Campbell demonstrated tremendous candor. It was an honor to peek behind the curtain at a life well lived in service to the betterment of humankind.
In any event, last week’s guest relates directly to today’s guest. As I mentioned last week, Dr. Campbell was intended as Part 1 of a 2-part series.
What began with Dr. Campbell continues today with Howard Jacobson, Dr. Campbell’s contributing author on his latest book Whole: Rethinking The Science of Nutrition* – a book that picks up where The China Study* left off by addressing the inherent flaws in our “reductionist” approach to nutrition research and refocusing how we approach and begin to understand nutrition and it's imp… Lees meer -
China Study Critics & How Plant-Based Nutrition Can Prevent & Reverse Disease
7 april 2014 · 1 uur 31 min
This week we hit a huge milestone – 2 MILLION DOWNLOADS!
Wow. I was blown away when we hit 1 million after about a year since we started this experiment. Then just five months later, we hit the second million. I am beyond words. I love doing the podcast, love it. I do this for you. So it means more than you can imagine that it has found a passionate and loyal audience. With utmost sincerity, I thank you from the bottom of my heart and promise to honor your commitment to the show by striving to always do better and be better.
In honor of the milestone, I thought it appropriate to bring you one of my most compelling and important interviews to date. A conversation with a man I owe my life. A man whose studies, books and tireless advocacy have transformed countless lives across the globe. A man absolutely instrumental in paving a path for my own personal transformation – a journey that begins and ends with my adoption of a plant-based diet.
T. Colin Campbell
Dr. Campbell may not have invented the whole food plant-based diet, but he is most certainly the regal lion of the movement, pioneering it from fringe acceptance to modern age, widespread mainstream adoption. He is best-known as the author of The China Study*, one of the most important, ground-breaking, massively best-selling books ever written on health & nutrition. More recently, Dr. Campbell published an important follow up, Whole: Rethinking The Science of Nutrition*. But even if you have not read either of these books, there is a solid chance you saw him and his work profiled in the incredibly powerful documentary Forks Over Knives*.
The simple truth is that how we are beginning to understand the ways in which food and nutrition impact the underlying causes of so many Western diseases that unnecessarily plague developed cultures — and the means to prevent and reverse them — is due in large part to the tireless scientific research to which Dr. Campbell has devoted his life. He is, quite simply put, an absolute… Lees meer -
The Spiritual Road to Athletic Supremacy
31 maart 2014 · 2 uur 7 min
I had to put my dog down the other day. I want to tell you about it. It might seem unrelated to introducing today's podcast guest, but it's not. So bear with me.
Bodhi was a great dog. Indeed, a prince. But over the last several months, cancer took the upper hand. Tumors filled his left lung until it shut down, diseased cells metastasizing at a horrible pace until the poor guy could barely lift his head, let alone stand up. Stalwart, Bodhi hid his pain well. But it was there; unmistakable and unrelenting. I felt helpless. Lees meerIt’s the humane thing to do. You did the right thing.
The words of the kind veterinarian who handled the Kevorkian end of this pyrrhic victory to cease my dog's suffering.
I gently cradled his head and locked my eyes with his as the needle sank deep beneath his fur. What followed were my tears as the fragile life force dwindled from his limp body until his beautiful soul had vanished altogether. All the while, my only thought: this doesn't feel like the right thing. In fact, it all feels terribly, horribly wrong.
Bodhi is gone.
It happens. The heartache that accompanies the short lifespan of man's best friend is the very nature of this relationship. I signed up for it and I accept it. In truth, our golden retriever had a great 12 years with our family – a time we will always cherish and for which I am forever grateful. But that doesn’t mean it doesn't hurt. In truth, it sucks.
Bodhi is short for Bodhisattva – the ancient Sanskrit word for enlightened being. One who is motivated by great compassion. A more apt name for this dog does not, could not, exist.I guess the point is, as incredibly trite as this may sound – and it is nothing if not trite – life is short. Life is precious. Life is fleeting. And if one lives life motivated by fear and locked into habits that lead to regression, safety and misery, the precipitous end to that life will be nothing if not a lament to regret and remorse –for the authentic life of the higher self left unlived.
W… -
Leveraging Plant-Based Nutrition to Treat, Prevent & Reverse Disease
24 maart 2014 · 1 uur 17 min
A few weeks back I had the pleasure of being a keynote speaker & instructor on the Holistic Holiday at Sea — 1500 people cohabiting for 7 days on a Caribbean cruise ship for the specific purpose of learning more about health. How to eat better. And live more fully.
When I agreed to participate, I had no idea the magnitude of this event. The incredible scale of this thing. I’m not a cruise ship kind of guy. Quite honestly, I prefer a shack on a deserted beach to a floating mall housing 2200.
I was leery.
In the aftermath, I can't say the experience converted me to cruising as a lifestyle. But I will say it ended up being an extraordinary experience — an event I highly recommend to those out there looking for something different to kick things into a new gear. I got to meet and spend time with some of the leading minds in the plant-based wellness Universe. Some I already knew, like legends T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study* and Whole* (podcast coming soon!), PCRM founder Neal Barnard, Chef AJ ( RRP Episode 56 ), bodybuilder Robert Cheeke, fitness impresario Koya Webb and many others.
But what made the experience so memorable was meeting and spending time with people I had never before met. Presenters like today's guest of course, but mostly just normal people interested in learning more about getting better — and sharing their intimate stories. And so – despite my preconceived notions of what this experience would hold – I left rather inspired. By the lives and experiences and struggles and obstacles people face. And the success stories of overcoming everything from obesity to cancer, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, food addictions and more to live happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.
Leeriness transformed. A win-win.
Today’s guest is one of the guys I met on the cruise. I guy who I’ve admired from afar for some time, but had yet to meet.
Dr. Michael Klaper.
A rare bird this one. A physician who actually really cares about the patient. Before … Lees meer