Spartan Up! - A Spartan Race For The Mind!

Unwittingly paddling into hippo infested waters on the Zambezi was the perfect, if unintentional, predictor of later success for Juliet Starrett who co-owns the San Francisco Crossfit with her husband Kelly. After the most lethal mammal to man upended her canoe, she was already strategizing her plan to survive midair. This is the perfect metaphor for making it in business: peril will gauge a sneak attack at the most inconvenient times and you gotta summon up the fortitude and flexibility to adjust your strategy when suspended at the height of danger. There is simply no time to lick your wounds.Lessons:    1.    Taking risks in your day to day life helps prepare you for the risks in business.    2.    Be or recruit someone who is highly organized as an essential member of your team.    3.    To retain quality staff, create enough space for them in the company to diversify and grow.

“Chefrepreneur” Jeffrey Zurofsky, co-founder of Wichcraft sandwich shop and judge on Bravo’s “Best New Restaurant,” suggests the obstacles of running an efficient kitchen and a successful restaurant should be a model for entrepreneurship. A high quality restaurant is like a virtuoso pianist playing a finely tuned piano: a great deal of talent, coordination and practice goes into an end result that appears graceful, effortless and exquisite. As paradoxical as it seems, for him creativity thrives within the bounds of a certain amount of discipline. In this episode Joe and Jeff discuss some of the finer points of applying these lessons to your business and life.   Lessons:    1.    To get the job done effectively, follow the kitchen inspired concept of mise en place--organize everything into its proper place before getting down to work.    2.    In it’s essence, service is a well crafted method of preparation that ensures that the results are consistent and high quality. It is well worth honing this technique.  

John Durant, author of the Paleo Manifesto, dispels the myth that Paleo is a meat intense, monolithic diet. There are many indigenous cultures, he explains, with different levels of meat consumption, and therefore many models to choose from. What he doesn’t accept, however, is that vegetarianism exists in our nature. In his research, Durant could not identify even one xexample. He does agree that the most important aspect of this and any other health conscious diet is the elimination of processed foods.  He describes how our cultural shift towards expediency and convenience has made us sick.Lessons:    1.    Vegetarian and vegan diets are not noted in indigenous diets and are largely grew out of our industrial cultures.    2.    The most important aspect of the paleo diet is not to increase meat consumption, but rather to eliminate processed foods from our plate.    3.    We are products of our habitat. To effectively change your diet, change your surroundings.

In this episode, Dr. Fred Bisci tells us how to cut out processed foods from our diet to vastly improve health and athletic performance. In his case, though, “processed” also means any form of cooking. Bisci has found through fifty years of eating a raw vegan diet that meat and cooked foods are optional - and may even be detrimental. Incredibly active at age 85, Bisci certainly makes a good case. Yet he urges us not to follow his and Joe’s example: instead of taking the extreme measure of going 100% raw from the start, try making a more gradual transition.Lessons:    1.    In Bisci’s experience, athletic performance can be amazing on a diet of only raw fruits and vegetables.    2.    If switching to a purely raw diet is too extreme, the most important way to improve your diet is to eliminate processed food, anything from a can or a box.    3.    When coming off of the standard American diet onto this one, it’s common to go through a detox period in which you’ll feel ill. Persist through it and you’ll feel gre

Becoming the only person to win the Boston and New York marathons AND medal in the Olympics, Meb Keflezighi stepped up to the challenge by remembering his father’s sacrifice. His father fled war torn Eritrea carrying only a canteen, stick, sack of barley and matches to ward of hyenas; Keflezighi is grateful for regular aid stations to ease his way. He and his family made it to the United States via Italy and through hard work and perseverance all became successes in their respective ways. Keflezighi details his inspiring journey in this episode.Lessons:    1.    Frame of reference can push you towards your goals. Running a marathon with the luxury of aid stations is nothing compared to hiking hundreds of miles through hostile lands to save your family.    2.    A goal bigger than yourself, that impacts people in a positive way, is an excellent motivator.    3.    It’s not about winning, but getting the best out of yourself.

How does one, like Evan Dollard, become an American Gladiator? The frank answer, according to him, is that you don’t. Instead you make all the preparations within your power; go where the action is; pursue your passion to the fullest; make yourself known and talk to the right people and do everything to put the odds in your favor. If it doesn’t work out chances are that you’ve created an environment where something else, maybe even something better, will. This is the way to live a fully realized life, one without regrets. Dollard is living it and he has some valuable wisdom to help you live it too.Lessons:    1.    It’s worth laying the groundwork when pursuing an opportunity because even if it doesn’t pan out, you’ll be ready for the unexpected opportunity that may be around the corner.    2.    The riskier path is worth it even if you don’t meet your goal since it means eliminating the “what ifs” and “if onlys” and living a life without regret.    3.    Always move forward: If you see a stagnant pond you do

Mike Reilly is the voice of the Ironman. He has lent his voice to over 1000 events and his declaration, you are an ironman, has helped transform lives. Reilly takes great care in choosing his words because he knows they’ll have not just an impact on the racer’s life, but everyone around him as well. Reilly is a firm believer in the power of the individual to shape their own experience, but this doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t benefit from some words of encouragement to propel them towards the next finish line.Lessons:    1.    If you live by the adage, “you’re the cause of your own experience,” you’re on the right path.    2.    Experiences, unlike things, permeate to other people which makes them more valuable.    3.    Live from the inside out and everything else falls into place.

As one might expect from the author of the “Four Hour Work Week,” Tim Ferriss has a solid, well established routine. He awakes, meditates, exercises, journals, blocks off four hours for creative work, then frees himself for meetings and phone calls. This well balanced approach has taken him far.  When the inevitable drudging task comes around he slogs himself through it by building momentum with “Scooby snacks,” short, fun activities preceding the boring ones.  From the start of this interview it quickly becomes apparent that Ferris is a wellspring of great advice for anyone who is aiming to build a successful business or life.Lessons:    1.    Narrow things down to one or two things to focus on daily.    2.    Volunteer for great organizations then go the extra mile to stand out.     3.    Find a small but fast growing company to work for and observe the deal makers at work. Note the kind of questions they ask to get ahead. Example: “I know its impossible, but if there was a way to make it work, what would i

Forget what your first grade teacher told you, according to Kelly Starrett, owner and cofounder of Mobility WOD, children should never sit still in class. He believes that we learn better, are healthier, and by burning more calories are starting to reverse the obesity epidemic when we are standing. Even healthy adults who work out regularly suffer from the negative affects of too much sitting. Starrett, through his crossfit gym, encourages the type of holistic practice that will prepare an elite athlete, or a normal person, for any situation. In this episode, he describes how in depth.Lessons:    1.The benefit of having a good conditioning program is not learning how to suffer but learning how to problem solve in the face of discomfort.    2.There’s no way to solve the obesity epidemic without tackling sitting and inactivity.    3.If we can’t use the lessons of elite sport to help the layman, then sport is just folly.

Travis Macy, an avid ultrarunner, wrote The Ultra Mindset after he learned a valuable lesson himself. He was working to become a school principal, a respectable position and by all means a sensible decision, but stopped in his tracks to write the book. Pushing forward in the wrong direction for the wrong reasons would’ve left Macy unfulfilled. Raw perseverance without deep purpose is not enough. Lucky for us, Macy channeled his mental toughness into the right endeavor and he shares a number of strategies for you to do the same in this podcast.  Lessons:1.When things get tough it’s helpful to focus on why you’re doing something and not on the drudgery of the task.2.Training is equally important for developing a strong mind as it is for getting fit.3.Quitting is okay when you find yourself on a path that doesn’t align with your values, but if you are on the right path, don’t give up.

To be a success, or even to survive, emotional intelligence often trumps raw IQ, as Jordan Harbinger discovered while being detained and interrogated in Serbia. He used his humanity to escape. Similarly, being empathetic and genuine is just as important in finding and keeping friends and lovers as it is in advancing in your chosen field. Harbinger taught this through his Art of Charm podcasts and life coaching, and now on his "Jordan Harbinger Show.". As he describes in this episode, it’s not so much the skills you add that are important, but the bad habits that you subtract in order to expose your best self. Lessons:     1.    Unless you are at the top of your field or a workhorse, relationship skills are the key to advancement.     2.    If you want to present your best self you need to silence the self criticism.     3.    External sources of validation (fancy cars, houses, etc.) are not as impressive to emotionally healthy people as displaying your true self.     4.    If you’re not creating good habits

Adventure race champion Robyn Benincasa delved into her paddling passion by entering and excelling in a kayak ultra endurance race several hundred miles long. Several world records and hip replacements later, she is still going strong. It is her core philosophy that once you find something that you’re good at, pursue  it with every ounce of your being. Since she’s channeled much of her boundless energy into her foundation, Project Athena, that helps women who’ve survived medical setbacks, this is great news for them. Benincasa will describe the transformative power of adventure and persistence in this episode.Lessons:    1.    Make the effort to find your strengths and continue down that path.    2.    To bypass the victim mentality, always be working towards a big goal.     3.    Success is driven, not by money, but the desire to fully realize what you’re capable of.

After successful real estate businesses in Lebanon and Iran, Karim Jaude arrived in Los Angeles in 1979 with only $17 in his pocket and not a friend within a thousand miles. By merely being in the wrong place at the wrong time, he lost almost everything … twice.  He was kidnapped, tortured and forced to flee the country, but, in an extraordinary display of resilience, he got up and thrived again and again. Jaude’s determination started early in life and pushed him through the rough spots, of which there were many. He recounts his extraordinary journey in this podcast. http://www.spartanuppodcast.com/051Lessons:    1.There will never be justice in the world but we have the ability to reduce people’s suffering and not add to it.     2.Adversity teaches you to float over the small hassles in life.    3.What happens to you doesn’t matter as much as how you react to it.     4. Help one person every day.

Austin Malleolo is a formidable CrossFit competitor and level three trainer, but he says there was not much indication earlier in his life that he would achieve what he has. He was a troubled youth who was making many bad decisions that ultimately lead him to his path and passion. Instead of allowing him to continue down a trajectory that was aimed straight at a life of dead ends and possible prison, his father wisely opted to derail that destiny. In this podcast Mallelollo describes how this change in his frame of reference got him back on the track to a fulfilling life.Lessons:    1.    Physical disadvantages just mean that you have to work harder than everyone else to succeed.    2.    Everybody needs someone in their corner.    3.    Practice with someone better than you.     4.    You control your own destiny.

According to the Entrepreneur, Investor & Best-Selling Author Gary Vaynerchuk, he was bad at many things. But what he was good at was crucial for his successes: he knew himself very well and acted on his strengths, intensely. He was equally adept at reading others and is living proof that EQ (Emotional Intelligence) is as important as IQ in the world of business. His grit was shaped by a tough Eastern European upbringing tempered by compassion. In this episode,  Vaynerchuck explains what obstacle resistance means from a humanistic perspective.http://www.spartanuppodcast.com/048Lessons:1. If you know who you are, by nature you’ll bet on your strengths, and if you bet on your strengths, you’ll win.2. You must be willing to invest several years ahead of time to realize a payoff.3. Almost anything you do is good as long as you’re “all in.”

How did Kris Halenga, diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer at 23, with no business experience, manage to become such an admired and inspirational charity CEO?  Her version of grit was a mix of passion and taking small steps that eventually added up to something spectacular. She was kind to herself along the way and is now extending that kindness to others by raising breast cancer awareness. Just as compelling is the story of how she was able to take a potentially devastating condition and use it as a foundation to build a life she loves.Lessons:1. Passion and a willingness to learn along the way can stand in for business skills in entrepreneurship.2. Don't let a challenging situation consume you but change it into something good that can help others.3. Achieving small things each day can make you happy and will soon build into a big thing.

Marc Von Musser, the director of coaching for Tony Robbins, says find the why and the how will follow closely behind. He shares the secret in this interview.  If you're like most people, you've been lulled into complacency, seduced by the sirens of comfort and convenience. But Marc Von Musser says that you're wasting your precious life. So what do you do to get out of this predicament? Work harder? That will only take you so far and will prove to be a partial solution. Work smarter? Naturally, but again this doesn't probe deep enough. As Von Musser elucidates, we're asking the entirely wrong question: We should be asking why and the rest will follow closely behind.Lessons:1. If a person has a big enough why, they can do anything.2. Once you find a why, backload it with intelligence and inspired action.3. To find your why ask yourself what you would do if money wasn't an issue.4. Don't question the price of success; pay it gladly and success will come to you in droves.5. Most people who play it safe are bored

Explorer Club members have ventured to the bottom of the deepest ocean, the top of the highest mountain, to both poles and to the moon and back. Next stop for their iconic flag - Mars. According to executive director Will Roseman, members of this venerated organization have undertaken extraordinary expeditions that have significantly advanced the cause of humankind, they’ve also used extraordinary means to survive everything from panther attacks to avalanche burials. Counted in their number are a US president, a hugely successful movie director, astronauts and many legendary explorers. Roseman tells their stories and reveals some of their secrets.Lessons:  1. "Never give up. Never give up. Never give up." Winston Churchill2.  But, on the other hand, go into an endeavor mindfully: Assess risk. Do your homework. Be prepared.3.  The will to survive is indomitable.

Levison Wood just finished walking the full length of the Nile. Walking, that is, when he wasn't running from charging buffalos, elephants and crocs or wading through python infested swamps, or dodging bullets... Yet for this seasoned explorer it was well worth the risk, not only for the exhilaration of being the first, but also for the richness of the experience. Often the biggest obstacle was not escaping the perilous but enduring the mundane. Wood describes how he developed the grit to push through.Lessons:1. Manage risk; don't avoid it. No risk no reward.2. We need much less stuff than we realize. Simplify your life.3. You're the only one who determines what you're capable of, so persist through the naysayers.

The span of Tyler Wren's 13 year pro cycling career included a time when doping was rampant. Giving in to the status quo, while risky, could almost certainly have landed Wren a coveted spot in the Tour de France. He was too well grounded in his values: To him success was not about his position relative to others, but becoming the best person he could be. Learn about his journey which has taken him, currently, to directing bucolic, community oriented cycling events, the next of which takes place at the birthplace of Spartan Race in Pittsfield, Vermont.Lessons: 1. Success is personal.  It's about focusing on and achieving your own goals without being diverted by other's opinions.2. Align your values with your actions by writing them down and hanging them in easy view.3. Just stepping out the door is simultaneously the simplest and hardest action you can take in service of success.