The Adversity Advantage with Doug Bopst

Latest Episodes:

From Prison Guard To Champion Endurance Athlete: The Story Of Ken Rideout May 26, 2022

Show notes

Today, we welcome Ken Rideout who is co-host of the popular podcast, The Fight with Teddy Atlas. What you may or may not know is that Ken has an incredible story and is one of the most accomplished endurance athletes that exist. He ran a marathon in under two hours and 30 minutes at age 50.

But, things didn't always come easy for Ken as his life has been filled with many forms of adversity including battles with addiction, a difficult upbringing, becoming a prison guard right after graduating high school, and working on Wall Street with no formal experience. The remedy for his transformation has included an unshakable commitment to his health, recovery, and his family.

We talk about his amazing journey from growing up in a not a very child friendly environment, getting exposed to outlaws as a prison guard, getting into drug addiction to finding purpose in life through sports, setting goals to live healthy and mindful of personal growth, and continuously dealing with the challenges of parenting.

Thanks to this episode's sponsor:

Masszymes: Go to masszymes.com/DOUGFREE and you will automatically get access to your unique coupon code to claim your free bottle.

Special thanks to Mike Blabac for Ken’s official photo.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:01 The rest of your life starts today
06:52 Sports became a connecting point to ‘normal’ people
10:18 From a prison guard to making it to Wall Street
15:26 Money doesn’t make you happy
20:04 Getting addicted to drugs
28:15 What the opiates were for
32:30 On parenting and nurturing kids
37:51 When your child feels like an outsider
42:33 How do you measure yourself?
52:17 How do you gauge success for yourself?
55:49 Your wellness and physical and mental health comes first
01:07:23 What’s next for you?

Episode Resources:

Ken Rideout | Twitter, Instagram
The Fight with Teddy Atlas | YouTube, Instagram

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Michelle Segar On The Science Behind Sustained Behavioral Change & Why We FAIL at Building Positive Habits May 23, 2022

Show notes

Today’s guest is Michelle Segar. Michelle is a PhD and is an award-winning lifestyle coach and sustainable behavior change researcher at the University of Michigan. For nearly three decades, she has pioneered methods to create sustainable, healthy behavior change that are being used to boost patient health, employee wellbeing, and gym membership retention. She's an advisor to leading global organizations and frequently interviewed in major media outlets like the New York Times, NPR, and The Wall Street Journal.

We talk about how to effectively create a positive habit, the strategies to make lasting behavior changes, the odds of forcing physical activities that feel punishing, why health-related motivations don’t work long-term, and so much more!

Thanks to this episode's sponsor:

Earth Echo Foods/Cacao Bliss: www.earthechofoods.com/dougbopst Use Promo code "Doug" at checkout to receive 15% off your order

Join Thrive Market today to get 40% off your first order and a free gift worth over $50. Visit thrivemarket.com/dougfitness.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:17 Misconceptions about how to form a new habit
03:07 The habit loop
05:29 The importance of mindfulness in stopping behaviors
10:27 What motivates the change?
14:10 Health-related reasons are poor motivators
19:37 Don’t pick physical activities that feel punishing
24:02 We all need a compelling reason to keep going
27:12 Staying in the path of lasting change
33:34 It’s better to bend than to break
37:46 Eating healthy can be very challenging
41:39 Sustainable healthy eating habit
47:45 Is there a timeframe for behavior change?
52:13 There are nuances in behavioral change

Episode Resources:

Michelle Segar | Website, Twitter, LinkedIn, Books

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How To Break Up With Social Media & Be Happy with Yourself w/ Chelsey & Jaci of the What We Said Podcast May 19, 2022

Show notes

Today, we welcome content creators, Jaci Marie Smith and Chelsey Jade Curtis. And you may also recognize them from their highly popular podcast, What We Said. And I'm super pumped to share this chat with you and there's going to be tons of nuggets with them.

We talk about the reality of being active on social media, the effects of too much screen time on our mental health, how we’re allowing other people’s lives to affect how we see ourselves, finding ourselves and our purpose when we feel off, and so much more!

Thanks to this episode's sponsor:

Masszymes: Go to masszymes.com/DOUGFREE and you will automatically get access to your unique coupon code to claim your free bottle.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:20 What does it mean to feel off
04:44 Taking care of your mental health
07:07 Having each others back
11:04 Postpartum struggles
15:23 When should you stop being hard on yourself?
18:04 Detoxing from Instagram
24:27 Mental clarity and inspiration
25:56 The real life of fame
28:53 Social media and parenthood
32:20 What would I tell my younger self
36:24 Love the experience of being yourself
37:58 Rejuvenating your individuality
41:02 Social media exposes everyone
44:43 You’re living others people’s lives
46:53 Future plans

Episode Resources:

Jaci Marie Smith | Website, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok
Chelsey Jade Curtis | Website, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok
What We Said Podcast | Instagram

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Ryan Serhant On How to Negotiate Like a BOSS, Sell Yourself Effectively & Crush Your Goals May 16, 2022

Show notes

Today, we welcome real estate and media powerhouse, Ryan Serhant. You may recognize him from the hit show Million Dollar Listing New York, or perhaps you have read one of his books, Sell it Like Serhant or Big Money Energy. Ryan's energy, insights, and passion for life is contagious. And I'm super excited to share this chat with you.

We talk about how he stumbled in the real estate business when he first came to New York, keeping a strong will to keep tackling our daily challenges, the balance between being impatient and having a competitive spirit, setting goals for your future self, and so much more!

Thanks to this episode's sponsor:

Earth Echo Foods/Cacao Bliss: www.earthechofoods.com/dougbopst Use Promo code "Doug" at checkout to receive 15% off your order

Join Thrive Market today to get 40% off your first order and a free gift worth over $50. Visit thrivemarket.com/dougfitness.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:03 Figure out who you are first
08:01 If you can’t make it in New York, be a real estate agent
14:56 Be on ‘attack’ mode every day
18:10 Who has the real power in any negotiation?
21:20 We are creatures of habit
25:52 Getting addicted to the adrenaline
27:44 Learn to create your own system
32:25 The different kinds of people you deal with
36:20 How to sell yourself effectively
42:45 Focus on your goals and stay patient
47:03 Where do you see yourself in future?

Episode Resources:

Ryan Serhant | Website, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, TikTok, Books

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara Kuburic On Why Self Love Transforms ALL Relationships (Even When They FAIL) May 12, 2022

Show notes

Today’s guest is Sara Kuburic. Sara is an existential psychotherapist, she's a writer, she's a consultant and a columnist for USA Today. Many of you may know her as Millennial.Therapist on Instagram, and this is her second time on the podcast. And what I love about Sara's content is that she takes complex issues such as mental health and relationships and creates content that's easily digestible, it's simple and easy for people to understand.

We talk about the elements that should coexist to make a relationship work, how our relationships impact our mental health, why we should invest in ourselves more before we date again, why it isn’t necessary to apologize for a failed relationship, and so much more!

Thanks to this episode's sponsor:

Magic Spoon: Visit https://magicspoon.com/ and use the promo code "DOUG" at checkout to receive $5 off your first order

Join Thrive Market today to get 40% off your first order and a free gift worth over $50. Visit thrivemarket.com/dougfitness.

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:11 A lot of people had relationship issues during the pandemic
02:58 Why do our relationships impact our mental health?
06:14 You are always going to be in progress
10:03 What are the right questions to ask?
15:38 We equally stop investing in ourselves
18:24 Every relationship requires work and sacrifice and effort
20:47 How ‘toxic’ is your relationship?
25:30 The less obvious red flags
28:04 Don’t apologize for a relationship that didn’t work
33:35 Enjoy your time with yourself
36:30 The complexity of dating
40:38 Why it’s okay to not be happy all the time
46:16 You’re just having a bad day

Episode Resources:

Sara Kuburic | Website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter

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Thrive Market CEO Nick Green On the Value of Rejection, Staying Mission Driven & How to Make a Passion Project Profitable May 09, 2022

Show notes

Today, we welcome Nick Green. Nick is a guy you might recognize and if you don't recognize him I guarantee you you're going to recognize the box of the company that he is the CEO and co-founder, Thrive Market.

We discuss the challenges the company faced in its earlier years, how they market their brand and the kind of customers they cater to, the continuous push for healthy eating and overall wellness, and so much more!

Thanks to this episode's sponsor:

Earth Echo Foods/Cacao Bliss: www.earthechofoods.com/dougbopst Use Promo code "Doug" at checkout to receive 15% off your order

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
00:47 What drove you to start Thrive Market?
04:43 What makes Thrive Market so successful?
08:45 Categories, selections, orders, and processes
14:33 Is it difficult to go fully organic?
19:47 Staying optimistic despite the early challenges
29:11 Dealing with rejections
32:18 Sticking to marketing and brand despite the heavy competition
37:55 Tips on how to start on your own passion project

Episode Resources:

Nick Green | LinkedIn
Thrive Market | Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Ellen Vora On Simple Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Handle Uncertainty & Improve Your Relationship With Yourself May 05, 2022

Show notes

Today’s guest is Dr. Ellen Vora. She's a board certified psychiatrist and acupuncturist and a yoga teacher. And she is the author of the book, The Anatomy of Anxiety. Ellen takes a functional medicine approach to mental health, considering the whole person, and addressing imbalance at the root. Dr. Vora received her bachelor's of science from Yale University and her MD from Columbia University.

We talk about the two main categories of anxiety and how to deal with it, the long-term effects of childhood trauma, how there is no single diet that will work for everyone, practicing a realistic approach to proper nourishment, and so much more!

Thanks to this episode's sponsor:

Magic Spoon: Visit https://magicspoon.com/ and use the promo code "DOUG" at checkout to receive $5 off your first order

Earth Echo Foods/Cacao Bliss: www.earthechofoods.com/dougbopst Use Promo code "Doug" at checkout to receive 15% off your order

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:06 There are two main anxiety categories
03:42 A lot of us are walking around with an unhealthy gut
05:53 When you work with trauma
11:01 What do we do to earn our own self respect?
15:13 Anxiety in childhood
24:15 Choosing how to nourish yourself
29:12 How do we become okay with the uncertainty of our existence?
34:15 Helping patients beyond medication
38:46 How to realistically eat well
42:43 We end up becoming our own source of illness by fear-mongering
47:07 Tips to stop fearing food and eat healthy
51:13 3 things to do to help you relax

Episode Resources:

Dr. Ellen Vora | Website, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube
The Anatomy of Anxiety

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elliott Bisnow On Building Lasting Connections & How to Take Smart & Effective Risks May 02, 2022

Show notes

Today, we welcome Elliott Bisnow. Elliott is co-founder of the highly popular Summit Series, which is a global company that has produced over 250 events over the last decade that has included speakers such as Jeff Bezos, Bill Clinton, John Legend and Brene Brown. The occasion for today's chat is Elliott's new book, Make No Small Plans: Lessons on Thinking Big, Chasing Dreams, and Building Community that he wrote with the other summit series founders. And I'm so excited to share this conversation with you and I think you're going to get a lot of value out of it.

We talk about how to turn problems into solutions, how to effectively take risks, achieving success by making the journey uniquely yours, how to keep people interested and show up in events, making a huge breakthrough in organizing events, and so much more!

Thanks to this episode's sponsor:

Organifi: Receive 20% off your order by going to www.organifi.com/doug

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
04:29 Taking risks that have very little downside
08:56 How can to make a problem the solution
12:41 Best networking practices
17:26 Make success uniquely your own style
20:23 This is the best way to be authentic
24:58 How it started for Summit
29:47 Dealing with rejection
33:46 The formula to keep people coming to events
37:32 Biggest breakthrough in organizing events
41:55 So many brilliant people are introverts
46:37 Being overly transactional is the biggest turnoff
52:30 Road trips and taking breaks

Episode Resources:

Elliott Bisnow | LinkedIn, Twitter, Website
Summit

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Britt Frank On Mastering Self Regulation, Overcoming Trauma & Becoming “UNSTUCK” Apr 28, 2022

Show notes

Today’s is Britt Frank. Britt is a licensed psychotherapist. She's an educator and trauma specialist. She received her bachelor's from Duke and her Master's of Social Work from the University of Kansas, where she later became an award-winning adjunct professor. And the occasion for today's conversation is to talk about her new book, The Science of Stuck: Breaking Through Inertia to Find Your Path Forward to help people get unstuck and live their best lives.

We cover how we should focus on the WHAT instead of the WHY when dealing with trauma, ways to successfully overcome addiction and lessen the chances of a relapse, what is self-regulation and why it’s important, when is the best time to seek professional help, and so much more!

Thanks to this episode's sponsor:

Magic Spoon: Visit https://magicspoon.com/ and use the promo code "DOUG" at checkout to receive $5 off your first order

Earth Echo Foods/Cacao Bliss: www.earthechofoods.com/dougbopst Use Promo code "Doug" at checkout to receive 15% off your order

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:07 The biggest myth about mental health
04:14 Developing self-awareness when you get stuck
06:18 Staying too focused on healing a trauma
08:41 It’s almost never helpful to start with the WHY question
11:08 “What am I getting out of doing this?”
13:23 There isn’t an easy way to change yourself
17:54 What is your relationship to addiction?
19:53 A healthy process to thrive in addiction recovery
26:41 Here’s why self-regulation is important
29:28 How do you know when to seek therapy?
32:10 How to look at being lazy differently
35:29 How fast are you to make changes?
40:35 The WHY questions is keeping you stuck in the analysis-paralysis phase
46:13 What’s your reality NOW?
48:15 Always count the little wins
50:59 Is self-sabotage real?

Episode Resources:

Britt Frank | Instagram, LinkedIn,
The Science of Stuck

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kenzie Elizabeth On Leaning into Uncertainty, Embracing Time Alone & Knowing Your Worth Apr 25, 2022

Show notes

Today, we welcome Kenzie Elizabeth. Kenzie is a lifestyle and wellness content creator, podcaster, YouTuber, and entrepreneur. She hosts the podcast I Love You So Much which I was so grateful to be a guest on and I love the conversation so much that I definitely want to bring her on here to get into her story and have her share her insights.

We talk about growing up as an influencer, the challenges of being a content creator while valuing alone time with yourself, staying focused on what you want to do, building and maintaining confidence to share your daily life to others, and so much more!

Thanks to this episode's sponsor:

Organifi: Receive 20% off your order by going to www.organifi.com/doug

What to Listen For:

00:00 Intro
01:09 The biggest advice when you’re in your 20’s
03:18 Embracing uncertainties
05:56 Keeping focused on yourself and what you want
08:47 Valuing alone time
11:04 Embracing change and knowing your worth
16:27 Growing up in a tumultuous environment
19:07 Being more anxious when in a relationship
22:15 How to maintain your level of confidence
25:03 Creating boundaries while sharing on social media
27:49 Dealing with personal connections off of social media
30:06 Creating content as a coping mechanism
33:20 Creating Breadwinning Housewife brand
35:31 Common misconceptions about influencers
38:24 Surviving therapy sessions
41:19 Things that can improve your mental health
44:00 What’s next for you?

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