The B.rad Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Basic Life Changing Insights Part 2 (Breather Episode with Brad) May 17, 2019

Show notes

(Breather) Once you grab what Dr. Peter Attia calls the “low hanging fruit” of healthy eating, movement, physical fitness and sleeping habits, it’s time to progress further with health, happiness, and longevity by developing emotional control/emotional self-stability (Thank you Kris Gage on Medium.com!), by implementing effective relationship communication strategies (tips from John Gottman, Harville Hendricks, Esther Perel, and Mia Moore, aka the “Big Four” relationship experts).

First things first: stress management. Everyone deals with stress, but learning how to manage your stress and the way you react will change your life. Your first priority should be emotional control. Self-stability is the number one relationship attribute and the number one psychological health attribute. Be aware of how your emotions can either help or hinder you in your life. Now, it may be easy for you to say: ‘Well, I’m a Type-A personality, this is just how I am.’ Well did you know the term ‘Type-A’ originated as a heart attack risk category?! Do you really want to be in ANY of those categories? Didn’t think so....so slow down, it’s going be okay.

Another factor in stress management lies in the fact that downtime is missing: social time is seriously MIA, having been crowded out by digital stimulation. Longevity superstars, the Okinawa in Japan, have social groups as the centerpiece of culture (“Ikigai”) but in our world, people really struggle with disconnecting. My advice? To turn that $#!% OFF. Escape tech addiction and hyperstimulation by taking a low-stress approach to a total lifestyle transformation, yet with discipline and focus to your natural full potential.

As Mia Moore says, don’t waste time sweating the small stuff! Make sure to carve out time for the important things, like taking care of yourself. How much time do you devote to self-care? Have you been too busy taking care of your kids? I contend ANYONE has time since we’re all checking our phones 150 times a day and gazing at screens for hours a day. Now, if you’re stuck in a pattern of prolonged stillness, then you’re used to having low to no energy, nor any motivation to go outside and do things. And because of this, it’s crucial that we keep moving. The good news? The more you move, the more energy you have!

One thing that takes time and energy are relationships. Whether familial, friendly, or professional, platonic or romantic, interacting with other people and handling the dynamics that can emerge between two different and distinct personalities is never easy. But your personal relationship should never be a source of stress in your life. As John Gottman says, when it comes to partnerships, you’re either a team, or you’re not a team – at all times, and within every interaction. It’s that simple – don’t be nit-picky or passive aggressive with your partner, and watch your words. Be mindful about the dialogue you create with your partner, and how much negativity is present in your words versus positivity, because keeping your positive comments to negative comments at a 20:1 ratio, as the Gottman Institute’s research has clearly proven, is key to a healthy, happy, lasting partnership.

Speaking of healthy and happy, Harville Hendrix has three rules to live by for successful communication in relationships. Number one is safety, number two is maintaining a zero-negativity policy, and number three is making constant affirmations to your partner. As Esther Perel says, “treat your partner like you would a great client.” Truthfully, we all deal with fear and anxiety, but it only harms your relationship when you let whatever is going on with you affect your partner in a negative way. When I had Dave Rossi on the show, we discussed fear and anxiety, and the importance of re-directing your mind and those negative, fearful thoughts over to your values and vision. Anxiety and fear are frequent visitors in daily life for most people, so instead of getting tripped up by every appearance they make, why don’t you just focus on your values, instead of trying to find the quickest way to make the pain go away? Unfortunately, in our stressful modern world, people can lose track of this. We all heard of the college admissions scandal earlier this year. All those parents who “just wanted the best for their children” are probably finding the more than likely prospect of jail time to be far more stressful than the college admissions process! Sure, hindsight is illuminating, but the point is not to have regrets, but to harness the right perspective, so you don’t react to life by coming from a place of fear and anxiety, but rather from a positive and confident mindset.

TIMESTAMPS:

Brad gives a quick summary of Basic Life Changing Insights breather show part one. {02:38]

Part of stress management is getting your romantic relationship under control. [05:51]

Relationship priority is emotional control and emotional self-stability. [06:51]

We have to always balance this quest for peak performance with downtime and optimal stress-rest-balance. [09:47]

Humans crave social connection. Interact in a live manner, rather than a digital manner. [11:14]

When you continually do things that don’t bring you joy and energy, a sense of wellbeing and peace of mind, you’re going to drift away from those. [14:30]

Carbohydrates have addictive properties. Sugar is addictive. [16:28]

Gluttony and sloth are not causes of obesity; they are symptoms of obesity; [19:06]

Try out some time restricted feeding and intermittent fasting. [21:51]

Your relationship is either a team or not a team at all times.. [23:54]

Try for a 5 positive to 1 negative ratio when communicating your needs. [26:10]

Fear and anxiety come up for all of us. [30:24]

Safety, zero negativity, and constant affirmations are the foundations of a healthy relationship. [37:26]

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laird Hamilton: Life Rider May 14, 2019

Show notes

I caught up with one of the most extraordinary athletes on the planet, the ultimate waterman of the universe and author of a new book called Life Rider. As a longtime very casual recreational surfer (I like my waves 18-24….inches), I have long been fascinated by Laird’s continued pushing of the outer limits of human performance in the water. Laird is best known as a big-wave surfer and innovator in the world of action water sports. Laird is credited with being the driving force behind tow-in-surfing (behind a jet ski, so one can ride larger waves than paddling in), stand-up paddle boarding and hydrofoil boarding.

One of my favorite Laird experiences came a couple of days apart during an epic storm pattern in Southern California. With record-sized waves pumping, Laird made it onto YouTube when he “shot” the Malibu Pier on a standup paddleboard. This is the extremely challenging and dangerous act of riding a wave all the way into the pier, passing through the huge wooden pylons underneath, then emerging out the other side. Considering you are traveling some 20mph on a big wave, if you hit a pylon you are likely toast. A video arriving two days later beautifully framed with a big picture of Laird. At the same Malibu Pier, a foolish body surfer became trapped in an undertow and was about to drown. Who jumps in to quickly save him but Laird. So you have the extreme athlete pulling off epic feats for the brah’s to marvel at, and then switching into his lifeguard hat to risk his own safety to save a Barney. Watch the video and look at Laird’s demeanor…

Laird seems to touch things and have them turn to gold. His Laird Superfood coffee creamer and related products have been a smash hit, as was his innovative GolfBoard that allows golfers to get a surfing-like experience on grass instead of a lame golf cart. Laird, along with Gabby, are pioneers in underwater strength training.

TIMESTAMPS:

When surfing, you can tell what’s happening behind you by looking in front of you. [08:12]

Nurture the body and you’ll stimulate the brain and get it to work even better. [10:25]

It's a human responsibility to get out and, and live and experience life. Take risks. [13:02]

There are three ways to approach dangerous things. [21:29]

Are we born to do certain things like extreme sports? [23:34]

Subconscious programming takes place from age zero to six. [25:30]

Some high performing people in all fields a lot of times come from some sort of shit in their background that was tough and, and challenge them. [27:36]

How does one juggle life in the big city with communing with nature? [31:05]

If you want to keep learning you have to seek out information. [36:14]

This younger generation doesn’t know how to have fun. [38:13]

If you stop having dreams, then you stop having hope.. [40:30]

We are each our own greatest restrictors. [44:34]

What did it take for Laird to learn to be more aggressive? [48:22]

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Basic Life Changing Insights Part 1 (Breather Episode with Brad) May 10, 2019

Show notes

This episode is all about how we need to devote some time and energy in order to get more time and energy.

Shopping one evening at Whole Foods in my hometown led to a chance encounter with a friend from high school, Mindy. It’s been 36 years - oh my gosh! Yes, time flies, and we quickly progress from young, carefree and taking health for granted to having to deal with real life stuff such as aging. I promise Mindy I will cough up some basic step-by-step tips to implement some healthy lifestyle practices, and hence the inspiration for a two-part show. Part 1 is about getting your mindset right and recognizing its time to make some changes against the unhealthy forces of modern life.

Speaking with Mindy really got me thinking about the aging process. I noticed she had a tattoo that read, “Love ya more than life,” which she explained to me was done in memory of her beloved, lifelong pet who she recently had to put down. It is so fortunate that with our pets, we are to be able to decide when it is time to end their suffering....too bad it doesn’t work like that in real life! When you hit your 40s and 50s, you realize it is never too early to start making the right choices for your health. Thankfully, the little changes are the ones that make the biggest difference, which leads me to the compressed morbidity theory. Introduced in 1980 by Dr. James Fries of Stanford University’s School of Medicine, compressed morbidity means delaying the onset of debilitating illness for as long as possible, such that whatever hits will arrive around the time you might be expected to die anyway! I have long promoted a similar concept, albeit with a little spicier description: “Live Long, Drop Dead!”

The number one change you have to make first is with your MIND. Yeah, there are great advantages to modern life, but it’s also trouble: your body has to deal with hypoconnectivity, EMF, processed foods, sedentary patterns, how light affects your system after dark, constant stimulation (and constant stimulation of stress hormones). Next, get your energy levels up by changing your DIET. Clean out 70% junk (grains, sugars, oils) and just eat colorful, wholesome, nutritious foods. Meals are a celebration and relaxed, calm, and slow, not rushed and gobbled down in a manner of minutes. The parasympathetic system is also referred to as “rest and digest” for a reason. The goal here is to escape carb dependency and get fat adapted. Can you skip a meal and feel great?

Then, you gotta MOVE. Moving isn’t the same as working out, which can be time-consuming, stressful, and exhausting. But frequent movement helps fat burning, brain function, and stress hormones. It’s not about calories because “metabolic compensation theory” suggests as you burn more, you eat more, and get lazier. The right kind of EXERCISE is integral. Life can be so sedentary, making it easy to avoid scheduling workouts. Primal keeps it easy with 3 laws: 1. Lift Heavy Things 2. Run Really Fast Every Once in A While and 3. Move Frequently at a Slow Pace. No matter what, be sure to avoid chronic exercise: it is crucial to respect your body’s natural fight or flight response and consider recovery pie slice. The harder you train, the harder you recover. And finally, SLEEP. Sleep deficiency will throw you back to carb dependency. We are so locked in these artificially lengthened days and it puts us in a sugar craving, fat storing mode because of our genetic hardwiring. Make choices that improve your sleeping patterns: Minimize light and stimulation after dark. Try making your sleeping environment your personal sanctuary: Mellow, simple, cool, and totally dark. Being awakened by direct sunlight, versus your phone, also helps.

Finally, consider how comfortable you are with being uncomfortable.The body actually likes being stressed and challenged (in an appropriate manner). I heard an interesting idea on a cold exposure show recently: Basically, when we constantly keep ourselves at a comfortable temperature, we are eliminating that hormetic stressor on the body, which compressed our longevity accordingly. Dr. Art DeVany is a big proponent of healthy hormetic stressors as they send a “renewal” signal to your genes. Doing a cold plunge, going to the gym or the sauna, all result in hormetic stressors: brief, positive, natural stressors that promote health and longevity by sending a renewal signal to your genes. Making the decision to turn the handle all the way to ‘COLD’ in the last few minutes of your shower isn’t easy, but it is really, really good for you, and once you change your mindset, it’s easy to choose the option that gives you longevity and good health over the so-called “easy” road. Pay now, or pay later: it’s your decision, but these basic life-changing insights are here to empower you to make the right choices so you enjoy your life, instead of experiencing a steady decline once you hit your 50s or 60s!

TIMESTAMPS:

Don't tell people they need anything or they will be immediately closed off rather than open. [02:41]

Compressed morbidity means delaying the onset of debilitating illness for as long as possible. [08:04]

We want to get unstuck and be aware of all the health challenges in daily life. [10:13]

When we constantly keep ourselves temperature comfortable, we are eliminating the hormetic stressor upon the body. [13:59]

We don't have to go to excess to receive the joy and the pleasures of modern life. [15:27]

Clean up your diet. [17:29]

JUST MOVE!! [21:02]

We want to keep things comfortable with our cardiovascular exercise for the most part. [22:58]

If you cannot hit the bare minimum standards in a mile run, or pushups, you have a very high increased mortality risk. [26:58]

Don’t forget sprint workouts. [28:45]

Sleep in a dark, quiet room is a priority. [30:03]

Brad summarizes the points for basic longevity. [35:06]

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gabby Reece: Balancing Wife, Mother, Athlete, Celebrity Life, Including Insightful, Humorous, and Life-Changing Relationship Insights May 07, 2019

Show notes

Enjoy this wide-ranging and deep conversation with international fitness celebrity, supermodel, and former professional beach volleyball player, Gabrielle Reece.

Gabby is a former women’s beach volleyball star, television host, supermodel, fitness expert, and author, columnist, and podcast host. She was named one of the “20 Most Influential Women in Sports,” by Women’s Sports and Fitness, and one of the top five most beautiful women in the world by Ellemagazine.  Gabby and her husband Laird Hamilton have been celebrated as America’s fittest couple and have spent many years in the public eye as innovative fitness leaders.

What Gabby is perhaps most appreciated for is being the real deal – a breath of fresh air in the celebrity world of manufactured image and branding. While lunching with my main man Mark Sisson in Malibu, I have enjoyed meeting Gabby and Laird on a few occasions over the years. What struck me each time was how open and authentic and fun-loving Gabby is in real life. We chatted only briefly, but she offered up some deep reflections about athletes dealing with injuries and adjusting competitive goals over time and dealing with hectic modern life and her various roles of mother, celebrity, athlete, and coach.

After our first meeting, I was drawn to Gabby’s 2013 book titled, My Foot Is Too Big For the Glass Slipper: A Guide To A Less Than Perfect Life. She was raw, vulnerable, very funny, and very thoughtful. The book description sets the tone nicely: “With hilarious stories, wise insights, and concrete takeaways on topics ranging from navigating relationship issues to aging gracefully to getting smart about food, My Foot Is Too Big for the Glass Slipper is the brutally honest, wickedly funny, and deeply helpful portrait of the humor, grace, and humility it takes to survive the happily ever after.

I think you will absolutely love this interview with a peak performer who knows how to enjoy life, strive to keep things in balance, not take herself too seriously, and especially become a better person every day!

TIMESTAMPS:

Gabby is a very accomplished woman and well known in her field. She talks about finding a balance between fame and her real self. [09:33]

Does Gabby's 6’3” height affect how she thinks she's perceived? [13:52]

Once we forgo living up to others’ expectations, it is liberating. [16:09]

How do you parent your kids to deal with having such well-known parents with well-known friends? [18:18]

Kids need to learn to navigate this world on their own. [22:26]

People need a place to express themselves…who they are. [26:04]

Gabby’s background wasn’t free and easy and she wasn’t groomed to be successful. [30:13]

It’s important to put the past behind you and move on. [32:34]

There’s a lot of beauty if life. You have to be willing to recognize it. [37:55]

Create a system that helps you navigate life. [43:19]

When in disagreement, even if you are “right,” it is important to listen to the other person’s point. [47:16]

Think about how you can be better today and you can be in charge of that. [49:21]

If you are ‘triggered,” figure out why you are triggered. [51:39]

As a parent, it is difficult not to put your crap on the kids. [55:24]

It’s really powerful as a parent to give space to the child. [56:57]

How does fitness commitment help achieve balance your life? [1:01:23]

In a relationship, you bring both independent commitment and then nurture that in the partnership as well. [1:04:43]

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brad: Reflections About Seth Godin's "This Is Marketing" Book, and The New Economy (Breather Episode with Brad) May 03, 2019

Show notes

After my great interview with Seth, I offer some further reflections about the breakthrough insights in his recent book, This Is Marketing. This show is a bit of a departure from the podcast theme of health, fitness, peak performance, happiness, and longevity subject matter, but it can provide valuable insights for how you can best make an economic contribution in most careers, and how to be a healthy, strategic consumer instead of succumbing to marketing manipulation.

Seth’s premise is that we are in the middle of a shift from the dated old-time marketing-driven economy to a market-driven economy. In the old-time vertical economy, consumers had few choices (only 3 TV channels, the comparatively few books on the shelf at the bookstore, the morning newspaper or weekly news magazine, etc.) The corporate giants of old subjected us to aggressive, manipulative marketing messages trying to get us to buy their offerings. Today, consumers have massive choice and freedom and are one click away from a lower price and better service. Seth says the “race to the bottom” (who can be more aggressive, slick and clever to extract a purchase) was worth winning in the old days, but not anymore. Today we are obligated to listen to the hopes and needs and dreams of the market we wish to serve—a market-driven economy. Instead of trying for bigger numbers and broader territories, Seth argues persuasively that you are better off focusing on the “smallest viable audience.” Offer them a breakthrough product or service that establishes you as the single best resource to meet your customer’s hopes and dreams.

I offer examples of the changing dynamics of the real estate broker, who used to provide privileged information as their main value. Today, with Zillow and the rest giving everyone the same information, realtors are obligated to raise their game to something different. They must meet the emotional needs of the client by engaging their hopes and dreams. Seth calls this the “difficult work we signed up for.” He distinguishes it from the hustle of trying to fill a market niche, which will leave you constantly in fear, driven by scarcity, looking in the rear-view mirror at the competition. Relatedly, touting your honest, reliable, high-quality product or service is pretty much ridiculous these days, because these things are assumed and expected.

TIMESTAMPS:

Seth Godin’s book This is Marketing transforms our thinking about marketing. [04:05]

There are five steps to effective marketing. [07:24]

We must understand the irrational forces that drive us. [09:03]

When in doubt, assume people will act according to their current irrational urges. [11:24]

Serve the smallest viable market. [16:55]

With a new marketplace with tremendous consumer choice and freedom, we must be different. [20:09]
Authenticity is overrated. [22:56]

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seth Godin: Reflections On Marketing, Being Great, Serving Society, and Overcoming Distraction Apr 30, 2019

Show notes

Seth Godin is one of the great thinkers of modern times, known for his string of 18 international bestselling books on topics relating to personal productivity, time efficiency, and evolved marketing philosophy and strategy. He calls himself a teacher first and foremost, and his Akimbo online learning center and alternative MBA course offer revolutionary approaches to online learning. He writes one of the most popular blogs in the world at Seths.blog, in a unique short form style that will give you a daily reminder to be the best you can be with profound and pithy insights. Type “Seth” into Google and you’ll find his blog, with 7,000 posts and one million readers – you absolutely must join the party!!

Seth’s most recent bestseller is called This Is Marketing, with the main take away message being that we are all marketers in every way that we make an economic contribution to society. The essence of marketing is transforming congruently with the changes in the information economy. The dated model of slamming an aggressive (and often manipulative) message down our throats is being replaced with what Seth calls a “market-driven economy,” where we are compelled to engage with and serve our audience.

His insights about focus, discipline, strategic thinking, and pursuing the highest expression of your talents have changed my life, and I ponder tips from his blog every day. On the show, I shared my pain point of distractibility, hopefully speaking for many listeners. We have the constant ability to become entertained and amused with digital stimulation, which can distract from our priority objectives, like writing a book for example! Seth keeps it real with some point-blank insights that we can all take inspiration from. You absolutely must sign up for Seth’s daily email newsletter/blog post – the messages are short and profound and will get you thinking about better ways to work and live life. Seth calls out what is wrong and lame in the economy and society and offers a strategy to think differently. After the interview, I read a couple of Seth’s recent blog posts to get you even more acquainted with this one of a kind thought leader. Check out his links and subscribe to his blog, you will be very satisfied.

TIMESTAMPS:

Seth tells how to keep focused and guarded against hyper-connectivity and overstimulation. [3:40]

What is the difference between MARKETING DRIVEN and MARKET DRIVEN? [6:19]

A book is a socially acceptable way to talk about yourself. [07:29]

No one's going to buy a book as a favor to you. They're going to buy a book as a favor to themselves. [09:39]

The smallest viable audience is what you are shooting for. [10:53]

Ideas spread horizontally, not vertically. [14:05]

There is a concern that technology will eliminate many of today’s professions. Get ready for change. [18:32]

In his book, The Dip, the basic concept is of persevering what you are passionate about. [20:50]

What does it mean to be the best? [21:18]

Actors have to depend on luck as compared to athletes. [23:23]

Don't sign up for a mismatch to live one life am expect it differently. [28:47]

The way jobs used to be is gone. Now we have to exert ourselves. [31:00]

It is hard to focus on your contribution when you are inundated with outside distractions. [32:58]

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing Heart Rate Variability and The BradBeat iPhone App Apr 23, 2019

Show notes

Incredible benefits come from measuring Heart Rate Variability, one of the most valuable biofeedback information available today, which is why I am so excited to introduce the BradBeat iPhone app!

Measuring HRV gives you a direct window in the functional state of your autonomic nervous system, so you can accurately observe your stress levels, recovery rate and readiness to train, and make better decisions to balance stress and rest in daily life. This is the age of high tech testing and wearable devices, but it seems like most of it is just gimmick or for entertainment value. HRV is different. HRV measures the beat to beat intervals between heart rates—the data you see as spikes on the graph of your EKG test in a hospital or laboratory. More variation indicates a harmonious balance between sympathetic (fight or flight) function and parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system function, and delivers a higher HRV score on the 1-100 HRV scale. A metronomic beat indicates you are stressed, overtrained, or have poor cardiovascular health, delivering a low HRV score.

Recent technology innovation enables you to track HRV in real time using the BradBeat HRV iPhone app, which has been custom designed to my specifications by Sweetwater Health, leaders in mobile HRV technology. Yes, I had a ton of fun getting super technical with Jo Beth and Rhonda to develop this awesome app, and also go through an incredibly rigorous application process with Apple to get onto the App Store (nice to know there is no lame stuff on the App Store). For only $9.95, the BradBeat HRV app is easy to use by athletes or anyone else interested in monitoring stress/rest balance.

The BradBeat HRV (and other mobile HRV apps if you have Android), pair with a wireless chest transmitter to reveal real-time data on your iPhone, which you can archive online or download to a spreadsheet. My podcast guest Joel Jamieson tells me the HRV machines he used on athletes back in the day cost $30,000 and required 11 electrodes placed all over the body.

This show gets a little technical as you learn about the important nuances such as additional readings of low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) autonomic nervous system function, but you will come away with an excellent understanding of the benefits of HRV and how to use them to your maximum advantage to make better decisions and learn to gain more control over your stress response. For example, when you are cruising along on a stress hormone buzz, you might feel “great” and take on a stressful day or a hard workout, but you’re amped up state will deliver a low HRV reading. Consequently, you will be compelled to build in rest periods in pursuit of healthy stress/rest balance. It has been a great experience to bring this product to market, and I believe HRV can help you more than any other biofeedback metric or wearable device. HRV goes beyond the long-established tracking of resting heart rate to determine state of recovery and readiness to train. Visit the App Store to order and learn more about the features and benefits, including which chest transmitters work with the BradBeat.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donations
Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pacific Northwest Recap (Breather Episode with Brad) Apr 19, 2019

Show notes

Like most people who grew up in Southern California, I understand that when you’re blessed with constant sunny skies, it’s way too easy to get used to that kind of climate and start to take it for granted. But what happens when you don’t have 365 sunny days every year? You have to get creative. You have to figure out how to live and enjoy the outdoors in relation to your current climate. I reflect on this while sharing some highlights from my trip to the Pacific Northwest - I visited Seattle, where I had enjoyed some delicious "Salty Caramel Ash” flavored ice cream aka activated charcoal vegan ice cream, as well as Eugene and Portland.

One of the most important things I took away from my trip was how the Pacific Northwesterners really know how to make the most of their time. They use the summer months as an opportunity to cram in a ton of activities into their day, and I know people who take trips to warmer climates during colder weather to make sure they’re getting their recreational time in.

I was so happy to be able to meet up with some cool people, like Debbie Potts, host of the Whole Athlete, to discuss her career and journey into holistic medicine, and High Intensity Health founder Mike Mutzel, who shared some amazing insights about recovery: “The harder you train, the more energy you need to devote to recovery.” We think in terms of ‘go go go’ and then collapse on the couch or into bed – but this doesn’t even qualify as recovery time. Mike’s concepts for recovery are way more sophisticated than that and he is a big proponent of Rebound Training. Another important piece of advice from Mike: When your HRV number is extra high you may think you’re recovering well, but it can mean the opposite – that your body is still fighting to recover fully, so you need to rest.

It was great to finally meet Dr. Tommy Wood (of Nourish Balance Thrive) face to face after having recorded (remotely) so many podcasts with him. Tommy is great company and super stimulating to speak with because he offers such interesting views on a wide variety of subjects. While he’s super academic and into studying scientific research, he’s also always making a sincere effort to brings things back to the simple, practical stuff - like emphasizing the importance of having a dog to literally boost your health because it forces you outside and makes you engage play. Another gem from Tommy: “You’re liquidating your assets when you overstimulate the flight or fight response with your hectic, busy life or extreme training regimen that’s too much for you.” This is so important to consider.

After seeing Tommy, I hopped on the train to head on over to the beautiful town of Eugene, Oregon. I met up with my Speedgolf mentor Christopher Smith at the Eugene Country Club, and we ran all over town, checking out the updated University of Oregon campus and the Prefontaine Memorial, and just enjoying some great conversation. We talked about his incredible training concept “Train to Trust” and the importance of context specificity when practicing golf or any other performance endeavor. This means simulating your competitive experience in practice so it actually transfers into effective brain learning when it’s time to perform.

I also had the chance to catch up (over Skype) with author Scott Carney, author of What Doesn’t Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude, and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength. As an investigative journalist, Carney was originally assigned to cover the famous ‘Ice Man,’ Wim Hof, meeting up with him at his training center in Poland, but soon enough he was participating in training, and performing amazing feats like climbing a snowy mountain in running shorts in the middle of a freezing winter in Poland.

My last stop was Portland, and I had a great time with Brian McAndrew, who masters all the audio and video content for Primal Blueprint’s YouTube channel. We had a great time discussing how he went from veganism and chronic cardio to finding strength training and the Keto diet. Brian has had such an interesting life at only 31 years old, and has great insights and stories to share about his career journey and pursuing your passions. I had such a fun time having incredible, stimulating conversations with so many great people, and I left the trip feeling so inspired.

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-get-over-yourself-podcast/donations
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See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Googling Big George Apr 16, 2019

Show notes

I visit beautiful Lake Tahoe to hang with the mysterious and magnificent Big George, aka Dr. Ray Sidney. Ray was the fifth employee hired at a Silicon Valley startup named Google, which later gained prominence for taking over the world. Today he is Lake Tahoe’s most prominent philanthropist, enthusiast of the epic sport of curling, and master of trickery and gravity-defying stunts on the wake surfboard.

Ray has had a wild ride, emanating from a lifelong fascination with mathematics and peak performance in general. He hails from the highest levels of academia, having graduated from Harvard and then grabbing a Ph.D. from MIT in math), then headed west to land on the ground floor at Google. His first workplace was sharing a bedroom in a Palo Alto duplex; later he was the guy in charge of ordering fitness equipment for an early corporate campus! He was in charge of database security, and once (unknowingly) blocked the CIA from doing Google searches because they were flaunting the rules! Feeling burnt out from the crazy pace of Silicon Valley startup life, he took a sabbatical of a few months, which is stretching into a few hundred months, most of which have been spent on the water or frozen water with his tremendous passion for athletics. An important takeaway from Ray’s story, especially in today’s era of celebrity worship, wealth obsession, and social media posturing, is that he never intended to strike it rich in the romanticized fable of the dotcom world. Rather, he enjoyed math, and academics, and solving software engineering problems for the pure challenge. In fact, Ray reveals that his plans during sabbatical were to work on some personal math projects!

Alas, transitioning to sudden wealth and expanded opportunities have Ray diverted from the singular focus of software engineering to become involved in a dizzying number of causes, programs, and athletic interests. He is a competitive curler who funded Lake Tahoe’s fledgling curling club and travels around North America for camps and competitions. He is widely recognized (or barely recognized, depending on his attire) as Lake Tahoe’s leading philanthropist. He has donated millions to create fabulous athletic facilities around Tahoe and down in Carson Valley, including a new football/track stadium at Douglas High School and a championship running track at the middle school. His seven-figure donation supported free bus service to transport Tahoe casino workers to and from Carson Valley. He was the founding sponsor of Brad Kearns’s kids fitness charity called Running School. He supports a variety of academic causes like giving back to the Hertz Fellowship program that supported his academic journey and the X Prize Foundation. He recently earned an MBA degree from UC Berkeley just for fun!

This show will get your reflecting on the beauty of a pure motivation for life goals, the value of a focused, precise mathematical approach to peak performance, and the importance of getting over yourself even if you are a heavy hitter. Indeed, George takes none of this stuff too seriously, as evidenced by the nickname he bestowed on his eco-friendly architecturally wondrous home on the lake: Tahizzle—of course a nod to Snoop Dogg, who has yet to visit but has a standing invitation. Cruise on his boat named Jorge Mucho (como “Big George” in Español) and you are more likely to get Borat impersonations than Warren Buffet stock tips.

One can agree that Ray is living the good life and doing a great job giving back to all whom he encounters, but he also reveals that for all his freedom and folly opportunity, he struggles with overstimulation and a tendency to distraction like the rest of us. Brad and Ray agree to a future show addressing these matters of importance.

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Insights Inspired By Dr. Art DeVany; How To Go For It In Life and Set Yourself Free! (Breather Episode with Brad) Apr 12, 2019

Show notes

Dr. Art DeVany, ancestral health forefather and author of The New Evolution Diet, delivers some of the most profound life advice I’ve ever heard during a 2017 podcast interview on the Align podcast with Aaron Alexander. At 81, DeVany is retired from his professor career and is pretty minimal on the interview/podcast/lecture scene, so please listen to the whole podcast and reflect carefully on the following commentary that came at the end of the show (Aviso: I did a bit of cleansing and paraphrasing from the audio transcript):

Of course, you have to work at whatever you’re doing, you have to have high standards for your work. But you also have to realize that there’s a lot of stuff that you make too big of a fuss over. And when you stop that - it doesn’t mean you don’t care - but when you stop beating yourself or beating someone else up over it when you stop ruminating about it, you’re free.

And you gotta set yourself free - set yourself free from your old mistakes and things that happened to you. And even set yourself free from people, thoughts, foods, and habits that bring you down. That’s when you’re free! Then you can start anew. You can renew every day. Granted, you can’t forget the past. Then you wouldn’t have any memories. Appreciating your history as strength and wisdom gained and getting a move on is necessary for good health.

Brad Note: Realize that beyond his health interests, DeVany was an economics professor specializing in the complex aspects of how to predict how Hollywood movies make money. In that context, he often emphasizes the importance of random, explosive, life-changing events that apply not just to the economic realm, but in all areas of life. This will help you process a vital comment about “…it’s not the drip, drip, drip.” Can you reference explosive random events that altered your life path more so than plugging away day after day on a linear way? Pay attention to opportunities of all kinds and don’t be afraid to go for it!

Here is one of his choice quotes, from his professional realm as an economics professor:

“In any organization, half the work is done by the square root of the total number of workers. E.g., 100 workers, half the work is done by 10 workers.”

Here are DeVany's recommendations to deal with depression: “Starve and exercise. The starvation part of it is to eat up some of these dysfunctional synapses. My saying is, for every damaged molecule, there’s a damaged thought. Those are injured neurons inside the brain, and you just need to get rid of the dysfunctional molecules that are causing those neurons to malfunction. Then, heal the brain with neurotrophic factors. Be outside. New thoughts, new patterns of behavior. When my first wife was declining from a host of other things, I’d take her walking as much as I could. I would tell her bad jokes. Change her surroundings. The typical things people have to do. Being outside is enormously effective. There are stimuli you can’t even relate to, but you perceive them. Your unconscious brain is what’s going to heal you first.”

Here is a great show he did on the Tim Ferriss podcast.

I’m taking the starve and exercise thing to heart with an intuitive approach to keto. Some days I will wait till I’m hungry to finally eat at between 12 and 2 pm. I’ll do 10-15 min workouts, walking by deadlift bar. He has said ‘don’t jog it’s too dangerous’ and that one I have really begun reflecting upon. In November through January, I was playing too much speedgolf. I had classic burnout symptoms and can’t keep below 130! Now I play cart speedgolf for wind sprints. At over 50, it’s easy to become unhealthy with endurance training. Be sure that you are performing aerobically and that your metabolism has minimal stress. Pursue a shorter, more intense competition to avoid chronic overstimulation of stress hormones.

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