The Rich Roll Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Discovering Yourself In Tragedy: Steph Catudal On Love, Grief, Healing & Finding Meaning in Life’s Profound Moments Oct 16, 2023

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Your darkest moments will either break you beyond repair—or make you stronger.

This was the choice faced by Steph Catudal as she navigated mortality, motherhood, and the search for self while her husband—beloved ultra-runner Tommy Rivs—battled a rare form of lung cancer that nearly took his life.

Beautiful and heart-wrenching, Steph relates the intimacies of this experience in her New York Times bestselling memoir, Everything All At Once—an arresting, must-read perspective on trauma, rebellion, faith, tragedy and the painful struggle to identify one’s place in the world.

If you count yourself among the millions deeply impacted by Tommy Rivs’ brush with death and return to life—one of the most beloved episodes the history of this podcast—then today’s conversation is non-negotiable.

This is a conversation about the big things in life: trauma, death, grief, pain, identity and faith.

An artist with words, Steph shares the details of her complicated upbringing, the loss of faith that catalyzed a decade of rebellion, her journey with substance abuse, and the experience of very nearly losing her husband Tommy—juxtaposed agains the mirrored trauma of losing her father to lung cancer during her adolescence.

This is about seeing healing as a never-ending journey—and the importance of assigning meaning to life’s profound moments.

It’s also about how to cultivate gratitude—how to recognize love and beauty amid tragedy, while also holding space for pain, anger, and sorrow.

In other words, how to allow everything all at once.

I was very moved by Steph’s vulnerability—and the power with which she owns her story.

May you find this conversation equally impactful.

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Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Physiologist Drew Harrisberg On Everything Blood Glucose, Understanding Diabetes & Plant-Based Nutrition Fundamentals Oct 09, 2023

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A full-blown epidemic in the developed world, diabetes currently afflicts an astonishing 37 million people in the U.S. alone, and 1 in 5 Americans don’t even know they have it.

An astonishing 96 million US adults (over one-third) have pre-diabetes, with the rate of Type 2 diagnoses among adults more than doubling in the last 20 years.

To better understand this epidemic of metabolic dysfunction, I sat down with exercise physiologist, sports scientist, and Type 1 diabetic Drew Harrisberg.

Diagnosed at 22, Drew shares his story, along with the diet and lifestyle changes he relies upon to thrive with his condition—changes he details and recommends not just for Type 1 diabetics but for anyone and everyone concerned about metabolic health and how to improve it.

We go deep into the physiology of diabetes, the differences between Type 1, Type 2, and pre-diabetes, and what can be prevented or reversed versus managed through lifestyle, movement, mindset, and nutrition. We also discuss how diet and lifestyle impact blood glucose management generally, along with Drew’s take on the usefulness (or lack thereof) of continuous glucose monitors for non-diabetics.

But perhaps what is most fascinating about this conversation is Drew’s experience searching for the optimal diet to manage his own condition, a journey that took him from Paleo, to Keto, to you guessed it, finally settling on a whole food plant-based approach to his nutrition—and all the why’s and how’s behind this decision.

This episode isn’t just a must-listen for those that suffer from diabetes—because improved metabolic health is relevant to all.

Enjoy!

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Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Make It So: Sir Patrick Stewart On Surviving Trauma, Staying Engaged & Lessons From The Artist Life Oct 05, 2023

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Beloved icon of stage and screen, my guest today is the singular Sir Patrick Stewart.

The knighted Shakespeare thespian, captain of the Starship Enterprise, international treasure, and master storyteller is here and brings conversational delights lifted from 83 years of life.

Today Patrick shares tales from his humble beginnings, how theatre saved him, and how childhood trauma informed his career and led to his passion for mental health advocacy.

We also discuss legacy, longevity, honing your craft, the importance of mentorship, and his unique friendship with Sir Ian McKellen. We of course dive into some epic Star Trek stories and explore why the series is so indelible—which naturally led to thoughts on UFOs and the ghost that he is absolutely convinced took up residence in his Silverlake home.

The occasion for today’s exchange is Patrick’s brand new memoir, Making It So—an excellent read that traces the improbable story of his life from his humble beginnings in Yorkshire, England, to the heights of Hollywood and worldwide acclaim.

They say never meet your heroes. I disagree. As a long-time Trekkie, this was a pinch-me moment. It was an absolute pleasure and honor to talk with a man I respect and admire tremendously.

Enjoy!

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Peace + Plants,

Rich

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From “I’ll Be Back” To Giving Back: Arnold Schwarzenegger Is The Influencer We Need Oct 02, 2023

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Today Arnold Schwarzenegger shares tales from his extraordinary life, how he reached the pinnacle of success in three different careers, and why his 4th act is leveraging his influence to forge a better world.

The occasion for this conversation is the publication of his new book, Be Useful—a primer on the principles that catapulted him into a generational icon and why service is the path to meaning and purpose.

This conversation covers the vision, work ethic, and salesmanship that Arnold deployed to become the world’s greatest bodybuilder, the top-grossing action star in Hollywood, and the highest elected official in California.

We discuss reinvention, the importance of selling yourself, and how giving back became his paramount focus.

We go deep on how he thinks about the influence he wields—and why usefulness and positivity are the antidotes to unhappiness and apathy.

Arnold also shares thoughts on confidence, ego, and leadership. Why his friendship with James Cameron is so special—and how it led to Arnold’s work as a passionate environmentalist.

Not to be missed, Arnold also tells the amazing story of how a giant bust of Lenin ended up in his office.

Recorded in Arnold’s office—a museum of extraordinary artifacts—this is a must-WATCH episode.

Open and vulnerable, this is the Governator like you’ve never before seen or heard him.

Enjoy!

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Peace + Plants,

Rich

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U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy On America’s Epidemic Of Loneliness Sep 25, 2023

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I think it’s safe to say that many people are suffering, not just from major public health concerns and economic hardship, but also from loneliness—the prevalence of which has skyrocketed in recent years.

Studies indicate that about half of U.S. adults have reported experiencing loneliness. The impact of this extends beyond a decline in mental health, increasing the risk of heart disease, dementia, stroke, and even premature death.

It’s a problem today’s guest has officially labeled an epidemic—and has made his mission to ameliorate.

Meet the 21st Surgeon General of the United States, Vice Admiral Dr. Vivek Murthy.

Today Dr. Murthy explains how we arrived at this juncture of disconnection and why it is so vitally important to redress. We also discuss the compound effects of loneliness on our health as individuals and as a society, and what we can do to engender our lives with more connection, companionship, and community.

It was an honor to host an important conversation with such an esteemed individual. I was deeply impacted by what he shared and suspect you may feel the same.

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Peace + Plants,

Rich

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From Celebrated Pop Star to Olympic Hopeful: Cody Simpson On Chasing Big Dreams, Finding Himself & Lessons Learned From Sport & Stage Sep 21, 2023

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Imagine a young singer-songwriter of global acclaim—someone like Justin Timberlake or Shawn Mendes. Except this star also happens to be an elite athlete with an Olympic dream.

It sounds like fiction. But this is the true story of Cody Simpson.

Superstardom within reach, Cody Simpson put his guitar down and traded Hollywood for the black line at the bottom of a pool with one singular goal in mind: to compete in the Olympics.

It's the story of a chlorine-soaked little kid who became a global star. He traveled the world, performed before massive crowds, modeled for luxury brands, even acted on Broadway and in movies and television.

But something was missing. Out of an instinct for survival, he proceeded to do what many would consider unthinkable. He walked away from all of it. He couldn’t shake the feeling of what might have been had he not forsaken the Speedo for the stage and decided to do something about it.

World-class competitive swimming is a sport in which the elite never dare to take more than a month off here and there. Not only did Cody return to this sport after a dormant decade, he quickly began to excel beyond any reasonable expectation, clocking world-class times in the 100-meter butterfly.

Today we dive into the deep end of the pool and plumb Cody’s story. We trace his arc as a musician, what he learned as a performer that now helps him as an athlete, the whys and hows behind his Olympic dream, and how you can achieve two massive and wildly different goals in a lifetime.

Note: This conversation was recorded back in May of 2023 on the cusp of Australia’s World Championship Trials. Alas, Cody narrowly missed qualifying for that team but is back in super-focused training.

I coaxed Cody into performing a song at the end which you are not going to want to miss, so be sure to stick around.

Enjoy!

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Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Build The Life You Want: Arthur C. Brooks on Happiness, Transcendence & Creating Greater Life Satisfaction Sep 18, 2023

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Everyone wants more happiness in their life, but most pursue it incorrectly, mistakenly believing it can be found in places like the promotion or the bank account.

Instead, happiness is the by-product of pursuits less appreciated. Like the quality of your relationships with friends and family. Doing hard things. Creating value for others. And being in communion with the transcendent.

Here to help us better orient our lives towards happiness is Arthur C. Brooks, returning for round two on the podcast.

Arthur is a social scientist, in-demand public speaker, and professor at both the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School where he teaches courses on leadership, happiness, and social entrepreneurship. In addition, he is the creator of the popular How to Build a Life column for The Atlantic, and the author of 13 books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller From Strength to Strength.

His latest offering—a book he co-authored with Oprah Winfrey—is entitled, Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier which is filled with practical, social science, and neuroscience-backed practices to strengthen what he dubs the four pillars of happiness: family, friendship, work, and faith.

In this conversation, we discuss what happiness is and isn’t, how to experience more of it, and the concrete steps and practical solutions you can adopt to build a better blueprint for a more fulfilling future.

Arthur is a treasure. I could have talked to him all day. This one is wisdom-packed and overflowing with life-changing and actionable advice.

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Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Steven Bartlett on Mastering Business & Life: Outside The Box Lessons On Mindset, Ambition, Vulnerability & What Matters Most Sep 11, 2023

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Today we’re going to deep deep into the world of business leadership and personal development with a truly extraordinary person—entrepreneur, renowned speaker, investor, and the host of the UK’s No.1 podcast Diary of a CEO, Steven Bartlett.

For the uninitiated, Steven is the co-founder of Flight Story, a marketing and communications company that works with some of the world’s most cutting-edge brands, as well as ThirdWeb, a San Francisco-based software company, and the venture enterprise FlightFund. He is the youngest ever host of Dragon’s Den (UK’s version of Shark Tank), he was included in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list, and has delivered talks for the UN, SXSW, and TEDx.

But Steven’s formal bio fails to tell the story of how an outcast kid with very little means who dropped out of university would go on to become not only a wildly successful entrepreneur whose ongoing concerns generate hundreds of millions in revenue—but also a genuine thought leader on everything from business and leadership to personal growth and well-being.

Today Steven shares how his upbringing shaped the trajectory of his life, interspersed with diamonds on discipline, balancing ambition with self-care, and the power of intuition.

We also talk about the challenges of celebrity, the relationship between insecurity and ambition, and many other impactful lessons that you can read about in Steven’s wonderful new book aptly titled, Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life.

This one is going to inspire, educate, and challenge you to think differently about success and fulfillment.

And it might just redefine your goals and relationship with ambition entirely.

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Peace + Plants,

Rich

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Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen On The ‘Chaos Era’ Of Social Media & The Future of Public Discourse Sep 07, 2023

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Determined to bring transparency and accountability to Big Tech, in 2021 Frances Haugen risked everything to blow the whistle on Facebook.

She copied tens of thousands of pages of documents that revealed that the social media giant had accidentally changed its algorithm to reward extremism. Even worse, Facebook knew its customers were using the platform to foment violence and spread falsehoods—and refused to fix it.

Frances testified to Congress and spoke to the media. She was hailed at President Biden’s first State of the Union Address. She made sure everyone understood exactly what the documents showed. And she set an example for standing in truth and doing what is right for the greater good.

Today we dive into the nuanced impact of social media on society. We talk about why algorithms prioritize extreme content and Facebook’s own complicity in radicalization and political violence around the world. We explore the tools available to combat these issues, including what Big Tech can do to prioritize user consent and reduce misinformation and hate speech.

Note: If this exchange leaves you wanting more, Frances has written a compelling and comprehensive book about her experience entitled: The Power of One.

Ultimately Frances left me with a surprising sentiment: the belief that we can have social media that brings out the best in humanity.

This is a fascinating and important conversation. I hope you learn as much as I did.

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Peace + Plants,

Rich

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The Unspoken World of Male Body Dysmorphia: Ultrarunner Tim Tollefson's Journey To Healing Sep 04, 2023

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We tend to think professional athletes live perfect, charmed lives. Genetically gifted, they effortlessly conquer physical challenges with confidence, propelled by physiques unattainable by mere mortals.

From the outside looking in, Tim Tollefson is one such example.

One of the world’s most successful ultra-runners, Tim has a slew of impressive race victories to his name. These accomplishments matched with his winning smile and handsome looks would lead anyone to believe that he’s an exemplar of strength and health. But behind it all, Tim has waged a private, two-decade-long battle with body dysmorphia and disordered eating that not only compromised his athleticism, but completely debilitated him, producing a never-ending cycle of anxiety, loneliness, and self-hatred.

Today Tim shares his experiences and the path he’s forged to reclaim his sense of self-worth and balance in a world (and sport) that pushes us to extremes. He opens up about his decision to go public with his struggles, the role of social media in perpetuating negative body image, the tools he uses to uphold a positive relationship with food and his body, and the power of community in the recovery process.

If you are struggling with an eating disorder and are in need of support, please reach out to the National Eating Disorders Association. For a 24-hour crisis line, text “NEDA” to 741741.

In a world inundated with diet speak, honest and authentic conversations about food and loving our bodies are more important than ever. I have so much respect for Tim’s strength, courage, and vulnerability.

This one is powerful.

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Peace + Plants,

Rich