In 'Can't Hurt Me,' David Goggins shares his astonishing life story, from a childhood marred by poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse to becoming a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world's top endurance athletes. The book reveals Goggins' philosophy, known as the '40% Rule,' which suggests that most people only tap into 40% of their capabilities. He provides a wealth of practical strategies and principles for personal development, emphasizing self-discipline, accountability, and the necessity of embracing discomfort to unlock personal transformation. Goggins' story and advice serve as a blueprint for readers to push past their perceived limits, confront their fears, and unleash their full potential.
The Sympathizer is the story of a man of two minds, a captain in the South Vietnamese national police who is secretly a mole for the National Liberation Front. The novel explores his life between two worlds, from his education in America to his return to Vietnam to fight for the Communist cause. It delves into themes of loyalty, identity, and the complexities of the Vietnam War, offering a unique perspective on the conflict and its legacy in literature, film, and contemporary politics.
In 'Old Path White Clouds,' Thich Nhat Hanh retells the story of the Buddha in an inimitably beautiful style, drawing from Pali, Sanskrit, and Chinese sources. The narrative unfolds through the perspectives of both the Buddha himself and Svasti, a humble buffalo boy. The book highlights the Buddha’s human journey, including the challenges he faced from his disciples and society, making him relatable and human. It is a classic of religious literature that invites readers to connect with the timeless lessons of compassion, understanding, and resilience.
Finding Ultra recounts Rich Roll’s remarkable journey from an out-of-shape, mid-life couch potato to one of the world’s top ultrarunners. The book chronicles his battle with alcoholism, his transformation into an elite endurance athlete, and his adoption of a plant-based lifestyle. It includes his experiences in the elite Ultraman competition and the EPIC5, five Ironman-distance triathlons completed in less than a week on different Hawaiian islands. The revised and updated edition provides practical tools, practices, and strategies for optimal performance, longevity, and wellness, making it a guide for anyone seeking to transform their life through self-discovery and a healthier lifestyle.
In 'Stolen Focus', Johann Hari delves into the reasons behind the collapse of our ability to pay attention. He discusses various factors contributing to this issue and provides strategies on how to think deeply again and reclaim our focus in a world filled with distractions.
After a seasonal sabbatical, ‘Roll On’ is back. And it’s time to hash out a bit of drama.
After a two-month respite, Roll On returns with a discussion on ‘Moneyball-esque’ advances in sports science, the role of podcasting in the culture wars, the importance of taking a professional pause, how my sleep habits ended up as ‘news’, and so much more.
As always, my magnanimous sidecar hype-beast and co-host Adam Skolnick joins me at the round table. Adam is an activist and veteran journalist known as David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me, co-author. He writes about adventure sports, environmental issues, and civil rights for outlets such as The New York Times, Outside, ESPN, BBC, and Men’s Health. He is the author of One Breath and is currently using the ‘new dad’ excuse to avoid working on his novel.
More specifically, topics discussed in today’s episode include:
- how the RRP community raised almost $500K for charity: water
- Adam’s recent NYT article on Norwegian triathlon dominance;
- the Joe Rogan and Spotify controversy and what it teaches us;
- lessons learned from Rich’s month-long sabbatical;
- the Alan Watts collection on the Waking Up app;
- why Station Eleven is the best show on TV; and
- media reactions to Rich’s ‘tent story’ on the Tim Ferriss show.
As always, we close things out by taking a few listener questions. Today we answer:
- How do you optimize zone two training in non-impact workouts?
- Who do you draw inspiration from when feeling down?
- What do you do when your motivation for working out runs dry?
Thank you to Rebecca from Santa Maria, Sam from Baton Rouge, and April from Santa Monica for your questions. If you want your query discussed, drop it on our Facebook Page or, better yet, leave a voicemail at (424) 235-4626.
To read more click here. You can also watch it all go down on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Enjoy the show!
Peace + Plants,
Rich
The Rich Roll Podcast 
