Joe De Sena: Resilience, The Quitters Office, and Life Lessons from a Crime Boss
Feb 23, 2023
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Joe De Sena, founder of Spartan and a bestselling author, dives into resilience and the art of suffering. He shares tales from his rigorous events like the Death Race and discusses how embracing chaos fosters personal growth. Joe reflects on parenting challenges, balancing support with independence, and how youth sports teach valuable life lessons. He emphasizes the transformative power of community found in Spartan races and the importance of shared challenges that bring people together, igniting a passion for fitness.
Joe De Sena's parenting philosophy focuses on fostering resilience in children by exposing them to discomfort and challenges for personal growth.
The Death Race exemplifies the unpredictable nature of life, teaching participants the importance of resilience and camaraderie through shared struggles.
Temperature-controlled sleep environments significantly enhance sleep quality, illustrating the connection between physical comfort and overall well-being.
Deep dives
Optimizing Sleep Temperature
Adjusting bed temperature can significantly enhance sleep quality. The episode discusses the benefits of using a temperature-controlled bed system to create an ideal sleeping environment, with temperatures tailored to individual preferences. For instance, one speaker shares how they set their bed to a warm temperature before sleep, then gradually lower it for optimal comfort throughout the night. This adjustment not only aids in falling asleep faster but also helps in regulating body temperature during various sleep phases, leading to a more restful night.
Insights from Parenting Challenges
The podcast highlights the unconventional parenting techniques of the guest, Joe DeSena, founder of Spartan, illustrating his approach to fostering resilience in children. DeSena emphasizes making kids uncomfortable as a means to prepare them for life's challenges, sharing anecdotes from his own parenting experiences. He recounts how he guides his children through various physically demanding activities, encouraging them to engage in tough situations, thereby building their mental toughness. This method promotes independence and strength, ultimately preparing them for future obstacles.
The Concept of the Death Race
The Death Race, an extreme endurance competition initiated by DeSena, serves as an analogy for navigating life's unpredictable nature and business challenges. The race is designed to push participants to their limits, reflecting the unpredictability of life and the importance of resilience. Through shared experiences of overcoming physical and mental barriers, participants develop a deep sense of camaraderie and personal achievement. The episode further elaborates on how similar challenges, like the Spartan race, instill valuable life skills such as perseverance and teamwork.
Building Community Through Shared Challenges
An important theme of the episode revolves around the community formed through engaged participation in challenges like Spartan races. The conversation highlights the bonding that occurs as participants tackle difficulties together, transforming strangers into a supportive network. Anecdotes about participants from diverse backgrounds encouraging each other underscore the idea that shared suffering cultivates a unique sense of belonging. This camaraderie extends beyond the race, promoting an inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of fitness level, can thrive and support one another.
Adapting Parenting Styles for Resilience
DeSena discusses the evolution of his parenting approach in response to lessons learned during the upbringing of his children. Originally, he aimed to remove obstacles to foster a positive experience, but realized the importance of allowing natural friction in their lives to encourage growth and responsibility. He reflects on how facilitating challenges and enabling kids to navigate difficulties independently builds their confidence and resilience. The dialogue emphasizes the necessity for parents to balance support and independence, fostering an environment where children learn to tackle adversity effectively.
Joe De Sena is the founder and CEO of Spartan, the world’s leading endurance sports brand. He has built Spartan into a global fitness and wellness brand, with a 10 million+ community of athletes across the globe. Under his leadership, Spartan’s portfolio of brands has grown to include Spartan Trail, DEKA, La Ruta, Tough Mudder, and HIGHLANDER. Joe is also a New York Times bestselling author of a number of books.
We get into the origin of Spartan, Joe’s love of suffering (and torturing others?), and the amazing ability Joe has of inviting people in to discover their own greatness.
This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Sleepme. There’s no denying that getting into an ice cold bed in the summertime is amazing. But in the winter, not so much. Kelly’s love language is cranking Juliet’s Dock Pro up to 95º before she hops in bed. The app then cools the bed down during the night for deep, dense sleep. If you want to control the highs and lows of your bed, head over to sleep.me/trs to learn more and save on the purchase of any new Cube, OOLER or Dock Pro Sleep System. Take advantage of our exclusive discount and wake up feeling awesome, everyday!
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This episode of The Ready State Podcast is brought to you by Built to Move, or newest book out April 4, 2023. Built to Move is the antidote to modern living: 10 simple actions for restoring the body’s capacity for free and easy movement by defending it against technology creep, desk jobs, food confusion, rising stress levels, sleep disruption, and the inevitable process of aging. These ten essentials build durability, vanquish muscle and joint restriction, and improve overall health. They’re basic body maintenance for everyone, from Olympic-caliber athletes to people who haven’t exercised a day in their lives. For more information and to order, check out builttomove.com.
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