Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan Race and creator of the Death Race, shares about the financial catastrophe during the pandemic, near-death experiences in sports, seeking new challenges, and the difficulty of disconnecting from technology.

Joe De Sena is the co-founder of The Death Race, Spartan Race (1M+ competitors), and more. Among other things, he has personally completed the famously grueling Iditarod dogsledding race...by FOOT. What about the Badwater Ultramarathon, Vermont 100, and Lake Placid Ironman? He did all of those in ONE WEEK. The man is a maniac, but he's also strategic and tactical. This episode covers his story, as well as his approaches to grit, endurance, and building empires.***If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. I also love reading the reviews!For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast.Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Visit tim.blog/sponsor and fill out the form.Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss YouTube: youtube.com/timferrissPast guests on The Tim Ferriss Show include Jerry Seinfeld, Hugh Jackman, Dr. Jane Goodall, LeBron James, Kevin Hart, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jamie Foxx, Matthew McConaughey, Esther Perel, Elizabeth Gilbert, Terry Crews, Sia, Yuval Noah Harari, Malcolm Gladwell, Madeleine Albright, Cheryl Strayed, Jim Collins, Mary Karr, Maria Popova, Sam Harris, Michael Phelps, Bob Iger, Edward Norton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Neil Strauss, Ken Burns, Maria Sharapova, Marc Andreessen, Neil Gaiman, Neil de Grasse Tyson, Jocko Willink, Daniel Ek, Kelly Slater, Dr. Peter Attia, Seth Godin, Howard Marks, Dr. Brené Brown, Eric Schmidt, Michael Lewis, Joe Gebbia, Michael Pollan, Dr. Jordan Peterson, Vince Vaughn, Brian Koppelman, Ramit Sethi, Dax Shepard, Tony Robbins, Jim Dethmer, Dan Harris, Ray Dalio, Naval Ravikant, Vitalik Buterin, Elizabeth Lesser, Amanda Palmer, Katie Haun, Sir Richard Branson, Chuck Palahniuk, Arianna Huffington, Reid Hoffman, Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Rick Rubin, Dr. Vivek Murthy, Darren Aronofsky, and many more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We all have big dreams. But are you willing to pay the price required to make them manifest?There’s a big difference between those who quit and those who commit.At the core of that difference is one’s ability to tolerate discomfort.Discomfort is the price we pay for resilience.And resilience is the foundation of growth.Few grasp and practice this truth better than Spartan Race founder and CEO Joe De Sena, returning to the podcast to usher us into the new year correct and jumpstart our new year’s ambitions into action.Joe last graced the studio in December of 2020 (RRP #567), a conversation that probed his absolutely fascinating backstory and left us with powerful insights on the limits we impose on personal possibility.Continuing in the spirited annual tradition we have here to launch the new year with an uncomfortable kick in the pants, I thought it fit (literally) to invite Joe back for a more focused elaboration on the truths, mindset tools and motivation to translate ambition into positive results.For those new to Joe, he’s the entrepreneurial mastermind behind Spartan—the obstacle course racing series that became a global phenomenon, and the evil genius behind Death Race—perhaps the most absurd sufferfest ever conceived.He’s also an absolute endurance freak. Example A: in a mere week, Joe completed the Vermont 100 mile run, Ironman Lake Placid, and the Badwater 135. In addition, he crushed 50 ultramarathons and 14 Ironman events in a single year (a certain kind of insanity that must be some kind of record). And he’s the kind of guy who, on a whim, once ran from New York City to Vermont.Joe’s most striking talent is his facility for motivating the best out of people—a skill committed to print in his new book, 10 Rules For Resilience, which is a guide to developing mental toughness.Today we deconstruct resilience in all its forms—why it’s crucial to growth and how to cultivate it.We also go deep on discipline, courage, and discomfort. The importance of personal values in adhering to your goals. How to navigate failure. And why your reaction to challenging situations defines you.And finally, we explore the importance of imbuing these principles into our parenting.Joe is a force of nature—a bullshit-free and 100% authentic lunatic. But his heart is huge. His experience-based message is powerful. And paired with practical tools fundamental to shattering stagnation.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.May his words propel you to craft your own challenge for this impending new year—something extraordinary.So let’s dive into it 2022 headfirst. Or, as Joe is fond of saying, fire, ready, aim.Peace + Plants,Rich

Entrepreneur Joe De Sena, founder of Spartan Race, shares his journey of personal transformation, overcoming challenges, and building multiple businesses. He discusses the impact of the pandemic, the importance of perseverance, and the power of love and perseverance. The podcast also explores the significance of self-care, fitness dedication, and creating assets for a book. There is a discussion on the future of the business and crowdfunding opportunities for investors.

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, founder and CEO of Spartan, talks with Brad about building a business and his passion for adventure races. They discuss Joe's entrepreneurial journey, the importance of resilience, and pushing children to overcome obstacles. They also touch on the use of steroids for physical appearance, expanding the Spartan brand, and the value of learning lessons the hard way.

Entrepreneur and risk-taking advocate Sukhinder Singh Cassidy joins Spartan founder and CEO Joe De Sena to discuss the importance of risk-taking. They explore how to overcome the fear of failure and the significance of thoroughly analyzing potential risks. The podcast also delves into the myths of risk-taking and the process behind it, as well as the benefits of breaking down challenges into smaller parts for success.

Do hard things. Become unbreakable. Let’s end the year on a high note. It’s time to turn quitters into people who commit, courtesy of one of the toughest people on the planet. Fire ready aim!If the name Joe De Sena strikes a familiar chord, it’s likely because he’s the entrepreneurial mastermind behind Spartan—the obstacle course racing series that became a global phenomenon. Fewer know he’s also the evil genius behind Death Race—perhaps the most absurd sufferfest ever conceived. Under appreciated is just what an utter machine this guy is. An absolute endurance freak, in a mere one week period, Joe completed the Vermont 100 mile run, Ironman Lake Placid, and the Badwater 135. In addition, Joe knocked off 50 ultramarathons and 14 Ironman events in a single year (a certain kind of insanity that must be some kind of record). To top it off, on a whim, he once ran from New York City to Vermont.A man of questionable masochism, Joe knows hustle. But his relentlessness isn’t limited to athletics. It begins with business, servicing mafioso swimming pools as a Queens high schooler. It appears in academics. It took him four attempts to secure admission to Cornell. And, most importantly, it shows up in service. At his Vermont farm, Joe freely welcomes all who dare join in his legendary daily grind. Everything Joe does—be it Spartan, his books or public speaking—reflects his genuine commitment to helping millions of people live healthier more fulfilling lives.Today he shares his extraordinary story.This is a conversation about commitment to an ideal. How to manifest the better self within. And pay it back in service to others.It’s about Joe’s colorful life path. His Goodfellas-esque upbringing. His natural-born entrepreneurial inclinations. His insane endurance feats and unique relationship with suffering. And the impenetrable focus required to accomplish lofty dreams.But more than anything, this is about turning quitters into people who commit. It’s about why doing hard things makes you better, happier and healthier. And it’s about the potential we all possess to catalyze radical transformation.From the heart, Joe is bullshit-free and 100% authentic. His message is powerful. Entirely experience-based. And paired with practical tools fundamental to shattering stagnation.The visually inclined can watch our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.May his words propel you to craft your own challenge for this impending new year—something extraordinary.So let’s dive into it headfirst. Or, as Joe says, fire, ready, aim.Peace + Plants,Rich

Neurobiology lab director, Andrew Huberman, and Joe De Sena discuss brain science, better sleep, stress control, and achieving goals. They explore the benefits of napping, a breathing technique to reduce stress, and the role of dopamine. They dive into internal reward mechanisms, gratitude, laughter, and the importance of sunlight and exercise. This episode provides invaluable tips for improving overall well-being.

Joe De Sena, founder of Spartan Race, shares his relentless ambition to change the world. He dives into evolving fitness ideologies, emphasizing a balanced approach as maturity sets in. The discussion highlights the benefits of lighter weights and higher reps for injury prevention. De Sena also reveals personal anecdotes about running marathons with a refrigerator to honor loved ones and confronts the importance of personal responsibility in inspiring community health. His passion fuels a drive towards transformative change in both fitness and nutrition.