The Rich Roll Podcast

What if the path you think you're meant to be living isn't your path at all?I grappled with this mental and spiritual Rubik’s cube for decades. Only now — at 48 — do I feel like I have any insight whatsoever into this quandary.Not so with today’s guest. After a drunken car accident at age 19, Jake Ducey had an epiphany: maybe, just maybe, the traditional promise of the American Dream isn't my path to happiness and personal fulfillment. What did he do with this realization? He up and quit school, walking out on a collegiate basketball scholarship to instead light out and travel the world.Along the way, Jake chronicled his journey, distilling his insights down to a book entitled Into the Wind . Undaunted by being turned down by every publisher, he nonetheless self-published his book. And without any marketing budget or publicist, Jake still managed to self-promote Into the Wind to Amazon’s top 300 – no small accomplishment.Jake subsequently piqued the interest and mentorship of people like Chicken Soup for the Soul* author Jack Canfield and Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus* author John Gray. He became a TEDx speaker. And at 23, Jake became the youngest author to land a motivational book publishing deal at a major publishing house (Tarcher/Penguin).The Purpose Principles* – hitting book stores this week — is the product of Jake's journey to date, drawing on the stories of success, failure, and the common threads among some of today’s most successful and influential people to illuminate a plan for living your best life in a changing world – a theme not inconsistent with this show.I’ve hosted more than a few impressive young and precocious twenty-somethings on the show over the last two years because I love getting the millennial perspective on life. I like young people and as a parent of two teenage boys and two soon to be teenage girls, I truly want to understand what makes the next generation tick. What is important to millennials? What is the lens through which they perceive their environment? And how will this perception frame and shape the world they will soon inherit and steward into the future?But let’s face it – at 48 I'm likely older than Jake's father. So is there really anything (anything at all?) that this 23 year old (or any 23 year old for that matter) could possibly teach me? Maybe I'm being a snob (probably). But it's a question worth asking, isn't it? What kind of insights could such a young person possibly have that would legitimize a book of any legitimate merit or substance?

Welcome to Part 2 of our second annual Best of the RRP Anthology series. If you haven't already, I suggest listening to The Best of 2014 Part 1 first.Once again, this is a compendium of some of my favorite conversations of 2014. Our way of saying thanks. Our way of giving back. Our way of trying to catapult you into the new year armed with the information and inspiration required to make it your best year yet.Once again, it's worth reflecting upon the incredible year that was 2014. My blessings are many. My gratitude is overflowing. This is my way way of saying thank you. I appreciate you. Here's to an extraordinary 2015 — the year we manifest our greatest dreams into reality. Join me, and let's do this thing together.Peace + Plants,Rich

This is the time of year for celebration. This is the time of year for giving back. This is the time of year for gratitude.This is the time of year for reflection.So let's do all those things. Welcome to the second annual Best of the RRP Anthology. This is our way of reflecting back. Our way of expressing gratitude. Our way of giving thanks for taking this journey with us.I pride myself on bringing a wide variety of personalities, opinions and attitudes to the show. When I look back over 2014, even I am surprised by how many incredibly interesting and unique people and perspectives I was honored to entertain and share with you. Second listens brought new insights. Another reminder of what a gift this show has been to me. A gift that gives and keeps on giving.A compendium of some of my favorite conversations of 2014, the next two episodes of the podcast are certain to catapult you into the new year inspired.If you’ve been with me all along, these offerings will bring certain insights back into the forefront of your consciousness as you contemplate your trajectory heading into the new year. If you're new to the show, then these episodes will definitely inspire you to peruse the catalog and listen in full to some of the guests and or episodes you may have missed. Links to the full episodes excerpted in this anthology are enumerated below.It has been an incredible year. My blessings are many. My gratitude is overflowing. This is my way way of saying thank you. I appreciate you. Here's to an extraordinary 2015 — the year we manifest our greatest dreams into reality. Join me, and let's do this thing together.Peace + Plants,Rich

High performance psychologist Michael Gervais discusses the importance of mindfulness in sports and life. Topics covered include navigating high-stakes environments, understanding the essence of a person, benefits of Mitopure for energy, the mindset of extreme athletes, and managing emotions in high-pressure situations. They also explore optimizing sleep and gut health, interrupting negative inner dialogue, building a culture of high performance, living life on your own terms, and future topics.

And now for something completely different…In an effort to create a little more intimacy, a little more community, and a little more connection with you — the audience — I thought I would open the show up to your burning questions. Talk about what you want to talk about for a change. A few weeks back I put the word out for question submissions and you responded — our inbox was flooded with e-mails.So here we are. My first spin with a Q&A format. I picked a handful of queries I thought would make for an interesting and broadly applicable discussion, asked Julie to occupy the co-pilot seat (talking into a microphone alone is really hard, and not that fun) and we gave it our all to answer your questions to the best of our collective abilities.Topics discussed and questions answered pivot around the following:How to pursue your dream when your partner is non-supportive;How to escape an unfulfilling career when you don't know what you really want;How to balance physical fitness against spiritual fitness;How to manage extended family put off by your life choices and dietary preferences; andHow to raise a healthy toddler plant-based.Special thanks and shoutout to Jen B., Tommy F., Pete D., Dawn and Hugh for the great questions. Not sure about whether or not you want to be identified publicly, so I'm going to err on the side of anonymity.Did you guys like the episode? Is this format something you think I should I do it again? Was it too long? Too short? How about rotating guests for co-pilot duty? If the demand exists and I continue to get great submissions from you, then I’ll keep doing it. Maybe not every week, but we’ll see. In the interim, send your questions for an (anticipated) future episode to: info@richroll.com and leave your comments below.Peace + Plants,Rich

IN-Q returns. It's time to question everything. It's time to get excited for now.If you've been on this journey with me for a while, no doubt RRP 81 seared Q into your permanent consciousness. If you’re new to the show, I strongly suggest you give that episode a listen first. Not only is it an epic conversation, it will give you some crucial context and foundation for today's mind meld.Nonetheless, here's a quick breakdown on the impressive IN-Q curriculum vitae:Rapper. Actor. Teacher. Songwriter, TED Talker & internationally revered spoken word artist, IN-Q is a national poetry slam champion who has shared the stage with people like Barack Obama, De La Soul, Eminem, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, John Legend and even Cirque du Soleil. He has toured over 70 colleges; written songs for Miley Cyrus, Rock Mafia, Selena Gomez and Aloe Blacc and has been featured on virtually every TV network from A&E to ABC, including HBO’s Def Poetry Jam and Versus & Flow.Why is a spoken word poet guesting on a health & wellness podcast?Because wellness isn't just diet, exercise and yoga mats. Someone who is truly “well” exudes positivity, soul, spirit, honesty, service, selflessness and integrity from their very core. IN-Q represents a life fully expressed – spreading a message of healing, love and positivity in service to others. Not only is IN-Q a man living his most authentic self, he is what I would call the very definition of health.On January 15, for one night only, IN-Q will be performing at the beautiful Mark Taper Forum in downtown Los Angeles. It is going to be an epic evening (I'll definitely be there), so if you are in town that day I strongly suggest you pick up tickets now — it will definitely sell out and it's a one time deal not to be missed. For tickets and additional information on this one time performance, go to in-q.com.*If you can't make the show, then this podcast is the next best thing. IN-Q is a special guy — touched in a very real, tactile way. I aspire to this man's openness, grace, and attitude of gratitude. It's an honor to spend time with him and I am so pleased to bring his message to you once again. An incredible storyteller, his message will leave you reevaluating your priorities, rethinking your path and ultimately indelibly changed.As the man himself just might say: get excited for now and question everything.I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation. Let me know what you think in the comments section below.Peace + Plants,Rich

Welcome back for Part 2 of my conversation with Teen Whisperer Josh Shipp.You haven't listened to Part 1 yet? Go do that first, then come on back. It will save me some explaining. But as long as we're on the subject, let's recap the situation.Josh is a recognized teen behavior expert well known for helping adults understand teens and teens understand themselves. He’s worked with, appeared on and/or contributed to MTV, CNN, FOX, The New York Times, 20/20, Anderson Cooper Live, Oprah.com and Good Morning America. In 2009 Josh was named to Inc. magazine's “30 Under 30″ of successful entrepreneurs. He has lectured at Harvard, Stanford, UCLA and MIT, starred in two documentary-style television series and authored two books: The Teen's Guide to World Domination and Jump Ship.If you did listen to my intro and outro to Part 1, then you know Josh challenged me to remove e-mail and social media from my iPhone as a means of increasing my overall productivity and enhancing the quality of my interpersonal interactions. Today is day 3 and as Josh so adeptly predicts in this second part of our conversation, I am indeed twitchy. A little anxious. Scattered and basically just uncomfortable with the whole idea. Why? Because I like being connected at all times. I like the buzz and anticipation of checking social media. And I can easily justify it as part of my job. But this does not mean it's healthy because it isn't. My relationship might not fall into Her (the movie) territory, but it's definitely obsessive compulsive, if not just a downright addiction.What does this remind me of?Rehab.Weathering a detox — or in this case an iDetox – isn't fun. But for me it's familiar territory. I know that if I stick with it, it will pass. I also know that the simple fact I am experiencing withdrawal symptoms is a pretty good indicator that I am onto something. Something I need to do if I want to grow.Monday night I fired an e-mail off to Josh to thank him again for doing the podcast and to let him know Part 1 was live. I closed the note with the following:“P.S. – deleted Twitter, Facebook AND e-mail from my phone. Think I’m going to have a panic attack. Tell me I’ll be OK.”The next morning, Josh replied:“Imagine having Doritos and a green drink sitting in front of you. If you're new to eating clean … you'll grab the Doritos every time, even though you know better. But when the ONLY option is the green drink, you are at first forced to go for it, but then later choose it. We should choose real humans, friends, family, etc. first. But social media is the Doritos. As sad as this is, we have slowly trained ourselves to go to real people LAST instead of first… This is a way of reprograming ourselves.”So true. I've decided to undergo this #iDetox for me, but I also know I'm not alone. This is for the millions of people out there quietly coveting smart ...

The road gets narrower.In sobriety, this phrase gets tossed around early and often. When I was new to recovery, I had no idea what these words meant. Now I catch myself reprising this mantra daily.Translation: left to my own devices, I will unconsciously and obsessively latch onto and lose myself in almost anything that promises to remove me from myself, take me out of the moment, numb my emotions, undermine my productivity and (preferably) isolate me from other humans — this is alcoholism.If I want to grow, I have to be willing to let go of old habits that no longer serve me. The more sober I get, the more certain seemingly innocuous behaviors become problematic — impediments to accessing the best version of myself. Growth requires that such behaviors constantly be assessed, addressed, modified, and in some cases discarded altogether.For me, drugs and alcohol were obviously the first to go. But the inquiry didn't end there. When drugs and alcohol were removed from my system, my dis-ease had to find secondary behavioral weaknesses to exploit — things like how I navigate my relationships and intimacy, how I relate to food, and even how I use television.Changing my diet 8 years ago helped me understand the full extent to which I would use food to medicate and regulate my emotional state — something that never previously even occurred to me. Next up was TV – a perfect way to lose myself in “harmless” entertainment and “not feel” whatever I was experiencing emotionally. So a year ago we pulled the plug on DirectTV. This was not my idea. Like giving up drugs or cheeseburgers, this was not something I wanted to do. It was something I needed to do if I wanted to continue evolving. The detox was brutal. But I can tell you now that I would never go back — my life is way better now without the box.The road continues to grow narrower.My latest struggle? Owning up to the obsessive manner in which I use my iPhone to “check out.” What good is all the meditation and mindfulness work I have been doing if every time I have a free moment I impulsively grab my phone and start addictively scrolling through Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and e-mail? Without a doubt, its become my drug of choice. I am finally willing to admit that the compulsive nature of my relationship with my beloved device is not compatible with the man I would like to become. It's a walk that doesn't meet my talk. Things have to change.So today — thanks exclusively to my provocative conversation with this week's amazing guest — I deleted Twitter, Facebook and e-mail from my iPhone.Holy crap. If you know me, then you know this is not a small thing — I damn near live on my phone. The detox already rivals anything I have previously endured. This fact alone validates my decision, does it not? To be clear, I'm not quitting social media — it has been and continues to be a huge and tremendously valuable part of my daily life. What I am doing is taking Josh's advice (per our conversation) and creating healthy boundaries around my use of these platforms so I can grow. The desired result? Enhanced emotional well being; a reduction in anxiety; an elevation of mindfulness; qualitative improvement in my interpersonal interactions; greater appreciation for the present moment; and last, but hardly least, increased focus and productivity.Enter Josh Shipp.Abandoned by his birth parents before he even left the hospital. At risk foster kid. Victim of serial abuse. Given up on by countless foster parents. From the get go, the deck was stacked against Josh, and the house always wins. Josh's future was essentially predestined to be bleak and devoid of opportunity. Then he met someone who cared.

Lots of excitement and anticipation about today’s guest. One of the most lauded, celebrated and accomplished athletes on the planet, let me introduce you to the guy who can seemingly run forever:Dean Karnazes.We're talking about a guy TIME magazine named one of the “Top 100 Most Influential People in the World.” Men's Fitness magazine hailed him as one of the fittest men on the planet. An internationally recognized endurance athlete, NY Times bestselling author, in demand public speaker, and successful entrepreneur, Dean has pushed his body, mind and spirit to places most people simply cannot fathom.To give you an idea of what Dean is all about, let's briefly run through a few of his ridiculous mind-bending running accomplishments:* Ran 350 miles in under 81 hours foregoing sleep for 3 days;* Ran a marathon in each of the 50 states in 50 consecutive days;* On 11 occasions, ran a 200 mile relay race solo, racing alongside teams of 12;* Won the 4 Desert Race Series in 2008, traversing the Gobi, Antacara, Sahara and Antarctica;* Won the Badwater 135 in 2004 and has run this race 10 times;* Ran 148 miles on a treadmill in 24 hours; and* Ran 3000 miles across the US from Disneyland to NYC in 75 days, running 40-50 miles / dayGiven all of these feats of astounding endurance and more, Dean is widely lauded as one of the greatest athletes of our time — an accolade deserved if you ask me.But it wasn't alway this way. After success on the track in high school, Dean put running in his rear view in favor of business. But by age 30, he found himself at a spiritual crossroads. Dissatisfied with the successful, comfortable life he had built for himself, he yearned for something more. He yearned for challenge. He yearned for discomfort. He yearned for struggle. Because to struggle is to be alive.After a now famous drunken all night run following his 30th birthday party, the rest is well documented running history. Dean chronicles his discovery and love of running in his bestselling memoir Ultramarathon Man*– a must read for anyone who loves an inspirational story of adversity and personal triumph — and his journey continues in his follow up tomes 50/50*, and Run!* Not enough? Dean is currently hard at work on a new book – a novelized look at the amazing life of Pheidippedes, the legendary Greek who ran from Marathon to Athens to deliver news of a military victory against the Persians, a subject close to Dean’s heart given his Greek heritage.How does Dean do it? Some chalk it up to genetics – a freakishly high lactate threshold; an unnaturally high tolerance for pain; and an unusual ability to tolerate sleep deprivation Setting aside debate on whether these mental and physiological data points are earned or inherited, I feel compelled to say that the answer to this question is far more co...

Prepare thyself, because ready or not, the holiday season is indeed upon us.For most, this is that special time of year when — whether by conscious choice or simply due to external circumstance — we find ourselves overeating, overspending and simply overindulging in anything and everything, all in the name of celebratory merriment. When we're not charging it on the card or spread paper thin desperately trying to fulfill all the heightened expectations this time of year presents, we find ourselves weathering an unnatural battery of social engagements and the emotionally hyper-charged land mines presented by extended family get togethers.The result? A massive and unnatural outpouring of energy that leaves us not just out of balance, but utterly depleted — spit out the other side physically and emotionally exhausted to the core, all too often overweight and riddled with unnecessary debt.Then what? We awake on New Year's Day committed to do and be better next time — the annual renewal ritual that inevitably falls short. A slow burn leading up to next November to repeat the cycle.The standard American approach to the holidays is unhealthy, out of balance, verging on lunacy.Let's have a different experience. Let's relax. Let's make sure we're exercising self-care. Let's focus on the giving part. And let's not over extend ourselves financially, emotionally or physically so we can emerge in January not just intact but truly enriched — optimistic, feeling great and energized for all the challenges and adventures presented with the birth of a new year.As we did last November ( RRP 60 ), this week Julie and I once again sit down to hash out all things holiday season with a focus on providing helpful, experience-based strategies to assist in managing the financial pitfalls, dietary challenges, precarious social environments and heightened emotional states presented by this unique time of year. In my experience, these are issues common to us all. And yet issues we go to great lengths to avoid dealing with internally, let alone discussing outwardly — typically out of fear, shame or simply a profound need to keep up appearances — all of which ultimately leaves us feeling alone and isolated in what for many can become a state of true emotional crisis. In truth, the exact opposite of what the holidays should be all about.So rather than deny or repress, let's talk about it. Let's get it all out in the open. And let's work on a strategy for a better, more positive and uplifting experience. On today's agenda:* How to avoid spending money you don't have;* How to maintain a healthy diet throughout the season;* How to experience gift giving with children in a different way;* How to navigate and avoid emotional land mines with extended family;* How to say “No” to certain social obligations; and* How to nurture and preserve your physical, emotional & spiritual well being under pressure.Many of the topics raised and discussed in this conversation are beautifully and concretely laid out in this very helpful companion piece by Julie entitled “How To Maintain Emotional & Financial Sanity During the Holidays”- well worth checking out.It's about self-care people. You simply cannot expect to be able to show up, be your best self and be there for others if you are not first taking care of yourself. This is not selfish — it's truth. And a crucial huge component of this success equation begins and ends with meditat...