Four time NCAA wrestling champion Kyle Dake's parents raised him in a nurturing environment that would pave the way for his success. Yet this never meant that he could bypass the hard work. Every day, and he's in the gym just about every day, Dake pushes the wall back a little further, extending how far he can go without breaking. As a result, he has complete faith in his invincibility. He doesn't believe in losing. He wants to be the best, and, more importantly, he knows the way there.  

 
Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1.  Actions speak!  If you want to be great, commit to it and do the things you need to do to be successful.
2.  Be positive!  You can always take something away something positive from an experience.
3.  You can only lose when you quit.
 
Panel Notes:
Joe Desena: What does wrestling have to do with success? Everything! Life is one giant wrestling match. You have to hand it to a guy that can go up four weight classes in four years, while everyone else is losing weight, and take the title year after year. This is a true champion with the most incredible attitude i have seen on a young man. Take notes.
 

Col. Nye:  Arguably the greatest college wrestler of all time.  Strive for excellence in everything you do.  You must make the commitment to be the best and be better than you were yesterday.  With the power of a positive mental attitude, find the silver lining in all your endeavors.  Entertain zero thoughts of losing  and remain focused on the goal. There is always someone training harder than you. Actively push the wall back a little further every day.
 
Sefra Alexandra: The rough translation of  abracadabra from Aramaic is: I create as I speak. The immensely positive words and mentality of Kyle Dake serves as a true litmus test of mental fortitude, obstacle immunity and success. His attitude rings true as a siren call for our generation to Spartan Up and truly dedicate ourselves to our dreams, fight to get stronger and achieve our goals. Knowing you are getting better every day is the reward.
 
Johnny Waite: His father did not push him, but held him accountable. Kyle got to choose what he committed to and was then not allowed to quit. You might have an awful day, but there is always something good that will come of it. Sometimes the most important stuff comes out of the toughest experiences. You don't need harsh circumstances to develop grit. It can come from inside with enough determination.

Allen Lim, founder of Skratch Labs and the only American scientist to have worked and cooked for teams at the Tour de France, has worked with dozens of top American cyclists to improve their performance and nutrition. He conceived his company in the intense atmosphere of  the Tour de France. If his methods could succeed in this gritty environment, he figured, they'd certainly thrive in day to day life. His company caters to the daily lifestyle needs of young athletes in particular, who may neither have the time or resources to keep this crucial ingredient of training in check. Excellence is ultimately a holistic endeavor, and as Lim proves, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. 

 
Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1.  We are all humans and we are all athletes.
2.  Lessons learned in sports can be helpful in life.
3. Find a way to be happy first and that happiness will create success.
 
Panel Notes:
Joe Desena: He and I disagree on some things regarding food. We met in a coffee shop while he was ordering croissants and coffee, and, I don't know, that just doesn't seem like healthy food to me. That said, this is one of the smartest folks I know when it comes to food and nutrition, and, right or wrong, I think you will be impressed.
 
Col. Nye: Identify the “bottleneck,” in your life and unclog it.  Life is about the summation of experience.  All competitors have stress and mundane challenges: diet, sleep, happiness and relationships. The mission of Skratch Labs is to provide life skills which then allows the athlete (everyone) to perform at their peak. Food is about context. A wholesome cookie is better than some prepackaged “health food.”  Food can be about pleasure. It has a cultural component. Enjoy it.

Sefra Alexandra: The human body can range from 45-75% water depending on the stage in your life and your fat content. Hydration, therefore, is of the utmost importance. Allen Lim has been working to provide hydration and nutrition to athletes for years. If you get a chance look up the original power bar, pemmican, and locate your nearest freshwater spring  (http://www.findaspring.com/). I can attest to the undeniable difference of hydrating with "raw water."

Johnny Waite: We are all athletes. There is an important social component to food. If you lose this and get too extreme with diet you will fail. We are pack animals and our best things are accomplished together. Ambition is a really easy thing to hide behind until you realize you aren't happy. Don't shy away from or ignore pain. Experience it and let it make you better.

Gracie Van Der Byl finds her bliss by swimming in competitions that are the aquatic equivalent of the Tour de France. It is in the midst of these undertakings when she feels like she is her best, most authentic self. Her swims are an exercise in zen, focusing on the now and surrendering to not knowing. Even her philosophy on shark hazards reads like a koan: It's not the shark you see that's the problem; it's the shark you don't." That's little comfort to Joe Desena who is afraid of something after all. Who knew?

 
Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1.  During life tackle things one stroke at a time.
2.  Don’t overly project into the future; live in the now.
3.  Boredom comes from not setting good enough goals.  Always find new ways to grow.

Panel Notes:
Joe Desena:  I have always had a fear of sharks. I remember as a kid taking a shower standing on a chair. I'm kidding about the chair but not about the sharks. The fact that she can swim in the dark all through the night gives me chills. She clearly has something to teach all of us on how to put it together to get through the "difficult" times.

Col. Nye:  To be your most authentic self, focus on the here and now and don’t dwell on the future. Push the line: find it then find out how far you can stretch it.  Boredom is a result of not setting challenging goals.  Growth must be in all directions, not just unidirectional, otherwise you will snap like a piece of gum

Sefra Alexandra: Gracie seems to have fear immunity in her epic feats of open water swimming. She states, "Some people want to swim. I need to swim." My fear is that there will be so much plastic in the ocean in the future that these types of endeavors may be hindered.  Learn more at http://5gyres.org/ and do your part to decrease your reliance on plastic.

Johnny Waite: Don't project into the future. Focus on right now. As soon as you've completed a challenge find a new one. Don't grow only in one direction -- stretch horizontally as well as vertically. Don't just keep doing something if you aren't passionate about it. Find what you are stoked about. There's nothing worse than getting to an event and knowing you could have done more to prepare.

It started as a bet, but soon turned into a mission. Tony the Fridge carries a 93 lb. "burden" on his back on journeys that make marathons look like fun runs. Why? He does it for those who carry what he sees as greater loads, notably the cancer sufferers for whom he raises funds. How? He never runs solely relying on his own strength. He is empowered by the community supporting him. His dedication to them leaves him no choice. When he's running, Tony rarely thinks beyond the next step.
 
Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1.  We are all going to die that’s why we have to live.
2. Focus on who you are not what you are.
3.  Live everyday as it’s your last one.

Panel Notes:
Joe Desena: Tony the Fridge was the first interview I did that got me to cry. His story, energy, and reason for doing what he does is pretty incredible.

Col. Nye:  Leadership through demonstration. Grit personified. The measure of a man is not what you’ve earned but what you've achieved for the greater good.  Tony provides strength and hope for the physically challenged.  He’s an epic storyteller, whose deeds demand our respect.
 
Sefra Alexandra: Some burdens are forced upon us; some burdens are chosen. The amazing spirit of Tony the Fridge inspires us all to pick up some extra weight around the world on some heavy matters.

Johnny Waite: Never think about the finish line -- it will kill you. Don't worry about how many steps ahead or behind. Can I take this step? Yes! You can do anything -- you just need a big enough reason. When you are committing to something, don't talk with anyone who will try to discourage you.

How does Jeff Clarke, the new CEO of Kodak Film, propose to take a company that the digital age has rendered bankrupt back into prominence? He has a few tricks up his sleeve. If you ask him, analogue film, much like vinyl records in the music industry, is an art form that is bound to make a comeback. Furthermore, film has spurred many cutting edge technologies with exciting possibilities for everything from healthcare to smell free clothing. Clarke tells us why he welcomes the challenge.

 
Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1. Spartan values and philosophies are valuable in work and life.
2. Maintaining a healthy diet and an active lifestyle helps the mind process clearly at work.
3. As a leader it is important to take time to mentor employees and monitor their wellness by supporting the importance of living a balanced life.

Panel Notes:
Joe Desena: What kind of a guy, one who is already wealthy and a great family man, takes on the task of rebuilding one of the world’s if not the world’s greatest iconic brand, Kodak? He is basically done in life:  He has all he needs living in California with a wonderful family and decides this is going to be awesome, “I am going to help revive and save one of the world's greatest brands.”
 
Col. Nye: Adaptation is crucial; individuals and corporations cannot remain stagnant. Environments change; goals change; technology changes. Competitors recognize and leverage change to their advantage.

Sefra Alexandra: A true leader and proprietor of obstacle immunity is a successful CEO that consistently throws himself into difficult situations with faith in his role as a mentor/ leader and belief in the Phoenix model of resurrecting businesses such as the iconic Kodak.

Johnny Waite: You always need to push limits and look for new opportunities. Kodak was enormously successful but rejected opportunity to grow by clinging to old way of being. You cannot be afraid to grow and evolve. Staying physically active keeps you mentally sharp. Always find a way to workout, especially when you are just out of your normal routine/element.

Zach Even Esh, body builder, strength coach and author, built success out of the raw material of failure. His self belief carried him through the rough patches of a startup wrestling camp that he ran out of his garage. It took him a year to even make a dime. But he would tap into the energy of the small successes to build momentum, in his eyes a crucial component of making it, and that propelled him past the disappointments. In the process, his mental grit became the equal of his physical grit.

 
Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1.  On the road to success, pay attention to the unsuccessful stuff.  These experiences will help you.
2.  Don’t let circumstances boss you around.
3.  Wake up early!
4.  When the going gets tough, get creative.
5.  Build on momentum.

Panel Notes:
Joe Desena: Zach is the man. It’s rare to find someone that cares so much about helping people. He's an educator, a trainer, a businessman and a family man.  Zach’s a really awesome guy who opens up his life to anyone looking to be better.

Col. Nye:  Emotional pain can be a great motivator. That bad taste in your mouth is failure. Spit it out. Circumstance, you’re not the boss of me. Rise above the average and build upon success. Small victories build and lead to success.

Sefra Alexandra: Mike Horn, one of the greatest adventurers and explorers of our time,  posits, “If you are afraid of losing, you can never win.”  Zach epitomizes the entrepreneurial spirit of grit in never surrendering to the myriad of obstacles inherent in starting a business.

Johnny Waite: Success is great but failure is more important. Many of the lessons that lead to success are learned in the unsuccessful times. If you don’t want to be average, stop doing what average people do, like hitting snooze in the morning! Most people give up as soon as "life happens" allowing jobs and kids and injuries to be the lame excuses to stop growing and striving and thriving. Momentum is everything. Get started and keep moving.

Joe banters with the guys from Barbell Shrugged at the Pittsfield Original General Store. Barbell Shrugged, a podcast for all things Crossfit, was Joe's inspiration for the one you're about to watch. The guys chat about everything from the future of Spartan Race to what life would be like if Joe were king. (Hint: not too easy.) Is Joe heading to a counterculture rave in the desert? Joe is hosting a cruise this spring. What gives? Is he finally going soft? Find out the fascinating answers in this podcast!
 
Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1. You grow by pushing your limits until you level out into complacency, and then pushing on to the next limit.
2. If you want to change the world, first you must make your bed (i.e., take the first small step).
3. If everyone thinks you're strange, take heart. It may just mean you're years ahead of your time.


Panel Notes:
Joe Desena: These boys from down south are good ol’ boys, but don't let the accent fool you. They are fluxing smart. They know their shix when it comes to business, health and wellness, and I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

Col. Nye: Build on small successes.Small successes can lead to a larger goal.  Sometimes the goal is unknown or undefined but movement and effort will help bring it into focus. Don't be afraid of the future.

Sefra Alexandra: These guys are awesome and so inspiring that when they came through Joe’s Gulch of Pittsfield, Vermont, Spartan Up! The Podcast was born.

Ben Greenfield, triathlete, Spartan Racer, fitness guru, father and author of Beyond Training is equally driven by his passions as well as his family. The whole idea, he says, is to remember the important things in life. To achieve that balance, instead of forgoing one thing or another, he combines both. His family stays together while they play together. It started when he began running triathlons together with his wife eight years ago, and continues to this day even if it means doing hill sprints with a toddler on his back.

 
Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1. It’s okay to push the limits in life.  But be when your activities take you away from your family, friends, relationships, love, etc., you have gone too far.
2. The best way to stay active and motivated is to sign up for something – 5K, Spartan Race, etc.
3. Expose your kids at a young age to fitness and an active lifestyle.

Panel Notes:
Joe Desena: Ben Greenfield is the ultimate body hack. He is always experimenting and trying to find ways to do it faster while requiring less work, and at the same time he’s an incredibly smart and thoughtful guy. As I was interviewing him I kept thinking,  “I need to meet his parents. I need to find out how they forged him.”

Col. Nye:  He’s a renaissance athlete, tennis player and a body builder turned triathlete with an admirable philosophy of balancing fitness with family.  Don’t be an “Invisible Athlete.” Teach, mold, lead the next generation through your actions and lifestyle.
 
Sefra Alexandra: When you build a community around your training you have the opportunity to maximize the work-play-life ethos. Ben brilliantly involves his wife and children creating a baseline of physicality and togetherness in his family’s ecology. Interested in increasing your situational awareness, your wilderness skills know-how and having the most fun possible with your family/ community or on solo adventures? See if one of these schools are near you: http://wildernessawareness.org/associates/usa/

Johnny Waite: When is it too much? When it becomes more important to you than the things that actually are important. Train with your kids, not invisibly. Let them learn the lifestyle by is osmosis. Stand as much as possible and sit as little! Sign up for something -- you always need something just ahead on your calendar.

Like a Rocky of Brazilian Jujitsu, Ricardo Migliarse harnessed the brutality of the mean streets of South Philly to his advantage. He learned to stand up to the daily harassment of bullies and transformed that raw toughness into something that could help others. He followed his brother into jujitsu and quickly rose to be a top competitor. In the process, he discovered that the truly tough people in life aren't the ones with the chips on their shoulders. Ricardo describes what it takes to be a champion.
 
Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com

Lessons:
1. Establishing a work ethic early in life is important.
2. Surround yourself with positive people and become a part of a supportive community.
3. There are no excuses for not making time for fitness and good health.
4. Life is all about the basics.
5. Life is about constantly growing and learning regardless of your accomplishments.
6. Mission: To reach out to children and young adults and get them off the streets and into the gym as a way to teach them a lifestyle of discipline, hard work and education.

Panel Notes:
Joe Desena:  This guy will twist you into a pretzel in about 5 seconds. I showed up at his house and he is doing pull-ups from a tree out front. He does an insane number of pull-ups each day. I love that his road to becoming humble started by punching someone in the face.

Col. Nye:  He learned the importance of delayed gratification early in life,  a crystallizing moment that shaped his future and his philosophy.  “I will no longer be bullied or be a target.” Ricardo evolved from victim to fighter to teacher and took the positives from his surroundings.

Sefra Alexandra: When you see your surrounding landscape through a Mowgli lens, the trees become jungle gyms and the urban landscape your training grounds. Regardless of where you live there are inspirations, motivations and tools to help you grow stronger and more resilient.

Johnny Waite: Don't be defined by anyone but yourself! Be around motivated people. This will cause you to dive right in or drop right out. Do things for others and not just yourself. It will always lead to more. Stay busy and you will stay sharp. Everything in life is a fight. Put in the training and you will be ready.

Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com/

Nicole Deboom is the epitome of "following your passion." Her triathlon passion transformed her life. It was how she met her husband who was the inspiration for her endeavors. It also led her to the epiphany that gave birth to a pioneering running skirt business and inspired her when she needed a winning approach to success. Even with limited experience, she found a nontraditional approach that thrived. Despite naysayers, her first victory in a triathlon launched an athletic apparel revolution.  

Lessons:
1.  Entrepreneurs must have 100% belief in their ideas or they won’t make it.
2.  Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
3.  To be successful, break down long runs into short achievable gains.
 
Panel Notes:
Joe Desena: Nicole is awesome. I love the fact that she met me so early in the morning, is a mom, an entrepreneur and an endurance athlete who wins Ironmans. It’s very rare to see the complete package when studying success, but she has it.

Col. Nye: Party girl turned professional, entrepreneur.  The point is, inspiration can be found anywhere at anytime.  All things are possible with passion, belief in yourself, focus, vision, and a strong support system.

Sefra Alexandra: When you approach life with a “problem is the solution” or “every obstacle may be overcome” mentality, then creative ways that increase productivity and efficiency bubble to the surface. Nicole brilliantly identified the niche of sport skirts.  What area of life can you help design and streamline?

Johnny Waite: She knew she had "it" in her, just not for triathlon. It's important to find what your "it" is! Pick one thing to focus on until you get it dialed in. Don't spread yourself thin.
Success takes longer and costs more than you expect. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable and take an "aid station to aid station" approach rather than worrying about the finish line.

Searchable Terms: Nicole Deboom, entrepreneurship, women entrepreneurs, triathlon, skirt sports, running, running skirts, business plans, running epiphanies


Watch the video episode at http://spartanuppodcast.com/