The Rich Roll Podcast

Why is creativity vital? What is the nature of culture? And why is pursuing happiness futile?

Today we tackle this terrain and so much more in today’s rendition of ‘Roll On,’ wherein myself and my undefeated podcast co-pilot Adam Skolnick ‘get back’ to our original old school format.

Aside from serving as my magnanimous sidecar hype-beast, Adam Skolnick is an activist and veteran journalist best known as David Goggins’ Can’t Hurt Me, co-author. Adam 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.

Today’s discussion includes the following topics:

• Remembering British photojournalist Tom Stoddart & Australian swimmer Jason Plummer;
• The ascent of Norwegian triathlon dominance;
• The Kyle Rittenhouse and Ahmaud Arbery verdicts;
• Oscar Pistorius’ prison transfer & restorative justice;
• Lawsuits involving Tyson Foods and Impossible Foods;
• Toby Morse’s new children’s book ‘One Life One Chance’; and
• ‘The Beatles: Get Back’ & ‘The Velvet Underground; documentaries

As always, we close things out by taking a few listener questions. Today we answer:

• How do optimize your caloric intake for recovery when intermittent fasting?
• Is happiness something that can realistically be achieved?
• How do you draw a line between people-pleasing and living a life of service?

Thank you to Al from Washington D.C., Kendall from Boulder, Colorado, and Abby from Colorado 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

It’s easy to look at top performers, elite athletes, and those crushing outrageous achievements—and conclude that their success boils down to sheer genetic luck, supreme talent, or unlimited resources.

While success can be significantly influenced by those variables, all things being equal, the difference between those who manifest their aspirations and those who hold themselves back comes down to one distinct element: you guessed it, mindset.

What are the consistent mindsets that allow high-performers to push the boundaries of their physical prowess? How do you create a positive mindset shift amidst a shitty situation? And how do you leverage mindset to achieve your goals?

Throughout the last nine years, I’ve compiled a powerful arsenal of potent, life-altering ideas, perspectives and tools on how to cultivate, embrace, and apply a new and more personally meaningful approach to life. Today I present you with our fourth master class installment, which is a compilation of 11 incredible and unique perspectives on mindset and habit change taken from previous conversations—think of it the crème de la crème of the best and brightest ideas on personal transformation ever shared on this show.

This deep dive anthology is chock full of big truths on fostering a mindset for success, leveraging gratitude to overcome obstacles, the importance of embracing pain, and why discomfort is the price of admission for a meaningful life.

Guests featured in this episode (all hyperlinked to their respective episodes) include:

• Leah Goldstein
• Dr. Andrew Huberman
• Courtney Dauwalter
• David Goggins
• Mel Robbins
• James Clear
• Mirna Valerio
• James & Sunny Lawrence
• Susan David, Ph.D
• Peter Diamandis: Episode Coming 3/14/2022!
• Tommy Rivs

Masterclass Series: Click here to listen to our first deep dive on the microbiome, here for our second on mental health, and here for our third on addiction & recovery.

This is a powerful, and dare I say potentially life-changing gold mine of wisdom. My hope is that it serves as a guide on your journey towards fostering a mindset that will ultimately improve every aspect of your life, and gear you towards a more fulfilling, self-actualized way of moving through the world.

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!

Peace + Plants,

Rich

What’s stopping you from living the life of your dreams?

For many, it’s finances. Family obligations. Demanding careers. You get the picture.

But today’s guest truly believes you can have it all. Meet Harvey Lewis.

For more than 25 years, this Cincinnati-based high school teacher & plant-based running phenomenon has been competing in ultramarathons with relentless consistency, racking up 23 wins across 76 races (and counting). A 5-time member of the USA National 24-hour Team, it’s a journey that has taken him to 101 countries across seven continents. Along the way, he’s toed the line at most of the world’s most prestigious races, including ten Badwater 135 appearances, winning what many consider the globe’s most challenging foot race on two occasions.

In addition to an impressive slew of victories, Harvey is also known for plying his talents to celebrate civil rights history. In 2008, he celebrated Gandhi by retracing his famous 240-mile Salt March—and followed it up in 2009 by running from Selma to Montgomery in honor of MLK. Ever the teacher.

Now 45, you’d suspect Harvey would be slowing down. Instead, he’s found an entirely new gear, collecting breakthrough performances that include not only a second Badwater victory but an absolutely breathtaking win at the 2021 Big Dog’s Backyard Ultra. For the uninitiated, this is a last-person standing format race that entails running a 4-mile loop every hour on the hour until no one’s left. Harvey clocked an astounding, world record-setting 354 miles over an 85 hour period.

354 miles. On essentially no sleep.

Today we cover it all.

We discuss the hows and whys behind Harvey’s training and racing. His commitment to human-powered commuting. The daily run streak that remains unbroken since 2019. And the role his plant-based diet plays in all of it.

Of course, we review his storied accomplishments—from the dirty details behind his backyard ultra breakthrough to becoming the fastest to run from Badwater Basin (the lowest point in North America) to the actual summit of Mt. Whitney (the highest point in the contiguous U.S.). We also talk about his FKT attempt on the Appalachian Trail, how it brought him closer to his father, who crewed the affair, and the documentary Like Harvey Like Son that tells the tale.

In addition, we reconcile Harvey’s life as an elite ultramarathoner with the practicalities of his full-time occupation as a high school teacher—and how the two passions inform each other.

But more than anything, this conversation is about the power of showing up with intention. Making room for the magic that comes with the rigorous, consistent, and patient pursuit of the thing you love. The importance of incremental improvement. And why the ability to push beyond the limits of what you perceive possible rests not in physical talents but instead in training your mindset.

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.

Harvey is a beacon of infectious exuberance. He’s bursting with positivity and joy. He’s the teacher we all wish we had. And an example to us all.

Peace + Plants,

Rich

We are living in a time of upgraded technology and downgraded humans.

Our collective ability to resist distraction and sustain attention is in decline.

Although will power plays a role, this problem is not entirely our fault—it’s the by-product of powerful forces incident to modern life.

Disconnection from nature. Disrupted sleep. Toxic environments. Predatory tech.

What exactly does a focus-less future augur? And what can be done to reclaim our ability to truly concentrate?

Back for his second appearance on the show, our steward for these existential questions is journalist & multiple New York Times bestselling author Johann Hari, who, when confronted with his own deteriorating attention span, dove deep into the individual and systemic solutions to this dispiriting collective trend.

Johann has written for the LA Times, Le Monde, and many other outlets, has two of the most-watched TED Talks, and has been profiled in essentially every prominent media outlet. His books include Chasing The Scream and Lost Connections,, which explores the roots of addiction, and was the subject of our first exchange back on episode #416. But today, he’s here to share big lessons from his latest book, Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention, which is a provoking journey into the forces robbing us of our attention and a look at how we might begin to reclaim our minds, and our lives.

Today’s conversation focuses on the problematic impact of big tech, smartphone addiction and surveillance capitalism on our well-being and that of our children.

We discuss the specific factors contributing to attention decline–from reduced sleep, environmental pollution, and something called the switch/cost effect, to chronic stress, poor nutrition, lack of exercise, and disconnection from others and the natural world.

Beyond the many problems, we, of course, also address solutions—both systemic and individualistic—such that we may recapture our focus and be the best version of ourselves.

Johann is quite the entertaining storyteller, with humor that makes hard truths go down a little easier.

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.

This is a hopeful conversation about how to build a life of greater joy, enhanced personal fulfillment, and focus. My wish is that it serves and enlightens.

Enjoy!

Peace + Plants,

Rich

In today’s episode, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman joins Rich to discuss the science of self-actualization and transcendence.

Scott is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist who has taught at Columbia, Yale, NYU, and Penn. He received his Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Yale, a M. Phil in experimental psychology from the University of Cambridge and a B.S. in psychology and human computer interaction from Carnegie Mellon. He is the founder and director of the Center for the Science of Human Potential and hosts the #1 psychology podcast, The Psychology Podcast. His latest book is entitled Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization.

The video version of this episode is available HERE.

Rich’s new book, Voicing Change, Vol. II is available HERE.

Full show notes & additional information on this episode is available HERE.

Peace + Plants,

Rich