The Rich Roll Podcast - James & Claudia Altucher Choose Themselves: Musings On Relationships, The Power of Vulnerability & Creating Success Doing What You Love

James & Claudia Altucher Choose Themselves: Musings On Relationships, The Power of Vulnerability & Creating Success Doing What You Love

08/06/15 • 120 min

I'm so intimidated.

This week Julie and I are joined by the dynamic duo of the Choose Yourself era themselves, James and Claudia Altucher — a prolific couple changing the world with insights that are empowering millions to live more dynamic, authentic lives.

When someone fires off a long list of occupations in conversation, my instinct tells me that person probably isn't great at any of them. James is not that guy. Abundant in talent. A true polymath with just the right amount of self-deprecation and pitch perfect comedic timing. Blogger, bestselling author, podcaster, public speaker, investor, entrepreneur, columnist, and humorist, he seemingly does it all.

Oh yeah, he's also a nationally ranked chess master.

James had made millions, lost millions and made millions again. Maybe he'll lose it again. I don't know. He’s started and run something like 20 companies. Then there's a slew of venture capital, hedge, angel and sundry other funds he ran. Maybe he still runs them. I don't know that either. In fact, I don't understand any of it.

James' Altucher Confidential is one of the most widely read blogs on the internet, amassing over 15 million readers since its 2010 inception.

The James Altucher Show debuted as the #1 podcast on all of iTunes last year.

I think he's written 13 books. It could be 16. I can't keep track. He writes faster than I can read.

My favorite is the Wall Street Journal Best Seller Choose Yourself. A primer for anyone seeking firmer control of destiny, it's a prescient and highly entertaining look at how new and unprecedented tools, technology and economic forces have suddenly emerged to make it possible for individuals to create art, careers, success, fulfillment and change the world without permission from the gatekeepers of yore.

When you finish that book, then read The Power of No — also a Wall Street Journal Best Seller. Two things you need to know about this book: (1) it's really great; and (2) learning how and when to say no is, like, really important.

Wait, there's a third thing: it was co-authored by James' wife Claudia.

In many ways James' perfect match, the Argentinian-born Claudia is also a widely acclaimed multi-hyphenate. Writer, podcaster and yoga aficionado, she has written or co-written three books, including the recently released Become An Idea Machine. You can find her Yoga Podcast on iTunes and read her musings at ClaudiaYoga.com. But I don't know how much longer she can keep this up because any day now she's going to be named the new CEO of Twitter.

Am I joking? Read this and you tell me.

I had James on my podcast a while ago. Then I did his podcast. Then Julie did Claudia's podcast. They fell in love. I was already in love with James.

The only thing? None of us had ever met in person. Until now.

Wonder twin powers activate!

I'm not sure whose podcast we did. We just hit record and started freestyling. I thought we were interviewing James and Claudia but now I think I have it all backwards.

Enjoy!

Rich

I'm so intimidated.

Oh yeah, he's also a nationally ranked chess master.

James' Altucher Confidential is one of the most widely read blogs on the internet, amassing over 15 million readers since its 2010 inception.

The James Altucher Show debuted as the #1 podcast on all of iTunes last year.

I think he's written 13 books. It could be 16. I can't keep track. He writes faster than I can read.

Wait, there's a third thing: it was co-authored by James' wife Claudia.

Am I joking? Read this and you tell me.

I had James on my podcast a while ago. Then I did his podcast. Then Julie did Claudia's podcast. They fell in love. I was already in love with James.

The only thing? None of us had ever met in person. Until now.

Wonder twin powers activate!

I'm not sure whose podcast we did. We just hit record and started freestyling. I thought we were interviewing James and Claudia but now I think I have it all backwards.

Enjoy!

Rich

Previous Episode

How Chef Seamus Mullen Leveraged Holistic Lifestyle Medicine To Heal Himself

Imagine yourself so debilitated by a battery of chronic ailments you can barely get out of bed. Merely walking down a simple flight of stairs or lifting a a book is excruciating. Knife-like pains cause you to scream so loudly, your neighbor calls 911. Then one day you collapse at work and awake in the hospital to discover you have suffered 36 embolisms that are filling your lungs with blood so quickly, drowning is a very real possibility.

Now imagine yourself a couple years later in a tropical jungle competing in La Ruta Del Conquistadores. Widely considered one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet, La Ruta is a 3-day, 161-mile mountain bike race with over 29,000 feet of climbing that traverses Costa Rica from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea.

This is the incredible arc of today's guest, Seamus Mullen.

An award-winning New York City chef, restaurateur and cookbook author known for his inventive yet approachable Spanish cuisine, Seamus is the proprietor of several restaurants, including Tertulia (a finalist for the James Beard Foundation Award for “Best New Restaurant”), El Colmado, a Spanish tapas and wine bar at Gotham West Market, and Sea Containers at Mondrian London.

A semi-finalist for Best Chef NYC by the James Beard Foundation 3 years in a row, Seamus was also one of 3 finalists on the Food Network’s The Next Iron Chef. He frequents the popular Food Network series Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay as a featured judge and is a recurring guest on programs such as The Today Show, The Martha Stewart Show, and CBS This Morning.

But the important things in life snapped into focus for Seamus in 2007 when he was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that precipitated a near death experience and quite literally brought him to his knees.

A once avid cyclist who raced competitively in his twenties, Seamus suddenly found himself unable to properly function.

Pedal a bike? A pipe dream.

Seamus was faced with a choice. Either live out the remainder of his days with unbearable suffering, or take matters into his own hands. He chose the latter.

It wasn't easy. And it wasn't overnight. But by making a decision to make wellness his number one priority; by harnessing the power of holistic, functional medicine; and by rebooting his lifestyle wholesale, Seamus Mullen ultimately healed himself.

By virtue of working with people like lifestyle architect Ari Meisel and functional medicine doctor and RRP alumnus Frank Lipman (click here to listen to my podcast with Frank), Seamus can now add wellness advocate and authority to his already impressive resume. And when he's not racing his bike across Costa Rica, he's pedaling for charity or lost on one of his many cycling and motorcycle adventures exploring remote parts of the planet.

Seamus has shared his amazing story of renewal with major publications like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and through his bi-monthly column in Men’s Journal. He is currently making a documentary about his journey called Back on the Bike.

Seamus is a great guy and we had a fantastic conversation that explores all the aforementioned topics and then some, including:

the importance of healthy school lunch programs

the story behind his Rheumatoid Arthritis

the failure of traditional RA treatment protocols

symptomatic treatment vs. true healing methodology

his vivid near-death experience

Next Episode

The Iron Cowboy Did It! How James Lawrence Completed 50 Ironmans In 50 States In 50 Days

I'm exploding with excitement about this week's hotly anticipated show.

Today I sit down with James Lawrence — aka The Iron Cowboy — fresh on the heels of completing an absolutely unprecedented and mind-boggling 50 ironman-distance triathlons in 50 states in just 50 days.

I honestly believe this is one of the greatest achievements in the history of (voluntary) human endurance.

For the uninitiated, consider swimming 2.4 miles, pedaling your bike 112 miles and then running a marathon, 26.2 miles. After quickly eating and bathing, you enjoy anywhere from two to four hours of shut eye, usually in the back of a Subaru as it drives through the night to meet dawn in an adjoining state. Then you heave your weary bones up, eat, get dressed and do it all over again. Every single day. 50 days in row, across each and every one of the 50 states — including Hawaii and Alaska — without one single day off.

Just think about that for a moment. Let it sink in.

During James' initial appearance on the podcast (RRP 149) just prior to his 50/50/50 attempt, I went on record here and on various media outlets like Triathlete.com voicing my concern that James just might have aimed a bit too high.

As someone who did 5 ironman-distance triathlons in a row on each of the 5 Hawaiian Islands, I happen to have a little experience in this arena. Admittedly my accomplishments now seem paltry (almost embarrassing) by comparison, the fact remains that I happen to be one of the few people on the planet who can truly understand, appreciate and deeply empathize with the abyss James would inevitably face, battle, endure and be forced to overcome in order to complete his extraordinary journey intact.

I know what it's like to meet unforeseen obstacles that threaten to imperil the mission. I know what it's like to fall asleep on your bike. I know what it's like to have saddle sores so painful you can't sit down. I know what it's like to run through the night, hallucinating. And I know what it's like when that inevitable moment arises and you ask yourself: what am I doing to myself?

But James and his entire family were all in from the get go. To underwrite the endeavor, they even sold their house and put all their earthly possessions in storage. So never for a second did I doubt his level of commitment. I knew he could complete 50 ironman-distance triathlons in 50 states. It was the 50 days part that bent my brain. Certainly he'll have to take at least one day off, right? Maybe two. In my mind, I predicted at least three intermittent rest days.

James, you proved me wrong. You proved the world wrong.

And I couldn’t be happier. Or more proud. It's not just that you did what you said you would do. It's the way you did it. It was your composure. It was you tremendous grace under fire. Your selflessness in service to a greater cause. All fueled by an attitude of gratitude.

On a last minute whim, I decided to show up unannounced in Utah to surprise James, join him on his final marathon jaunt, and witness the conclusion first hand. An experience I will never forget, it was thrilling and emotional to be running just off his shoulder as he crossed his historic finish line, accomplished his goal,

Enjoy!

Rich