288. Koa Smith: You're Facing Your Fear the Wrong Way. A Top Big-Wave Surfer's Method

You think some people are just born without fear, but my guest Koa Smith has spent 15 years paddling into waves big enough to kill him, and he'll tell you the opposite: fear never leaves, the whole game is what you do when it shows up. After a reef injury knocked him unconscious underwater and left him eight months numb, depressed, and unable to get a straight answer from a doctor, he clawed his way back with forest time, breathwork, meditation, clean food, and real sleep instead of a prescription. This isn't really a surfing video, it's about the same fear that keeps you from a hard conversation, a new business, or a decision you've been avoiding, and how getting clear lets you finally see through it. CLICK HERE TO BECOME GARY’S VIP!: https://bit.ly/4ai0Xwg Connect with Koa Smith Website: https://bit.ly/4pwKtZ0 YouTube: https://bit.ly/4gJxZLf Instagram: https://bit.ly/3RoFYTt Facebook: https://bit.ly/3TJhk0C TikTok: https://bit.ly/45eUzUQ Thank you to our partners A-GAME: “ULTIMATE15” FOR 15% OFF: http://bit.ly/4kek1ij AION: “ULTIMATE10” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4h6KHAD AIRES: "ULTIMATE20 " FOR 20% OFF: https://bit.ly/4a3Duze BAJA GOLD: "ULTIMATE10" FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/3WSBqUa BODYHEALTH: “ULTIMATE20” FOR 20% OFF: http://bit.ly/4e5IjsV COLD LIFE: THE ULTIMATE HUMAN PLUNGE: https://bit.ly/4eULUKp CYMBIOTIKA: "ULTIMATE10" FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4tjyluP GENETIC METHYLATION TEST (UK ONLY): https://bit.ly/48QJJrk GENETIC TEST (USA ONLY): ⁠https://bit.ly/3Yg1Uk9 GOPUFF: GET YOUR FAVORITE SNACK!: https://bit.ly/4obIFDC H2TAB: “ULTIMATE10” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4hMNdgg HEALF: 10% OFF YOUR ORDER: https://bit.ly/41HJg6S PEPTUAL: “TUH10” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4mKxgcn SNOOZE: LET’S GET TO SLEEP!: https://bit.ly/4pt1T6V WHOOP: JOIN & GET 1 FREE MONTH!: https://bit.ly/3VQ0nzW Watch the “Ultimate Human Podcast” every Tuesday & Thursday at 9AM EST: YouTube: https://bit.ly/3RPQYX8 Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RQftU0 Connect with Gary Brecka Instagram: https://bit.ly/3RPpnFs TikTok: https://bit.ly/4coJ8foX: https://bit.ly/3Opc8tf Facebook: https://bit.ly/464VA1H LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4hH7Ri2 Website: https://bit.ly/4eLDbdU Merch: https://bit.ly/4aBpOM1 Newsletter: https://bit.ly/47ejrws Ask Gary: https://bit.ly/3PEAJuG Timestamps 00:00 - Intro of Show 01:16 - Meet Koa Smith: surfer and abundance advocate 03:44 - Learning to manage the fear of the ocean 06:23 - Feeling good as the key to seeing through fear 07:33 - Wim Hof breathing, ice baths, and the early days 08:51 - Transcendental and Joe Dispenza meditation 10:02 - What meditation actually is (and busy minds) 11:57 - Surfacing buried memories and energetic blockages 13:45 - Learning to hear your own voice 16:37 - The traumatic brain injury on the reef 17:15 - Waking up underwater to violin music 21:07 - Depression, double vision, and numbness set in 22:23 - Doctors refuse the brain scan 23:18 - Forest bathing as the number one tool 25:00 - Slippery thoughts and the darkest moment 26:16 - Antidepressants vs. his gut instinct 27:06 - Fantastic Fungi and the mushroom decision 33:00 - The forest experience and its instructions 37:17 - The reset that healed the injury 46:26 - Why meditation beats going deeper too often 48:01 - Pear-xanthine and getting off stimulants 52:16 - Building the cafe and drink brands 56:32 - Where to find Koa 58:03 - What it means to be an ultimate human Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and does not provide medical advice. It is not intended for diagnosing or treating any health condition. Always consult a licensed healthcare professional before making health or wellness decisions. Gary Brecka is the owner of Ultimate Human, LLC which operates The Ultimate Human podcast and promotes certain third-party products used by Gary Brecka in his personal health and wellness protocols and daily life and for which Ultimate Human LLC and / or Gary Brecka directly or indirectly holds an economic interest or receives compensation. Accordingly, statements made by Gary Brecka and others (including on The Ultimate Human podcast) may be considered promotional in nature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices