#9 - David Wild: Is It Possible to Perform at the Top and Maintain Balance?

Welcome back! My guest today is David Wild. David is a triathlete with a wide range of experiences under his belt, including a past life teaching high school math in Hawaii. You can find out more on his website wildtriathlete.com. We start out by questioning whether willpower is teachable and how to improve it through practice and setting specific goals. We then talk about our experiences in the Captex triathlon and the different types of challenges faced during the race. It was my first one, so the challenges were quite varied. David shares his journey in triathlons, from his first race with his dad to qualifying for the Ironman World Championships. He reflects on the importance of being present and having contingency plans in triathlon. He discusses his shift towards engaging with different clubs and groups in Austin, emphasizing the importance of community and meeting like-minded people. He highlights the motivation that comes from being in an environment with others who are pursuing similar goals. We also explore the role of environment and routine in building willpower, as well as the impact of food and alcohol on motivation and overall well-being. In his experience as a high school math teacher, David reflects on the various factors that motivate students, including competition, family influence, and positive reinforcement. In this final part of our conversation, we discuss the importance of embracing failure and making mistakes in order to grow. We also talk about the joy of solving puzzles and the different aspects of math that can be appealing to different people. I used to be a math kid in high school, so I highly relate to David's love for it. We end off by exploring the concept of a dream life and the balance between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation. David touches on the importance of being present and finding simple joys in life.

00:00 Introduction and Overview 01:07 The Teachability of Willpower 04:20 Challenges and Lessons from the Captex Triathlon 10:08 The Journey of a Triathlete 20:46 The Importance of Being Present in Triathlons 33:00 Planning and Contingency Plans in Triathlons 41:15 The Power of Community and Like-Minded Individuals 47:33 The Role of Environment and Routine in Building Willpower 55:38 The Impact of Food and Alcohol on Motivation 01:13:51 Motivating High School Students: Competition, Family, and Positive Reinforcement 01:19:49 Challenging Negative Perceptions and Stereotypes in Learning 01:21:02 Embracing Failure and Making Mistakes 01:22:15 The Joy of Solving Math Puzzles 01:28:15 Creating a Dream Life 01:31:53 Balancing Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation 01:44:41 Finding Joy in Simple Activities