Turning Your Passion Into Your Profession

The relentless pursuit of pleasure always leads to pain. As the world evolves from one of scarcity to overabundance, we increasingly orient our lives around the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain—an instinct that has produced a myriad of unprecedented types of addiction, and consequently, the pain we so desperately seek to avoid. To better understand this conundrum, I’m joined today by one of the world’s leading authorities on the neuroscience of addiction, Anna Lembke, MD. If that name sounds familiar, it’s likely due to her on screen presence in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma—a must-watch for anyone with a smartphone. Anna is a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. She is widely published, has testified before Congress, and has authored two important books, Drug Dealer MD and her newest work, Dopamine Nation—a powerful primer on compulsive overconsumption in a world where feeling good has become confused with the highest good. This is an important and impactful conversation that explores: The nature, psychology, and neuroscience of addiction; the explosion in addiction in lockstep with technological advances; the opioid crisis & the fascinating history behind how we think about and treat pain; recovery protocols from 12-step & the latest science on psychedelic treatments; and how to manage & avoid addiction. To read more click here. You can also watch listen to our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Whip-smart and radically empathetic. I can’t underestimate the importance of Dr. Lembke’s work, and this conversation is a must listen for any and all who suffer from some form of addictive compulsivity, or know someone who does (which is pretty much everyone). Enjoy! Peace + Plants, Rich

23 Aug 20212h 24min

Melting ice caps. Raging wildfires. Record-breaking heat waves. The climate crisis is here, and we’re not doing enough about it. Suffice to say, no wonder Greta Thunberg is so pissed off. Aside from discussing burgeoning climate disasters, in today’s edition of ‘Roll On’ Adam Skolnick and I pontificate on the positives and pitfalls of perfectionism, arctic swimming, laundry done right and more, all rounded out with a cameo from renowned yoga instructor, endurance coach, and friend Ted McDonald. For those new to this segment of the podcast, aside from being my bi-weekly sidekick hype beast, Adam Skolnick is a waterman, writer, 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. Other topics covered in this episode include: lessons on productivity & workflow learned after Rich’s trip to Telluride; endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh’s 10km swim around Greenland; the chaos ensuing in Afghanistan & the arrogance and destruction of imperialism;  takeaways from The International Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) recent climate report; and why sustainable land management, regenerative agriculture, and reforestation are critical to saving the planet. In addition, we answer the following questions: What do you do when your self-care routine starts to feel stale? How do you find the right coach when training for an endurance race? As an athlete, how important is it to maintain a yoga practice? Thank you to Nate from Colorado and Heidi from Northern California for your questions, and Ted McDonald for your help answering them—including one of my own. If you want your query discussed, drop it on our Facebook Page or better yet leave a voicemail at (424) 235-4626. The visually inclined can watch our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Peace + Plants, Rich Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19 Aug 20212h 29min

What if I told you that there was a Russian millionaire who wants to help you live to be 150-years-old? This isn’t science fiction—it’s ‘immortality science’. It’s the science of lifespan extension. The science of what today’s guest calls growing young. Meet Sergey Young, the exceedingly bright and optimistic chemical engineer turned investment banker turned venture capitalist committed to not only funding cutting-edge lifespan extension breakthroughs but also ensuring that such advancements are affordable and accessible to all. Named one of the Top 100 Longevity Leaders in the world, Sergey is an XPRIZE Foundation Board Member, the founder of the $100M Longevity Vision Fund, and a development sponsor of the Age Reversal XPRIZE, which is a global competition designed to find a cure for aging. Yes, you read that right—a cure. He’s also the author of the new book hitting shelves everywhere August 24, 2021 (and now available for pre-order) entitled, The Science And Technology Of Growing Young, which is a fascinating demystification of the longevity landscape, a primer on the science and technology developments aimed at healthspan enhancement, and a practical guidebook outlining the many things we all can and should be doing now to live vibrantly to 100 and beyond. Today we run the gamut on longevity, including near and long-term science & technological advancements like the advent of bio-tracking wearables, body digitization, and the role of artificial intelligence in revolutionizing medical diagnostics and early disease detection. We also cast a future gaze into the insanely wild far horizon of age-reversal science, digital avatars, telexistence, 3-D organ printing, and AI-brain integration. Pivoting to the immediately practical, we also converse about the many things we can and should all be doing now to extend not just our lifespan, but our healthspan—things like eating a plant-based diet, prioritizing exercise, sleep, relationships, and spending time in nature. But the most interesting aspects of this exchange are the moral and philosophical dilemmas that surface in the conversation around human lifespan extension—and the urgency with which we need to be thinking very deeply about the many profound implications of these advancements. Brilliant, charming, and quite funny, it’s an honor to share Sergey’s wisdom with you today. Break out the pen and notepad. You’re going to want to take notes on this one. To read more click here. You can also watch listen to our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Enjoy! Peace + Plants, Rich

16 Aug 20211h 58min

We live in the most prosperous nation on Earth—and yet we’ve never been more unhealthy. 70% of Americans are obese or overweight. By 2030, 50% of Americans will be diabetic or pre-diabetic. Not only is chronic illness is killing us, it's bankrupting our economy. It’s insanity—and a reality that today’s guest lived, transmuted, and has committed his life to changing. Meet New York City’s next mayor, Eric Adams. At age 54, Eric woke up unable to read his alarm clock. Concerned about his vision and numbness in his extremities, he reluctantly went to the doctor, who delivered a grim diagnosis of advanced Type II diabetes. Progressive eyesight loss was inevitable. His nerve damage was leading him on a path to amputation. Going on a battery of medications for the rest of his life was a given. Refusing to believe his fate was sealed, Eric decided instead to take matters into his own hands. Rather than googling ‘living with diabetes‘, instead he searched ‘reversing diabetes’. What he found was a plethora of support, science, and experts—many of which have appeared on this show—that inspired him to ditch his lifelong allegiance to the standard American diet in favor of a whole food plant-based diet. Within weeks of this nutritional shift and without any medication whatsoever, Eric’s symptoms subsided and his diabetes indeed reversed. His vision returned. His nerves repaired themselves. In the months that followed, he lowered his cholesterol by 30 points. He dropped 35 pounds. And a new lease on life was signed. Now five years hence, Eric is the fittest he’s ever been. His remarkable transformation inspired him to create radical initiatives as Brooklyn Borough President to improve the nutrition, health, and lives of New Yorkers and beyond. A commitment he’s adamant about expanding as New York’s next mayor. Those who have followed this mayoral race closely know it’s been focused on one issue: law and order. Under-reported is Eric's incredible commitment to revolutionizing health policy, the direct result of his very personal experience with chronic lifestyle disease. So today we dive into Eric’s remarkable journey from ill to well, and the purpose-driven mission it has birthed within him to revolutionize health not just in NYC, but across America. I suspect you will end this exchange wanting to know more, in which case you should check out Eric’s book, Healthy At Last: A Plant-Based Approach to Preventing and Reversing Diabetes and Other Chronic Illnesses. I appreciate Eric for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk to me. We only had a tight hour—but we really made the most of it. To read more click here. You can also watch listen to our exchange on YouTube (audio only—we didn’t film this one). And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Enjoy! Peace + Plants, Rich

9 Aug 20211h 13min

We love to celebrate Olympians as superheroes. It’s important to remember they are human beings. In today’s episode of the podcast, Adam Skolnick and I trade thoughts on Tokyo 2020, great white shark sightings, kaatsu training and more. For those new to the show, Adam Skolnick is a waterman, writer, 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. Topics covered in this episode  include: Adam’s close encounter with a great white shark; endurance swimmer Lewis Pugh and the massive melting event in Greenland; Robbie Balenger’s Colorado Crush challenge; Timothy Olson’s recent FKT on the Pacific Crest Trail; Simone Biles’ choice to scratch Olympic events & the ensuing conversation around mental health and elite athleticism’ was Russia ‘actually’ banned from the Olympics?; and a look at blood flow restriction & ultra-short race-pace training;  In addition, we answer the following listener questions: What does it mean to ‘do the work’? What are Rich & Adam’s top five bands and albums? How do you set realistic physical goals as you age? Thank you to Justin from Minnesota, Jess from Illinois, and Bev from Denver 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 our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Peace + Plants, Rich

5 Aug 20212h 11min

We tend to think of high-performance athletes as superhuman—a rare species with extraordinary strength and a preternatural ability to suffer. But if you ask today’s guest what distinguishes the elite athlete and everyone else, she’ll say nothing. For her, the secret to high-level performance isn’t about cutting edge training plans, coaches, or carefully honed nutrition. For her, it’s instead found in seeking out and celebrating the pain cave, that deep place of physical discomfort most go to great lengths to avoid. Meet Courtney Dauwalter, the world’s best female ultrarunner—and when it comes to races 200 miles and longer—arguably the best period. A humble mater of grit and boundary-busting physical prowess, Courtney is universally loved and admired for her winning smile, mental fortitude and intuitive training style (she doesn’t even have a coach). In addition to being named one of the 50 Fittest Athletes in the World by Sports Illustrated and a two-time Ultrarunner of the Year, among her countless accomplishments, Courtney: won the 2017 Moab 240 (including beating all the men) by an astonishing 10 hour margin; won the 2020 Big Dog Backyard Ultra by clocking 283 miles (again beating all the men); won the women’s division of 2018 The Western States 100; broke the Tahoe 200 female course record in 2018 by 18+ hours; and was the fastest female at the 2019 UTMB, considered the world’s most prestigious ultra Not bad for an athlete who didn’t even begin her professional running career until she was 32 years old. The thing about Courtney is that she lives in the moment. She’s a doer. She doesn’t overthink things. She trains on feel, eats what she wants, and does it all with joy and a laudable degree of humility and perspective. But behind it all is a very intentional human—an athlete of unparalleled mental fortitude with the drive required to test the very limits of human capability. Today we get into all of it. Courtney shares the mindset techniques and tactics that have propelled her superhuman accomplishments. She shares her perspective on career longevity. Her evolution as an athlete. How she approaches unlocking unprecedented performance. And the purpose that lives beneath it all. But if you extract anything from this conversation, may it be the importance of having fun. Why taking things lightly is strength and not a weakness. When you reframe pain as a destination rather than an obstacle, truly anything is possible. To read more click here. You can also watch our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. An athlete I’ve admired for many years, I aspire to Courtney’s unique blend of grit and joy. Yes, she is a badass. But she’s also a good sport. A better human. And an absolutely delightful hang. Enjoy! Peace + Plants, Rich Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2 Aug 20211h 46min

Imagine a day when alternative protein is no longer alternative. Welcome to the moonshot for meatless meat. When it comes to meat, the news is both good and bad. On the one hand, alternative protein innovation is at an all-time high, with ever more options stocked at grocery stores across the country. However, despite the cultural ascension and mainstreaming of all things vegan & plant-based, the unfortunate reality is that globally, meat consumption is actually the highest it’s ever been. And according to the UN, global meat production is projected to double by 2050. So what gives? To address this conundrum and bring us up to speed on the cultivated and plant-based meat state of affairs, I’m once again joined by my friend & resident expert on all things meatless meat, Bruce Friedrich—returning for his third appearance on the show (catch RRP 286 & 402 if you missed them). Graduating magna cum laude from Georgetown Law with additional graduate degrees from Johns Hopkins and the London School of Economics, Bruce is the founder & president of The Good Food Institute, an international non-profit focused on facilitating the reimagination of meat production. He is also a TED Fellow, a Y Combinator alumnus, and a popular food innovation speaker at places like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, and MIT. Bruce has been profiled in The New York Times and many other prominent outlets and has penned op-eds for The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, Wired, and many other publications. Today we pick up where we left off almost three years ago to assess the current state of the union on all things alternative protein. We discuss advances in both plant-based and cultivated meat. We review how the latest technological breakthroughs in fermentation, 3D printing and funghi (or mycoprotein) harvesting are changing the game. And we cover the political and regulatory landscape that frames the alternative protein movement—and the policy changes we need to realize a better food system for all. In addition we discuss the many problems solved by a global pivot to alternative proteins—including zoonotic disease, greenhouse gas emissions, resource reduction, and animal suffering. Overall, this is an optimistic forecast of food system innovation—how technology, urgency, and popular demand are rapidly converging to create healthy, sustainable, and compassionate solutions to help solve our current food, health, and environmental crises. To read more click here. You can also watch our exchange on YouTube. And as always, the podcast streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. As you will soon discover, Bruce is super smart. This episode is our smartest yet. Enjoy! Peace + Plants, Rich

26 Juli 20212h 4min

Insane feats of endurance. Space-traveling billionaires. Dystopian musical comedy specials. Record-breaking freediving depths. And of course, UFOs. Today is a little bit of everything, all of the time. Welcome to another edition of ‘Roll On’, wherein myself and my podcast co-pilot Adam Skolnick break bread on matters high-minded and mildly entertaining. For those new to the show, ‘Roll On’ is about stories that deserve a brighter spotlight, buttressed with a bit of show and tell, wins of the week, and rounded out with answers to questions posed on our voicemail, which you can ring up at (424) 235-4626. 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. Some of the many topics covered today include: Richard Branson’s successful spaceflight and the billionaire race to space; the Pentagon’s efforts to de-stigmatize reporting UFO sightings and their recent release of unclassified reports on aerial phenomena; Our summer must-watch list; Robbie Balenger’s Colorado Crush & Timothy Olson’s PCT FKT attempt; Lachlan Morton’s Alt-Tour; a 2021 Tour de France wrap-up; and Vertical Blue freediving records In addition, we answer the following listener questions: How do you adjust to post-pandemic parenting? How do you create a healthier body image? Will there be future RRP gatherings and events? Thank you to Eric from South Bend, Zach from West Virginia, and Chris from Rockland, California 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. FULL BLOG & SHOW NOTES: bit.ly/richroll616 YouTube: bit.ly/rollon616 Peace + Plants, Rich

22 Juli 20212h 46min