The Rich Roll Podcast

There are professionals. There are Olympians. But rare is the athlete who is so entirely and utterly devoted to sport in mind, body, and soul, that they exceed titles all together. Today I am lucky to host two of these extraordinary individuals: Norsemen Gustav Iden & Kristian Blummenfelt. In an unprecedented period of just 9 months, Kristian was crowned Olympic champion in Tokyo and bagged the fastest Ironman performance ever in his debut. After winning the 2021 70.3 World Champion title, this year Gustav had a spectacular 2022 debut victory at the Ironman World Championships in Kona—a race in which Kristian placed 3rd—emerging from Kristian’s formidable shadow and smashing the overall Kona course record with a blistering 7:40:24. On top of that, he rewrote the marathon course record with a 2:36;15 26.2.  Racing in tandem until the very end, Gustav and Kristian gave mindboggling, paradigm-crushing performances at the 2022 Ironman World Championship this year. It was an unforgettable barnburner of a race,

This is a conversation about the science, neurobiology and use cases for clinical hypnosis with the world’s leading researcher and clinician in the field, Dr. David Spiegel. Dr. Spiegel is the associate chair of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, the director of the Stanford Center on Stress and Health, and has published over 480 journal articles, 170 book chapters, and a whopping 13 books on the subject of hypnosis and related topics. Hypnosis is unfortunately a loaded term, one I admittedly met with skepticism. But as you’ll soon discover, clinical hypnosis, as opposed to ‘stage’ hypnosis, is a genuine and efficacious therapeutic protocol that induces a unique brain state—one that can be leveraged to improve everything from sleep states to high performance. It can be a powerful tool against addiction. And hypnosis has proven efficacious in the alleviation of trauma-related symptoms such as anxiety, chronic pain, and more. In this episode, Dr. Spiegel explains hy

How do you navigate transformation? What does it mean to live with integrity? And why is it important to cultivate intuition? Joining me today to grapple with truths big and small is my in-house spiritual guide, Julie Piatt—aka SriMati. My partner in every definition of the word, Julie excels across an impressive variety of disciplines. She is a serial entrepreneur. She’s the founder and CEO of SriMu, her plant-based cheese enterprise, and soon-to-be empire. She’s a musician. An artist. A designer. A devoted mother to four. Most relevant to today’s conversation, Julie is also a yogi and lifelong, devoted pursuer of spiritual wisdom, which she insightfully practices and instructs by way of her online spiritual community, Water Tiger. In this exchange, Julie shares actionable ways to celebrate your lived experience, amplify your awareness, and elevate your consciousness as we emerge from the pandemic and the multitude of experiences that period wrought. Julie also shares ways to inject entrepreneurship with

Meet François D’Haene. One of the greatest (some say the greatest) ultra-distance trail runners in the world, French superstar François is a former physiotherapist turned winemaker who has collected 36 victories and 51 podiums across some of the most prestigious and challenging races in the world. His palmarès include taking victory at UTMB an astonishing four times, a record only recently matched by Kílian Jornet this year. In 2017, François clocked the fastest-ever traverse of the 210-mile John Muir Trail. And in 2021, he won the Hardrock 100, one of the most difficult trail ultras, breaking the overall record previously held by Jornet. Beyond the glow of ultra superstardom, François keeps things simple—a lifestyle that prioritizes his family as a dad to three. And an approach to sustained excellence that values community, connection, and nature over race results and rewards. It’s this disposition—a rare balance many athletes of his caliber struggle to master—that I find most compelling. And it’s the foc

On Monday, September 26th, Hilaree Nelson—one of the world’s most accomplished ski-mountaineers and adventure athletes—tragically passed away while descending mount Manaslu in Nepal after summiting the 26,781-foot mountain with her partner Jim Morrison. She was 49. Named one of National Geographic’s 2018 Adventurers of the Year, Hilaree was an adventurer at the absolute highest level—a giant who summited, explored & skied some of the most exotic and treacherous mountain ranges on Earth and served as an inspiration, mentor, and role model to many. In tribute to her extraordinary life, this episode is a re-release of our conversation from 2018 (RRP 364). It’s about risk, fear, resilience, potential, and the allure of the outdoors. But mostly, it's about placing yourself outside your comfort zone—and what that can teach us about potential, the preciousness of life, and what it means to be truly alive. Watch on YouTube Original Episode 364 Show Notes Rest In Power, Hilaree. Rich

If you’re someone who actually believes that people don’t change, prepare for a major mindset shift.Meet John McAvoy. Returning for his 2nd appearance on the podcast, John is positive transformation rendered in human form—and his story is one of the most compelling, improbable, inspirational, and cinematic tales you will ever be privileged to hear. The McAvoy name might ring a bell for longtime listeners. He first appeared on the show a little over four years ago on episode #379—a conversation that ranks among the most memorable and impactful in the ten-year history of the show. For those unfamiliar, John is a former high-profile armed robber, one of Britain’s most successful career criminals and most wanted men. His reckoning was delivered in the form of a double life sentence (the 2nd of 2 prison stints) on the notorious Belmarsh high-security wing—a space he shared with extremist cleric Abu Hamza and the 7/7 bombers. To the rational outsider, John’s future was bleak. But a chance encounter with prison

For too long, the growing body of evidence showing that a spiritual practice is associated with better health and wellbeing has been dismissed by stoics and scientists. That is, until now. Welcome to our sixth masterclass episode, where we share big truths from some of my best podcast guests, honing in on a single theme or subject matter. Today we are diving deep on all things spirituality, sharing new perspectives, the latest scientific findings, some concrete and non-secular spiritual practices, and the value that an awakened state of being can add to your daily life. Whether you’re already part of a rich spiritual tradition or someone just beginning to seek a spiritual path, this one’s for you. I sincerely hope that after hearing all these perspectives on spirituality, you find yourself with an open heart, armed with new practices that can elevate your thinking and behavior toward a more spiritual consciousness—and ultimately, a more fulfilled life. If you’ve been inspired, then consider visiting the ful

Meet the masters of resilience. 80’s metal trailblazers: Anvil. For those of you who bristle at the thought of heavy metal, set aside that resistance. Give this one a shot with an open mind and heart. And thank me later—because the story of Anvil—and the filmmaker who captured their tale—is nothing short of remarkable. At 14, Steve ‘Lips’ Kudlow and Robb Reiner made a pact to rock together forever. In 1982 they birthed a highly influential album that would inspire the likes of Anthrax and Metallica—and then proceeded to drop off the map, toiling in obscurity for decades while the bands they impacted rose to superstardom. Then, in 2006, filmmaker (and former Anvil roadie) Sacha Gervasi set out to find out what happened, discovering to his astonishment that 25 years later the band was still making music and remained steadfastly committed to the most impossible of dreams: making it big. Now this is a story, he thought. So Sacha grabbed a small camera crew and proceeded to follow the band as they persevered

Dr. Paul Conti is a graduate of Stanford University School of Medicine. He completed his training at Stanford and Harvard, where he served as Chief Resident. He then served on the medical faculty at Harvard before moving to Portland, Oregon, and founding the Pacific Premiere Group—a clinical practice helping people heal and grow from trauma and other life challenges. Dr. Conti is also the author of Trauma, the Invisible Epidemic: How Trauma Works and How We Can Heal From It, which I feel strongly is required reading for everyone, particularly those of you looking to not only heal from your own trauma, and for anyone desiring to break cycles of generational trauma. This conversation is truly a master class on all things trauma. Dr. Conti begins by defining trauma, and explaining what trauma is and isn’t. We then look at the many ways in which unresolved trauma perniciously manifests in our lives, discuss the various ways in which the medical establishment fails us with respect to mental health, and explore

Welcome to ‘Roll On’, the semi-bi-weekly version of the podcast where Rich Roll & Adam Skolnick indulge in some good-natured banter and ramble on matters of interest across culture, sports, art, literature, politics, self-betterment, and more. Today Rich reflects on what he has learned from his almost 10 years hosting this podcast, plus endurance news, recent episode recaps, streaming selects, listener questions and more. Watch on YouTube Show notes + MORE: bit.ly/richroll704 Newsletter Sign-Up: https://www.richroll.com/subscribe Peace + Plants, Rich

Max Fisher is a New York Times investigative reporter, Pulitzer Prize finalist, and author of the vitally important book: 'The Chaos Machine: The Inside Story of How Social Media Rewired Our Minds and Our World'—a referendum on Big Tech and the social media platforms that that have come to monopolize our attention, foment division and fracture our world. Today's conversation covers Max’s journey to reporting on social media and politics, the specific ways social media changes its users’ morality, and how algorithms can make users more prone to violence. We also dive into cutting-edge research on how social media inculcates a super-exaggerated feeling of outrage and intolerance, making users more likely to believe misinformation and the complicated role of free speech in it all. Finally, we discuss the implications of data harvesting human behavior—and why social media addiction is so terrifying. Watch: YouTube. Read: Show notes. This is an admittedly scary but crucial conversation about how social media

In the most health-obsessed society ever, all is not well. At the root lies a sleeping giant: unhealed trauma. Here to help us further explore this profound insight is renowned speaker and bestselling author, Dr. Gabor Maté. Returning for his second appearance on the show (his first being RRP #188) Dr. Maté is an expert in a wide range of topics, best known for his work on the relationship between addiction and childhood development. If you are interested in truly understanding the nature of addiction, his book In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts is an essential read that has influenced me profoundly. Dr. Maté’s latest and most ambitious book to date is The Myth of Normal, a groundbreaking extrapolation of his addiction thesis that investigates the true causes of illness, the many ways in which our society breeds disease, and the pathway to health and well-being. Over the course of this conversation, Dr. Maté brilliantly illuminates what we can do to course correct and heal as individuals, and as a collective

The heart and soul of this podcast is personal transformation—and today’s story of metamorphosis is one of the most compelling, improbable, and inspirational tales I have ever heard. Narrating this epic saga is Ken Rideout, a guy who has transcended a litany of seemingly insurmountable obstacles to become one of the world’s pre-eminent master athletes. Now 51, he smokes his running competitors like a bad habit—and is only beginning to hit his stride. It’s a land mine littered path that didn’t come easy. A rough and chaotic childhood, a battle with addiction, learning harsh truths as a prison guard right out of high school, and later losing colleagues on 9/11 are just a few of the many obstacles he’s faced and overcome. Nonetheless, and without any formal experience, he somehow made it to Wall Street and beyond—and has been stacking goals ever since. Ken’s latest goal? To be crowned masters champion in all the world’s most prestigious marathons. Crowned “World’s Best Marathoner Over 50” by the New York T

Welcome to ‘Roll On’, the semi-bi-weekly version of the podcast where we ramble on matters of interest across culture, sports, art, literature, politics, self-betterment, and more. As always, my co-host is Mr. Adam Skolnick, an activist, veteran journalist, and 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 also the author of One Breath and still uses the ‘new dad’ excuse to avoid working on his novel. Today we celebrate episode 700 (700!) with an update on personal goings on, cover headlines from the world of endurance, share highlights from recent travels, banter on wealth inequality, answer a few listener questions, and more. Today’s episode is also viewable on YouTube Show notes:+ MORE: bit.ly/richroll700 Specific topics discussed in today’s episode include: Rich’s recent visit to London; centenarian Mike Fremont’s meal plan; headlines from the wor

Are you one of those people that finds solace and comfort in rainy days or melancholy music? It’s not quite sadness. It's more like longing. A beautiful ache that makes you feel more connected to the human experience. What is that specifically? And why does it compel us so? Former corporate lawyer turned author Susan Cain wondered the same—a query that launched a 7-year journey to better understand the complex and nuanced nature of all things melancholic. The result of Susan’s adventure is Bittersweet, her #1 New York Times bestselling book that ponders this quiet state of being and why embracing it paves a true path to creativity, connection, and transcendence. Bluntly put, quiet states of being are Susan Cain’s jam. Today we go delightfully deep on Susan’s transition from attorney to writer and how she came to write about introversion. We discuss the irony of being a public introvert, the power of honoring your inner introvert, and how to support introverted kids and co-workers. We also go deep on bit

We as a global society currently face challenges—some of which are existential in nature—that simply cannot be solved with the mindset, institutions, and paradigms currently in place. Instead, these solutions require that we think beyond current economic, political, and social constraints—and even well beyond our individual life spans—to consider deeply the impact we will have on many generations into the future. Indeed, these solutions require an applied mindset that Ari Wallach calls Longpath—an active way of being that cultivates future-conscious thinking and behavior to build more hopeful visions of the future, turn those visions into action, and foster more meaning in our lives and legacy. Ari is a futurist (although he hates that term), a social systems strategist, and the author of a new book out this week, aptly titled (you guessed it) Longpath, which extends a discussion he began with his 2017 TED Talk, Short-termism is killing us: it’s time for Longpath which has been viewed over 2.5 million times.

Today we explore health, fitness, longevity & the pursuit of meaning through the lived experience of a human who has been walking planet Earth for a full 100 years. Meet centenarian Mike Fremont, a retired engineer turned climate activist and life-long athlete who holds a slew of impressive age group world records in running, including the fastest recorded marathons for an 88-year-old, 90-year-old, and a 91-year-old. I was introduced to Mike by his running buddy elite ultra-marathoner and popular friend of the pod Harvey Lewis, who helped arrange today’s unique opportunity to learn and be inspired by someone who has not only been alive for so long but who has remained incredibly vibrant well beyond social expectations. For those of you who feel like it’s too late or you’ve missed the boat on being an athlete, this guy’s marathon career didn’t even kick into high gear until his 60’s—40 years ago! This conversation is my attempt to extract his testimony and counsel for younger generations. We dive into what

What defines art? What makes one an artist? What does art teach us—and why does it matter? To help us make sense of a world elusive to many, today I convene with the singular Heidi Zuckerman. A woman I’ve known for over 30 years, Heidi has devoted her entire professional career to understanding art, the people who make art, and why we should care. Heidi currently serves as CEO and Director of the Orange County Museum of Art, where she is overseeing construction of a spectacular new building designed by legendary architect Thom Mayne of Morphosis, scheduled to open in October 2022. In addition, she hosts Conversations About Art (a podcast on which I was privileged to be a guest) and is the author of the Conversations with Artists book series. This is a conversation about art. In addition to tracking Heidi’s career arc, we discuss what defines art, what makes for great art, why we should care about art, and why artists matter. We discuss the barriers to accessing art. How art can and should be democratiz

Healthspan extension may pique your interest. But it’s the obsession of today’s guest, a physician and engineer focused on the applied science of longevity to reframe and improve how we live while challenging all we’ve been previously taught about the interaction of health, human performance, and medicine. Meet Peter Attia, MD. Peter’s current practice deals extensively with nutritional interventions, exercise physiology, sleep physiology, emotional and mental health, and pharmacology to increase lifespan (how long you live), while simultaneously improving healthspan (the quality of your life). Today’s conversation, the first in what I hope to be many, focuses on the following specific topics: Longevity. From a holistic perspective, discussing the physical, mental and emotional pillars required to erect the foundation for a long life well-lived, including how and why he is training (as all us of should be) for what he calls “The Centenarian Decathlon”. Metabolic health. What this actually means, how to

World-record setting adventure athlete and New York Times bestselling author Colin O’Brady returns for his fifth appearance on the podcast (RRP 207, 235, 439 & 519), this time alongside wife and partner in all things Jenna Besaw —the powerful engine behind everything they have accomplished together. Today we discuss what global exploration has taught Colin & Jenna about mindset. We talk about the transformative power of an all-day walk, the subject of Colin's new book, 'The 12-Hour Walk'. Packed with actionable takeaways ad incredible stories, this is a long one, but I implore you to stick around for the final hour— a harrowing first-person account of the trauma and tragedy of death on K2. Watch: YouTube. Read: Show notes Peace + Plants, Rich