A master-class in personal and professional development, ultra-athlete, wellness evangelist and bestselling author Rich Roll delves deep with the world's brightest and most thought provoking thought leaders to educate, inspire and empower you to unleash your best, most authentic self. More at: https://richroll.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
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Shattering Wellness Elitism: Gunnar Lovelace’s Mission to Make Healthy Food Affordable For Everyone
“It’s absolutely incumbent upon us to envision a world where we produce food that is good for the planet and is good for our bodies and is affordable for everybody. And if we can do that we will pass a world along that is regenerative, sustainable, and equitable.”Gunnar LovelaceWho has time for ‘wellness'? I'm just trying to pay the bills.I would love to eat healthy, but I simply can't afford it.When it comes to great food – plant-based or otherwise — the common refrain is that its either too expensive, inconvenient or simply unavailable. Often it's all of the above. Although I often rebut several myths that swirl around these arguments, it’s undeniable that there is much truth in these assertions. Whole Foods has earned the moniker Whole Paycheck for a reason. If we want to truly redress our health care problems, we need to lay ruin to the elitism that so unfortunately undermines populist accessibility to optimal nutrition.In order to achieve this end, we must disrupt traditional supply chain methods. Combat special interests that entrench the status quo. Eliminate overpaid middle men. And leverage forward-thinking innovation to improve access, convenience and affordability to healthy food beyond the well healed for those who need it most — everyone.Gunnar Lovelace to the rescue.Yes, that is his real name. A life-long wellness advocate reared on a true-to-life commune by a single mom, Gunnar inherited his passion for health, yoga, mindfulness and expanded consciousness at birth — long before it became a zeitgeist thing. Gunnar and I go way back. Years before my personal transformation. I still vividly recall our initial meeting when he walked into my law office in 2000 to discuss representation of his venture of the moment, GoodLife – an early internet socially conscious Yelp. On his feet were sandals. In his hand? A large mason jar filled with a mysterious and murky green sludge. What is that? Who brings something like that to a meeting with a lawyer? My very first glimpse of what I did not know at the time would later become a staple of my life.Well ahead of its time, GoodLife fell victim to the dot-com bubble of the early aughts. But a long-lasting friendship survived.A serial entrepreneur, now Gunnar is back and on to something big — very big — as the founder and co-CEO of a new business that represents a seismic shift in affordable access to healthy food — Thrive Market.The digital love child of Costco and Whole Foods, Thrive is a direct to consumer, online shopping club platform that offers over 4,000 of best, healthiest, most popular natural and organic food brands in the world, but at a staggering 25-50% off typical retail prices, shipped anywhere in the United States for free.How do they do it? By eliminating all the aforementioned middle men — the brokers, slotting fees and pay-to-play that is endemic in the food industry — and passing that savings along to members. In addition, for every paid membership to Thrive ($60 / year), they give a free membership to a low income family, a teacher, or a military vet.Although founded less than two years ago, Thrive is growing incredibly fast. Beyond notable seed investors like Tony Robbins and Deepak Chopra, this past summer they closed a $30M Series A round of venture funding led by Greycroft with participants like John Legend, Toby Maguire & Demi Moore. These funds are already hard at work fulfilling Thrive's mission statement, which is to make healthy living easy and affordable for every American family. Good news for everyone.Not your typical startup founder, Gunnar's keen business acumen inhabits the ethos of a yoga teacher. He's got a huge heart. He's one of the good guys. And I am super proud of what he is building — a positive,... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Lewis Howes: The Myth of Masculinity, The Power of Vulnerability & What It Means To Be Great
“The key to success in life is relationships. And the key to powerful relationships is vulnerability and being real. That’s the quickest way to build a relationship and create connection with someone.”Lewis HowesThis week I celebrate my friend and fellow podcaster Lewis Howes, host of The School of Greatness.I met Lewis a couple years ago when we were both newbie podcasters. He did my show. I did his show. Friendship ensued.A former professional football player and team handball Olympic hopeful who bottomed out before blossoming into a successful online entrepreneur, Lewis defies the stereotype that typically accompanies most successful alpha males. With a glint in his eye, Lewis is warm, incredibly giving, and a stellar example of what life can be like when your heart is open — gratitude in motion.After an injury prematurely ended his football career, Lewis was depressed, aimless and broke. Yearning for inspiration as he convalesced on his sister's couch, he arrived at a question:What kind of life do I want to lead?Then he got to work. He sought out mentors — people thriving on their own terms. Applying the wisdom of those he respected, he began to create a vision for himself. He learned how to turn adversity into advantage. He cultivated a champion's mind-set. He hustled. He mastered his body. He practiced positive habits like appreciation, gratitude and mindfulness. He built a winning team. And perhaps most importantly, he learned how to be of service to others.It worked. Living exactly the life he envisioned for himself daydreaming on his sister's couch in Ohio, today Lewis is a successful business coach, online entrepreneur, public speaker, podcast host, and now author.Leveraging his personal experience and the wisdom of his mentors and inspiring podcast guests — Lewis has culled the best of what he has learned in a new book that came out just yesterday appropriately titled The School of Greatness: A Real World Guide To Living Bigger, Loving Deeper, And Leaving A Legacy*.A primer on how to manifest your own internal greatness, it’s a fun, easy and informative read that not only inspires but provides actionable lessons and practical exercises aimed at helping you create vision and reach your ultimate potential.On a personal note, I am deeply honored that Lewis includes my story in his book. I’m essentially the primary subject of chapter 5 entitled Master Your Body.I love this guy. His positivity and integrity is infectious. It is my privilege to support him and his new book by sharing his message with you today.We cover a lot of ground in this episode, including:* the pitfalls & advantages of podcast production* the relationships built from the podcast platform* mutually beneficial relationships* giving help and being of service to others* the power of mentorship* the importance of feedback and accountability* the myth of masculinity* vulnerability in relationships* letting go of the things that hold you back See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Addiction Is Not A Choice: Dr. Gabor Maté’s Call for A Compassionate & Holistic Approach To Healing
“The difference between passion and addiction is that between a divine spark and a flame that incinerates.”Gabor MatéWhat if everything you presuppose about addiction is wrong?Enter Gabor Maté.World renowned lecturer, physician and bestselling author, today's guest is a highly distinguished, in demand and at times controversial authority with a wealth of expertise on a range of topics that span addiction, stress and childhood development.With over twelve years of first hand experience working up close and personal on Vancouver's skid row with patients severely challenged by hard core drug addictions, mental illness and HIV, Dr. Maté has cultivated a powerful yet eminently commonsensical perspective on this devastating affliction that contravenes conventional medical dogma. A perspective that begins with a single edict:Addiction is not a choice.Moreover, addiction has little to do with illicit substances. It's just not about drugs. Or gambling, or shopping, or porn or whatever behavior happens to, in the words of Dr. Maté, incinerate the lives of millions.Instead, addiction is about the emotional pain behind the behavior. And healing is about confronting the past and untangling the circumstances that drive the individual to self-medicate in maddening defiance of all reason and logic.Based on cutting edge science, case studies and a wealth of personal experience, Dr. Maté concludes that addiction is a predisposition programmed in early years — an infestation that lurks miles beyond choice. A disease rooted neither in genetics nor free will but rather in environmental factors that hard wire brain neurochemistry during formative childhood development. Accordingly, those that suffer should not be shamed or criminalized, but instead treated in the same way we approach anyone suffering from cancer or an autoimmune disease — not with blame but rather with compassion, sympathy and medical intervention.As an author, Dr. Maté has written extensively on the subjects of addiction, early childhood development & trauma, attention deficit disorder, and the relationship between stress and disease. His most recent award-winning book, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction* (a #1 bestseller in Canada) mixes personal stories with science to present a radical re-envisioning of addiction not as a discrete phenomenon confined to an unfortunate or weak-willed few, but as a continuum that runs throughout (and perhaps underpins) our society at large; not a medical “condition” distinct from the lives it affects, but rather the result of a complex interplay among personal history, emotional, and neurological development, brain chemistry, and the drugs (and behaviors) of addiction.In other words, it's complicated. There is no miracle cure. There is no quick fix. But hope breathes in compassion and self-understanding — the first key to promoting healing and wellness,Dr. Maté's work — and this book in particular — have been absolutely revelatory in helping me better understand myself, my personal history with addiction, and my ever evolving quest for greater well being. He changed my life. And I truly believe his message holds the power to improve the lives of anyone personally or tangentially impacted by addiction. And let's face it — in this day and age that includes almost everyone.It was a unique honor to hold space with this compelling, paradigm breaking man. A conversation that begins with a survey of his life and labors but then subtly shifts — the ve... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Stop Staring At The Scale & Turn The Gaze Inward — The Emotional Drivers Behind Diet & Behavior (Plus: Tales From Das Plantpower Kochbuch German Book Tour)
On a rainy night from a little boutique hotel in the Montmartre district of Paris after a whirlwind book tour in Germany last week, I'm filled with gratitude to bring you another installment of Ask Me Anything — a twist on my normal format where Julie and I discuss issues currently on the brain and answer listener submitted questions.This week's topics include:* tales from Das Plantpower Kochbuch German book tour* the Berlin vegan scene* shopping at the world's first all vegan supermarket* hanging out with vegan strong man Patrik Baboumian* plant-based in Paris* vegan birthday at L'Arpège, the #12 best restaurant on Earth* why you should stop “dieting”* addressing the emotional drivers behind diet & behavior habits* plant-based on the road — tips and toolsThe show concludes with Aditya, an ancient Sanskrit mantra performed by Julie — aka SriMati – musically accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt. A mantra intended to imbue our lives with vibrant health, the lyrics (very) loosely translated from the root Sankskrit go something like this:Om to the solar universal energy / Protect me from enemies within and without / I chant your name ceaselessly and victoriously / I bow to youSpecial thanks to everyone who submitted inquiries — keep ‘em coming!An extra special thanks to everyone who took a moment to send me a birthday message. I greatly appreciate it. Beginning my 50th year feeling awesome!I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation.Peace + Plants,Listen & Subscribe on iTunes | Soundcloud | StitcherThanks to this week’s sponsors:The National Academy of Sports Medicine: Get paid to stay in shape while helping others reach their fitness goals. Go to MyUSATrainer.com for a free 14-day trial of their fast & fun online program.Harrys.com: A superior shave at an affordable price. Type in my coupon code “ROLL” at purchase for $5 off your starter set and get an entire month’s worth of shaving for just $10 when you visit Harrys.com.SHOW NOTESConnect With Julie: SriMati.com | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookConnect With Rich: Facebook | Twitter | InstagramBackground, Context & Reference:* Das Plantpower Kochbuch: narayana-verlag.com* NYTimes.com: Jeong Kwan, the Philosopher Chef, by Jeff Gordinier* Chef Alain Passard: alain-passard.com & See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Jedidiah Jenkins: The Pursuit of Wonder, The Power of Story & Finding Truth in Adventure
“The choice to pursue a dream, at the destruction of my comfort, with the loss of safety and certainty, all for the purpose of doing something that inspires others to a fuller life of wonder and creativity and quality, to me that is a burden of responsibility worth carrying. To me, that is growing up.”Jedidiah JenkinsAuthor, global adventurer, social entrepreneur, human rights activist & lawyer, filmmaker and overall beautiful human.All of these labels certainly befit today's guest, yet all somehow manage to fall short.I can't quite recall how Jedidiah Jenkins first came across my radar. What I do remember is happening upon his rather stunning Instagram feed as he neared the end of a spectacular bicycle powered journey in Patagonia.Each photograph more arresting than the one prior, every image conveyed it's own story that perfectly informed an engaging larger narrative. But it's Jedidiah's accompanying entries — beautifully composed, contemplative and quite poetic — that set his feed apart. Writings themed less by place than interior geography, it's Instagram as dynamic journal — an experiment in blogging that camps out hundreds of miles beyond any travelogue, blog or vlog you've ever before seen.I was hypnotized. Who is this guy?A graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and Pepperdine University School of Law, Jedidiah began his professional career as one of the founding leaders of Invisible Children, the small non-profit that overnight became world renown courtesy of a little social justice campaign you might have heard of called #Kony2012– a campaign that redefined internet virality.The progeny of adventurer journalist parents who quite famously graced the cover of National Geographic walking across America in the 1970’s, I think it’s fair to say that despite his deskbound legal career, Jedidiah and the outdoors had a little destiny to sort out. And so, to celebrate his 30th birthday, Jedidiah quit the job he loved to unconsciously follow in his parents' footsteps, scare himself, embrace the unknown and, like a character out of a Mark Twain novel, light out on the territory.In August, 2013, on two wheels powered only by two legs, Oregon to Patagonia began in Florence, Oregon and culminated in Patagonia is January 2015. A sixteen-month, 10,000 mile journey elegantly and thoughtfully captured and shared on his incredibly popular Instagram feed and soon to be the subject of his first bookIn so many ways, Jedidiah is exactly who I expected him to be. And yet his wit and warmth somehow managed to surprise me — a guy deeply connected to his personal truth and just so refreshingly present.This is a phenomenal conversation about:* the pursuit of wonder & adventure* the transformative power of story* the risk & reward of following your passion* global wealth disparity* dependence upon the kindness of strangers* combatting our culture of skepticism* behind the scenes of Kony 2012; and* the beauty and peril of pursuing the creative lifeJedidiah is a very special guy. I am very excited to share this one with you. In all sincerity, I hope you enjoy the exchange.Peace + Plants,Listen & Subscribe on iTunes | Soundcloud | See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Sailesh Rao On Why Ahimsa (Nonviolence) Is An Essential Response to Climate Change
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall — think of it, ALWAYS.”Mahatma GhandiToday I am pleased to offer a conversation with environmentalist, engineer and technologist Sailesh Rao, the founder and Executive Director of environmental non-profit Climate Healers.With a focus on ahimsa — the Sanskrit word for non-violence — as an essential and perhaps the most powerful response to climate change, Climate Healers promotes technological and engineering advances aimed at clean air and reforestation. Partnering with NGOs, tribal villages, and school clubs, current projects include efforts to devise an affordable and high-functioning solar powered stove to replace the traditional — and quite environmentally detrimental — wood burning stoves that proliferate across low income areas of India.An electrical engineer by training with a Ph.D. from Stanford University, Sailesh’s background in technology includes stints at both AT&T Bell Labs and Intel, where he was instrumental in developing early iterations of the internet itself.Sailesh is also the author of Carbon Dharma: The Occupation of the Butterflies*– a call to undo the planetary damage done by the human species in its present “caterpillar stage” of existence.As for palmares, Sailesh was selected as a Karmaveer Puraskaar Noble Laureate, an award presented by iCONGO (Indian Confederation of NGOs) whose primary mission is to encourage citizen action for social justice.This is a conversation about environmental preservation, the inherent and incredible power of ahimsa, the imperative of service and a reminder that each and every one of can make a positive difference in the world.Sailesh is a highly intelligent, contemplative and compassionate man devoted to making the world a better, cleaner place for us and future generations. I greatly enjoyed this conversation and applaud his advocacy and devotion to service.I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange.Note: Apologies for publishing this episode a day late and for the brevity of this post. I am currently traveling internationally with little free time or internet access. I'm doing my best under the circumstances and appreciate the consideration. When I find the bandwidth, I may supplement this entry with additional thoughts and resources. Thanks for understanding!Peace + Plants,Listen & Subscribe on iTunes | Soundcloud | StitcherThanks to this week’s sponsor:Bonobos.com: For a limited time, all new customers can get 20% off their first order when you go to Bonobos.com/richroll to discover the difference that an expertly-crafted, better-fitting wardrobe can make.SHOW NOTESConnect With Sailesh: Facebook | TwitterTo learn more about healing the earth from the inside out, visit ClimateHealers.org See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Better Than Steroids? Craig Heller on Thermoregulation & ‘The Glove’ That Could Revolutionize Athletics
“I expect this [cooling glove] will be either everywhere in pro sports in a couple of years or banned.”Jason Snell – tech columnist on the RTX Cooling GloveImagine a product that could eradicate muscle fatigue in just minutes. Allow you to train substantially harder and recover exponentially faster. Maximize your training efficiency while significantly boosting strength, endurance and overall athletic performance.Sound too good to be true? Definitely. At least without failing a drug test.Now what if I told you it's neither a drug nor illegal.Impossible?First let's backup. One of (if not the) biggest limiters in athletic performance is elevated core temperature. Exertion causes muscle cells to heat up. Via a process called arteriovenous anastomoses, the body does its best to dissipate this extra heat. But if you continue to push yourself, core temperature will continue to rise, compromising the effectiveness of a heat sensitive enzyme crucial for energy production called pyruvate kinase. The result? Weakness, fatigue and cramping.If one could prevent the escalation of core temperature, it reasons that one could extend energy production and delay fatigue.The study of thermoregulation in the performance and recovery context is hardly new. Athletes have been experimenting with cryotherapy, ice packs, ice baths and ice vests for decades. The problem with most of these techniques is that they just don't work all that well. It has to do with something called vasoconstriction. Overwhelming cold causes blood vessels to constrict, slowing cool blood flow to the core and thus undermining elevated core temperature reduction.Enter The Glove — an apparent solution to core temperature thermoregulation without all that pesky vasoconstriction courtesy of a team of large brains led by today's guest — Stanford physiology and biology professor Craig Heller (and his colleague David Grahn).Essentially a plastic hand enclosure attached to a pump that circulates cool water across the palm's special network of radiator-like heat-transfer veins that specialize in something called rapid thermal exchange (RTX), the glove overcomes the vasoconstriction dilemma by strictly regulating the temperature of the cool water (cool but not too cool) and by creating a slight vacuum around the hand that keeps the blood vessels open. Cool blood then gets distributed directly to the core organs most in need of relief, allowing the body to chill out and the muscles to keep producing energy.Early studies show promise. Positive anecdotal stories are many. A seasoned gym rat and friend of Heller's lab increased his pull-up maximum from 180 to over 620 in less than six weeks by utilizing the glove in between sets. The result seems to neutralize muscle fatigue by cooling core temperature, allowing the subject to push himself or herself harder each workout, resulting in quantum improvement realized in a fraction of the time.Heller deems the rate of improvement unprecedented, exceeding gains expected via steroid use.Maybe. Maybe not. Who knows. I don't. But I do know that industrial versions of the product are already being used by a litany of college & NFL football programs; the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs: USA Olympic team programs like men's beach volleyball and speed skating; the Nike Oregon Project running team; and perhaps most notably, the 2014 FIFA World Cup Champion German soccer team used the glove throughout training and World Cup competition.Disclaimer: I have zero professional or financial affiliation with AVAcore (the company behind the glove) or Professor Heller (aside for the fact that he was my human biology professor in 1986). In fact, I’ve never even tried the technology (although I wa... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Stop Living Like You Get A ‘Do-Over’ Life
“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.”Oscar WildeWe're back with yet another installment of Ask Me Anything — a twist on my normal format where we answer questions submitted by you, the listener.In addition to recapping our recent visit to Washington, D.C. and our upcoming trip to Frankfurt, Germany, this week Julie and I traverse a variety of subjects, including:* the release of “Proteinaholic” by Garth Davis, MD* ‘happy traveler' – my experiments in gratitude* the risk calculus of choosing security over passion* the persistent illusion of the “do-over” life* combating the “fundraising oxymoron”* the nexus (or lack thereof) between diet and addictionThe show concludes with My Man, written and performed by Julie — aka SriMati – accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt.Special thanks to Scott, Lisa & Dallas for today’s questions, as well as everyone who submitted inquiries — keep ‘em coming!I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation.Peace + Plants,Listen & Subscribe on iTunes | Soundcloud | StitcherThanks to today's sponsors:Bonobos.com: For a limited time, all new customers can get 20% off their first order when you go to Bonobos.com/richroll to discover the difference that an expertly-crafted, better-fitting wardrobe can make.The National Academy of Sports Medicine: Get paid to stay in shape while helping others reach their fitness goals. Go to MyUSATrainer.com for a free 14-day trial of their fast & fun online program.SHOW NOTESConnect With Julie: SriMati.com | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookConnect With Rich: Facebook | Twitter | InstagramBackground, Context & Reference:* Proteinaholic* by Garth Davis, MD* Info on our Frankfurt schedule: richroll.de* Julie's music (aka SriMati) on CDBaby* Julie’s Jai Release Meditation* Finding Ultra* by Rich Roll* See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Jeff Castelaz: Music As a Weapon, Solace In Cycling, Building a Life of Service & Why It’s All About The Neighborhood
“Music is a weapon for me. I want to feel myself bleeding.”Jeff CastelazJeff Castelaz is a big deal in the music biz. A self-made guy who scraped his way from nothing to launch and manage major musical acts, found and run a successful indie label and even serve up president duties at a major record label.All of these things are very impressive and interesting.None of these things are what draw me to Jeff.Jeff is on the show because of his compelling, at times heart-wrenching but incredibly human life story. From his abusive childhood to his struggles with alcohol to the devastating loss of his six-year-old son Pablo to cancer, Jeff is a survivor. A guy who refused to let unbearable pain destroy him, instead leveraging it to access a deeper personal truth, inner strength and sense of purpose.Finding life-saving comfort and solace in both music and cycling as far back as he can remember, Jeff successfully channelled his incredible passion for both into creating a life and legacy of meaning in selfless service to others as an entrepreneur, husband, father and philanthropist.In his most recent post as president of Elektra Records, a division of Warner Music Group, Jeff worked alongside the likes of Ed Sheeran, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Kitten, bringing in acts like Fitz and the Tantrums, Saint Motel, The Moth & The Flame and Kaleo.Prior to his post at Elektra, Jeff served as CEO of Dangerbird Records, which he co-founded in 2003. There, he played a key role in the careers of Silversun Pickups, Fitz and The Tantrums and Liam Gallagher's post-Oasis effort, Beady Eye.In 2009 Jeff & his wife Joanne Thraikill tragically lost their son Pablo to cancer just six days after his sixth birthday. From the moment of Pablo's 2008 diagnosis with bilateral Wilms Tumor, a rare form of childhood cancer, Jeff took to the blogosphere to keep friends and family apprised of developments. Sharing his incomprehensible pain with a bold and raw vulnerability, PABLOG! went viral, resulting in a massive and unexpected outpouring of love and support for Pablo and the Castelaz / Thraikill family. Support Jeff and Joanne ultimately channelled into what would become the Pablove Foundation– a pediatric cancer charity which has raised $10 million to date in support of innovative pediatric cancer research and programs for kids and families living with childhood cancer.Each year since its inception, Pablove hosts a charity ride called Pablove Across America. Today — Monday October 5, 2015 — marks the start of Pablove’s seventh annual week-long cycling event in which 40 cyclists will ride from Los Angeles to San Francisco to raise funds and awareness for childhood cancer. To find out more, get involved and donate, click here.This is a conversation about music and life. Rage, pain, disease, addiction, loss and grief. It's about breaking old cycles. Learning how to heal. Growing up, self-care and sobriety. It's about hope, family, redemption and service. It's about salvation. And it's about the beauty, comfort and agony that comes with loving wide and loving deep.Jeff is an incredibly charismatic guy with a infectious energy and a spirit the size of Montana. I'm proud to call him friend. And I'm proud to share this conversation with you today. May it move you as deeply as it moved me.Peace + Plants,Listen & Subscribe on See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
How To Get Good At Gratitude — Plus: What It’s Like To Be Profiled In The New York Times
“Our whole idea was to present [the vegan] lifestyle in an aspirational and modern way. We want to present it in a way that looks appealing, as opposed to deprivation-oriented.”Rich Roll in “Vegans Go Glam” – NY Times 9.30.15A while back I fired off this missive:If you are breaking paradigms & challenging the status quo, you can't be pissed when the mainstream fails to embrace you.— richroll (@richroll) June 27, 2015Admittedly, the tweet was inspired by a little low grade frustration at utterly failing to generate any mainstream national press interest whatsoever in our book The Plantpower Way, which had recently come out. A self-reminder that you can't push buttons and expect a pat on the back.Fast forward three months to today's publication of Vegans Go Glam in The New York Times (The New York Times!) — a very large profile on our family and the growing vegan scene in Los Angeles and New York deftly penned by Jeff Gordinier. It's a big article (like, really big) in perhaps the most respected mainstream publication on the planet (do I even need to say that?). It's also an article that has kicked up some dust, generating lively discussion around the global water cooler. So much discussion in fact, Vegans Go Glam is the #1 most e-mailed story on the entire New York Times website today.C'mon! Now, that is just insane.So what does it all mean? That's for you to decide, not me. But today Julie and I do our best to talk it all through — including practices for cultivating gratitude — on this latest installment of Ask Me Anything. A conversation that explores:* what it's like to have a huge story about you & your family in the New York Times* cultivating tolerance beyond veganism* restricting judgment of others & focusing on self; and* how to get good at gratitudeThe show concludes with Held So Sweetly, written and performed by Julie — aka SriMati – accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt.Special thanks to “Jo” for today’s question, as well as everyone who submitted inquiries — keep ‘em coming!I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation.Peace + Plants,Listen & Subscribe on iTunes | Soundcloud | StitcherThanks to today's sponsors:Bonobos.com: For a limited time, all new customers can get 20% off their first order when you go to Bonobos.com/richroll to discover the difference that an expertly-crafted, better-fitting wardrobe can make.The National Academy of Sports Medicine: Get paid to stay in shape while helping others reach their fitness goals. Go to MyUSATrainer.com for a free 14-day trial of their fast & fun online program.SHOW NOTESConnect With Julie: SriMati.com | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookConnect With Rich: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
John Salley: The NBA Champion On Going Vegan For Athletic Performance, Longevity & The Environment (Plus: Why So Many Pro Athletes Die Young)
“If you're a professional athlete, and after the game you're eating at the same place that somebody in the audience is eating at? You're making a mistake.”John SalleyIt’s one thing when a skinny runner dude starts talking about the benefits of a plant-based diet.It's another thing altogether when a 6′ 11″ 4-time NBA Champion tells you it's a good idea.Enter John Salley.Husband, father, athlete, actor, entrepreneur, talk show host, philanthropist, wellness advocate, NBA champion… and vegan.John was the first basketball player in NBA history to win four championships with three different teams in three different decades — two with the Detroit Pistons ('89 & '90), one with the Chicago Bulls ('96) & one more with the Los Angeles Lakers ('00). After eleven seasons he retired as a Laker on the 2000 NBA Lakers Championship team. Since his retirement from the NBA, John has worked consistently in television, film, radio, print and new media. For seven years he co-hosted the Emmy-nominated series The Best Damn Sports Show Period (FOX). He then hosted BET's sports talk show Baller before creating his own show Game On for REELZ. In addition, John is an avid entrepreneur, channeling his enthusiasm for clean eating & advocacy for the vegan lifestyle into an array of ventures, including The Vegan Vine, his California wine brand (who knew some wine wasn't vegan?), and his Betta Life 21-Day Challenge.John's mission is simple: to educate as many people as possible on the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based lifestyle.This is a fairly free range conversation that takes us inside John's NBA career; what it was like to play ball at the highest level with guys like Michael Jordan, Isaiah Thomas and Shaq; and how being coached by Phil Jackson, perhaps the greatest coach in basketball history, helped forge his character and inform his post-NBA career success.We get into the hows and whys of John's decision to go vegan; his opinion on how most professional athletes eat; why so many professional athletes die young; how he works with both athletes and average folks to change misplaced, normative ideas about the plant-based lifestyle; the importance of yoga and meditation in his routine; and what drives his mission to change the face of global health. A few more topics covered include:* forging normative change by example* the link between cancer & diet* plant-based nutrition for athletes* the importance of stepping stone goals* warning the NBA about the nutrition risks* millennial adaptation to technology* making money while you sleep* the benefits of meditation* John’s stellar NBA career* Coach Phil Jackson & team dynamics* fragility of reputation & Big BrotherJohn is an easy guy to love. He is engaging, incredibly charismatic and always entertaining. But behind the playful attitude is a serious message worth heeding.I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange.Peace + Plants,Listen & Subscribe on iTunes | Soundcloud | StitcherThanks to this week’s sponsors:Squarespace.com: The easiest way to create a beautiful website, blog, or online store for you and your ideas. Save 10% at checkout when you use the coupon code “ROLL” at c... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
From A Life of Matter To A Life That Matters: Jason Garner’s Journey From Music Industry CEO to Spiritual Warrior
“It’s not about finding peace, it’s about being at peace with what we find.”Jason GarnerImagine yourself a top executive at the very apex of the music industry food chain. Your job requires you to travel the world first class and wine and dine the biggest musical acts on the planet like Jay Z, Beyoncé, Coldplay and John Mayer. And you're making so much cash, you've twice been named to Fortune magazine's annual list of the top 20 highest paid executives under 40.Now imagine walking away from it all. Why? Raised by a single mom in a series of unstable living situations, Jason Garner learned early and often how to look after himself. With street-wise hustle and natural salesmanship, he worked hard in school and later even harder in business.Scrapping his way from a weekend job at a flea market to owning his own concert company, by the time he was 37 Jason had become CEO of Global Music at Live Nation Entertainment — the world’s largest concert promotion company and arguably the most important corporate entity in the entire music industry.It can safely be said he made it.Unfortunately, never once did Jason pause to take a breath. Operating on the misplaced belief that in order to be loved, he had to be the best, Jason would have happily pursued his career path all the way to the grave.But then something happened. Something that would change everything.In the wake of his second divorce, the single mom that was Jason's everything contracted stomach cancer. Her sudden death brought his life to a halt and his ego to its knees. Compelled to re-evaluate his life top to bottom, Jason finally asked himself a most important question:what really matters?To answer this, Jason did the unthinkable for someone in his exalted executive position: he quit his job.And for the first time in his life, Jason actually breathed.For the next several years, he immersed himself in the study and practice of health and spirituality. He got to know himself and the inner-workings of his mind. And he met the woman of his dreams.Today he is both student and teacher of all things spiritual, mindful and meditative. A man who has spent literally thousands of hours sitting cross-legged with Masters of body, mind and spirit. A journey to wholeness that has left Jason far happier and more personally fulfilled than he ever was in his envious capacity as a prestigious CEO in perhaps the sexiest business in the world.Jason shares his fantastic voyage to self-love and self-acceptance — from living for matter to living to matter — in his quite compelling memoir … And Then I Breathed: My Journey from a Life of Matter to a Life That Matters*. Plenty of further insights can be found on his thought provoking blog at jasongarner.com.Jason is a beautiful, special soul. His courage, commitment and warmth (he signs all his e-mails with “Big Hugs”) inspires me to do and be better. It was an honor to sit in his vibration and I'm proud to share this conversation. A conversation that traverses the elegant arc of Jason's life with a focus on all things meditation & mindfulness, including:* living for matter vs. living to matter* dogma-free spirituality* spiritual entrepreneurship* radical selfishness* self-help vs. self-love* opting out of the ‘American Dream'* mindfulness in the pursuit of goals See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Doing Good Better: William MacAskill on ‘Effective Altruism’ & How To Maximize Positive Global Impact
“The challenge for us is this: How can we ensure that, when we try to help others, we do so as effectively as possible?”William MacAskillMost of us want to do good.We devote our precious time to causes we deem worthy. We donate our precious funds to charities that appear to make a difference. We pursue careers we consider meaningful, and patronize businesses and buy products we believe make the world a better place.Unfortunately, we often base these decisions on assumptions and emotions rather than facts. As a result, even our best intentions often lead to ineffective—and sometimes downright harmful—outcomes.So how can we do better?In an effort to determine a career personally optimized for maximum positive impact, Professor William MacAskill began to ask himself this very question. While a young researcher at Oxford, he discovered that much of the potential for change was being squandered by lack of information, bad data, and our own prejudice. As an antidote, he and his colleagues developed a modality of thought that would later birth the movement known today as effective altruism: a practical, data-driven approach to “doing good” that proffers the best options to make a tremendous positive difference.In other words, “doing good” (or a well-intentioned act aimed at doing good) is not enough.We must do good better.William is a 28-year old Scottish born scholar and author who is associate professor of Philosophy at Lincoln College Oxford. Previous to this chair, William was a research fellow in philosophy from Emanuel College at Cambridge and a Fullbright scholar at Princeton.If all of this still fails to impress, while still in his twenties (because after all he is still in his twenties), William co-founded 2 successful non-profits, which combined have raised over $400 million in lifetime pledged donations to charity and helped to spark the effective altruism movement:* 80000hours.org is an extremely cool and impressive ethical careers advisory service – sort of like an altruistic AI online career counselor — which provides research and advice on how you can best make a difference through your professional life.* Giving What We Can encourages people to commit to give at least 10% of their income to the most effective charities.Walking his talk, William has officially pledged to donate any and all earned income in excess of $35K USD to such effective charities. This makes for a very interesting line of questioning during today's conversation.William shares his ideas — some of which are controversial and at times iconoclastic — as a contributor to The Atlantic and in several prominent international publications (see below show notes) and he and his organizations have been featured in The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, NPR, and TED, among other media outlets.Although William lives in Oxford, I was able to sit down with him in Silicon Valley a few weeks ago as his noon-profit 80000hours.org was one of the very first non-profits ever invited to participate in the highly prestigious accelerator program hosted by prominent seed venture fund Y Combinator. For context, this is the fund and program that launched companies like Dropbox, AirBnB, and Reddit among many others.William recently released his first book, Doing Good Better:... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Let’s Talk About Depression: Kevin Breel’s Confessions of a Depressed Comic — And What Happens When Your TED Talk Goes Supernova
“The world I believe in is one where embracing your light doesn’t mean ignoring the dark.”Kevin BreelLet's talk about depression.Kevin Breel didn't fit the adolescent persona you would expect to fall prey to this debilitating affliction. One of the popular kids in high school, he was team captain of his standout basketball team. A class clown who would later pursue a career in stand up comedy. The guy who could hold court around the party keg and always keep everyone else laughing. Everyone except himself.At the time, Kevin was leading a clandestine double life. A dark secret he kept well hidden behind his well attuned comedic timing. A confusing and dire mental state that would leave him bedridden and secluded in isolation for days on end. A fatal secret that culminated in a suicide attempt that nearly took his young life.What prevented Kevin from sharing his pain and reaching out for help when he needed it most?The stigma that still surrounds a mental disease that lurks in the shadows, feeds on isolation and goes unchecked due to profound misunderstanding and misplaced judgment.You might be shocked to hear that according to Save.org, depression is the 2nd leading cause of death for young Americans between the ages of 15-24. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression impacts 121 million people across the globe and is the leading cause of disability worldwide, claiming 800,000 lives annually. That's one death by depression-induced suicide every 40 seconds.Luckily, Kevin found a way out. A solution that began with the courage to directly confront his pain.It was a move that not only saved his life, but gave him newfound purpose — a quest to shatter the profound yet unwarranted stigma that surrounds his disease by becoming an ambassador of hope to teens everywhere that they need not suffer in silence.The message? That by embracing the darkness within and bringing it into the light, together we can heal.At age 19, Kevin reared his gangly 6'3″ frame atop a stage in a small nondescript auditorium to share his story publicly for the first time. The circumstance? A local TEDx event in Ambleside, a quiet neighborhood in southwest Edmonton, Alberta. Hardly an illustrious venue, he looked out upon a small crowd of no more than 80 and thought, I'll be lucky if more than a couple hundred people ultimately watch this when it goes online.What happened next was astonishing.Lauded for its immediacy, raw honesty, unbridled emotion and authentic vulnerability, Confessions of a Depressed Comic struck a universal cultural nerve and became an instant viral hit. Collecting over half a million views in it's first 30 days, it now clocks well over 3 million views, making it one of the most watched TED Talks of all time. Featured on more than 200+ media outlets, Mashable called it “one of the moments that brought the world together.”A 15-minute speech that forever altered the trajectory of Kevin's life.Today Kevin is an internationally recognized mental health activist. A large personality exuding warmth and humor channeled around topics people tend not to talk about, Kevin has become an in demand guest speaker at over 100 colleges and universities across North America, frequently sharing the stage with Governors, professional athletes and celebrities. He has written opinion pieces for major media and his work has been featured by The Huffington Post, MTV, CNN, The TODAY Show on NBC, Mashable and The Wall Street Journal. Not enough? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Cowspiracy: How Animal Agriculture Is Destroying The Planet & What You Can Do About It
“[Animal agriculture] is one of the largest industries on the planet, with the biggest environmental impact. And they are trying to keep us in the dark about how they are operating…”Will Potter, independent journalist & TED Senior FellowA little over a year ago, I shared an amazing conversation with Kip Andersen & Keegan Kuhn, the dynamic filmmaking duo behind Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret. If you missed that episode, I encourage you to check it out here– it's one of my most popular episodes to date.An Inconvenient Truth meets Blackfish, Cowspiracy is an incredibly sobering and powerful (yet also funny and entertaining) documentary that takes a hard, unflinching look at the incredibly negative impact of animal agriculture on the health, well being and sustainability of our planet and it's precious, dwindling resources.Whether we are talking about carbon emissions, climate change, the blindingly rapid destruction of our rain forests, over consumption of water, species extinction, the depletion and destruction of our soil, the pollution of our rivers, lakes and oceans or the obliteration of natural wildlife habitats, you might be surprised to discover the very inconvenient and uncomfortable truth that animal agriculture is the industry by far most responsible for the global environmental catastrophe we currently face.If this is true, then why aren't we talking about it more?Cowspiracy is the rather shocking tale of what Kip and Keegan discovered trying to answer this very question.The little indie film that could, Cowspiracy is a true grassroots phenomenon. Crowd-source funded, rejected by the film festival circuit and lacking distribution, Kip and Keegan spent the last year traveling the country in a van attending independently organized, homespun screenings. Getting the word out one screen at a time, one audience at a time.Then something truly amazing happened. The film fell into the hands of Leonardo DiCaprio. The biggest movie star in the world didn't just fall in love with the movie, he came on board as Executive Producer with a mission: that Cowspiracy become required viewing for everyone and anyone who gives a slightest damn about the health of our planet.This week that mission moves towards reality. On Tuesday, September 15, Cowspiracy will premiere on Netflix worldwide. For those of you that have already seen the film, this is a new and improved cut — tighter with updated facts, it demands another view.The impact of Leonardo's name and credibility on the film's reach is astronomical and cannot be overstated. I am extremely proud to be an early supporter and associate producer on this project. I'm excited for mainstream audiences to finally discover this important film. I'm over the moon that Kip and Keegan will now be recognized on a mass level for their incredible work.But mostly I am excited for the dynamic environmental conversation that will inevitably ensue. And the positive changes to follow.Picking up where our first conversation left off, today's podcast covers a lot of ground, including:* the broad effects of animal agriculture on society* ethical & environmental concerns* the fallacy of ‘sustainable' livestock* the Alan Savory myth* soil & ecosystem degradation* educating charitable organizations * grass roots vs. mainstream media* how Leonardo DiCaprio got involved* the Netflix effect on enviro advocacyKip and Keegan are truly breaking paradigms. Making the world a better place. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.