The Art of Awesome

"Go to bed a little smarter than when you woke up.”― Charlie Munger On today's show I bring back kayaking legend and one of my best friends, Rafa Ortiz, to talk about the ability to learn virtually anything via YouTube and online learning, podcasts and books. The world we live in right now is filled with so much information, most of which is free to consume, that there is really no reason not to b...

During todays Friday Fire I reflect on a simple question my 8 year old son asked at our dinner table, "would you rather be the best of the worst or the worst of the best?" It was not only thought provoking once I started thinking about it, though possibly even more interesting was the answers that my father-in-law gave and the comparison with the ideas behind "would you rather be the head of a mou...

Today I get to bring back the Kayaking Monk, Arjuna Ishaya, as we dive into the ideas behind being present and the concepts of his new book Chasing More and Finding Enough. Arjuna is such a down to earth guy and shares wisdom beyond his years. It is also such a fun conversation to speak with a monk about presence and fulfillment in life, while using kayaking and extreme sports as his personal exam...

"It's Impossible", said Pride, "It's Risky", said Experience, "It's Pointless", said Reason, "Give it a Try", Whispered the Heart. During todays Friday Fire I dive into the commonly told topic of following your heart. There are many things both internally and externally that can be expressed for reasons to not follow you heart, there can be expressed by close friends or family, or your self pride...

Today was a conversation filled with laughter, great insight and some incredible kayaking stories as I sit down for an interview with the one and only, Johnny Chase. Johnny shares many hilarious stories from getting into kayaking to getting bit by a rattlesnake and overcoming his fears by banging his head against a rock. Movie Reference - The River Runner Podcast reference - Sam Sutton Interview B...

It's not the lack of resources, it's your lack of resourcefulness that stops you. – Tony Robbins During todays Friday Fire I share with you the fact that it isn't a lack of resources that is our problem it is a simply lack of resourcefulness. We can likely fix all of our problems once we start getting creative with possible solutions. It is easy to say I don't have the money or the time or the con...

Today I got the pleasure to speak with one of the best healers that I have ever had the pleasure to work with, Olga Voevodskaya. Olga is a Russian born healer now residing in Canada. She started out as a nurse and transitioned into massage, then Osteopathy and Cranial Therapy. Though my travels around the world trying all sorts of different types of healing types with a mix of eastern and western...

Is the financial chair you are sitting on truly stable? What if a black swan (unforeseen event) came around and started cutting your chairs legs, how much could you withstand? During todays Friday Fire I discuss a concept of having a financial chair, with each source of income representing one of your chairs legs. Are your sitting on a strong and stable single legged stool, or do you have multiple...

"Screw it, let's do it." - Richard Branson Today was another one of my most favorite interviews and conversations with a great friend of mine, 4x world champion and serial entrepreneur, Sam Sutton. Sam shared his entrepreneurial beginnings and big dreams, as well as how kayaking side tracked him from those dreams as he became addicted to the sport. He also explains the inevitable combination of hi...

"My hero is me 10 years down the line"- Matthew McConaughey During todays Friday Fire I discuss a Matthew McConaughey's Oscar winning speech and a quote from his book, Green Lights, which is all about chasing his Hero. Matthew was asked who his hero is, and asking thinking about it he responds with 'me 10 years down the line'. This is a concept around chasing your potential and your best self. We...

“Follow your dreams, believe in yourself and don't give up." Today I got to sit down and talk with a family friend Kasia Majszki as she shares her story about chasing her dreams to cook, and learning something new everyday. Kasia not only took baby steps towards chasing her dreams, though she also faced her fears while doing all this in the middle of a global pandemic. Podcast reference - Facing F...

Today during our Friday Fire I discuss a quote I had been pondering about, regarding that fact that you don't stumble upon success. Success comes from setting a goal, then making a plan and most importantly talking action towards achieving that goal. You don’t accidentally wake up with 6 pack abs or accidentally have a million dollars in your banks account or accidentally find the love of your lif...

“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places." - Ernest Hemingway Today I got to sit down and talk with a childhood hero of mine, and one of the biggest names in the history of whitewater kayaking, Scott Lindgren. Scott has completed some of the biggest expeditions in the sport of kayaking including one of the most widely known, the Yarlung Tsangpo expedition in Ti...

"When you fall off the horse, durst yourself off and get back on again." Today during my Friday Fire I discuss the widely used phrase regarding falling off the horse and getting back up again. More than anything this has to do with the simply fact that I had fallen off my routine of regularly creating and posting this podcast due to technical difficulty. Though it is too easy to use that as an exc...

"Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions." - Mark Twain Today during our Friday Fire I discuss the concept around never knowing enough information. Whether it be scouting a rapid, making an investment, choosing a career path or pretty much anything in life, we simple will never have enough information, as there will always be unknowns that we didn't take int...

Today during our Monday Deep Dive we launch our 100th episode. So for the momentous episode I take a look back at some of the many phenomenal interviews I've been fortunate enough to have and share some of my favorite lessons and tips that have helped me in my journey and pieces that I hope also help you. Please let me know what you think about this content with a rating or review on Apple Podcast...

Today during our Friday Fire I discuss the idea of Slay the Dragons i our lives. The Dragon is whatever problem or situation you are dreading or putting off because it might be too uncomfortable or just something you don't want to do. This dragon could be paying a bill, or a conversation or a fear of something. Though the longer you put it off or avoid it the bigger the dragon grows. It is much ea...

Today I got to sit down for my first in-person interview as I spoke with Alec Voorhees all about his transition into taking over the North Fork Championship while organizing the event, competing and landing a podium finish. We also dive deep into his whole story about how he started into the sport of whitewater kayaking and grew up in the sport. He also shares his life quote about working until yo...

Today I dive deep into the power of belief. Belief is different from hope, will and trying, belief is actually believing that what you want to have, do, or be and not just seeing it in the future, but knowing that is will occur in the future and nothing can stop you. If you really want something in life you have to believe that you will do, have or be that, and that nothing can stop you and every...

Today I got to sit down for a truly thought provoking conversation with the Renegade Pharmacist, Niraj Naik. We dive deep into the power of breath and its power over the body, mind and spirit. Niraj tells us about his story of healing himself from an "incurable" disease after his deep dive into self healing and a combination of natural treatments, dietary recommendations, meditation, yoga, and min...

During todays Fridays Fire I dive into the idea that no matter what is going on in life, no matter the possible hard times, or stresses in life, it could always be worse. There is a saying that goes, if we were to put all our problems into a pile, we would quickly choose to take ours back. The idea being that everyone has problems, issues and stresses, and realize that what you might think of as a...

"To those who much is given, much is expected." Today I got to sit down and talk with long time friend and pro kayaker turned commercial real estate agent, Chris Gragtmans. Chris and I talk all about his life as a pro kayaker and his transition into the commercial real estate world and why it was the right decision for him. We also dive deep into financial literacy and the simple steps we could al...

"Price is what you pay value is what you get" ~ Warren Buffett During todays Fridays Fire I dive into the discussion between price and value. Just because it is on sale, doesn't make it a deal, and on the flip fide of things just because something it expensive doesn't necessarily make it more valuable. When you are looking for a deal it is not always about the price it's about the value you get. M...

"The doctor of the future will give no medication, but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, diet and in the cause and prevention of disease." ~ Thomas Edison Today I got to sit down and talk with the Dr. Darrel Misak as we discuss restoring your health, revitalizing your energy and how it all start in the mind. Dr. Misak is both a licensed Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine as w...

Today's Friday fire is all about being the Practitioner Instead of the Theorist. It is great to learn theory, though theory is useless without action. So make sure you try to learn, though down get caught up in analysis paralysis and instead take some action. Beware of the thought that I just need to read one more book, or course or video or podcast. Take action even if its just little baby steps....