University of Adversity

Most hockey players don't lose their career to injury. They lose it to the weekend. The party. The girls. The phone. The slow drift away from the one window they were ever going to get. Robert Mazin left Latvia at 15 with no agent, no mentor, no roadmap. He found his way through hockey programs across three continents and watched hundreds of players blow their shot from the inside out. Now he runs...

Three months since my last solo episode and I’m back. In this one I share a personal update, what I’ve been noticing with founders lately, and something I’ve been building quietly behind the scenes that I’m excited to finally talk about. We dive into the difference between healing and capacity, two things most people confuse. Healing clears the past. Capacity determines how much you can hold movin...

I lost my brother to suicide and my dad to cancer only eighteen months apart. Those were the hardest moments of my life and they changed everything. Grief stripped life down to what actually matters and forced me to grow in ways I never expected. This episode is a raw look at loss, healing, and the hard truths that shape you when life breaks you open. If you’re navigating grief or heavy emotions,...

I lost my brother to suicide and my dad to cancer only eighteen months apart. Those were the hardest moments of my life and they changed everything. Grief stripped life down to what actually matters and forced me to grow in ways I never expected. This episode is a raw look at loss, healing, and the hard truths that shape you when life breaks you open. If you’re navigating grief or heavy emotions,...

Matt Gottesman is a visionary writer, strategist, and creator who has built an audience of 10,000+ readers while guiding entrepreneurs and leaders toward alignment with their true calling. His work has been recognized for its clarity and unique ability to reframe success beyond hustle culture. But behind his wisdom lies a deeper truth: many of us are living out of alignment — chasing external succ...

Rudi Riekstins has been named one of the Top 5 Coaches in the world by Thrive Global and a Top 20 Thought Leader by Business Insider . He’s a leadership visionary, business mentor, and transformational speaker trusted by entrepreneurs, creatives, and even billionaires. But behind the accolades lies a truth we rarely talk about. Men have been fed a lie — that we must always be strong, stoic, and ne...

🔥 Episode Summary: Paul F. Austin, founder of The Third Wave, joins us for a deep dive into one of the most important conversations shaping mental health today: the psychedelic renaissance. Psychedelics are moving from taboo to mainstream. Microdosing LSD, psilocybin, and other plant medicines are now being studied for their ability to heal trauma, regrow neural pathways, and transform lives. But...

🔥 Episode Summary: Joe De Sena, founder of Spartan and Tough Mudder, returns with one of the most necessary wake up calls for men today. We break down the hard truth: men are getting soft. Comfort is killing purpose. We’ve lost our edge — and Joe’s here to help you take it back. Joe unpacks: – Why modern life is designed to make men weak – When the decline actually started (and it wasn’t just the...

🔥 Episode Summary: This conversation will punch you in the face — in the best way. Joe De Sena, founder of Spartan and Tough Mudder, returns with one of the rawest, most necessary wake-up calls for men today. We break down the hard truth: Men are getting soft. Comfort is killing purpose. We’ve lost our edge — and Joe’s here to help you take it back. Joe unpacks: – Why modern life is designed to m...

Episode Summary: In this powerful conversation, Anna Lozano shares her journey of breaking free from societal programming and redefining success through the balance of masculine and feminine energies. As a Polish immigrant and entrepreneur, she built a thriving career in network marketing , co-founded Love Powered Co. , and now mentors female founders in aligning strategy, mindset, and energetics...

Episode Summary In this powerful conversation, Ben Azadi shatters common health myths and challenges the traditional calorie-focused approach to weight loss. He explains why food quality matters more than counting calories and how inflammation and hormones play a bigger role in fat loss than most people realize. Ben shares his personal journey with the carnivore diet, exposes the hidden dangers of...

Episode Summary: In this episode, Amberly Lago returns to the show after four years to share her powerful journey of resilience, joy, and overcoming adversity. Through her experiences with chronic pain and life’s challenges, she has developed transformative strategies to help others cultivate gratitude, embrace joy, and build unshakable resilience. We dive into the importance of joy-spotting, over...

Summary In this episode, Lance shares personal updates and reflections on his journey over the past year, including his travels to Tulum, Edmonton, Bali, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh. He discusses the importance of personal development, spirituality, and the challenges of finding fulfillment in life. Lance emphasizes the significance of habits and mindset in achieving success and introduces his new in...

Chinese medicine views the body as a garden, while Western medicine views it as a machine. Chinese medicine focuses on the health and wellness of the whole ecosystem, considering factors like soil, sunlight, and water. Kevin Preston, a practitioner of Chinese medicine, was drawn to this holistic approach after experiencing the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating his knee injury. He believes t...

Breathwork or Meditation: Which is Better for Personal Growth?" The relationship between breathwork and meditation is a powerful synergy that can significantly enhance personal development and well-being. Lance underscores this connection by illustrating how meditation quiets the mind and connects it with the heart and body, while breathwork releases stuck energy and completes the stress response....

Cam MacDougall is a dedicated advocate for personal growth and resilience, driven by his own experiences of lacking a supportive figure during his youth. Emphasizing the importance of embracing difficult situations as opportunities for learning and self-discovery, Cam encourages individuals to build resilience, understand their boundaries, and clarify their values. His mission is to guide men towa...

**Special Episode from The NextDay Nomad Podcast*** Hola Amigos, in today’s episode of The NextDay Nomad Podcast, I interview Lance Essihos, the host of the "University of Adversity" podcast. Lance is a seasoned entrepreneur, speaker, and author who has turned his life experiences into a powerful message of resilience and growth. His journey from personal struggles to becoming a beacon of hope for...

Episode Highlights: - Self-awareness and personal growth are pivotal for navigating life's challenges effectively. - Lance Essihos, a proponent of this transformative journey, emphasizes the crucial role of releasing negative emotions and adopting a resilient mindset. - Essihos illustrates this perspective by comparing harboring resentment to "drinking poison and expecting the other person to die,...

Episode Summary In this episode, I share my perspectives on how immersing in different cultures and stepping out of one's comfort zone can foster invaluable life lessons and personal growth. I explore my own experiences, such as participating in the Temezcal ceremony and reconnecting with my creative passions upon returning back to Canada, to highlight the importance of trusting the unknown, adapt...

Tara Portelli is a former paramedic who has transitioned her focus to mental health and psychedelics. Drawing from her background in emergency services and experiences with medicinal mushrooms, Portelli is on a mission to support first responders and others in high-stress professions through proactive mental health strategies. In this episode, Tara Portelli shares her personal journey from the hig...

Identity transformation, a fascinating concept that pertains to the process of consciously reshaping one's personal beliefs, habits, and environment for self-development, plays a pivotal role in personal growth. Lance Essihos, an advocate of this intriguing concept, suggests that our identity is sculpted by our everyday habits, actions, and past experiences. With an unwavering belief in the potent...

In the digital age, the concept of a social media detox is growing in popularity as a way to combat the negative effects of constant online presence. Lance Essihos, a firm advocate for this concept, believes that excessive use of social media can lead to a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and feelings of inadequacy. From his perspective, taking regular breaks from soci...

Sharon Land , a seasoned professional with a diverse background in health and well-being, helps high performers, athletes, and professionals in stress management and optimized health practices. Sharon Land's perspective on healing from diseases and illnesses is deeply rooted in her personal journey of overcoming physical, emotional, and professional challenges. She emphasizes the importance of fol...

Nicole Sciacca is a yoga teacher, FRCms practitioner, professional dancer, and mother to her son, Beau. Currently based in Los Angeles, she trains a diverse clientele including working moms, entrepreneurs, former athletes, and A-list celebrities. Her expertise has earned her features on The Doctors TV, E! Online, and in The New York Times. Drawing from her personal experience with the loss of her...

The art of building resilience is fundamental to navigating life's inevitable pressures and challenges. It involves a dynamic process of embracing struggles, learning from them, and thereby acquiring invaluable skills and perspectives. This strengthens not just our ability to withstand external and internal pressures, but also provides avenues for self-growth, discovery, and empowerment. Lance Ess...