The Rich Roll Podcast

Let'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

A 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 indus

I love the everyman stories. Adam Sud isn't famous. He's not a world-class performer. And he's not schilling a book. He's just an average dude living a pretty normal life. But look deeper and you'll find a rather extraordinary story. The story of a guy who completely lost himself in the bleak darkness of drug and food addiction. Hopelessly hooked since high school on the superman rush provided by Adderall, Adam spent most of his twenties isolating and high — up all night playing video games and binging on fast food. The heavier he got, the more he isolated, until he stopped caring altogether. Life shrank to a cycle of getting high, finding more Adderall, and repressing his increased depression and anger with more and more fast food — a lifestyle that left him over 300lbs with Type-2 diabetes on a crash course with an early grave. Out of cash, unemployable and alienated from friends and family, Adam finally faced a choice: live on the street or reach out for help. After extended stays in rehab and sober living

Today marks my third conversation with the singular Casey Neistat. Does a guy who has amassed over 100 million total views on his YouTube Channel — not to mention 1 million views daily — really need a formal introduction? Unlikely. But if for some reason this exciting filmmaker has eclipsed your radar, you can read my in depth thoughts on his extraordinary life and listen to our prior conversations HERE (RRP #73) and HERE (RRP #144). If you're well on board the Casey train, you’ve witnessed quite an evolution in his recent trajectory. Since Casey began daily vlogging — posting a new movie on his YouTube Channel every single day since March 27, 2015 — his already incredibly popular YouTube Channel has exploded, growing from around 500,000 subscribers to well over 1.1 million in less than five months. On average, each vlog amasses around 500,000 views. This one tops out at 1.5 million (which incidentally has absolutely nothing to do with what occurs at the 4-minute mark): A major network television show would

I'm terrified. I don't want to post this episode. But hiding in the dark never helped me. Neither repression nor denial ever helped anyone. In order to grow, we need to honestly confront our past. Understand it. Then own it. Because you can't save your ass if you're trying to save face. Today I shine a light on an episode of my past that still causes me shame. Because shame can't survive the light. I'm terrified. I feel fragile. I feel vulnerable. And that's why I must post this episode. Because I need to walk my talk. Because embracing vulnerability ultimately leads to strength. Because shame can't survive the light. I can't say I look forward to your thoughts on this one. But go ahead. Post your comments anyway. Peace + Plants, Rich

I want to be happy. Everybody wants to be happy. So why is it so hard to just be happy? Many self-help gurus present happiness as a choice. The idea that happiness can be produced whenever we want, irrespective of circumstance. Simply learn to flick a certain mental switch and voila! It's an intoxicating idea. But is this axiom actually true? Meet Light Watkins. Friend, teacher and expert on mindfulness and meditation, Light proffers some interesting and perhaps somewhat controversial counterpoint perspectives on a question that deeply concerns all of us: how to best cultivate happiness? First, let's get the obvious out of the way. Beyond his beguiling good looks, Light Watkins is pretty much the coolest name ever. Right? On a more earnest note, I would characterize Light as a generous, highly accessible and contemplative entrepreneur of mindfulness — always convivial, impressively composed, and quick with a laugh. He has been operating in the meditation space for over 15 years and has been teaching Vedic Med

If you're a long-time listener of the podcast, then you’ve treated yourself to several of my conversations with today's guest. You know this guy well as my gravelly voiced, eminently talented, always charming yet generally disheveled, periodically homeless co-host — now back for a record 6th appearance on the RRP. Mishka Shubaly doesn’t care much for formalities. But if you need a resumé, his goes something like this: A self-professed povertarian, Mishka writes true stories about drink, drugs, disasters, desire, deception, and their aftermath. He began drinking at 13 and college at 15. At 22, he received the Dean's Fellowship from the Master's Writing Program at Columbia University. Upon receiving his expensive MFA, he promptly moved into a Toyota minivan to tour the country nonstop as a singer-songwriter, sharing the stage with artists like The Strokes, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Decemberists. At 32, Mishka got sober and shortly thereafter began publishing a string of bestselling Kindle Singles – short non-

Imagine bivouacking in a portaledge — you and two other guys crammed into a small mountaineering tent pitched vertically and dangling on the side of a sheer Himalayan cliff 19,000 feet above solid ground with nothing but nothing below you. Then imagine staying put for 12 days straight to weather a ferocious storm, torrential winds and temperatures that dip into twenty below territory. That’s just one harrowing peek into the life of today’s guest, Conrad Anker – a man widely considered to be the most accomplished high altitude climber in the world and one of the most respected adventure athletes of all time. The team leader of The North Face climbing team as well as the subject of not one but several Outside Magazine cover profiles, Conrad is renown for specializing in not just the highest mountains but the most technically challenging ascents — conquering the trickiest peaks spread across the high Himalaya, Antarctica, Alaska and the big walls of Patagonia. Conrad has summited Everest 3 times, including a suc

Julie and I are back with yet another installment of Ask Me Anything, a twist on my typical long-form interview format where Julie and I engage you — the listener — by addressing the topics and questions you want discussed. This week's AMA explores: * the employment of passion * engaging in process over results * reconciling spiritual detachment with the law of attraction * releasing old ideas & changing your story; and * self-acceptance: embracing dark and light Special thanks to Steven Simpson and Jeff Warrington for today's questions, as well as everyone who submitted inquiries — keep ‘em coming! The show concludes with My Man, written and performed by Julie — aka SriMati– accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt. I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation. Peace + Plants, Rich

I love talking to smart people. Today's guest is certainly that — and so much more. Contravening millennial stereotypes, Ryan Holiday is a prolific, rising literary talent. A maverick media strategist. Not to mention a philosopher of sorts — a guy with big ideas often at odds with the status quo. An autodidact, Ryan dropped out of college at nineteen to apprentice under acclaimed author Robert Greene, author of (among many other great books) The 48 Laws of Power*, later graduating to advise many New York Times bestselling authors like Tim Ferriss and RRP #154 alum Tucker Max, multiplatinum musicians like Linkin Park and startups like Casey Neistat's ( RRP 73 & RRP 144 ) recently launched social media platform Beme. By the time he was legally allowed to drink (21!) Ryan had already ascended to director of marketing duties at American Apparel, where his iconoclastic campaigns and tactics have been used as case studies by Twitter, YouTube, and Google and written about in places like AdAge, the New York Times, a

Julie and I are back with yet another installment of Ask Me Anything, a twist on my typical long-form interview format where Julie and I engage you — the listener — by addressing the topics and questions you want discussed. This week's AMA explores: * releasing the need for permission to live your life * empowerment via “choosing yourself” * practicing creativity in all things * confronting your fear through action * removing fear-based stimuli from your life * managing criticism * overcoming judgment and resentment * combating addiction by prioritizing sobriety Special thanks to Farmer Diddly, Nathan & everyone who contributed to this week’s questions! The show concludes with Beloved, written and performed by Julie — aka SriMati– accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt. I sincerely hope you enjoy the conversation. Are you waiting for permission to chase a dream? Why? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Peace + Plants, Rich

I'm exploding with excitement about this week's hotly anticipated show. Today I sit down with James Lawrence — aka The Iron Cowboy — fresh on the heels of completing an absolutely unprecedented and mind-boggling 50 ironman-distance triathlons in 50 states in just 50 days. I honestly believe this is one of the greatest achievements in the history of (voluntary) human endurance. For the uninitiated, consider swimming 2.4 miles, pedaling your bike 112 miles and then running a marathon, 26.2 miles. After quickly eating and bathing, you enjoy anywhere from two to four hours of shut eye, usually in the back of a Subaru as it drives through the night to meet dawn in an adjoining state. Then you heave your weary bones up, eat, get dressed and do it all over again. Every single day. 50 days in row, across each and every one of the 50 states — including Hawaii and Alaska — without one single day off. Just think about that for a moment. Let it sink in. During James' initial appearance on the podcast (RRP 149) just prior

I'm so intimidated. This week Julie and I are joined by the dynamic duo of the Choose Yourself era themselves, James and Claudia Altucher — a prolific couple changing the world with insights that are empowering millions to live more dynamic, authentic lives. When someone fires off a long list of occupations in conversation, my instinct tells me that person probably isn't great at any of them. James is not that guy. Abundant in talent. A true polymath with just the right amount of self-deprecation and pitch perfect comedic timing. Blogger, bestselling author, podcaster, public speaker, investor, entrepreneur, columnist, and humorist, he seemingly does it all. Oh yeah, he's also a nationally ranked chess master. James had made millions, lost millions and made millions again. Maybe he'll lose it again. I don't know. He’s started and run something like 20 companies. Then there's a slew of venture capital, hedge, angel and sundry other funds he ran. Maybe he still runs them. I don't know that either. In fact, I do

Imagine yourself so debilitated by a battery of chronic ailments you can barely get out of bed. Merely walking down a simple flight of stairs or lifting a a book is excruciating. Knife-like pains cause you to scream so loudly, your neighbor calls 911. Then one day you collapse at work and awake in the hospital to discover you have suffered 36 embolisms that are filling your lungs with blood so quickly, drowning is a very real possibility. Now imagine yourself a couple years later in a tropical jungle competing in La Ruta Del Conquistadores. Widely considered one of the toughest endurance challenges on the planet, La Ruta is a 3-day, 161-mile mountain bike race with over 29,000 feet of climbing that traverses Costa Rica from the Pacific Ocean to the Caribbean Sea. This is the incredible arc of today's guest, Seamus Mullen. An award-winning New York City chef, restaurateur and cookbook author known for his inventive yet approachable Spanish cuisine, Seamus is the proprietor of several restaurants, including Ter

We're back with yet another installment of Ask Me Anything, a twist on my typical long-form interview format where Julie and I engage you — the listener — by addressing the topics and questions you want discussed. As a person prone to extremes, I have been spending quite a bit of time lately pondering the importance of balance and moderation in living an optimally fulfilling life. What is the role of balance when you are pursuing your best self? Is moderation in all things truly an aspirational path? In short, I am starting to question the premise. This week Julie and I discuss this personal conundrum at length. Our conversation also explores: * my experience with Iron Cowboy as he completed his historic 50/50/50 * Julie's perspective on crewing for me at Ultraman * stoicism & overcoming obstacles * how to best serve the needs of “out of the box” children * the exploration required to discover your passion * how distractions negatively impact our life path; and * how to meet the social challenges of living p

We need more doctors like Michelle McMacken, MD. Board certified in internal medicine, Dr. McMacken is an assistant professor at the NYU School of Medicine, an attending primary care physician at New York City's Bellevue Hospital Center and director of the Bellevue Adult Weight Management Clinic, where she specializes in plant-based nutrition and lifestyle medicine. Interestingly, Dr. McMacken wasn't always all that intrigued by nutrition. Not surprisingly, her medical school experience was woefully lacking in this regard. But after eight years of medical practice, she was becoming progressively distressed by her obesity clinic patients' general inability to get — and stay — healthy. Determined to find better, more sustainable solutions for her patients led to a search engine result for “lifestyle change” that prompted Michelle to attend the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Conference– a game-changing experience that enlightened her to a holistic, disease preventive perspective on patient care that ulti

Aussie born, UK-dwelling adventure athlete Luke Tyburski isn’t superman. He’s not famous nor is he a world champion. And he’s the first to say he’s just not that talented. In most ways Luke is a normal bloke. An everyman who decided to face his debilitating battle with clinical depression through the lens of adventure and ultra-endurance sports. Soccer obsessed as a young boy, from the get go Luke realized he lacked the God-given athletic gifts enjoyed by his teammates. Nonetheless, perseverance prevailed and Luke achieved his life-long dream of traveling the world as a professional footballer. Unfortunately, that career was cut short by significant, chronic & persistent injuries. What followed was an unexpected yet quite severe bout with acute, clinical depression — a back hole of desperation that often left him bedridden and teetering on hopelessness. To escape this prison, Luke dug deep. Through sheer force of will matched with equal parts faith, he compelled his mutinying body, mind and spirit to simply g

It’s one thing to thrive on a plant-based diet as a skinny endurance athlete. But what about sports that place a premium on size, speed, agility, power, quickness and just plain brute force? Is it possible to compete at the highest level of the NFL not as a punt returner, not as a quarterback or even a running back, but as a defensive lineman – a position where only the absolute biggest, baddest, strongest and fastest survive? Meet David Carter — aka The 300 Pound Vegan. Introduced to the game at age 5, David began his football career playing Pop Warner. He made waves at Fontana's Kaiser High School in Southern California and went on to become a star player at UCLA. In 2011, he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals in the 6th round and has since been a bit of a journeyman defensive linebacker, playing for the Dallas Cowboys, the Oakland Raiders and most recently the Jacksonville Jaguars. Like most athletes, David grew up eating tons of meat, fully adhering to the conventional mythology that in order to become

I don't how long we've been together — 17 years? 16? — but I do know that Julie and I just celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary. It's been a wild, and at times astonishing ride. So suffice it to say, the subject of relationships is on my mind. So how does one attract, cultivate, nurture and sustain a relationship that isn't just healthy and intimate but is in fact extraordinary? This week's installment of Ask Me Anything is devoted to just this issue. This conversation explores: * the transformational aspects of relationships * destiny & fate in selecting a mate * human love versus divine love * prioritizing self-development * the primacy of commitment * the significance of complementary core values * the power of neutral compassion & observance * the practice of taking contrary action Special thanks to Jeremy Bell for this week’s questions and Jason for his fan letter. The show concludes with I'm Here Now, written and performed by Julie (aka SriMati), accompanied by our sons Tyler & Trapper Piatt. I sin

Insurgent educator Stephen Ritz is truly one of the most inspiring game changers I have ever met. A South Bronx elementary school teacher and administrator, he has faced and overcome tremendous bureaucratic, political, and socio-economic odds to catapult generations of young, underprivileged at-risk students to unimaginable academic success and upwardly mobile employment — all while simultaneously reclaiming and rebuilding the Bronx from the inside out. The modality leveraged to serve this end? Food. Specifically, growing food. The personification of triple bottom line values and a staunch advocate of project-based, experiential learning, it all began when Stephen accidentally began growing plants in his classroom. The unexpected result was a level of student engagement even this maverick educator could not have predicted. So what began by fluke soon became Stephen's passion. It wasn't long before his Bronx classroom featured the first indoor edible wall in the entire New York City Department of Education — a