Not too long ago every self respecting long distance runner was toting a dog eared copy of Christopher McDougall's Born to Run, reconsidering their choice of footwear or forgoing shoes altogether. McDougall's current explorations have led him to ask new questions such as: what makes a hero, are our vast human skills learned formally or innate and suppressed by culture? Is the ability to survive in dire circumstances unique or is it present in all of us and awaiting the opportunity to be unleashed? You may know Joe's take on these questions, and in this episode learn if McDougall agrees. Lessons: 1. To be compassionate can also mean to help someone with their problem while it's small and before it comes back to affect the community at large. 2. Many skills are latent, lurking just below the surface, and our mass culture has limited their full expression. 3. Being successful often means identifying and taking that one extra step that no one else is taking.