Nik Hawks is an entrepreneur, athlete, and veteran (Navy SEAL). Among his many pursuits, he is a paraglider, writer, podcaster, Red Bull athletic performance consultant, and founder of a paleo dessert company. In this conversation, Nik talks to Payson about why it took him three tries to complete the Leadville 100 ultramarathon, choosing between health and athletic performance in regards to diet, what it’s like working within the individually-minded world of elite athletes as opposed to the team-oriented world of the military, why he loves being underestimated by strangers, and his distaste for being pigeon-holed as a Navy SEAL. He also opens up about his struggle reintegrating with civilian life which led to a close brush with suicide, and how transitions such as his are not unique to veterans, and are actually universal. 

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YouTube: Payson McElveen

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