Sean Jansen is a freelance writer and seasonal wilderness guide in Yellowstone National Park. He’s intense, slightly awkward, and deeply committed to dancing with the more raw frequencies of human experience. I love this guy. During his off-season from guiding, he partakes in a litany of expeditions from thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail to his recent trip, standup paddling more than 1,000 miles down the Baja Peninsula of Mexico. Through recovery from alcoholism, he has moved into a van and spends his time flying fishing trout streams, training for ultra-marathons, and searching the coast for unsurfed waves. With a passion for wilderness and wild places, he often takes his pen and paper on trips and finds ways that the outdoor recreation activities he loves can give back to conservation and environmental areas in need. Follow him on Instagram and read his new book, Paddling with Porpoise.

If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious. My first book, ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO, is available to order today.

Mike Schlebach is a South African big-wave surfer and coastal-activist deeply rooted in the surf culture of Cape Town’s wild Atlantic coast. Mike made his name charging serious surf at spots like Dungeons and the offshore reef at Sunset Reef. More recently, he has emerged as a voice against illegal mineral‐sand mining along South Africa’s West Coast, using his platform to raise awareness and protect coastline communities. Follow Mike here.

If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious. My first book, ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO, is available to preorder today.

Jess Grose is an opinion writer at The New York Times covering parenting and culture, and the author of three books: Sad Desk Salad, a sharp and funny novel about the early days of online media; Soulmates, a novel that dives into love, marriage, and the strange search for connection; and Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood, a nonfiction exploration that cracks open the impossible pressures mothers face today. If you’ve read The New York Times, chances are you’ve come across her thoughtful reporting or her essays that cut straight to the heart of how we live now.

If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious. My first book, ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO, is available to preorder today.

After serving 14 years in prison, 90 days of which were in solitary confinement, Chris Buroughs is now the director of Garden 31, a group that works to localize food production in San Diego’s low income neighborhoods by training new farmers with a focus on formerly incarcerated men and women, as well as those suffering from substance abuse issues. Contact Chris at: [email protected]

If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious. My book, ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO, is available to preorder today.

Bianca Valenti is the 2024 Big Wave Challenge Winner, a 9-time Mavericks Awards Champion, 2-time Puerto Escondido Cup Winner, and one of the few women to compete in the Eddie Aikau Invitational, the world’s most prestigious big wave surf event. She led the fight for equal pay in surfing, securing it for all athletes worldwide. For her trailblazing impact, she has been inducted into the California Outdoor Hall of Fame and named an Honorary Chief in the State of California. In this episode, we talked big wave mindset, training for longevity, and how spirit animals can help in heavy water situations. Scope her Instagram.

If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious.

David Litt is a writer, political speechwriter, and author best known for his work as a senior presidential speechwriter for President Barack Obama. Joining the White House at just 24, Litt became one of the youngest speechwriters in history, contributing to remarks on issues ranging from healthcare and climate change to comedy sketches for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. After leaving government, he turned to writing for a wider audience. His memoir, Thanks, Obama, blends sharp political insight with self-deprecating humor, earning praise for its candid behind-the-scenes look at life in the West Wing. He later published Democracy in One Book or Less, an accessible, witty exploration of how America’s political system works—and how it doesn’t. His latest book, It’s Only Drowning, is a laugh-out-loud love letter to surfing—and the story of an unlikely friendship, one that crosses the fault lines of education, ideology, and culture tearing so many of us apart. Follow David’s Substack, Word Salad.

If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious.

Greg Long is the most decorated big wave surfer in history. With 2 Big Wave World Titles and his name etched atop the podium at nearly every big wave contest around the globe, Long has experienced more moods of the ocean than just about any living human today. These days, the 41-year-old is focused on reducing needless ocean deaths through the Big Wave Risk Assessment Group (BWRAG), a course focused on high-surf risk management, covering detailed scenario analysis, breath-hold techniques, CPR/AED certification, open-ocean first-responder techniques, and hands-on equipment education. Although this course is taught by top pros in the sport, the techniques are applicable to all-level surfers. As Long says, “Whether your big wave is 2 feet or 20 feet, this course will have something for you.” I will be at the summit in Hermosa Beach on September 20th-21st, and right now, all listeners of this podcast can get $100 off the course by typing in KYLE100 at checkout. Hope to see you there!

If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious.

Although his comedic talents span the range of current events across the political spectrum, Brent Pella hit the cultural version of a nuclear reactor when he started writing jokes about new age spirituality, conspiracy theories, and human optimization. His videos have gained 500M+ views online, and he was recently named a "Creator to Watch" by the New York Comedy Festival. His debut comedy special, “Conscious Bro” is live on YouTube now. In this conversation, we dove into Brent’s past. He told the story of his first open mic, rapping at UC Santa Barbara, and why, despite the devil on his shoulder, he feels politically homeless. This one originally went live a few months back, and I figured it was worth a repost.

If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious.

Recorded north of the border, this episode with my pal Charlie Hart covers the ins and outs of throwing a party, upping your ancient philosophy game in 2025, and why, if you're starting a company, you should never try to build a cult, instead just be the Kool-Aid. At age 24, he became the 10th employee at RXBAR, the protein bar company known for its clean branding and "No BS" campaigns. Hart quickly rose to lead the brand’s marketing and growth, helping guide the company to a $600m exit before his 30th birthday. After traveling the world, Hart founded Sign and Sapien - an agency specializing in advising and investing for early and mid-stage companies and joined Factor75 as Chief Marketing Officer, where he steered the company towards a ~$300m exit. Today, he works as the Chef Marketing Officer for entertainer and entrepreneur Rob Dyrdek, managing and growing his media verticals and portfolio companies. Charlie doesn't have Instagram, but you can reach him at his email: [email protected] or follow him on LinkedIn.

If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious.

Charles Duhigg is the author of numerous books, including The Power of Habit, which spent over three years on the New York Times bestseller lists. His second book, Smarter Faster Better, was also a New York Times bestseller. And his latest, which hit the shelves last year, is titled Supercommunicators. Turns out ol’ Charles also lives in my hometown of Santa Cruz, California, and the dude surfs! Who would’ve thunk? This pod was under an hour, and we covered a lot: the writing process, breakthrough communication skills, and, of course, surfing.

I mentioned it in the intro, but if you’re in LA on Friday, July 17th, stop by Patagonia Santa Monica. I will be doing a live reading of some travel pieces I’ve written over the years. Some take place at Mavericks, others profile unknown activists fighting for their local waves south of the border—all celebrate the radical act of riding waves. The reading starts at 7pm and earlier in the day, Patagonia’s team will also be at the store fixing wetsuits for free. Event Details here.

If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It’s glorious.