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Two Marathons a Day Across the Sahara Desert | Charlie Engle - Part 1
Charlie Engel ran 4,300 miles across the Sahara Desert in 140-degree heat, sinking sand, and sandstorms—two marathons per day for 111 days. But the running wasn't the hard part. The hard part was unlearning everything he thought resilience meant.
Most entrepreneurs think resilience comes from pushing harder. Charlie discovered it comes from detachment from outcomes while maintaining relentless forward motion.
The Day-By-Day Framework:
→ Week one almost killed the expedition—support vehicles quit, team ran out of water twice, producers threatened to pull the plug
→ Day eight shift: stopped focusing on 4,300 miles ahead, focused only on the marathon in front of him
→ Result: raised $6M, landed Matt Damon as producer with the worst pitch in history (20 minutes late, 10-minute rambling presentation)
Here's what Charlie understood that most don't: his addictive personality wasn't the enemy. It was his competitive advantage. The same obsessive drive that destroyed his college basketball career and led to six-day crack binges became the exact trait that let him run 145 miles in 24 hours.
The Voluntary Suffering System:
→ You can't teach resilience—you can only build it through deliberate discomfort
→ Hard moments pass faster than hard times if you let them
→ Self-punishment vs. channeling obsession: know the difference
After the Sahara came federal prison for mortgage fraud. After prison came breaking the Death Valley Cup record. The pattern: resilience isn't about avoiding failure. It's about knowing you'll get up the next day regardless.
The ultimate question Zig Ziglar taught him: "The sale doesn't begin until you hear the word no." Applied to life: growth doesn't begin until you choose voluntary suffering.
Subscribe for more insights from leaders redefining what it means to be truly wealthy.
Interested in becoming a member of R360 Global? Visit our website: https://www.r360global.com/
Charlie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlespgarcia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fortunatefishes/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fortunatefishespodcast?lang=en
X: https://x.com/R360FISHES
"Message us"
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By Charlie GarciaCharlie Engel ran 4,300 miles across the Sahara Desert in 140-degree heat, sinking sand, and sandstorms—two marathons per day for 111 days. But the running wasn't the hard part. The hard part was unlearning everything he thought resilience meant.
Most entrepreneurs think resilience comes from pushing harder. Charlie discovered it comes from detachment from outcomes while maintaining relentless forward motion.
The Day-By-Day Framework:
→ Week one almost killed the expedition—support vehicles quit, team ran out of water twice, producers threatened to pull the plug
→ Day eight shift: stopped focusing on 4,300 miles ahead, focused only on the marathon in front of him
→ Result: raised $6M, landed Matt Damon as producer with the worst pitch in history (20 minutes late, 10-minute rambling presentation)
Here's what Charlie understood that most don't: his addictive personality wasn't the enemy. It was his competitive advantage. The same obsessive drive that destroyed his college basketball career and led to six-day crack binges became the exact trait that let him run 145 miles in 24 hours.
The Voluntary Suffering System:
→ You can't teach resilience—you can only build it through deliberate discomfort
→ Hard moments pass faster than hard times if you let them
→ Self-punishment vs. channeling obsession: know the difference
After the Sahara came federal prison for mortgage fraud. After prison came breaking the Death Valley Cup record. The pattern: resilience isn't about avoiding failure. It's about knowing you'll get up the next day regardless.
The ultimate question Zig Ziglar taught him: "The sale doesn't begin until you hear the word no." Applied to life: growth doesn't begin until you choose voluntary suffering.
Subscribe for more insights from leaders redefining what it means to be truly wealthy.
Interested in becoming a member of R360 Global? Visit our website: https://www.r360global.com/
Charlie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlespgarcia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fortunatefishes/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@fortunatefishespodcast?lang=en
X: https://x.com/R360FISHES
"Message us"