🔥 Episode Summary:

This conversation will punch you in the face — in the best way.

Joe De Sena, founder of Spartan and Tough Mudder, returns with one of the rawest, most necessary wake-up calls for men today.

We break down the hard truth: men are getting soft. Comfort is killing purpose. We’ve lost our edge — and Joe’s here to help you take it back.

Joe unpacks:

– Why modern life is designed to make men weak

– When the decline actually started (and it wasn’t just the iPhone)

– How the pandemic nearly destroyed Spartan — and why he didn’t quit

– What actually builds grit in kids (and why parents are failing)

– What to do if you're stuck, soft, or spiraling

– Why movement is the cure for grief, depression, and weakness

– The rule that carried Joe through hell: The standards don’t change

This isn’t motivation. It’s a call to arms.

🧠 What You’ll Learn:

🔥 How comfort destroys resilience

🔥 Why the world doesn’t want you strong

🔥 Joe’s survival story from losing $100M

🔥 The power of adversity in shaping identity

🔥 Why kids need structure, struggle, and discipline

🔥 The mindset that separates warriors from victims

🔥 Why you need hard dates and high standards to thrive

⏱️ Chapters:

00:00 – The Biggest Problem Men Face

02:25 – When It All Started to Go Wrong

05:56 – Losing $100M & Refusing to Quit

11:30 – The Mental Toll of Constant Pressure

15:54 – When Naysayers Show Up

18:53 – Why Society Doesn’t Want You Fit

22:09 – Grief, Loss & Movement as Medicine

24:56 – Raising Gritty Kids: Camp Sparta

27:50 – The “Quitter’s Office”

31:56 – Why Adversity Must Be Ongoing

36:45 – What To Do When You’re Stuck

38:29 – Dates on the Calendar = Identity Shifts

39:05 – What’s Next for Spartan

🧔‍♂️ About Joe De Sena:

Founder and CEO of Spartan and Tough Mudder.

Ultra-endurance athlete. Bestselling author.

On a mission to rebuild a stronger, grittier society.

📘 Explore Joe’s World:

🎟 Free Spartan Race Ticket – Email: [email protected]

🏕 Camp Sparta (Death Camp for Kids) – Subject: Camp Sparta

🌍 Spartan & Tough Mudder – https://www.spartan.com

📲 Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/realjoedesena

🌐 Website – https://joedesena.com

🫁 Ready for a Real Breakthrough — and the Path to Self-Mastery?

✔️ 4-session breakthrough packages

✔️ 3-month and 6-month deep-dive intensives

If you’re ready to go all in — mentally, emotionally, spiritually — this is the work.

→ Book a FREE discovery call: https://calendly.com/lanceessihos/clairtycall

→ Explore the The offers: https://www.masterybreathwork.co/

🎙️ You’ve built the brand — but are you finally ready to use your voice?

You’ve put in the work. You’ve built something real.

But deep down, you know you’ve been holding back.

There’s a message inside you the world needs to hear — but playing small won’t get it out.

At Mic-Up Media, we don’t just get you booked on top podcasts —

We help you get seen, heard, and fully felt as the authority you were born to be.

We help you speak with conviction, lead with clarity, and take the stage like it’s already yours.

Because every next level demands more truth, more courage, and a version of you that no longer hides.

And as you rise — we’ll help you face down anything standing in the way of your voice, your power, and your mission.

👉 Apply now → https://lanceessihos.com/micup/

📖 Mastering Adversity (the book) → https://www.lanceessihos.com/book

🔗 More on Lance’s work → https://lanceessihos.com

📲 Stay Connected:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lance.essihos

Podcast – https://feeds.captivate.fm/universityofadversity

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/universityofadversity

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/lance-w-essihos

Email – [email protected]