Wild Ideas Worth Living | Interviews On Adventure, Outdoors, Travel, Health, Fitness, Running, Business, Surfing, Exploring

Donna’s Wild Idea: To be a positive leader, celebrate counterculture, and create more opportunities for people to enjoy the mountains. A few weeks ago at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Denver, I sat down with Donna Carpenter, the CEO and Co-Founder of Burton Snowboards. Donna is a true force of nature. She’s always pushing the envelope with her mission and products, and she radiates positivity and go-for-it, attitude.  Donna really opened up in our conversation. She shared about how she became the CEO of one of the biggest snowboard companies ever, some funny stories like how she met her husband, Jake Burton, and what it was like in the early days of snowboarding. We also talked about how they’ve created such a strong culture, overcome adversity, and how they are not afraid to do things like send female staff to the Women’s March in Washington, D.C., and throw huge parties. It’s a great episode about lessons learned from failure and her keys to success. Listen to this episode if:  You want to start and run you

Andy’s Wild Idea: To pave his own path and make a career spreading aloha vibes through art. Andy Davis is quite possibly my favorite artist ever, and for good reason. He has been called one of the best surf artists of our generation. Using bright colors, and organic, curvy shapes, his work gives you the feeling of being near the water, and exudes a pure, simple joy and aloha spirit. His work has appeared in films by Thomas Campbell, brands like Billabong, Roxy, and his own brand Free, on huge murals, in big stores, and now on the panels of Igloo coolers. We talk about how he forged his own way, passing on traditional education for real work experience, surrounding himself with friends, and continuing to create what he wanted along the way. He has a great sense of humor and a bold outlook on life. Andy’s perspective on following your creative and wild ideas is a breath of fresh air, and one that will most likely inspire you to keep going after what you want. Listen to this episode if:  You are an artist or a

Mirna’s Wild Idea: To run ultra-marathons and advocate for body positivity, showing others fitness comes in many sizes. You may have seen Mirna Valerio, “The Mirnavator.” Her video with REI had millions of views on Facebook. It starts with her reading an angry letter from a guy who wrote to her while she was doing a 50k run. He called her a “fraud,” a “liar,” and said she is not only faking running ultra-marathons, but she’s making a bad name for runners because she is overweight and doesn’t “look like a runner.” Well, Mirna can not only run, but she’s a true force of nature. She’s also a teacher, coach, diversity leader, trained opera singer, mom, wife, and recently added author and brand ambassador to her resume. A few years ago, when Mirna started doing longer runs, she started the site called Fat Girl Running. There weren’t a lot of people who looked like her on the trail, and she wanted to get more people outside running.  Her story was featured in the Wall Street Journal in 2015, and then was picked up

Ami’s Wild Idea: To use photography to help people from around the world understand each other and connect. To raise awareness about cultures, communities, animals, and the environment. Ami Vitale is a world-class photographer who has traveled the world on assignment for publications like National Geographic and the Associated Press. She got her start in journalism working as a war correspondent, and now focuses on stories, videos and photos about culture, wildlife and the environment. As a storyteller, she’s traveled to over 90 countries, lived in mud huts and war zones, contracted malaria, and even donned a panda suit. In our conversation, you can hear how compassionate Ami is. She gives everything she has to her work, which is one reason she’s won so many awards and gets asked to give lectures and teach around the globe. She also donates proceeds of her work to benefit charities. You’ll be inspired to go out and do good in the world after this one.  Presented by REI Listen to this episode if:  You are a p

Rhonda’s Wild Idea: To combine her love of research and science into a podcast and site where she helps educate people about health and wellbeing practices. Leading a healthy lifestyle is a key component to living wildly. That’s why I’m so excited to have on Dr. Rhonda Patrick. You may have heard her on The Joe Rogan Experience, The Tim Ferriss Show, or on her own podcast, Found My Fitness. She’s done research on and has interviewed some of the top scientists in their field about things like breath work, sauna, training, fasting, and more. Rhonda and I actually know each other from teaching surfing together at the Surf Diva Surf School in our early twenties. We reconnected a year ago when I was researching a story about Wim Hof for Outside Magazine, who she’s spent some time with. I love how she takes complex scientific studies and puts them into plain English so more people (like myself) can understand them.  On this show, we talk about everything from health hacks to increase performance on the road or trai

Mike’s Wild Idea: To turn the shark attack where he lost his leg into a life mission. To also photograph sharks, help preserve marine wildlife, and to help other amputees and shark attack victims get active. When he was 18, Mike Coots was attacked by a shark while bodyboarding in Hawaii. He survived, punching the shark numerous times in the face, but it took his right leg. Today, Mike is a marine life advocate, a world-class photographer, a competitive surfer, and advocate for adaptive athletes. He is full of amazing stories, and shares many including one about how he tested, researched and designed his own prosthetic leg so he could standup surf. He also shares how he got into running, how he helps other shark attack victims and amputees get back in the water, and how he decides which projects to say yes to.   Listen to this episode if:  You’re a surfer or bodyboarder. You’re passionate about preserving marine wildlife. You love photography. You or someone you know is an adaptive athlete. You want to hear a

Shelby’s Wild Idea: To make a podcast that inspires others to live more wildly, and share stories and advice from the top adventurers, athletes, health experts, and more. It has been a wild year, that’s for sure. When I started this podcast, my goal was to record seven episodes and keep going. I knew the beginning would be hard, but one year and 55 episodes later, I am so thankful I stuck with it. I’ve met amazing people along the way, including some of you.  On this show, I am sharing a few things I’ve learned after 54 episodes. From making commitments to adjusting your expectations to paving your own path, my guests have shared some amazing nuggets of wisdom. Thank you to everyone who has listened to the show, to the amazing guests who have shared their stories, the brands who have sponsored the show, and everyone who has written a story about us, included us on a list of awesome podcasts, and shared the show with their community. Listen to this episode if:  You love adventure. You have listened to Wild Id

Kelly’s Wild Idea: To be the top half-pipe snowboarder, and inspire others to achieve their highest potential. Kelly Clark is an Olympic snowboarder and author. She has over seventy wins under her belt, including 10 X-Games medals (nine of them gold), and four trips to the Olympics (with a gold in Salt Lake City). She is also one of my favorite snowboarders of all time, with an incredible sense of style and a ton of wisdom she’s learned over her storied career. We talked about recovering from hip surgery just last year, what it takes to be an Olympic athlete, her faith, success, and more. Listen to this episode if:  You snowboard. You’ve recovered from a surgery or injury. You love the Olympics. You’re a spiritual person. You believe in teaching others and supporting youth. For full show notes, including guest links and books mentioned during the episode, visit: http://wildideasworthliving.com/54

Dr. Goldhamer’s Wild Idea: To teach people to lead healthy lives unharmed by unhealthy foods that many put into their bodies. To also share the benefits of water-only fasting. With the new year coming up and the tendency for lots of people to make resolutions, many of which are health oriented, I wanted to do a show focused on health. One of the most popular shows I’ve done was with David Goldman, a proponent of intermittent fasting, who worked at a place called TrueNorth Health. Fasting may seem like a wild idea, but the practice has actually been around for thousands of years and is still used in many cultures and religions. This episode is specifically about water-only fasting, and eating a plant-based, sugar-free, oil-free, and salt-free diet. Dr. Alan Goldhamer, who founded TrueNorth Health, is a huge supporter of these practices. Since 1984, he’s helped thousands of people take back control of their health with these techniques. He’s also a licensed osteopathic physician, author of The Health Promoting

Diana’s Wild Idea: To swim around islands and across oceans. To chase after any goal with no regard for what others say someone her age or ability can or cannot do. In 2013 at the age of 64, Diana Nyad became the first person to swim 110 miles from Cuba to Florida without the aid of a shark cage. It took her about 53 hours. After years of training, four failed attempts, being stung by multiple box jellyfish, dealing with dehydration, hypothermia, naysayers and more, she did it. A long-distance swimmer since she was a kid, she’d made other huge swims, including one around the island of Manhattan in 1975. But she took a break from swimming for years working as a commentator, writer, and journalist at the top level, and when she returned she set a huge goal. There’s nothing Diana sets her mind to that she can’t do and she’s not only a hoot, but she’s incredibly inspiring to be around. She’s also whip smart, an amazing storyteller, and she does an amount of burpees every week that will blow your mind (you’ll hear

Sal’s Wild Idea: To tell the stories of life through athletes, sports, and music, and share them with the world. If you have ever watched action sports on TV, there’s a good chance you’ve heard or seen Sal Masekela. With a rich, deep voice and a gift for gab, Sal’s been a beloved commentator, journalist, musician, producer, and philanthropist for over a decade. He hosted the X Games for thirteen years, VICE’s World of Sports, E!’s Daily 10, the FIFA World Cup when it was in South Africa, and he currently hosts NBC’s Red Bull Signature Series, has his own production company, and is working with National Geographic. Sal is an amazing storyteller, which you’ll get a taste of in this episode. From moving to San Diego from New York and discovering the world of surfing, paving a path for himself as a commentator in the world of action sports, and deciding to make his own music, Sal’s stories draw you in. We talk about being an outsider, his relationship with his dad (South African jazz icon, Hugh Masekela), why he

Cliff’s Wild Idea: To discover what is happening biologically when we are out in nature. And how outdoor enthusiasts are connected to their environment scientifically. Cliff Kapono is a surfer and scientist from Hawaii. After discovering his love of the ocean at a young age, he later connected it to biology and chemistry, earning a graduate degree in biotechnology from University of Hawaii and working toward a PhD in chemistry from UCSD that he will finish next year. Cliff’s work is all about using science to relate to nature: what happens in our bodies when we spend time outside, and what is biologically happening when we get that feeling of being connected to nature. His current project, The Surfer Biome Project, looks at how surfers relate to each other and to the ocean.  Hearing Cliff talk about his work, his love of science, and his passion for his native Hawaiian culture is inspiring. We talk about his recent work connecting with and swabbing surfers, his favorite boards, how to be a citizen scientist,

Willow’s Wild Idea: To quit her job and go on a five-hundred-mile hike in Colorado. Then, to start a podcast that shares unique stories of people in the outdoors. Willow Belden is the host of Out There, a podcast that discusses big life questions in an outdoor setting. Willow talks to ultra-marathoners, Everest climbers, hikers, cyclist, skiers, and all kinds of adventurers about their journeys, giving listeners a chance to hear about the transformative powers of nature. Before she started her podcast, Willow worked at Wyoming Public Radio. You can tell by the way she edits her show and her soothing radio voice. It was a great job, but she decided to quit to hike the Colorado Trail, a thru-hike of about 500 miles.  Willow and I talked about why she quit her job to go on a thru-hike, what she learned along the way, and why chocolate was so important on the trail. We also talk about the challenges of starting a podcast, what she’s learned from losing a parent, and what she has learned from her diverse guests, i

Liz’s Wild Idea: To pursue a dream of sailing to remote places, and living life aboard her sailboat, Swell. To encourage people to be brave, search inside themselves, and to help protect the environment and places we play. Liz Clark is an adventurer, surfer, sailboat captain, and now an author, with her first book coming out next year with Patagonia Books.  In 2005, Liz pursued her lifelong dream to live on her sailboat, and set sail from Santa Barbara to French Polynesia. She’s sailed over 20,000 miles since, and along her journey, has learned a lot about herself, life, and the world. She discovered that exploration doesn’t just happen when you travel around the world - it happens within as you challenge and push yourself.  Liz is a good friend, and we had a great time talking. She is so genuine and thoughtful, and I love how open she is in talking about her voyage, her boat, the process of writing a book, and some of the challenges she’s overcome and changes she’s experienced. Listen to this episode if:  Y

Rob’s Wild Idea: To live a sustainable, minimalist lifestyle and inspire others to do the same. To do awesome adventures and spread the message of good in the world. Rob Greenfield is an adventurer and environmental activist who is making a difference for our planet. An Eagle Scout who grew up in a small town of Wisconsin, Rob’s had and executed a ton of wild ideas. He cycled across the U.S.A. three times on a bamboo bike (without a ton of cycling experience and only drinking from natural sources while creating zero waste) to raise awareness about sustainability. He dove into more than 2,000 dumpsters across the country to raise awareness about food waste (and to show we throw away perfect food). He travelled to different countries with just the clothes on his back and zero money just to show that people are inherently good. He lived in a tiny house. And, for one of my personal favorite projects, Rob lived like the average American and wore all the trash he created for a month in New York City, to raise aware

Chris’s Wild Idea: To explore the limits of human potential, and to write amazing stories about it. Chris McDougall is the author of the bestselling books, Born to Run and Natural Born Heroes. His first book spawned the barefoot running movement and altered the running shoe industry forever. It’s also being made into a movie starring Matthew McConaughey. Natural Born Heroes dives into the history of how every-day citizens and amazing athletes on the island of Crete withstood the German forces during World War II. This is the kind of thing he loves: finding amazing stories about less-known athletes achieving amazing feats, and digging in to learn about their strategies, training, diets, and more, then sharing them with readers. In 2011, I traded Chris surf lessons for barefoot running lessons. Since then, Chris has become not only a great writing mentor, but also a friend. On this episode, we talked about his life since the success of his books, what techniques he learned while researching them (including move

Kimi’s Wild Idea: To practice sustainable hunting, spread the message about the importance of the ocean and make a living doing what she loves. If you’ve heard of Kimi Werner, you’ve probably seen the picture or video of her gracefully swimming along, holding onto the dorsal fin of a great white shark. Kimi is fearless, and she’s a force of nature. Growing up off grid in Hawaii, Kimi’s father taught her to free dive. She gave it up for years, then rediscovered it later in life and went on to become the national spearfishing champion, a chef, an award-winning artist, and sought-after speaker. Her work as an environmental advocate wasn’t always her goal, and her path has taken unexpected turns as she has built a career that combines many of her passions. Kimi is a great storyteller, and she has some amazing stories to share with us, like her famous encounter with one of the biggest predators of the ocean, the magic that took her on a trip to the Azores, and the fearlessness of standing up for herself in asking

JP’s Wild Idea: To use humor to empower people to be the best versions of themselves. JP Sears is a spiritual comedian, author, emotional healing coach, and a curious student of life. You may know him from his hilarious YouTube videos that feature great underlying messages about relationships, spirituality and how self-righteous we can be as groups -- whether we are yogis, vegans, raw foodies, or even ultra-spiritual people.  It took JP a while to find a way to use his humor for good, and he’s not afraid to make fun of his own lifestyle. His work is intended to empower people to be their best selves, and to live more meaningful lives. On this episode, JP shares how he uses humor to talk about serious issues, his advice for living wildly, how to make a living using your passions, and the importance of getting out of your comfort zone. Listen to this episode if:  You love to laugh. You are in touch with your spiritual side (or want to be). You like watching hilarious YouTube videos and comedians. You’re a vega

Karen’s Wild Idea: To share bold, brave, wild stories, both her own and by others through books and essays with the world. Also, to embrace surfing at an older age, a sport that’s taught her why it’s so great to suck at something. Karen Rinaldi is a writer, publisher, and the creator of Harper Wave, an imprint of Harper Collins that has published the work of three past guests: Jaimal Yogis, Mark Lukach and Steph Jagger. Karen has also published books by authors like Dave Asprey of the Bulletproof Coffee movement, Dr. Gundry of The Plant Paradox, and Tony Horton of P90X, to name a few. In addition to her literary life, Karen is also a surfer. She started at age 40, and recently wrote an essay in the New York Times that every surf writer’s mom sent them (including my own) titled, “It’s Great to Suck at Something.” I loved her story, and all of her essays I’ve read. I also don’t have a lot of mentors that are females, writers, publishers, and surfers, so when I find someone like Karen, I have to share her knowle

Ari’s Wild Idea: To cross canyons and mountains hundreds of feet in the air. To highline at challenging locations, and to apply lessons of life learned in the air to life on the ground. Ari (pronounced Air-ee) DeLashmutt is a professional highliner, skier, paraglider and an enthusiastic adventurer, who also hosts the How To Adventure Podcast. He lives a dream life, eager to spend most of his time in the air or on the mountains. I met Ari at the OutFound Festival in Oregon, and I love that he thinks outside of the box.  Ari has some incredible perspectives on life, fear, confidence, and failure. These are lessons he’s learned from spending so much time pushing the envelope, doing what he loves, and confronting fear in the face. He shares some of his best lessons learned from highlining, rigging ropes tethered to rocks in precarious locations, why play is so important, and so much more. Listen to this episode if:  You want to challenge your notion of fear. You’ve tried slacklining.  You love going on adventure