Episode 412 — Why Doing Hard Things Is the Ultimate Advantage
What if the only way to build unshakable success is to suffer for it every single day?
As part of the “Road to the Summit“, a special series ramping up to the 2025 Game Changers Summit this November 12-13, we’re revisiting some of the most powerful conversations ever featured at our events. In this encore episode of The Game Changing Attorney Podcast, we’re throwing it back to the 2023 Game Changers Summit, where Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan Race, took the stage to unpack what it truly takes to lead with grit, persistence, and purpose.
From cleaning pools for mobsters in Queens to building a global fitness empire that nearly collapsed during the pandemic, Joe’s story is a masterclass in resilience. He reveals that doing hard things isn’t punishment but preparation, and that embracing discomfort builds the kind of resilience that separates those who survive from those who succeed.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Why embracing adversity every day builds the grit required to win
- How to find your “why” — and use it to push through the toughest moments
- What it takes to turn pain, persistence, and purpose into long-term success
If you want to build a life that can’t be broken, this episode will show you how to earn it.
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Show Notes:
Comfort is killing your potential. “We live in a world where everything’s easy — climate control, warm showers, DoorDash. But comfort makes you soft. You have to do hard things to remember who you are.”
Success comes from relentless persistence. “I applied to Cornell four times and got rejected three. I lost money on Spartan for 15 years. The only difference between me and everyone who quit is that I kept showing up.”
True commitment doesn’t leave room for escape. “The marathon monks in Japan carry a sword on their journey. If they quit, they have to use it on themselves. That’s the level of commitment it takes to succeed.”
Grit isn’t a luxury — it’s survival. “If I didn’t have grit during COVID, Spartan would be dead. We got shut down in 45 countries. The only reason we’re still here is because I refused to quit.”
Do the hard things — even when you don’t want to. “Nobody wants to take cold showers, do burpees, or wake up early. But that’s exactly why you have to. Every day you do something uncomfortable, you get stronger.”
Connect with Michael
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