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What are the radical possibilities of the human mind and body when they are put to test? How can you take a big risk and stick to it until the end? Why should you remember the body in treatment?
In this podcast episode, Joe Sanok speaks with ultramarathon runner Dean Karnazes about cultivating and utilizing a high-performance mindset to achieve and surpass your goals.
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Meet Dean Karnazes
Dean Karnazes is an ultramarathon runner, author, and globally recognized endurance athlete who has redefined the limits of the human body and mind. He’s best known for running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days, completing 350 miles nonstop, and taking on some of the world’s most grueling races.
Named one of Time magazine’s “100 Most Influential People in the World,” Dean is the author of several bestselling books, including Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner and A Runner’s High. Beyond his extraordinary feats, Dean is passionate about the deeper meaning of movement—exploring how struggle, presence, and physicality can transform our lives.
When he’s not running across continents, Dean speaks around the world about resilience, high performance, and the human potential to go further than we think possible.
Visit Dean’s website and connect on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
In This Podcast
- How to take a big risk
- “Which way is the sunset?”
- “Comfort is overrated.”
- Dean’s advice to private practitioners
How to take a big risk
Dean wants you to know that, first of all, making a big change is going to be terrifying, regardless of the circumstances. That’s just the trade-off of going through a new door onto a new adventure, and there’s no way around the fear except through it. Don’t let it stop you.
You have to have a lot of courage and belief in yourself to do this, so I would say that [you should] do what you love, because you can have an infinite reserve of energy if you’re doing what you love. (Dean Karnazes)
Know that it will be scary, but also remember that other people have made big changes too. You are capable of the same, and even though your path will ultimately look different, you will be doing something that people who want to achieve great things have always done. Thirdly, get more comfortable with uncertainty.
Nothing is guaranteed or certain, so stop trying to figure something out before it’s happened and get used to moving toward your goals despite doubt.
You’re going to wake up when you’re 60 and say, “You know, I’ve been doing something that doesn’t give me gratification”, or are you going to say, “I love what I’m doing”, or are you going to say, “I tried to do what I love and I failed – but at least I tried.” (Dean Karnazes)
“Which way is the sunset?”
After (and while) running 50 marathons in 50 days across 50 states, Dean noticed that the attention his running was garnering was starting to grow. He was getting sponsors from massive corporations and companies, with a media crew following his progress and people keeping tabs on his movements.
Of course, there’s a level of public and national interest, but for Dean, it was more sacred.
I just loved to run for nothing other than the pleasure of running! (Dean Karnazes)
With the added attention, capital, and sponsors, Dean felt that some of the magic was being lost. So, once he completed the marathons in New York, he decided to run back to San Francisco, entirely alone, with a stroller buggy ahead of him full of his clothes.
Doing this, Dean was able to reclaim some of the magic he felt with running. Instead of it being a spectacle, he personalized it, appreciating the inner joy that runners know through dedication.
“Comfort is overrated.”
Struggling is kind of the essence of being human, right. I mean, the human condition is about struggle and, you know, ultimately we all face the same fate, and that knowledge is a heavy weight to bear, isn’t it … Life is a struggle, but I think that we’re most alive when we’re struggling. (Dean Karnazes)
If you ask an ultramarathon runner when they feel most present and in touch with their surroundings, they will tell you that it is inside the grueling moments halfway through the race. That moment of pure effort and letting go while still holding on is where pro athletes feel closest to their personal source of strength, trust – embodiment of being present.
I put myself in almost a meditative state when I do these long runs where the pain gets so much, and I feel like I can’t keep going: I put on the blinders to the future. I don’t think about how much further the finish line is, I don’t reflect on the past, I just go to one place: the next footstep … You can get through really tough situations by just staying present in that moment. (Dean Karnazes)
As Dean explains that, with being a marathon runner, you have to be honest with yourself, because it’s tough to lie to yourself 100 miles into a race. You know when you have put in the work, and when you have let your goals slip. It is important to know yourself, and that is going to help you keep going even further.
Dean’s advice to private practitioners
Don’t neglect the importance of the physical body, both for you and your clients. Try walking, try running! Integrate the body’s wellness into mental wellness.
Books mentioned in this episode:
Dean Karnazes – Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner
Dean Karnazes – A Runner’s High: My Life In Motion
Dean Karnazes and Matt Fitzgerald – 50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!
Sponsors Mentioned in this episode:
- If you’re ready for a website that keeps your client book full, try Session Sites
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Useful links mentioned in this episode:
- Visit Dean’s website and connect on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
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Meet Joe Sanok
Joe Sanok helps counselors to create thriving practices that are the envy of other counselors. He has helped counselors to grow their businesses by 50-500% and is proud of all the private practice owners who are growing their income, influence, and impact on the world. Click here to explore consulting with Joe.
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