Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself

by Rich Roll

As the reality of what was happening began to set in, I felt an energy surge that carried me that final mile. My emotions took over. And with the Kailua Pier now within reach, tears began to stream down my cheeks. Two hundred yards to go and I no longer wanted it to be over. I wanted to keep going.

At the time, I honestly didn’t think my body could possibly appear any fitter than it did in that picture. But when you line up the two photos alongside each other, it’s not hard to see how my body continues to evolve—getting leaner, stronger, and faster with each successive year, regardless of age.

My accomplishments were not won by virtue of some life-hack. Nor by taking any short cuts. I didn’t leverage some “new idea” or act upon a secret previously unbeknownst to man. No, my accomplishments were wrought through pain. Through relentless perseverance and unwavering persistence.

I am here because I embraced the journey, and all the pitches it could throw.

Employ what resonates, discard the rest.

I don’t know what your song is. Perhaps you don’t either. If that’s the case, don’t despair. In truth, most of us live our lives so unconsciously, so disconnected and reflexive, we never pause to even ask the question, let alone entertain its answer.

But this is a tragic inversion of priorities. Because the search for what makes your heart beat hardest—and fidelity to its fullest, most devoted expression—is the very stuff of life. Rooted deep in our souls and coursing vigorously through our veins, it is our birthright. It is our lifeblood. And it is our sustenance. So, to repress that urge, or worse yet deny its very existence, is to squander the extraordinary gift of what it truly means to be human.

The only permission you need to dream, to explore your potential, and dare I say do what you love, is from yourself. But if you’ve been idly standing by, biding your time and patiently awaiting that green light as your life continues to pass you by, I’m here to give it to you—permission granted.

It begins at dawn. In the early mornings, carve out private space and quiet time to probe your imagination. Only have ten minutes? Great. Thirty minutes? Better. The point is to devote some precious morning time to quiet reflection—meditation followed by journaling. Allow your whimsy wide berth, unfettered and unedited. Prioritize this exercise in calm rumination as a daily practice. Should an impulse arise that excites the senses, know that you are on the right track. Before that enthusiasm wanes, capture it on the page. Because pen and paper hold magical powers. It makes it real. Build on that entry daily. Protect this time as sacred. And be patient. This process cannot be rushed.

With consistent practice, new neural pathways will begin to form. A healthier set of responses will arise that welcome exploration of your creative unconscious. Over time, the impulse will begin to flow more freely, until it is no longer a chore, but an effortless joy.

Why is this personally meaningful to you? What do you hope to learn about yourself? And how is it helpful to others?

Joseph Campbell, mythologist and author of The Hero’s Journey

Equal parts battle and ballet, this journey is not for the faint of heart. No, this is a warrior’s path. It requires courage. It is difficult, and without destination. But it’s also the most beautiful, rewarding dance imaginable.

And finally, it’s about service—refocusing your attention away from what you can get, to what you can contribute. All told, it’s about waking up.

Because sobriety isn’t for those who need it, it’s for those that want it.

If you still think this is nonsense, consider the guy who eats garbage all day long, day in, day out. A Big Gulp for breakfast. McDonald’s for lunch. And Pizza Hut for dinner. I know what that’s like. I can tell you that this person exists in a waking dream, utterly disconnected from his body and without any sense of what it’s like to actually feel good. But change that guy’s diet (preferably plant-based, of course), and suddenly he comes alive. The lights turn on, maybe for the very first time.

Awakening to this awareness is like taking the red pill in The Matrix. And it comes with the responsibility to do something about it. To opt out. To speak truth to power. And to vote with your dollar.

What we deserve is not up to us. It’s not our decision to make. But this guy has taken a very important first step: recognition. Self-awareness of his limiting beliefs. Armed with this understanding, he can begin the process of deconstructing it.

Those negative thoughts, emotions, and stories you have shouldered your entire life need no longer influence future outcomes if you train your mind appropriately.

Then, choose new knots. Positive knots, supported by a new set of factually supported life experiences. Reinforce them by focusing your attention on them every time that old pattern rears its ugly head. With consistent practice, you will form a new prism. A prism that will positively impact how you think about yourself, and thus how you behave.

Morning routines vary wildly for these high achievers. Some wake up at 4:00 A.M. without fail. Others arise when their body says it’s time, prioritizing their eight hours of rest. Some hit the gym immediately upon waking, while others spend this valuable time in quiet reflection, in meditation, journaling, writing, or immersed in a creative pursuit.

Tea. Upon waking, I prepare tea, usually Chinese Pu’erh, a fermented variety high in antioxidant polyphenols. I sit in a quiet spot and enjoy it in solitude.

You might also enjoy my podcast conversations with meditation authorities like Sharon Salzberg, Andy Puddicombe (co-founder of Headspace), WuDe, Jason Garner, or Dan Harris, author of 10% Happier (a fun memoir and great primer on the benefits of meditation)

Whenever possible, I prefer to train in the morning—a run, ride, or swim—generally after getting the kids up and taking them to school.

But the excuse that you don’t have time is just that—an excuse. You do have time. It’s a question of priorities. So turn the TV off at night. Shut down the Internet. Take inventory of how much time you fritter away on non-essential activities that unnecessarily crowd your days and unjustifiably squander precious hours. Go to bed earlier.

But what is a goal? Most people don’t actually set “goals.” What they do is wish. They state an aspiration. But without commitment to a structured roadmap and accountable action, it amounts to little more than an empty hope.

Attainable. A goal must fall within realistic parameters, accessible enough to craft a logical roadmap toward its achievement. However, I would provide the personal caveat that no goal worthy of your complete attention, time, and resources should be too realistic. It should be big. Big enough to scare you. Audacious enough to tingle the senses, keep you up at night, and launch you out of bed in the morning. In preparation for my first Ultraman, I never missed a single workout, primarily because I was scared out of my mind.

When your goal is inextricably linked to giving back and the betterment of others, you will be far more likely to follow through on the commitment to get there.

So the first order of business is to get one of those big paper desktop calendars—the ones with a large page for each month, and a box for each day.

This strategy is powerful. It demystifies the process. It also breeds confidence. Every day you check that box is a victory. Pat yourself on the back. Every stepping-stone you achieve is a triumph. Celebrate.

Speaking from experience, undertaking this process to emerge victorious will fundamentally change your sense of personal potential. And it will forever alter your perspective on your innate capabilities.

Again, most people burn out and fail because they haven’t constructed a concrete architecture to specifically dictate what is to be done, where, when, and why. As a result, decisions regarding the priority of a particular day’s actions are often reactive, and not well considered.

Eradicate decision fatigue by constructing a rock-solid plan. Prioritize it. Better yet, when life allows, create an impermeable boundary around it. And do not waver.

It’s said you are the average of the five people with whom you spend the most time. So take control of your inner circle. Upgrade.

Poo poo-ers need not be privy to your dream. Don’t let them rent space in your head. Take away their power. Create healthy boundaries. Seal your field.

A self-respecting person wouldn’t tolerate it, so why should you? Don’t you owe it to yourself to surround yourself with those that elevate and believe in you?

In other words, stop being a supporting player in the movie that is your life. Become the movie star. This is a hero’s journey you have embarked upon. It’s high time you starting acting like it.

Imagine a rocket ship on the launchpad. It takes a tremendous amount of force to propel such a vessel from the Earth’s surface to the outer reaches of its gravitational pull. But once in orbit, only the smallest force is required to guide that ship’s trajectory. You are the ship. Those with whom you surround yourself are the thrusters—powerful engines that can either detonate you upon ignition or propel you beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, releasing you with the self-propelling tools and habits required to pursue the interstellar landscape of your dreams. The point is unambiguous—choose your community wisely.

And it wasn’t until that television was gone that I was able to fully appreciate the extent to which I had been using the tube like a drug to numb my emotional state.

What’s the best running shoe? What kind of GPS watch should I get? Where can I find that heart rate monitor you wear? I field questions like this every day. I never answer. First, because I think it’s important that you do your own research, take personal responsibility for your decisions, experiment, and find what works best for you. But the main reason I don’t engage in this type of inquiry is because it doesn’t matter. It’s not important. It’s a distraction. A crutch.

The pursuit of my biggest accomplishments began with naiveté. I certainly didn’t have all the answers when I started. And you shouldn’t either. So fight the urge to have it all figured out. Stop unnecessarily overcomplicating things. Understand that this is fear. It’s a natural reaction to placing yourself outside your comfort zone. But it’s not your friend. Instead, just begin. Start moving and keep moving. Create momentum. In due time, all your questions will be answered. And that is a promise.

I too hit that wall. On such days I find myself thinking, I’ll just do it later. I’ll get to it when I feel better. Unfortunately, this never works. If I wait until I feel like doing something, I usually just keep waiting. Inert. I may never feel like it. If and when I do, the moment has already passed.

mood follows action.

There have been plenty of times I didn’t want to go out and run. Just putting my shoes on felt like an impossible chore. But once I’m out the door, the resistance quickly fades. And never once have I returned from such a run thinking that was a bad idea. Instead I’m refreshed. By taking action in the face of emotional opposition, I am revitalized. And my mood is renewed.

If you only have thirty minutes to exercise rather than an hour, don’t abandon the workout all together because it doesn’t measure up to your scheduled ideal.

Aspire to be great, sure. It’s fine to set the bar high for yourself. But sometimes even great is the enemy of good. And good is better than nothing.

What is important is your relationship with the event, and how you respond to it. Will you throw your hands up in the air and give up? Or, will you leverage the experience to learn, put yourself right back in the ring and try again? Opt for the latter.

Because it is how you recalibrate your mindset and behavior in the aftermath of a failure that forges true character and ultimately determines long-term success.

Indeed, every breath you inhale, every impulse you indulge, action you shoulder, behavior you undertake, and exchange you navigate either moves your life forward or retards growth, plotting a course back toward the old self you so desperately seek to transform.

So enjoy that breath. But only for a moment. Then get back to work.