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Harnessing Passion, Drive & Persistence for Lifelong Success | Tony Hawk

In this episode, my guest is Tony Hawk, the legendary and pioneering professional skateboarder, video game and skateboard industry entrepreneur and founder of the Skatepark Project, whose philanthropic mission is to help underserved communities create safe and inclusive public skateparks for all youth. We discuss his career, how he helped popularize and evolve the sport of skateboarding and his role as an ambassador for skateboard culture. We also discuss where he derives his intrinsic drive, how he sets and evolves goals and how he has made remarkable and continual progress throughout his career. We also discuss Tony’s ability to overcome what would otherwise be career-ending injuries. For anyone seeking to find or pursue their passion and make lifelong progress while serving the larger world, this episode with Tony Hawk ought to be of deep interest. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman ROKA: https://roka.com/huberman InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Huberman Lab Social & Website Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab Twitter: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://hubermanlab.com/neural-network Tony Hawk Website: https://tonyhawk.com Books: https://amzn.to/3qbNnIh RIDE channel: https://www.youtube.com/RIDEChannel Pro Skater Video Game: https://www.tonyhawkthegame.com Skatepark Project: https://skatepark.org Birdhouse: https://www.birdhouseskateboards.com Hawk vs Wolf Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3QfyaAH Hawk vs Wolf YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HawkvsWolf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyhawk Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyhawk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TonyHawk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonyhawk YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tonyhawk Resources and References Tony Hawk 540 McTwist: https://youtu.be/c3zPjjsbHp4 Thrasher Magazine: https://www.thrashermagazine.com Steve Caballero: https://www.stevecaballero.com Stacey Peralta: https://www.instagram.com/peraltastacy Bones Brigade: https://bonesbrigade.com Christian Hosoi: https://www.instagram.com/christianhosoi Transworld magazine: https://www.skateboarding.com Mark Gonzales: https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/2020/04/mark-gonzales-2012 Tony Hawk X Games 2023: https://www.youtube.com/live/BRXeMX0TjOQ?feature=share Riley Hawk: https://youtu.be/wPCLJ7H6h-E Cara-Beth Burnside: https://www.instagram.com/carabethburnside Reese Nelson: https://www.instagram.com/reese__nelson Andrew Reynolds: https://www.instagram.com/andrewreynolds Mike McGill: https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/2020/04/mike-mcgill-2017 Mike Blabac: https://www.blabacphoto.com Mike Blabac Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blabacphoto Stevie Willams: https://www.instagram.com/steviewilliams Danny Way: https://www.instagram.com/dannyway Jeremy Klein: https://youtu.be/7-AJAQ-AZ3s Steve Berra: https://theberrics.com Ken Block: https://www.43i.org Ken Block Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kblock43 Lizzie Armanto: https://www.instagram.com/lizziearmanto Sky Brown: https://www.instagram.com/skybrown Pattie Hoffman: https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/2020/04/patti-hoffman-2018 Elissa Steamer: https://www.instagram.com/elissa_steamer Lyn-z Pastrana 540: https://youtu.be/0SDJRSz7fA4 Rodney Mullen: https://www.instagram.com/rodneymullen Timestamps 00:00:00 Tony Hawk 00:03:16 Sponsors: LMNT & ROKA 00:05:55 Childhood & Self-Concept 00:11:08 Early Skateboarding & Skateparks 00:16:58 Adolescence, Skateboarding 00:23:10 Turning Professional, The Bones Brigade 00:34:22 Sponsor: AG1 00:35:27 Trick Development & Evolution 00:40:33 Visualization, Dreaming 00:47:09 “Feeling” While Skateboarding 00:51:15 Drive & Discipline; Injuries 00:58:46 Injury Recovery Practices 01:05:46 Sponsor: InsideTracker 01:06:52 Healthy Life Practices & Skateboarding 01:15:03 Video Game Development 01:23:00 Financial Investments, Birdhouse 01:30:16 Professionalism; Hobbies 01:35:43 Kids, Parents & Skateboarding 01:44:15 Music; High School 01:49:28 Females in Skateboarding 01:56:04 Inspiration, Kids, Bones Brigade 02:01:18 Memorabilia, Autographs 02:05:50 Skatepark Project 02:08:14 Future Goals & Aspirations 02:13:08 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com Disclaimer: https://hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

Andrew HubermanhostTony Hawkguest
Jul 31, 20232h 15mWatch on YouTube ↗

Episode Details

EPISODE INFO

Released
July 31, 2023
Duration
2h 15m
Channel
Huberman Lab
Watch on YouTube
▶ Open ↗

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this episode, my guest is Tony Hawk, the legendary and pioneering professional skateboarder, video game and skateboard industry entrepreneur and founder of the Skatepark Project, whose philanthropic mission is to help underserved communities create safe and inclusive public skateparks for all youth. We discuss his career, how he helped popularize and evolve the sport of skateboarding and his role as an ambassador for skateboard culture. We also discuss where he derives his intrinsic drive, how he sets and evolves goals and how he has made remarkable and continual progress throughout his career. We also discuss Tony’s ability to overcome what would otherwise be career-ending injuries. For anyone seeking to find or pursue their passion and make lifelong progress while serving the larger world, this episode with Tony Hawk ought to be of deep interest. Thank you to our sponsors AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman ROKA: https://roka.com/huberman InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Huberman Lab Social & Website Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab Twitter: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://hubermanlab.com/neural-network Tony Hawk Website: https://tonyhawk.com Books: https://amzn.to/3qbNnIh RIDE channel: https://www.youtube.com/RIDEChannel Pro Skater Video Game: https://www.tonyhawkthegame.com Skatepark Project: https://skatepark.org Birdhouse: https://www.birdhouseskateboards.com Hawk vs Wolf Podcast: https://spoti.fi/3QfyaAH Hawk vs Wolf YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/HawkvsWolf Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tonyhawk Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyhawk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TonyHawk TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tonyhawk YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/tonyhawk Resources and References Tony Hawk 540 McTwist: https://youtu.be/c3zPjjsbHp4 Thrasher Magazine: https://www.thrashermagazine.com Steve Caballero: https://www.stevecaballero.com Stacey Peralta: https://www.instagram.com/peraltastacy Bones Brigade: https://bonesbrigade.com Christian Hosoi: https://www.instagram.com/christianhosoi Transworld magazine: https://www.skateboarding.com Mark Gonzales: https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/2020/04/mark-gonzales-2012 Tony Hawk X Games 2023: https://www.youtube.com/live/BRXeMX0TjOQ?feature=share Riley Hawk: https://youtu.be/wPCLJ7H6h-E Cara-Beth Burnside: https://www.instagram.com/carabethburnside Reese Nelson: https://www.instagram.com/reese__nelson Andrew Reynolds: https://www.instagram.com/andrewreynolds Mike McGill: https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/2020/04/mike-mcgill-2017 Mike Blabac: https://www.blabacphoto.com Mike Blabac Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blabacphoto Stevie Willams: https://www.instagram.com/steviewilliams Danny Way: https://www.instagram.com/dannyway Jeremy Klein: https://youtu.be/7-AJAQ-AZ3s Steve Berra: https://theberrics.com Ken Block: https://www.43i.org Ken Block Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kblock43 Lizzie Armanto: https://www.instagram.com/lizziearmanto Sky Brown: https://www.instagram.com/skybrown Pattie Hoffman: https://skateboardinghalloffame.org/2020/04/patti-hoffman-2018 Elissa Steamer: https://www.instagram.com/elissa_steamer Lyn-z Pastrana 540: https://youtu.be/0SDJRSz7fA4 Rodney Mullen: https://www.instagram.com/rodneymullen Timestamps 00:00:00 Tony Hawk 00:03:16 Sponsors: LMNT & ROKA 00:05:55 Childhood & Self-Concept 00:11:08 Early Skateboarding & Skateparks 00:16:58 Adolescence, Skateboarding 00:23:10 Turning Professional, The Bones Brigade 00:34:22 Sponsor: AG1 00:35:27 Trick Development & Evolution 00:40:33 Visualization, Dreaming 00:47:09 “Feeling” While Skateboarding 00:51:15 Drive & Discipline; Injuries 00:58:46 Injury Recovery Practices 01:05:46 Sponsor: InsideTracker 01:06:52 Healthy Life Practices & Skateboarding 01:15:03 Video Game Development 01:23:00 Financial Investments, Birdhouse 01:30:16 Professionalism; Hobbies 01:35:43 Kids, Parents & Skateboarding 01:44:15 Music; High School 01:49:28 Females in Skateboarding 01:56:04 Inspiration, Kids, Bones Brigade 02:01:18 Memorabilia, Autographs 02:05:50 Skatepark Project 02:08:14 Future Goals & Aspirations 02:13:08 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous, Neural Network Newsletter, Social Media Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac - https://www.blabacphoto.com Disclaimer: https://hubermanlab.com/disclaimer

SPEAKERS

  • Andrew Huberman

    host
  • Tony Hawk

    guest
  • Narrator

    other

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of Huberman Lab, featuring Andrew Huberman and Tony Hawk, Harnessing Passion, Drive & Persistence for Lifelong Success | Tony Hawk explores tony Hawk Reveals How Relentless Progress Fuels Lifelong Skateboarding Mastery Andrew Huberman interviews Tony Hawk about the psychology, science, and lived experience behind a 40+ year career at the top of skateboarding. Hawk describes how obsession, late physical development, and relentless incremental progress shaped his path from bullied “nerd” to global icon. They dissect his return from a catastrophic femur break—including a forced surgical redo and disciplined recovery—to finally landing the same 540 that caused the injury. Throughout, Hawk emphasizes intrinsic motivation, deliberate practice, supportive but imperfect family dynamics, and his commitment to expanding skateboarding’s culture and infrastructure via his Skatepark Project foundation.

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