The Joe Rogan Experience

Joe Rogan Experience #1127 - Jesse Itzler

Jesse Itzler is an entrepreneur, author, and founder of The 100 Mile Group. Check out his new book "Living With The Monks" available at http://jesseitzler.com https://www.instagram.com/jesseitzler https://twitter.com/the100MileMan

Joe RoganhostJesse Itzlerguest

Jun 5, 20181h 47mWatch on YouTube ↗

WHAT IT’S REALLY ABOUT

Pushing Limits, Escaping Routine, And Redefining Life’s Real Resume

Joe Rogan and Jesse Itzler discuss ultra-endurance, time with monks, and deliberately engineering a more meaningful life. Itzler shares stories about running a 100‑mile race, living 15 days in a remote Russian Orthodox monastery, and inviting David Goggins to live with him for a month of brutal training. These experiences reshape his view of time, priorities, and the difference between a “business resume” and a “life resume.” The conversation closes with a broader reflection on struggle, comfort, happiness, and the importance of seeking hard things as a path to fulfillment.

IDEAS WORTH REMEMBERING

5 ideas

Use radical experiences to reset what you believe is possible.

Itzler’s 100‑mile race showed him he’d been ‘under‑indexing’ by 50x in what he thought he could do, which changed how he approached business, goals, and effort in every area of life.

Engineer time away from inputs and decisions to think clearly.

Life in the monastery—fixed schedules, no phone, almost no choices—freed mental bandwidth and made him acutely aware of decision fatigue and how much energy tiny daily choices drain.

Treat time like a scarce asset and reverse‑engineer your remaining years.

Itzler calculates things like ‘I see my parents twice a year, maybe 10 visits left,’ which makes him more present and ruthless about how and with whom he spends his time.

Carve out non‑negotiable personal time every day.

He now takes three cumulative hours daily for himself (running, sauna, doing nothing) so he doesn’t resent work or family and can show up better in all other roles.

Say “no” aggressively to low‑impact demands on your time.

By rejecting most ‘pick your brain’ meetings and nonessential obligations, he freed thousands of hours for health, family, and meaningful adventures instead of distractions.

WORDS WORTH SAVING

5 quotes

“I realized I was under‑indexing 50x in what I thought I was capable of.”

— Jesse Itzler

“If I can’t take one weekend every two months for an adventure, my life is out of balance.”

— Jesse Itzler

“Relaxation without any effort is just bullshit.”

— Joe Rogan

“The limitations you’re putting on yourself are self‑imposed. Get back on the bar.”

— David Goggins (as quoted by Jesse Itzler)

“People are fuel… If you’re around happy, inspirational people that are successful, it makes you feel better and you get inspired.”

— Joe Rogan

Jesse Itzler’s 100‑mile ultramarathon and what it taught himLiving 15 days with Russian Orthodox monks and enforced simplicityDecision fatigue, technology distraction, and structuring time intentionallyBuilding a “life resume” vs. a conventional career resumeThe impact of David Goggins’ 30 days of extreme trainingRedefining happiness, urgency, and our relationship with timeThe value of struggle, hard challenges, and avoiding a comfort‑obsessed life

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