 | | In today's edition, Joe shares: - Why obstacle immunity beats motivation
- What you can steal from Death Race, Tibetan monks, and Michael Phelps
- What 300 people are doing to become unbreakable
| | Spartans!
Hi, it's Joe here, writing this week from Fargo, North Dakota. Lately, I've been thinking about why change is so damn hard. People say they want it, and talk about their goals. They buy a tracker, sign up for a program, and maybe even post about it on social. But a month later, for many people, nothing's different.
Why? Most People Stay Stuck Not the dramatic kind you see on TV survival shows, I mean the subtle, invisible kind that wears people down slowly with broken sleep, distractions, and mood swings. You know - the mornings that start late and the nights that never really feel like they ended. People think they need motivational hacks to get out of this, and often they pair it with new tech. But most of the time, all they really need is what we train at Spartan: obstacle immunity. The Only Way Through Is Through Years ago, when I first started building races that pushed people to their breaking point, I noticed something strange. The people who finished weren't always the fittest. They weren't always the fastest either. They were the ones who knew how to keep going when the rules changed, the weather turned, or the plan got wrecked.
They were the ones who stayed calm in the chaos. That's basically what I call obstacle immunity: the ability to stay clear-headed and in motion while the world falls apart around you.
It's what Tibetan monks develop by meditating under cold water, and what Navy SEALs are tested for when they're dropped into pools for "drown proofing". It's what Michael Phelps trained for by swimming with water in his goggles until he could finish a race blind (how wild is that?). And it's what you need not just in a Spartan race, but in life.
You've heard me say we don't rise to the occasion, we fall to the level of our training. If you've never practiced being uncomfortable, stressed, or disoriented, then when life hits you, it's game over. But if you've trained for it, you become bulletproof. You can operate when others freeze. That's the whole point. The Next Evolution: Project 300 I built the Death Race around this principle - my own life too. So over the next few months, we're choosing 300 people to go through 200 days of transformation. It's a full rebuild of physical, mental, and spiritual facets. We're calling it Project 300, and you can apply to join.
You'll get tools, elite coaching, and get lots of science and data. But most of all, you'll get challenged in ways you're not ready for.
That's the point.
Because life doesn't hand out warnings, it throws obstacles. The only question is whether you've trained for them.
Hurry up,
Joe | | | OBSTACLE IMMUNITY | At the Death Race up in Vermont, I once told competitors to bring five pounds of hay, a tuxedo, and a pound of grass seed. Another year, two ripped ex-marines cried in the dirt while an amputee dumped water out of her prosthetic leg and kept going. This is what I call obstacle immunity. It's not talent or bravado, but the ability to face the unexpected and move forward anyway. That's the mindset we're training through Project 300.
More stories: The Spartan Way by Joe De Sena. | | | You Ask, Joe Answers | Q: "What's the best way to build mental toughness when life feels overwhelming?"
- Lexi M.
A: Start with something simple, finish what you start. I don't care if it's a workout, a cold shower, or scrubbing the floor. Show yourself that quitting is not an option, even on the smallest things. That discipline compounds fast.
Aroo!
Question for Joe? Want to tell him what you think of The Hard Way? Email him at thehardway@spartan.com. | | | | They Said It | | "You can't calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass." | | – Timber Hawkeye | | | ➝The Hard Way Podcast with Joe | | | Why Pain Is a Privilege: Lessons from a Wounded Warrior | | | He lost an arm and a leg in war and came back stronger than ever. In this raw conversation with Joe, veteran and athlete Noah Galloway shares how pain became his fuel, purpose became his compass, and fitness saved his life. | | | | | | ➝Watch The Latest Hard Way Video | | | One Race. Every Nation. | | The Trifecta World Championship is unmatched in global unity. Racers from around the world converge in Sparta, each with their own flag and story. In 2025, for the first and possibly last time, this experience comes to the U.S. Join us in West Virginia, Sept 6–7, and be part of something bigger. | | | | | | To keep receiving this newsletter, sign up here. | | | WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS NEWSLETTER? | | | |
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