Most men train their bodies, few train their minds. From cold plunges to carrying rocks uphill, this episode explores mastering the space between chaos and control. Joe De Sena talks with Will Schneider, mindfulness coach, former actor, and meditation teacher, on building strength through breath, stillness, and doing hard things, creating discipline under pressure, and transforming habits into resilience.
What You Will Learn:
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How to use daily breath and stillness practices to strengthen your mind.
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Why embracing discomfort drives real mental and physical growth.
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How to integrate mindfulness and simple routines for resilience and discipline.
Episode Highlights:
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[01:50] Why helping only men is central to Will's mission.
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[05:36] From acting to teaching mindfulness: the journey explained.
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[08:01] Starting with the breath as the foundation of mental training.
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[13:19] Physical challenges as tools for mental resilience.
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[19:26] Doing hard things to soften the ego and grow discipline.
Tools, Frameworks, or Strategies Learned:
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Breathwork: Techniques for calmness under stress.
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Mind-Body Connection: Aligning physical actions with mental clarity.
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Small Daily Practices: Habits that compound into long-term resilience.
Closing Insight or Key Takeaway:
Drop the excuses. Breathe deeper. Get calm enough to crush anything.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
01:24 Meet Will Schneider
01:50 Why helping only men
03:10 What led him to meditation
04:23 Joe's 70s yogi story
05:36 From acting to teaching mindfulness
07:12 Will's meditation classes in practice
08:01 Start with the breath
11:03 Yoga as mental training
13:19 Physical challenges for mental resilience
15:13 Calming down to know yourself
16:52 Understand anger, habits & emotions
19:26 Doing hard things soften the ego
21:01 Mind, body, and breath connection
22:30 Three practices for transformation
24:38 Where to find Will
Connect to Will:
🌐 Website: willnotfear.com
📸 Instagram: @willnotfear
💼 LinkedIn: Will Schneider
📘 Facebook: Will at Will Not Fear
✖️ Twitter/X: @willnotfear
🎧 Listen & Subscribe:
👉 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-hard-way-with-joe-de-sena/id952870930
👉 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1pYBkk1T684YQg7CmoaAZt
📲 Short, Impactful Content:
👉 Instagram: @spartanuppodcast
👉 From host directly: @realjoedesena
💥 Join the Spartan Community:
👉 Find Your Next Spartan Race: https://www.spartan.com/en/race/find-race
👉 For everything Spartan: https://www.spartan.com/
About The Hard Way Podcast:
Hosted by Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan, this podcast explores resilience, discipline, and the Spartan mindset. De Sena's journey from building a multimillion-dollar pool cleaning business in his teens to Wall Street success, then running an organic farm and creating Spartan, showcases how embracing challenges and endurance can transform life.
