Resilience, Solved
Resilience isn’t about pretending you’re fine or never feeling pain—it’s about learning how to act in your best interest despite the pain. In this episode of Solved, we dive deep into the science, psychology, and real-life examples of resilience—from Ernest Shackleton’s crew surviving two years stranded in Antarctica to my own slightly insane decision to run an endurance race with basically no training. Spoiler: I didn’t die.
We cover it all: the biology of resilience, why some people are “dandelions” and thrive anywhere while others are “orchids” who need the right environment, the mindsets that let you push through hardship without losing your mind, and why humor and community might secretly be your best survival tools. And of course, we deliver the real, practical, evidence-based strategies you can actually apply when life inevitably decides to kick you in the teeth.
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, stuck, or like you can’t take one more setback, this episode is for you. And if you’re one of those psychos who enjoys doing hard sh*t just to see what you’re made of… well, you’ll feel right at home here.
Episode Notes
Referenced in This Episode
- Mark's Tough Mudder YouTube Video
- Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition (Endurance)
- Ryan Holiday
- Stoicism
- Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Norman Garmezy
- Never Finished by David Goggins
- The Art of Resilience by Ross Edgley
- Yiannis Kouros
- William James
- Henry David Thoreau
- Emily Dickinson
- Anterior Cingulate Cortex
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
- HPA Axis (Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis)
- Vagus Nerve
- Box Breathing
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Pheidippides
- George Bonanno (resilience researcher)
- Make Your Bed by Admiral William H. McRaven
- Jocko Willink
- London Blitz (WWII)
- Roseto Effect
- Blue Zones
- Ronnie Coleman
- Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
- Thomas Boyce
- Bruce Ellis (Biological Sensitivity to Context)
- Biological Sensitivity to Context Theory
- SuperAgers (Neuroscience concept)
- Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex
- Default Mode Network
- NSDR (Non-Sleep Deep Rest – coined by Andrew Huberman)
- Gut–Brain Axis
- Stress Inoculation Training (SIT)
- Aaron T. Beck (Founder of CBT)
- CBT Triangle (Thoughts, Emotions, Behaviors)
- Cognitive Flexibility
- David Brooks (referenced from previous podcast)
- Friedrich Nietzsche
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