For this week’s Inspirational Leadership Podcast I spoke with Michele Graglia. Michele left Italy for Miami in 2007 to expand the family business. Caught in a thunderstorm, he ducked into a Johnny Rockets, got scouted by a renowned agent, and walked out a professional model.
An elite modeling career brought expensive cars, penthouses, parties, and celebrities, but his accidental “American Dream” was never his own.
Feeling the emptiness of a shallow, dark lifestyle, Michele set out for adventure and fulfillment, finding it in the unlikeliest place—a book about ultramarathon running.
Within a few short years, his passion and dedication for ultrarunning placed him among the top endurance athletes in the world. Running hundreds of miles in the extremes of the frozen Yukon and the scorching heat of Death Valley, he pushed his body and mind beyond every limit imaginable. His new book, Ultra is not about winning. It’s not about running. It’s a means to return to nature and a journey to find your purpose, giving your all on the quest for your best self.
Here are some of the topics we discussed:
- How to hear your truth in the moments of silence and introspection
- Recognizing that you always have the power to change your life
- Why you need to be more conscious of your own personal definition of success
- Having the courage to follow your path and not getting sidetracked by the doubters
- What it feels like to go on a transcendental experience beyond your physicality
- Why failures are just a false step on the way to achieving something greater
- Learning how to be with uncertainty, pain and discomfort to go past your perceived limitations
- The power of solitude – disconnecting from outside influences to connect from within
- Why it’s so much easier to hear your most resourceful self when you quiet your mind
Listen to the podcast here:
Watch the video here:
Show Notes:
Connect with Michele Graglia on Instagram and Facebook
Michele’s book – Ultra: Top Model to Top Ultra Runner
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