Episode Details

Evan "Ultra-OCR Man" Perperis is an active duty Army Special Forces Soldier with 44 months of combat deployments who is now a professional Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) athlete. He is best known for running insane multi-day, self-created (!!!) OCR endurance challenges to raise money for charity (and push him to his physical & mental limits). If you want to know what it really takes to overcome obstacles (or hundreds of them in a row), whether it’s out on a legit race course or just the everyday obstacles you encounter in life, Evan has the answers.

What’s interesting is that Evan hasn’t always been the overachiever and ultra-extreme athlete that he is now. In fact, he describes himself as a clone of the main character in the Goldbergs, the stereotypical nerdy teen who was in high school musicals and not at all athletic. But when he joined the military, he knew he had to get himself in shape, and that became the first of many more obstacles to conquer and defeat. So it just goes to show that you can’t judge a book by its cover…especially someone who could rip that book in half with his bare hands.

Evan’s simple, no-nonsense approach to extreme OCR racing very simply translates to practical mindsets you too can apply to any obstacle you encounter in life (and if there’s one thing life is throwing at all of us right now, it’s a lot of obstacles). Whether it’s simply getting into better physical shape so you have more mental & creative energy to kick ass at your job or training for your very first Spartan Race or Tough Mudder, the advice Evan shares in our conversation today is invaluable to anyone trying to level up their fitness goals, their career, or their entire life.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

• What drives Evan to do the crazy endurance events that he does
• The power he found in being outside of his comfort zone
• When personal development becomes an addiction as dangerous as any other
• How to balance family life with career and work obligations, including training for races
• Why racing for charity is so important to Evan
• Hear how Evan transformed from nerdy musical kid to Ultra OCR guy
• The mindsets that Evan finds essential for reaching his goals
• The eerily similar American Ninja Warrior failures that I share with Evan
• Managing the disappointment of unmet expectations
• How to reframe failure to continue persevering
• The incredible impact the OCR community has had on his life
• The double edged sword of the “never say quit” mentality
• Finding meaning in the combat losses he’s endured
• Advice Evan offers anyone looking to do their first obstacle course race HINT: Don’t wait until you ‘get into shape’

Useful Resources Mentioned:

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