E112 - Become Mentally Strong & Train Your Mind To Overcome Anything | Cory Richards

» Produced by Hack You Media: pioneering a new category of content at the intersection of health performance, entrepreneurship & cognitive optimisation.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hackyoumedia/Website: https://hackyou.media/Cory Richards, National Geographic photographer and professional climber for 25 years, walked away from both careers at 40 after his nervous system broke from constantly visualising his own death on mountains. After realising his value had become tied to proximity to mortality, he faced a truth: the "fuck you, watch me" energy driving his achievements stemmed from believing something was fundamentally wrong with him since his bipolar diagnosis at 14.You'll hear his single-word framework for defining purpose, why he believes all love is self-sourced rather than received from others, and why mental health diagnoses describe behaviour patterns rather than fundamental deficits.00:00 Introduction01:30 Why Cory left the mountains to start over in Venice04:17 Contrasting freedom in LA with safety in Dubai10:20 Reducing news and social media to protect happiness13:00 Changing your life starts with changing your story15:06 The Everest Snapchat that sparked public vulnerability17:02 What bipolar disorder actually is and why labels matter20:19 Learning to manage depressive waves with self-compassion23:20 Social isolation vs pushing yourself into connections27:15 Confronting mortality while climbing Everest30:53 Consciousness, nature, and the idea of energy34:20 Psychedelics as a hard reset and mental health tool41:02 Finding purpose and fulfilment through service49:24 Why compassion, not performance, is Cory’s core value54:05 Money as freedom units, not status signifiers55:32 Replacing risky climbs with entrepreneurial adventure58:49 Navigating authority, expectations and independence01:00:42 Generational tension between safety and freedom01:04:09 Online role models, influence, and bad advice01:11:06 Cultivating a strong heart and filtering your circle01:14:15 Heartbreak, resilience, and learning from pain01:19:54 Is love self-sourced or something we find?01:28:41 Cory’s career with NatGeo and letting it all go01:33:02 Capturing moments vs being trapped in the shot01:35:48 Tech, suicide rates, and the illusion of connection» Escape the 9-5 & build your dream life - https://www.digitalplaybook.net/» Transform your physique - https://www.thrstapp.com/» My clothing brand, THRST - https://thrstofficial.com» Custom Bioniq supplements: https://www.bioniq.com/mikethurston• 40% off your first month of Bioniq GO• 20% off your first month of Bioniq PRO» Join our newsletter for actionable insights from every episode: https://thrst-letter.beehiiv.com/» Join @WHOOP and get your first month for free - join.whoop.com/FirstThingsThrst» Follow Cory«Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coryrichards/?hl=enWebsite: https://www.coryrichards.com/