Does it Test Well? A Case Study in Life Design

Sep 23, 2020


I’ll cut to the chase: this week’s podcast episode is an absolute master class in Life Design. If there is one single bit of friction in your life or you have even the smallest hunch that you want to make a change in your life, this episode is for you. 

Today, we’re talking with my friend, Dave Dellanave. Normally, this would be where I put someone’s very official-sounding bio, but Dave is one of those people whose life and accomplishments don’t fit neatly into a polished paragraph.   

Dave is a world record holding deadlifter. He is an entrepreneur who has successfully sold one company and the founder of one of the most successful gyms in the country. He’s a skydiver with 1400 jumps and counting. He’s an olive oil importer, and a documentary film maker.  

He’s all of these things, and he has next to no credentials for any of them. Rather, he is the type of person who is continually asking himself whether the journey he’s on and the way he’s spending his time is aligned to who he is at his core.   

Yes, it may seem like Dave’s accomplishments make him a bad example for me to feature on this podcast. It all seems a bit untouchable. However, each and every one of these accomplishments came not from a big, sweeping achievement. Rather, they came from constant tinkering, adjusting, experimenting, and progress. 

Small, incremental improvements. Every. Single. Day. 

Every single one of us could be doing the same thing, and Dave is an example of what can happen when you commit to doing that. 

During this conversation, we hit on so many key points about Life Design: 

  • The fact that many of the “rules” we all live our lives by are, in fact, assumptions, not rules at all. 
  • That knowledge, in particular the type of knowledge you get from DOING something, is more valuable than a formal certification. 
  • How very small improvements, small “PR’s” every day can add up to incredible progress over time. 
  • And finally, what to do if you’re feeling stuck. He offers some great advice about where to start.  

You can learn more about Dave and purchase his incredible olive oil at www.dellanave.com . Also, watch for his upcoming documentary “From the Source!” 

We mentioned a number of resources during his episode: 

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