This week’s conversation is with Garrett McNamara, an international big wave explorer known for discovering, pioneering and surfing the biggest wave in the world  – The Everest of the Oceans – Nazaré, Portugal.

Garrett also lead the iconic two-man team who rode tsunami waves generated by a 300ft calving glacier in Alaska and is the first and only foreigner to receive the Vasco da Gama Medal of Honor from the Portuguese Navy for his contributions to Portugal.

He currently lives between Hawaii and Portugal with his family where he and his wife run the McNamara Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on providing children meaningful nature experiences, creating life long stewards of the Earth.

In this conversation Garrett shares some incredible stories from his upbringing – which help make sense of how he became the man he is today.

Garrett is known in the surf world for being a pioneer and a master of his craft.

“It all comes down to following your heart. Let your heart guide you.”

In This Episode:

• The way his early childhood shaped him… constantly moved around, wild adventures, incredible freedom, very few boundaries and dysfunction
• How does somebody who is world class at risk taking in consequential environments cut his teeth?
• The only part of his childhood he blocked out … because it was too intense
• His philosophy: make conscious choices to love yourself
• What was early worldview? That life is a playground
• His working definition of luck
• His spiritual framework
• What it’s like surfing the wave “Jaws”
• How he got better at being uncomfortable
• His relationship with his gut… how intuition plays a role in which risks he’s willing to take
• Nazaré, the biggest wave in the world… what’s it like getting trapped under it?
• What scares him?
• How close has he been to dying?
• If people could live live like him.. what would be the takeaway?
• It all comes down to…
• His meditation practice
• How often does he find himself in “the zone”?
• His definition of mastery