From Coaching to Microdosing: A Conversation on Success, Failure, and Finding Purpose
Gene and Dan catch up on their lives since their last meeting in this podcast episode. Dan talks about his various occupations, including being a teacher at Kennesaw State, part-time lifeguard, and coach for CrossFit athletes. They touch on the topic of success and failure, with Dan explaining how failure can often lead to eventual success.
The conversation shifts to Dan's involvement in the Grid League, specifically the Florida Grid League, where he coaches the Gainesville Wild. They discuss whether the CrossFit and Grid meets the definition of sport, with Dan noting that swimming is not always considered a sport because it's not a contact sport. Gene mentions that he always thought of swimming as the ultimate way to get in shape, but Dan disagrees and says that swimmers are often soft. They talk about the mental toughness aspect of Swimming, CrossFit, Grid an Martial Arts, with Dan explaining that many people need a community to do it. They also discuss how swimmers hit a wall in terms of pushing through the pain threshold.
They move on to discuss coaching higher-level athletes and the mental toughness aspect, noting that self-motivation, inspiration, and mental toughness are not things that need to be coached for high-level athletes. The conversation ends with a discussion on how to approach coaching for different individuals and the importance of recognizing when psychological harm may occur. Dan talks about working with high-level athletes and how it can be intimidating but also exciting.
Gene asks about Dan's experiences with therapeutic treatments involving psychedelics, and Dan expresses support for their use in mental health treatment, citing research from the Multidisciplinary Association of Psychedelic Studies.
Dan shares his experience with microdosing psychedelics, describing how he feels happy and anxiety-free when he does it. He also mentions feeling confident and fearless, which led him to do some risky activities like swimming in the Gulf of Mexico during a dolphin feeding frenzy. Dan believes that microdosing shifts his perception, allowing him to see problems and fix synaptic errors in his brain. He gives an example of using this ability to go back in time and understand arguments with his wife, which helped him improve their relationship. They discuss how he plans to use his experience with psychedelics in the professional realm, particularly in the field of psychology, to help others cope with mental health issues exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dan shares a personal experience about their daughter's struggle with mental health and how his family is working to support her. They also briefly discuss the recent government funding for psilocybin-assisted therapy for veterans and recommend resources for those interested in learning more about psychedelics.
Youtube Links that Dan shared with me after the show:
The future of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy | Rick Doblin
https://youtu.be/Q9XD8yRPxc8
Psychedelics: effects on the human brain and physiology | Simeon Keremedchiev
https://youtu.be/FyAgx_tzh80
Carl Jung - The Power of Knowing Your Dark Side (Written by Eternalised)
https://youtu.be/rgLQWutNxKc
Carl Jung - How to Find Your Soul (written by Eternalised)
https://youtu.be/Q5J9i97Cyc8
Alan Watts - Perception
https://youtu.be/-ZE6nSLwOw8
Michael Pollan - Psychedelics and How to Change Your Mind | Bioneers
https://youtu.be/5DrM90dg5t4