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You can be “crushing it” and still feel like something is breaking inside. That tension is where our conversation with Nicole Ward lives and it gets practical fast. Nicole is an executive leader at Aon, host of the Executive Athlete Podcast, and author of Biohacking for the Sales Athlete. Together, we unpack why so many capable leaders run on adrenaline, caffeine, and willpower while quietly drifting out of alignment physically, mentally, and spiritually.

We make the case that recovery is training, not a reward you earn after you’re exhausted. Nicole shares real recovery tools that high performers can actually use: walking outside for sunlight, short breathwork and box breathing breaks, yoga and mobility, red light therapy, and simple sensory resets that calm the nervous system. We also call out “empty-calorie recovery” like doom scrolling, late-night screens, and drinking as a default off switch, and we talk about how circadian rhythm and sleep hygiene change everything.

Nicole opens up about a near-fatal car accident that became her wake-up call, plus what she learned rebuilding her health from the ground up. If you’ve been tempted by supplements, peptides, and the latest biohacking trends, we’ll help you start with fundamentals first: dial in sleep with two or three changes, track your food for a week or two to find macro and micronutrient gaps, then consider wearables for biofeedback and accountability. We close with a powerful mindset shift: your personal “stack” of experiences and tools can become your superpower as a leader.

If this conversation helps you, subscribe, share it with a high performer who needs a reset, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

Connect with Nicole Ward: nicoleward11@gmail.com

Linked In: Nicole Elizabeth Ward | LinkedIn

Welcome to the Do Hard Things Podcast with your host Jay Tiegs, Are you ready to amplify and improve your life? Then you are in the right place. On this podcast we have unfiltered conversation with inspiring people who take on challenges and share with us, the wisdom from their journey. We talk about how doing hard things adequately enable all of us to deal with life's struggles and challenges and ultimately improve the quality of our lives.

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Two hours into what should’ve been a normal MR340 training paddle on the Missouri River, our canoe flipped and everything got real fast: cold water, whitecaps, drifting gear, and a current that wouldn’t let us “just kick to shore.” I’m Sigfre J Teagues, and I’m walking you through what happened with my buddy Joe, moment by moment, because the details are where the real lessons live. When you’re training for the Missouri River 340, it’s easy to obsess over cadence, nutrition, technique, and grit. Then the river hands you a test you didn’t schedule.

We talk about how wind plus current changes the entire equation, why overconfidence turns into cut corners, and how incomplete preparation shows up when chaos hits. You’ll hear the hardest call I had to make: letting thousands of dollars of canoe and equipment float away so I could stay in position to help my partner. “People over possessions” sounds like a slogan until you’re forced to prove it.

After we get out, we debrief what we got wrong, what we got right, and why humility and community matter as much as toughness. If you’re into endurance racing, river safety, resilience, or mindset training for hard things, this one lands. Subscribe, share this with a friend who trains hard, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway: what would you let go of when life flips your canoe?

Welcome to the Do Hard Things Podcast with your host Jay Tiegs, Are you ready to amplify and improve your life? Then you are in the right place. On this podcast we have unfiltered conversation with inspiring people who take on challenges and share with us, the wisdom from their journey. We talk about how doing hard things adequately enable all of us to deal with life's struggles and challenges and ultimately improve the quality of our lives.

Support the show

Big things are happening inside Do Hard Things Nation, and I want you with us.

Want more support? Join the Do Hard Things Wellness Academy. Four coaches. Weekly mindset training, movement, breathwork, meditation, book club, and challenges. Join as a member here:
👉 skool.com/dohardthings/about

Our book, Life on Offense, is now an Amazon Best Seller! Grab a copy and leave a review.
👉 Get the book on Amazon

Grab Your Do Hard Things Gear and Apparel. Show the world you Do Hard Things with high-quality apparel!

👉Gear — Do Hard Things Nation

And don’t forget—the Do Hard Things 5K, 9.11 Mile Run, and 9.11 Mile Ruck is happening in September. There’s even a virtual option—so no excuses. Sign up here:
👉 dohardthingsnation.com/events

Send us Fan Mail

Welcome to the Do Hard Things Podcast with your host Jay Tiegs, Are you ready to amplify and improve your life? Then you are in the right place. On this podcast we have unfiltered conversation with inspiring people who take on challenges and share with us, the wisdom from their journey. We talk about how doing hard things adequately enable all of us to deal with life's struggles and challenges and ultimately improve the quality of our lives.

Support the show

Big things are happening inside Do Hard Things Nation, and I want you with us.

Want more support? Join the Do Hard Things Wellness Academy. Four coaches. Weekly mindset training, movement, breathwork, meditation, book club, and challenges. Join as a member here:
👉 skool.com/dohardthings/about

Our book, Life on Offense, is now an Amazon Best Seller! Grab a copy and leave a review.
👉 Get the book on Amazon

Grab Your Do Hard Things Gear and Apparel. Show the world you Do Hard Things with high-quality apparel!

👉Gear — Do Hard Things Nation

And don’t forget—the Do Hard Things 5K, 9.11 Mile Run, and 9.11 Mile Ruck is happening in September. There’s even a virtual option—so no excuses. Sign up here:
👉 dohardthingsnation.com/events