What are you doing to create structure and stay productive as you navigate the chaos of your life, both at home and at work? How do you take a stand when you need to, have tough conversations, and take big risks to truly understand everything that’s out there? 

If you’re looking for answers to questions like these, today’s conversation – one of my favorites I’ve had all year – is for you. I’m speaking with my friend Ben Crawford – someone with a truly deep understanding of how to challenge perspectives and push for more. He ran ultramarathons with his young kids, lived intentionally for a year with no rules, and hiked the Appalachian Trail with his wife and their six children – something he wrote about in his newest book, 2,000 Miles Together. 

Even if you’re not quite ready to commit to an odyssey like Ben’s, if you want to know what you and your family are truly capable of, this episode is for you. We explore what it means to achieve your family’s full potential, the importance of questioning the status quo, and how to stop your ego from defining who you are.

Gold Nuggets

• How pattern interrupts and dramatic contrasts erase entitlement
• Understanding how ego is formed, and how to let it now run your life
• How to bring the same intentionality and sense of purpose you apply to your work life to your family. 
• How he went from eating out of a Trader Joe’s dumpster to transforming his life and making more than one million dollars in a year 
• Detaching yourself from the things of the past that hold you back
• Kids and trophies — who gets them?  
• Why dollars don’t impact priorities.

'I actually think the biggest role model to have was not necessarily in how how to live life in one particular way, but in how to give the middle finger to popular opinion and how to do what you believe in.' - @fightfortogether Share on X

Big Questions Asked

• What does the Crawford family name mean to Ben? 
• Why is it so easy for us to put our home life on autopilot? 
• How do our beliefs reinforce themselves over time, and how do they limit us? 
• What do trophies mean, and how should we handle awards when it comes to our kids?
• How do you get your kids to appreciate what you have in life and adopt a mindset of gratitude, regardless of how you’re doing financially? 
• How do we value time over money in both theory and practice?
• Why does asking someone “What do you need?” actually put more of a burden on that person – and how can we take action instead? 
• How does saying “I love you” become a form of gaslighting in relationships? 
• What can you do this week – not two decades from now – to prioritize your relationships or make your life better?

''I’m okay with being wrong, but I’m at least going to say what I believe right now and I’m not going to be afraid of influence.'' - @fightfortogether Share on X

Go Deeper

• Ben Crawford’s Website
• Follow Ben Crawford on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube
• 2000 Miles Together
• Unleash your family
• Toxic Charity
• Into the Thin Air
• Jon Krakauer

Props

• Donald Trump
• Jon Krakauer

More About Ben Crawford

Ben Crawford is the author of 2,000 Miles Together—the story of the largest family ever to complete a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, defying skeptics and finding friends in the unlikeliest of places. On the trail, Ben Crawford battled not only the many dangers and obstacles presented by the wilderness—snowstorms, record-breaking heat, Lyme disease, overflowing rivers, toothaches, rattlesnakes, forest fires, and spending the night with a cult—but also his own self-doubt. In an effort to bring his family closer together, was he jeopardizing his future relationship with his kids? When the hike was done, would any of them speak to him again?

The Crawford family’s self-discovery over five months, thousands of miles, and countless gummy bears proves that there’s more than one way to experience life to the fullest. You don’t have to accept the story you’ve been shown. By leaving home, you’ll find more than just adventure–you’ll find a new perspective on the relationships we often take for granted, and open yourself up to a level of connection you never thought possible.

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