Joe Rogan Experience #2364 - Brandon Epstein

Joe Rogan's podcast delves into various themes, including the complexities of the medical and pharmaceutical industries, the challenges of maintaining integrity amidst financial incentives, and the importance of honesty and authenticity. He discusses the struggles and mental resilience required in both comedy and fighting, highlighting the journey of UFC fighter Sean Brady and his mental coach. The conversation also touches on the role of belief systems in overcoming setbacks, the potential benefits of visualization and hypnosis, and the importance of physical activity in managing anxiety and depression. Additionally, Rogan explores the impact of marijuana on performance and the enigmatic nature of human consciousness.

• Discussion on the dual nature of modern medicine: significant advancements and ethical concerns.
• Highlighting the financial incentives in the pharmaceutical industry that may lead to overprescription.
• The ethical dilemmas faced by pharmaceutical companies in terms of misleading studies and data manipulation.

"The world of medicine is interesting because you've got so many positives, right? Like people are healthier, they live longer today than they ever have been before."

• Modern medicine has significantly improved human health and longevity.

"They'll publish studies that they've engineered to be successful even though they're not going to be."

• Pharmaceutical companies may manipulate study outcomes to ensure financial profitability.

• Society's inclination towards fast and easy solutions for various issues.
• The analogy of the fast-food culture applied to medicine and personal development.

"We also live in a culture that wants that like fast food experience, right?"

• There is a societal trend towards seeking quick fixes rather than long-term solutions.

• Young comedians and fighters often face a discrepancy between their perceived worth and actual opportunities.
• The role of competitive drive and delusion in personal and professional growth.

"Young comedians...they want to be further than they are. Maybe they think they deserve more than they're getting."

• Many young professionals feel they are undervalued, leading to frustration and competitive tension.

• The psychological impact of defeat on high achievers and the process of rebuilding belief systems.
• Techniques used by mind coaches to help athletes recover from losses and regain confidence.

"He built this identity of being unbeatable...when he lost, everything shattered."

• The identity crisis faced by athletes after a significant loss and the importance of psychological recovery.

• Issues with supplement quality control and the prevalence of fraudulent products.
• The lack of regulatory oversight in the supplement industry leading to potential health risks.

"We were finding all sorts of things in it that aren't supposed to be in there."

• Supplements often contain unlisted ingredients due to poor manufacturing practices.

• The growing reliance on influencers and experts for guidance on health and wellness.
• The importance of honesty and transparency from those in positions of influence.

"Honestly, like that is everything."

• Trust in influencers is heavily dependent on their perceived honesty and integrity.

• The negative effects of social media interactions on fighters' mental health.
• The importance of maintaining a detached perspective on online criticism.

"I'd rather you do heroin than do Twitter if you're a fighter."

• Engaging with social media can be detrimental to a fighter's mental well-being.

• The introduction of unique fighting styles, such as point fighting, into mixed martial arts.
• The ongoing evolution of MMA techniques and the challenges they present.

"Michael Venom Page was at one point in time the best karate point fighters."

• Point fighting introduces a unique skill set into MMA, offering new challenges and strategies.

• The significance of belief in personal achievement and overcoming challenges.
• The impact of mental resilience on performance and success in high-pressure situations.

"Belief is the thing that starts a domino."

• A strong belief system is foundational to achieving success and overcoming obstacles.

• David Goggins as an example of extreme mental and physical endurance.
• The influence of Goggins' public displays of willpower on personal standards and motivation.

"He's carrying a torch for the human will."

• Goggins exemplifies the human capacity for endurance and resilience, inspiring others to elevate their own standards.

• Breathing techniques and visualization were introduced as methods to enhance physical performance and manage anxiety.
• Techniques from martial arts, such as focusing on breathing energy through meridians, were applied to sports like football to improve grounding and strength.
• Visualization combined with physical exercises can significantly enhance strength, as supported by various studies.

"He just started teaching me breathing techniques... visualize breathing energy in... I just feel more confident. I feel stronger."

• The speaker learned how to use breathing techniques to gain confidence and strength, applying them to sports performance.

"There's a bunch of research you could look up... visualization increases strength."

• Studies show that visualization can increase strength, supporting the use of mental techniques alongside physical training.

• Subconscious training helps athletes become comfortable in their competitive environments, focusing on mental preparation.
• Addressing doubt and anxiety through breathing and acceptance can change an athlete's mindset.

"We're just training the subconscious to be comfortable being in the setting... training the subconscious mind."

• The focus is on preparing the subconscious mind for competitive scenarios to enhance performance.

"It's not an intellectual thing to remove doubt. It's a feeling thing in the body."

• Removing doubt involves addressing feelings rather than intellectual reasoning, emphasizing a holistic approach.

• Mental training alone can significantly increase physical strength, as shown in studies involving athletes.
• Both mental and physical training can lead to similar physiological benefits, such as reduced heart rate and blood pressure.

"Physical strength was increased by 24% through mental practice."

• Mental training alone can lead to substantial increases in physical strength, highlighting its effectiveness.

"Mental and physical training produced similar decreases in heart rate and both yielded a marginal reduction in systolic blood pressure."

• Mental training can offer physiological benefits comparable to physical training.

• Some injuries may have emotional or psychological roots, which can be addressed to aid healing.
• Emotional scar tissue can affect athletes' performance and recovery, especially in high-pressure situations.

"If I can relax them enough and I can get to the root emotional core... the pain disappears."

• Addressing emotional roots can lead to the resolution of persistent injuries.

"It's that emotional scar tissue... it's hard for those thoughts not to come back into your head."

• Emotional trauma from injuries can have lasting psychological effects, impacting performance.

• Beliefs shape perceptions and actions, affecting performance and success.
• Awareness and understanding of personal beliefs can help individuals overcome negative thought patterns.

"Our belief system deletes, distorts, and generalizes information."

• Beliefs filter perceptions of reality, influencing behavior and outcomes.

"If you believe bad things, bad things will happen to you."

• Negative beliefs can lead to negative outcomes, emphasizing the importance of a positive mindset.

• Awareness of feelings and focus can help individuals take control of their emotional state.
• Regular exercise and physical activity are crucial for managing anxiety and improving mental clarity.

"Set an alarm on your phone every 3 hours just to ask yourself, 'How do you feel?'"

• Regular self-check-ins can increase awareness and help manage emotions.

"Exercise is one of the best cures for depression."

• Physical activity is essential for mental health, serving as a natural remedy for anxiety and depression.

• Pursuing meaningful work and activities can reduce feelings of suppression and depression.
• Aligning actions with personal values and passions leads to greater life satisfaction.

"Don't do something you hate just because it pays you."

• Engaging in fulfilling work is crucial for overall well-being and happiness.

"You're trying to decrease the amount of stuck energy in you."

• Pursuing passions and interests helps release suppressed energy, reducing depression.

• Hypnosis and NLP are tools used to modify beliefs and emotional responses.
• Identifying and addressing core wounds can significantly enhance confidence and self-belief.

"I bring them to a very relaxed state... to let go of insecurities."

• Relaxation techniques help access and address deep-seated fears and doubts.

"We can release that belief... reprogram it."

• Reprogramming involves releasing negative beliefs and adopting positive ones for improved mental performance.

• Resistance and fear of failure are common barriers to personal growth and success.
• Overcoming these barriers involves recognizing and addressing underlying beliefs and fears.

"There's a thing that hovers over people, this fear of failure."

• Fear of failure is a significant obstacle that prevents individuals from taking action.

"Resistance is whatever is holding you back from following your natural inspiration."

• Resistance is an internal barrier that hinders progress and fulfillment.

• NLP involves altering perceptions to change emotional responses, often using visualization techniques.
• Techniques can be simple yet effective, such as visualizing and altering mental images to reduce anxiety, like fear of flying.
• The process of changing beliefs and perceptions can be challenging and is likened to turning a battleship around.

"Fundamentally, you're just playing with perception, right? So someone has something that's easy for me to get rid of is like the fear of flying."

• NLP is about changing perceptions to address irrational fears, such as fear of flying, through visualization.

"I have him imagine, for example, a giant picture in his mind... And then we boom, get rid of the color in the picture. And then we imagine this picture becoming super tiny."

• Visualization in NLP involves manipulating mental images to reduce the emotional impact of fears.

"It's heavy. I don't know. I mean, this is the stuff that goes beyond the rational mind."

• Changing deep-seated beliefs is complex and can feel overwhelming, going beyond rational understanding.

• Some experiences, like psychedelic ones, are beyond verbal explanation and must be felt to be understood.
• Techniques and experiences that alter perception, such as NLP or psychedelics, are difficult to convey in words.
• The playbook offers practical exercises for those who cannot experience one-on-one sessions.

"There's not enough words for a psychedelic experience. So this work that's why I like I put together the playbook so I give people actual things that they can do."

• Some experiences defy verbal explanation, necessitating practical exercises to convey the essence.

"It's that kind of thing where it's like when you're in the experience, it's like how is this supposed to be possible?"

• Experiences like NLP and psychedelics challenge rational understanding and require personal experience to grasp.

• The practitioner uses intuition and a toolkit of techniques to address client issues in the moment.
• Each session is unique, with no predetermined plan, relying on present-moment problem-solving.

"Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do before I go to go into any session. It's all I just feel it in the present moment."

• Sessions are spontaneous, relying on intuition and a toolkit of techniques to address client needs.

"I have all these tools I can use and then I feel into what their issue is and then I do my best with the tools I have to fix their issue."

• The practitioner employs a flexible approach, using various techniques to tailor solutions to individual clients.

• Athletes face physical and mental challenges, especially after injuries, requiring a strong mindset for recovery.
• The physical limitations of aging athletes can hinder performance despite strong mental resilience.
• Visualization and mindset techniques can enhance performance, but physical realities remain significant.

"But a catastrophic break of a bone like that when you're in your late 30s, that is hard to come back from, man."

• Physical injuries present significant challenges for athletes, especially as they age, despite mental resilience.

"Unfortunately, and these guys, it's like if you're natural, and he's natural, they get to a certain point where the body just can't keep up with the brain."

• Aging athletes face a disconnect between mental strength and physical capabilities, impacting performance.

• Psychedelics can create space between personal beliefs and ego, facilitating self-awareness and growth.
• Ego is necessary but must be managed to avoid destructive behaviors, much like fear and psychedelics.
• Overuse of psychedelics can lead to distorted perceptions of reality, emphasizing the need for responsible use.

"It's that like that neuroplasticity that gets created in those moments afterwards where you can actually kind of see things."

• Psychedelics can enhance self-awareness by creating space between personal beliefs and ego.

"Fear is like fire. You can cook your food with it or if it gets out of control, it'll burn your house down."

• Ego, like fear, must be managed carefully to prevent destructive outcomes.

• Physical activities, especially martial arts, provide a pathway to personal growth and mental resilience.
• Engaging in physical challenges can enhance confidence, discipline, and problem-solving skills.
• Martial arts offer a unique combination of physical and mental challenges, fostering personal development.

"It's like there's things that are out there that are available to you that are a vehicle for developing your human potential."

• Physical activities serve as vehicles for personal growth, enhancing confidence and discipline.

"And the best physical stuff is scary stuff. Right of passage. You know, we don't have many rights of passages."

• Martial arts provide a rite of passage, offering both physical and mental challenges that foster growth.

• The UFC's new deal with Paramount Plus will make all events accessible, potentially expanding the sport's audience.
• Athletes like Morab and Anthony Hernandez demonstrate exceptional dedication, pushing physical and mental limits.
• Understanding the mindset and training of elite athletes can provide insights into achieving high performance.

"All the events are going to be available for everybody for free. Every pay-per-view, every fight card that they have from the Apex."

• The UFC's new deal with Paramount Plus will make all events accessible, likely expanding the sport's audience.

"He's a [__] real problem. He doesn't get tired, man. He pushes an insane pace and he doesn't get tired."

• Athletes like Anthony Hernandez exhibit exceptional dedication and endurance, pushing physical limits.

• Belief in a leader's mystical abilities can lead followers to profound experiences, even if the leader is manipulative.
• Cults often exploit belief systems, leading followers to experience profound, albeit manipulated, spiritual connections.
• The power of belief can lead to transformative experiences, highlighting the complexity of human perception.

"They truly believe that this guy was like a legitimate mystic that he was a legitimate guru."

• Cults exploit belief systems, leading followers to profound, manipulated spiritual experiences.

"You let them think for you and you believe in them and then they do something to you."

• The power of belief can lead to transformative experiences, illustrating the complexity of human perception.

• Breathing through the nose is crucial for optimal athletic performance, as it significantly impacts cardio and overall physical capabilities.
• Fixing a deviated septum or nasal issues can lead to immediate improvements in performance, as evidenced by athletes like Drius Duplaci.
• Being able to bite down on a mouthpiece while breathing through the nose enhances strength and performance, as seen in powerlifting.

"The benefits of being able to breathe out of your nose... it really affected his cardio. His mouth was wide open. He got it fixed and there was like this immediate bump in performance."

• Fixing nasal issues can lead to significant performance improvements by allowing athletes to breathe more efficiently during exertion.

• Certain mouthpieces are designed to enhance strength by aligning the jaw and allowing for better clenching during exertion.
• There is some debate about the effectiveness of these mouthpieces, with claims of increased muscular force and power.

"There's like some sort of a connection between like having your jaw perfectly aligned and clamping down on this mouthpiece that allows you to actually lift more weight."

• The design of specific mouthpieces may influence strength by optimizing jaw alignment, though evidence is mixed.

• Cannabis may have neuroprotective effects, potentially improving brain health in individuals with brain damage from sports.
• It is believed to decrease inflammation, which is a significant factor in brain health and pain management.

"He said there was some kind of like neuroprotective effect where like I was my brain was like registering as more healthy."

• Cannabis might offer neuroprotective benefits, improving brain function and reducing inflammation-related issues.

• Cannabis use varies widely among individuals, with some finding it enhances activities like sports and creativity.
• There is a public narrative that cannabis is for lazy people, but experiences differ greatly among users.

"For me, I feel everything. Like for me, I feel judging myself the timing more when I'm hitting things."

• Cannabis can enhance personal experiences and focus, though effects are subjective and vary by individual.

• The concept of reincarnation is discussed, though there is no scientific evidence supporting it.
• Some people seem to have innate abilities or characteristics that set them apart, possibly hinting at past lives or special traits.

"But I'm not opposed to the idea of reincarnation. And I'm not opposed to the idea that some people are just special because it seems like that's real."

• While reincarnation remains unproven, the idea of inherent special abilities is considered plausible.

• Fighters often struggle with mental resilience after setbacks, needing strategies to rebuild confidence and performance.
• Mental training is crucial for fighters to manage confidence issues and recover from losses.

"But where do they even start? You know, if they don't know you, where do they start?"

• Building mental resilience is essential for fighters, requiring tailored approaches to regain confidence and performance.

• The book "The Success Code" offers a framework for personal growth by addressing mental barriers and improving various life aspects.
• Personal experiences and client stories are used to build rapport and demonstrate the effectiveness of the methods.

"It just it worked for me so much and it transformed my life so much that I was like, well, this is what I'm supposed to do."

• The book emphasizes personal transformation through practical strategies and personal experiences.

• Belief and visualization can play significant roles in healing and improving physical conditions.
• Placebo effects demonstrate the power of belief in influencing physical outcomes, as seen in studies on surgeries.

"The people believe they got the surgery... the benefits are measurable."

• The power of belief and visualization can influence healing, highlighting the importance of mindset in physical health.

• The podcast concludes with recommendations for further exploration of personal growth and healing techniques.
• The importance of individualized approaches to mental and physical health is emphasized.

"The success code... It's on Spotify's Audible."

• Listeners are encouraged to explore personal development resources and tailor approaches to their unique needs.