941 Wim Hof Talks CORONAVIRUS & How To NEVER Get Sick Again

“When you cleanse from the outside, you automatically cleanse from the inside.”QUESTIONSHow was the experience of being with all the athletes and business partners in Poland for a week? (2:41)How have you been responding to the quarantine time during all this stress? (8:23)What are three things we can do on a daily basis to have more control on our own mind? (12:21)When was the last time you got the flu or got sick? (18:31)What should people do everyday to help increase their immune system? (22:41)How does breathing affect your immune system? (24:09)Is there too much stress we can put on ourselves? (32:10)What's the best way to overcome self doubt? (35:21)How important is it to be playful in the quarantine? (37:48)What do you learn from your 2 year old? (40:23)YOU WILL LEARNHow Wim is treating inflammation and stress (0:42)Why what you cannot control is the most important (5:50)How to release stress through cold showers and deep breathing (13:41)Why Wim submitted his blood to universities for study (21:10)How breathing matched with cold water helps to fight bacteria and virus (26:37)How exposure to cold showers will prepare us for any stress (29:10)Why what you share and commune with others helps (39:03)What we have learned from the hard truths of the Coronavirus (42:11)LINKS MENTIONEDThe Wim Hof Method: Activate Your Full Human PotentialWim Hof AppVideo of Lewis doing breathwork with WimIf you enjoyed this episode, show notes and more at http://www.lewishowes.com/941 and follow at instagram.com/lewishowes Get more from Lewis! Get my New York Times Bestselling book, Make Money Easy! Get The Greatness Mindset audiobook on SpotifyText Lewis AIYouTubeInstagramWebsiteTiktokFacebookX

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:00Lewis Howes?

  This is episode number 941 with Wim Hof.

• 0:07Lewis Howes?

  Welcome to the School of Greatness. My name is Lewis Howes, a former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur. And each week we bring you an inspiring person or message to help you discover how to unlock your inner greatness. Thanks for spending some time with me today. Now let the class begin.

• 0:33Lewis Howes?

  Jackson Kitterd said, "Anything you can't control is teaching you how to let go." Albert Einstein said, "Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." And Eckhart Tolle said, "Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on." I'm so excited about this episode. Welcome. If this is your first time here, I'm so grateful you took the time to listen to the School of Greatness. We have an incredible guest on today. His name is Wim Hof. He is loved and admired and an inspiration to millions around the world.

• 1:12Lewis Howes?

  And some people find him controversial as well. I'd love to hear your thoughts on what you think about him, his message, his mindset, his techniques. By the end of this, make sure to send me a message over on Instagram, @lewishouse, or Twitter, anywhere on social media, letting me know your thoughts. And if you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend, text someone, because you have the power to change someone's life by sharing this message with one or a few people. Our friend today is Wim Hof. I've had him on a few times. He's one of our favorite, most popular guests of all time. I just got back from a trip to Poland with him, where literally is one of the most life-changing trips I've ever been on.

• 1:52Lewis Howes?

  I took a group of 13 influencers, men from all walks of life, to open up and tap into their hearts, dive deeper into vulnerability, and create a stronger bond with their inner world, try to open up, express themselves. Do some physical challenges, push the limits, and we had an incredible time. And we're going to share a little bit more about that in this interview. But Wim Hof got his nickname, the Iceman, by breaking a number of records related to cold exposure. His feats include climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts, running a half marathon above the Arctic Circle on his bare feet, and standing in a container while covered in ice cubes for more than 112 minutes. He's a machine. That's right.

• 2:36Lewis Howes?

  An extensive training enables him to control his breathing, heart rate, and blood circulation, and to withstand extreme temperatures. His unique breathing method, the Wim Hof method, has become extremely popular over the last few years. The exercises focus on deep and rhythmic inhalations and exhalations, controlled hyperventilation or power breathing, which includes voluntarily a short stress response, leading to more resilience towards stress in the future. And Wim's motto is, "What I am capable of, everybody can learn." In this interview, we talk about the power of letting go of what we can't control, especially with the state of the world right now.

• 3:18Lewis Howes?

  Three things that we can do every day to have more control over our mind. And although Wim Hof has not been sick in years, I ask him about what he's doing to prevent catching or spreading coronavirus. Wim shares tips on how to boost our immunity and bring down inflammation that will support our health, how we can change our physiology through breathing techniques and our mindset. He also explains where self doubt comes from and how we can overcome it. The greatest lesson his two-year-old has taught him, why he's become so emotional and vulnerable in the last few months, and so much more. I am just thrilled, excited for you to have a burst of this inspiration, information,

• 4:01Lewis Howes?

  and strategies and tools to support you in your life right now. Again, share this with a friend, lewishouse.com/941, or just copy and paste the link on the Apple Podcast or Spotify or wherever you're listening to this podcast right now and text someone. You have the power to change someone's life by sharing this episode. And now, without further ado, let's dive into this episode with the one, the only, Wim Hof.

• 4:32Wim Hof?

  I think we have two great topics. One is the topic on inflammation, that we are able to do so much more in relationship to with natural methods, consciously at will, related to inflammation, to prevent and heal. That is one. I got all the endorsement with Cypher's and the interleukins, the inflammation marks and all that. And those are papers. They should look into that, the doctors. And I am with a couple of universities in America right now.

• 5:15Wim Hof?

  So very soon, we are serving the doctors by the 30,000 with this method. Because there has been shown that absolutely works. And with this stress and inflammation, which is both right now very much there, the anxiety, the fear, that's stress and the mental stress and then the physical stress. Both, we are here. And I can explain everything to the detail. That's one. And then we, the other topic is about a paradigm, the psychology over physiology. Where the new, the new paradigm

• 6:00Wim Hof?

  is where people become much more aware of their own power, their mental power over their physical power. The psychology over physiology also has been a paper with the professors from Michigan. They already said, this is a transformational technique that will change mental health care. And it wasn't me, it's them. And right now, in the book of, the new book of Scott Carney, the investigative journalist, was to debunk me before. And now become a fan. And he is doing this.

• 6:38Lewis Howes?

  Appreciate you for taking the time. Thanks for being back. You've been on a couple of times on the School of Greatness podcast. And I just came back from Poland a couple of months ago where It had to be the one of the most amazing weeks of my life and the 13 guys that were with me. And it sounded like for you and for Anam, it was one of the most powerful weeks that you guys had doing this work for, for people. And you've been doing this work for 20, 30 years now.

• 7:05Wim Hof?

  Yes.

• 7:06Lewis Howes?

  Leading, guiding people. How, just a recap, before we get into this episode, how was that experience for you? In terms of having, you know, all these big athlete guys come and business leaders.

• 7:17Wim Hof?

  Yeah, sure.

• 7:18Lewis Howes?

  Living the house together for a week. How was that experience for you personally?

• 7:22Wim Hof?

  You know, as I, as I already told you, I see all these big guys and then I see people cry. And they show emotion. These are people who have gone through the, the, the politics and the bollocks of life. Entrepreneurs full steam all the time and their emotion is like far away. They got it all in, in control. And those emotions coming out in that, in that week, that broke me. It broke me. The, the man in control, that's me. The win heart, the signs and

• 8:05Wim Hof?

  the man, the cool man, the Iceman himself, he just broke down into tears. He broke down. And he had to become vulnerable. But that is only vulnerable in this sense is open up completely and show your weakness is possible only with those who have gone through the same and show themselves also vulnerable. And that, that is a power I cannot control. I cannot control vulnerable people. I just have to break open and learn and be open and heal.

• 8:45Wim Hof?

  And, and then find the love together. Of course, that is the greatest experience a man can have during his life. This is all about the love. And, and you know, from there, that love is going to heal the world.

• 9:04Wim Hof?

  That love is the real new paradigm. It is coming from the heart, being open, being able to be vulnerable. Show what you got inside and it all will become just great.

• 9:19Lewis Howes?

  That's it, man. I love that. Was there anything that you learned from that week? That supported you in the last few months with quarantine or with just everything that's happening in the world? Was there anything that opened up for you differently that you learned new that supported you in this time?

• 9:35Wim Hof?

  Yes, is that what you cannot control? Which is the most essential, crucial and important in life. It's love. It's like a flower. You cannot control a flower. Come on. You gotta let it go. And that is the greatest source of inspiration. So when I'm touched over there, then I can see it clearly again. Then I'm able to meditate because sitting, just sitting, they call it meditation. No, it is just being vulnerable within yourself and witness the inner depth, the inner void, the inner whatever has been there always.

• 10:20Wim Hof?

  And then full bloom there, vulnerable, beautiful, light, and it's innocent. And that innocence is my source of inspiration. I'm able to go 24 hours talking about love from many angles, from science, going into a freezer and sit there for hours at minus 25 degrees Celsius, I mean freezing, freezing, freezing, and invent all kinds of things because I have connection with the source of inspiration, which is vulnerable, lovable. It's, there it is.

• 10:59Lewis Howes?

  I love it, man.

• 11:01Wim Hof?

  Man, there I am. This is what the world needs to know.

• 11:05Lewis Howes?

  Yeah. Has your lady seen any shifts in you over the last few months since that experience with us?

• 11:12Wim Hof?

  Yeah, there's a lot of catharsis going on.

• 11:16Lewis Howes?

  Really?

• 11:18Wim Hof?

  Yes, and it's like outer cleansing, inside cleansing. When you cleanse from the inside, you cleanse automatically from the outside. It's like spring cleaning all the time. And I feel just different. The energy, she tells me, I trust you more.

• 11:39Lewis Howes?

  Wow.

• 11:41Wim Hof?

  You know? She just told me she trusts me more because I am more who I am and what I am, where I have no control but what is. And she can sense that. And that is just one of the biomarkers, say. I get also with my own family, you know, the story now.

• 12:05Lewis Howes?

  You had lots of, you didn't talk to them for like eight to 10 years, right?

• 12:09Wim Hof?

  Yeah, man. And now, I know it's all cleansed.

• 12:14Lewis Howes?

  Really?

• 12:15Wim Hof?

  It's cleansing, it's all cleansing. It goes step by step. The old paradigm is very strong. But it is cleansing all. So, that is an amazing positive avalanche going on.

• 12:31Lewis Howes?

  Wow, man. I'm super happy for you and I'm grateful that you gave us that time for us to open up and transform and heal. And I'm glad we were able to support you with a gift in return of witnessing that and helping you with your family and your inner world as well. So I'm glad to hear that, Wim. I'm curious, how have you been responding to the quarantine time and coronavirus time? And it seems like a lot of people are more and more stressed than ever. You know, these weeks have been building, getting worse and worse. People are stressing at home. What advice do you give for people who are isolated at home? Maybe they're getting at their partner a little bit more, reactive more.

• 13:16Lewis Howes?

  Is it good to do cold therapy when you're already stressed? Or is there something else that you would recommend?

• 13:24Wim Hof?

  Cold therapy, breathing therapies are to activate the body in the depth and that goes past our conditioned physiology. So what I say, this is time, there's change happening. And it is on world scale. And it is about our consciousness, our perception, our neurology. And our neurology in the future needs to become more aware. We have to become more aware of who we are, what we are. What is the purpose of life? What is nature? What is love? Because there is the purpose.

• 14:08Wim Hof?

  And we are growing towards that. Everything stands still. Guys, stop it. It's over. It's done. Mother Nature has come and she says, children, stop at the moment. Because this is not development, this is destruction in the world. This now is a time of opportunity to go within and to reconnect with a new paradigm, with a new neurology. And that new neurology, perception, consciousness, is a consciousness of love, of equal division in the world, equal communication. Backgrounds don't differ anymore. Because we all have a mind,

• 14:52Wim Hof?

  which needs to be much more in connection with our heart. Say, the mother in New York is the same as the mother in Baghdad. They just want happiness, strength, health, the love of life for their children. And they should be able to guarantee that. And that is what I'm working at. Like light workers, but because we talk about light, everybody, oh, that is too much for me. I go by science. I want factual. I go by science. I am factual. And these professors,

• 15:32Wim Hof?

  after investigating the functioning of the brain at will, see that we have come to a new possible neurology, a new control, wherein we at will are able to tap into our brain, the seat of the mind, into the deepest, and with the deepest actually everywhere. And that is going to be the new paradigm, where people are able to control within their own brain so much more. And, you know, in the end, when people have control within their

• 16:12Wim Hof?

  own mind, deeper, stronger, and better, what would they choose? Would they choose an unhappy set of lifestyle, or a happy set of lifestyle? The world is going to be happy, because people are going to be within their control. I'm already did these studies. I'm just a pioneer. I just show beyond speculation what a human brain and a human will is possible within that brain, within the mind. And if people have a real choice between having 10 cars or happiness, they are going to choose happiness.

• 16:56Lewis Howes?

  Yeah. What do you think are three things we can do on a daily basis? Simple things to help us have more control over our own mind?

• 17:04Wim Hof?

  Yes, I would say if you go to a shower, have a nice morning, and then finish your

• 17:14Wim Hof?

  Because that is vascular fitness. Your energy runs a lot better afterwards. And that means when you sit, your energy flow, your blood flow is a lot better. So you just feel better because the energy flows better. Yeah. That is vascular fitness. Did you say? So and up. Did you say hot, cold? Yes, alternate is even better. Okay. Because then you open up, close, open up, close. And then you train the millions of little muscles in the vascular system, which is helping the blood flow go through the system. And then the heart rate goes down with twenty, thirty beats a minute. That means stress, bye bye, stress.

• 17:59Wim Hof?

  You don't feel the stress anymore. You are in control of your own body. And your blood flow is running to the cells, feeding the cells. You get a lot of energy and that energy is without stress. You are simply there. That is what a cold shower can do. It's amazing. And from there, I say, do twenty, twenty-five minutes of deep breathing exercises. Because it has been shown that it changes the chemistry. You become actually the alchemist in the morning. Make sure that you are the alchemist.

• 18:40Wim Hof?

  You are the ruler within your own mind and your own body. That is the mindset. And the cold shower will help your vascular system, which is running through everything you got. And the breathing is changing the chemistry. And then suddenly you find out that it's to be the master over our stress, over our health, over our happiness. It's all there. That is going to be the new paradigm. We are the directors or the presidents within our, the kings and the queens. We shine the crown, the corona, the crown, the crown. That's who we are.

• 19:24Wim Hof?

  We are the, we should behave like kings and queens and feel alike. And we should be able to rule over the world of what we see and bring love and prosperity. There we are, and now it is science. So psychology goes over physiology. Michigan study, brain over body. It is there. And now is the time that the scientific world will have to take up. That the defense system in every individual in the world is able to be altered within one day. Or half a day. Half a day. And I can challenge any scientist to prove me wrong.

• 20:09Wim Hof?

  Because we got all the data. And I'm asking, please, scientists, look into this. If you want to talk inflammation, can we influence that what causes damage? In a Corona, the coronavirus infection? That is the IL one, the IL eleven, the IL six, the IL eight interleukins. Those are interleukins, inflammation markers. Can we bring them down with that, control the damage? That's what we have shown. We have shown to bring it down. And that was the first group in scientific research ever was able to bring it down

• 20:52Wim Hof?

  in such a way that they did not feel the fever, uncontrollable shivering, nausea, vomiting, back aches, muscle aches, and all caused by a bacteria injected. In the end, it causes inflammation. And the inflammation markers went down. That the coronavirus, virus and/or a bacteria cause inflammation. They go up. The innate immune system. Can we control the innate immune system? That in science was shown to be not possible at will. And now we have shown at will to bring it down.

• 21:34Wim Hof?

  So that inaugurates in the future, and they have to, to techniques that enable people massively all over the world.

• 21:49Wim Hof?

  To be much more into influencing their innate immune system. And therefore, bringing down the damaging factors of inflammation.

• 22:01Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 22:02Wim Hof?

  And control their immune system a lot better. So viruses through the white blood cell increase, which we also through science have shown. Those are the detectors, those are the little Sherlock Holmes inside our bloodstream. And when the bad guy is coming in, then the Sherlock Holmes knows how to detect. And then inflammation doesn't need to happen because the little bad guy is not able to do damage.

• 22:35Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 22:35Wim Hof?

  And this, this we have shown. And this in the end shows, hey, if we are able to take down the inflammation. And with that, change the perspective of what we at Will, as humans, are able to do in relationship to disease in general, then there will be a big change. People become much more self-aware, begin to do these breathing techniques, take the damn cold shower and feel great.

• 23:09Lewis Howes?

  I love it, man. When is the last time you got the flu or got a cold or got sick where you were out for a while? Do you remember the last time?

• 23:19Wim Hof?

  Must be amnesia, but I, I, I don't know. I forgot.

• 23:25Lewis Howes?

  And you're.

• 23:25Wim Hof?

  It's not there.

• 23:26Lewis Howes?

  You're doing cold training often. You're leading retreats every other week. You're climbing, you know, a mountain in snow and freezing cold shirtless. You're jumping in freezing rivers, cold tubs, ice showers. You're doing these things, but you don't remember, remember the last time you got sick. Maybe a little, little here and there, but you were able to get yourself back to, to full power. Are you in this time staying at home and making sure you're protecting yourself and the ones around you? Even though you're trained to not get sick? Or are you saying, you know, I'm going to go outside, I'm going to live my life. I'm going to touch everything and touch my mouth and I'm not worried. What's your mindset during this time?

• 24:08Wim Hof?

  I'm absolutely not in fear related to coronavirus infection. I know how to beat it. I know how to spike up my immune system. I know this. I already talked to the university and I told them, hey guys, you still got my blood. My blood taken while I was doing my exercises. And that blood has shown to be resistant against bacteria injected into the blood. Normally, there is aggressive reaction of the immune cells.

• 24:52Wim Hof?

  Ex-people in laboratory setting, so without me, but it's my blood. And they took it when I was doing my exercising. And they took it, normally there is a very violent reaction on the immune cells. Now, they took my blood and they put in the same bacteria and there was zero reaction on the immune cells. Zero, zero. Is this with... So I told them, yes. Coronavirus or just with any virus? That's what creates inflammation. And coronavirus also just creates inflammation.

• 25:34Wim Hof?

  So, yeah, we were not able to bring down inflammation at will. And I showed how to bring it completely down. So, at least let them investigate how this is possible. Because I've been showing it. And then they told me, you are the only one who is able to do this because you are the Iceman. Then I directly said, no, give me a group of people and I will show, just in a couple of days, how to bring them to the autonomic nervous system, the innate immune system, how to bring down inflammation, and then you test them all with...

• 26:17Wim Hof?

  The bacteria, you inject them and cause inflammation in the body. The innate immune system reaction. And then you will see they all will bring it down. That in contrary of hundreds and thousands of people who have done the same experiment. And all got sick.

• 26:39Lewis Howes?

  Wow. Now.

• 26:41Wim Hof?

  There we are.

• 26:42Lewis Howes?

  If someone is feeling um sick right now. And maybe they have coronavirus, maybe they just have the flu or some type of cold or something else. Maybe they're causing sickness because of the mind and how they're stressing so much. Who knows why. What would you say people should do? Obviously, if they're if they're sick, they should probably stay quarantined with this practice. But what should they do in terms of just feeling better to try to strengthen the immune system? And weaken the sickness. What is something they could do every day? Is it twenty minutes a day of breathing, like you said, and ice and doing the ice stuff, even if they feel weak? Will that help? Is it more breathing? What's the strategy to increase the immune system?

• 27:27Wim Hof?

  If they feel weak, then they should do the breathing exercises. The breathing exercises changes the chemistry, brings down the inflammation. And when it is brought down through the breathing techniques, not, hey, just do a little bit of breathing. Yeah, I breathe already all day long. No, not that way. Just follow the protocol, which these guys in the university also did. Also, those people are humans. So you are a human, follow the protocol. And then it will show you will bring down inflammation, which was weakening the person. So the person feels weak, he brings down through the breathing techniques, the inflammation.

• 28:12Wim Hof?

  Then he feels strong again. He feels connection again, and that is feeling strong.

• 28:18Lewis Howes?

  And that starts to fight off the sickness.

• 28:21Wim Hof?

  Yes, the inflammation goes down with that the sickness. And with that, he feels he has control of it within his immune system at will. Again, gives confidence and great feeling.

• 28:37Wim Hof?

  That is one. And then from there, then take a hot shower, take a cold one afterwards, from thirty seconds to two minutes, and you're gonna feel even greater because you are exercising and activating the transportation system of your body. And it's all logic.

• 28:58Lewis Howes?

  Why does breathing help boost the immune system by itself? Why is air into your body and your cells? Why does that help in your?

• 29:07Wim Hof?

  Yes. When we do these breathing exercises we have shown in the university, they work different than any other breathing technique I have been looking up. And I've gone through science to show it. So that it's factual. It's factual. These breathing techniques I've been exercising randomly by going into cold water. And cold water is real stress. And when real stress comes and you are able by certain kinds of ways of breathing, then those breathing techniques

• 29:51Wim Hof?

  that is able to fend off the stress of the cold. And so that those breathing techniques, after being so much in the cold, I took home. I began to do those same breathing techniques which I was doing before to fend off the cold. I took them home and began to exercise at home. And then it shows, wow, this goes deep. It changes my consciousness. It changes my feeling deeply. I see all the lights. I see all the chakras. I see enlightenment. I see anything. This I learned it by going into cold water.

• 30:35Wim Hof?

  And cold water is merciless but righteous. It's what I always say. But it is so. It is my teacher. If it works in cold water, it will work against any virus. And or any bacteria. I love that. And uh uh and and more so, you learn, if you learn how to deal with cold water, which is very stressful, which goes directly into your emotion, you learn also to deal with your emotion, with your mood. And this has now been shown in the in the brain scans, uh that I'm able to connect with the areas where emotion is residing,

• 31:16Wim Hof?

  where uh uh while stress is coming uh upon my body, I was able to feel euphoria. And you could not miss because you could see the brain. And uh within the brain, you know where is the area of emotion? And where's the area of pain and uh uh and sensation? And they saw it all, and that was for the first time, all learned in the cold water. Then I took that breathing, those uh those became techniques. I took them home, began to do them uh uh and it's uh amazing what I also. And then I went to the university and they gave me an injection. I began to do these breathing techniques and the bacteria had no chance.

• 32:01Wim Hof?

  Wow. Because I was, now the mechanism of the breathing goes as follows. Because we alkalize the body by blowing off the carbon dioxide. We are able to stay after, say, two minutes of deep breathing, blowing off the car dioxide, then to stay without uh uh breathing because the carbon dioxide trigger is gone. It is gone, the body is alkalized, so there is no need for breathing. The only need for breathing is because the uh body becomes acidic, carbon dioxide that is. And then it's going, uh then the trigger is going to work and you feel, I need to breathe.

• 32:46Wim Hof?

  But if the trigger is no longer there because your body is alkaline and not acidic. Then you don't need to breathe. But what happens now, because you do not breathe, the oxygen amount, saturation of oxygen in the blood, after one and a half minute, is going drastically down, where people normally die. This is where, I, I showed this, and I teach this bit. The, uh, uh, uh, I taught you too. You know, showed you, uh, in the breathing. And this, uh, when that happens, when the saturation of the oxygen goes down, but the body's chemistry is still alkaline,

• 33:31Wim Hof?

  it is able to go down without damaging the body. But what happens in the deepest part of the brain, which is reactive, the brain stem, the reptilian brain, the oldest part of the brain, it goes into survival. It shoots out adrenaline, because it reacts as if there is a, a great danger going on. And what happens with the epinephrine, which is activated in the deepest part of the brain, it shoots out through the body into the bloodstream, and it resets the body. And when it resets the body, the immune system is working again the way nature meant it to be.

• 34:16Wim Hof?

  And what was it? To fend off bacteria and virus. Uh, uh, because with, with a virus, and, uh, or with a bacteria, you cannot function in nature. So, nature has got, got these great capabilities given to us, but we, with our comfort zone behavior, we think we can, uh, uh, uh, heat it up, and bring it, uh, uh, uh, the heat down by air conditioning in the summer, and the heating up in the winter. We, we are in a non-stimulative being. Well, we got a perfect machine to adapt all the time. And when danger then comes, it knows directly how to adapt to the aggressor.

• 35:02Wim Hof?

  Because you got environmental stress, mental stress, emotional stress, bacterial stress, virus, viral stress. It's all, yes. But exactly, work stress, coronavirus stress, the lockdown stress, the open up and stress again. Any stress is in the end, stress. And we have the capability to adapt toward it and to find solutions. And this time of the coronavirus lockdown inside, being at home, learn about yourself, learn about your inner nature, the way nature meant it to be. Because it is a great nature.

• 35:43Wim Hof?

  You have the power to adapt to about anything. And stress has no, stress is a teacher. It will show how to stay relaxed in euphoria, no pain, no boredom, anything. Your energy stays clean. That is the way an animal is able to function in nature. And we are animals, beautiful animals with a beautiful mind.

• 36:12Lewis Howes?

  That's it, man. We are beautiful animals. We just got to cleanse ourselves. I'm curious, what can we do? Or how much stress should we be putting on our bodies on a daily basis that is self-induced? That is for the purposes of strengthening ourselves in our environment? As opposed to, you know, is there too much stress that we can put on ourselves of just saying, I'm gonna, you know, five hours of breathing and ice training? Or is it?

• 36:43Wim Hof?

  I got you. There is no need for go five hours. But if you sometimes want to challenge yourself, you better have a vessel, a body, which is working well. If you got like a September, for example, I want to show the world that we, with thirty-two people, and I also challenged Russell Brand, challenged Aubrey Marcus, he is coming, to climb the Kilimanjaro in one day, in shorts. Thirty-two people, you know what happens? We are going to show that we voluntarily are able

• 37:24Wim Hof?

  to generate more red cells, which was thought of impossible, and white blood cells, both. So, white blood cells, that's the immune system. Those are the little detectives within us. Are we able to increase that and go past the existent knowledge of what we as humans at will are able with our physiology? I'm going to show that, and with that thirty-two people. And I'm asking you, Lewis, like a mountain in Poland, there is a new mountain. I mean, you are a big man, and you will see over the top before me.

• 38:08Wim Hof?

  But it's a challenge. I would love you to come to show the world that through breathing techniques and our mindset, we are able to alter into a physiology which is showing the world the new paradigm, because then everybody is able to do it. And we do it spectacularly. It is a lifetime experience. It is not only going deep, it's becoming who we are. And scientists will come and they will show, wow, this is breaking all the physiological laws considered for humans to be able to control, and this goes way beyond.

• 38:53Wim Hof?

  And that is the new paradigm. So, how much do we have to train for that? Sometimes I go for one, two hours, minus twenty-five, running in my freezer. But then for days, I'm just take the cold shower, do my breathing. And I love it. But in most of it, it is, I believe I can do this. I believe I can change myself, I can change the world. I can show the world that we are capable of so much more. So for now, I say, hey, the 25 minutes of breathing.

• 39:34Wim Hof?

  And take the cold shower, that is a great vascular fitness. And you become the alchemist through the breathing. And you will become aware that you are able to alter and to change yourself into that. And with that, you will open up to the great potential you got, given by nature.

• 39:58Lewis Howes?

  I'm curious, you know.

• 39:59Wim Hof?

  So 25 minutes, cold shower.

• 40:02Lewis Howes?

  Yeah, I'm curious, there's a lot of uncertainty in people's minds lately. And there's a lot of uncertainty about the future. And I'm curious, in your opinion, what's the best way to overcome self doubt, uncertainty, fear of the future? And build more of this belief in people's selves, the way you believe in yourself? What can we do to train our minds and our life to believe in ourselves more? And overcome self doubt?

• 40:32Wim Hof?

  Yes, self doubt comes from the subconscious, which knows you are not in the right connection to be able to deal with the situations coming. It knows it. That creates self doubt. It's a messenger. It says, hey, do something about it. I'm your friend, and this is doubt. You are not ready for what is going to come. And I know in the subconscious, what is going to come? And you are not ready. So I tell them the same. Go into the breathing, go past the blockages, go past the conditioning of the mind and the body. Because the breathing is like water, it goes everywhere, it goes past.

• 41:16Wim Hof?

  It will create the right chemistry, it will unblock the wrong chemistry. And with that, you get a connection. Because it's open, the blockages are out. And with that comes a confidence. The confidence is the feeling that you are open. That the flow is there, that you are in control of that. And then your subconscious will say, hey, it's okay. You are a child, you can go play because you did your homework. Go. And that it's a feeling. That feeling of confidence, that that is natural. And it's for everybody, it's there all the time.

• 41:59Wim Hof?

  It's absolute, and it's very accessible and very effective. Through this breathing, through the cold shower. And then your belief will be there. It is ruled by the subconscious. But now we know how to get into the subconscious. And take away any blockage, fear, inhibition. And then your subconscious will say. We'll just be there, just being there. Meditation should be 24 hours a day. Like no fear, no inhibition, everything is beautiful because there is flow.

• 42:37Lewis Howes?

  Yeah, yeah, man.

• 42:41Lewis Howes?

  How important is it for us to stay playful and have fun and sing and dance? In this time of quarantine, you know, when we're dealing with so much stress? Do these things help us overcome that as well? And what are you doing on a daily basis with your, you know, your wife and your kids? At home to to allow yourself to get your mind off these things?

• 43:04Wim Hof?

  Yeah, most of the day now I'm playing with my two year old.

• 43:08Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 43:08Wim Hof?

  And he's re- yeah, not only, he is ridiculous. He, uh, uh, and he, he doesn't let me go on the telephone, look to the podcast or, or talk to the people. He's just, get your ass over here. I need your attention. I want you to be my teacher. Show me everything you got, cause I got all the energy of the world. And I love it. So he's teaching me, actually, he's teaching me how to be just there, fully there. There is nothing in my mind because I have to go to the level of a two years old.

• 43:48Wim Hof?

  A man, uh, uh, it's not complicated. It is just being. And, uh, uh, and he does a great job. So I, I'm very happy with my kid and I, uh, in bet- in between I do my, uh, uh, uh, some training. I like to, uh, yeah, uh, uh, to do some physical, uh, exercise. Tomorrow people will come, I will do a running in the, in the freezer. And, uh, yeah, and have a great sauna afterwards and talk with the people about life. Cause that, uh, it is great to commute, to share with people. And this, once again, is a great opportunity to find out

• 44:29Wim Hof?

  that the stillness of your mind, that is the real control, is in letting go all the shit and be with who you are and what you are. And what you are and who you are is beautiful.

• 44:43Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 44:43Wim Hof?

  So find out the beauty. Use the damn cold shower and some breathing to change the chemistry and to go past the, uh, uh, inhibitions and the anxiety and all and come to, in terms with yourself. Twenty-four hours meditation. That's who we are.

• 45:01Lewis Howes?

  Yeah, man. What, and what's the greatest lesson your two-year-old has taught you about yourself that you, that you forgot about? What's something he taught you?

• 45:09Wim Hof?

  Amazing, he's, he's just there, bluntly there from the morning. He comes running, I'm then already awake and you know at six o'clock and doing my breathing and then I'm sitting there looking at the coronavirus news and things and then he comes past the door, he's running, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy. That's what he does and he gives me a hug and from there I am his. Nobody else is anymore. I'm his and I'm serving him because it's so lovable.

• 45:48Lewis Howes?

  That's amazing, man.

• 45:49Wim Hof?

  So he teaches me, let it go, love and you'll have a great experience. You are not into your mind, not into your ego, not into the oldest thinking, you become simple and simply there. And then I see, it's amazing that I missed out on all this while I was traveling to Australia, to Los Angeles, to New York, to Paris, to London, to Amsterdam, to South Africa and all that and going on speeches over there, workshops over there, retreats over there and working on books and this and that and all that. Shut up, be here for me. I love you, you love me. There it is.

• 46:35Lewis Howes?

  That's amazing. And what's a, what's a lesson you've learned with quarantine with you and your lady and your wife? Have you, have you learned something new about yourself by being more isolated and in a confined space as opposed to going out and traveling? Has there something you've had to overcome, challenges or any lessons you've learned that you would share with us?

• 46:55Wim Hof?

  Yes.

• 46:58Wim Hof?

  I think the coronavirus, the blessing of the coronavirus, besides of course, the terrible death toll, which is existence, it's like a lesson, a hard lesson, a rude lesson of mother nature coming to us and we have to stop. We cannot just rationally go and keep on with our production mode, exploiting the world and polluting the world and staying insensitive towards each other because it's all competitive and all. No, it has stopped. It has stopped, my traveling has stopped, my mind has stopped. My little kid brings me right here and right now.

• 47:43Wim Hof?

  And let me tell you, it is the busiest time ever of me. Because I'm seeing that what I've been advocating the last forty years through that nature has the answer. When we all have the problems and still looking at those problems, nature has the answer. We have to get back to nature. And this is the time. And I'm busy like a busy bee in springtime. Polluting, pollinating over here and there. And there, and there, and there, doing podcasts with great people like yourself, bringing out the news that the world is going to change for the great,

• 48:27Wim Hof?

  for the positive, for the love. And we are going to do this together. And this is what is going to happen. And it needs work. It needs our beliefs. It needs our uninhibited being. And being as a torch of light. Here I am. Here we are. And this is what we do together with the scientists all over the world. It is time for love to rise.

• 48:52Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 48:53Wim Hof?

  There we are.

• 48:54Lewis Howes?

  Do you feel like your love and intimacy is connected stronger with your wife? Or do you feel like you guys have had some challenging conversations? Because you're isolated together more now.

• 49:04Wim Hof?

  You know, I go back to the beginning of our conversation.

• 49:08Lewis Howes?

  Yeah.

• 49:08Wim Hof?

  It is cleansing. A cleansing. Finally, I am home. Finally, I get time to cleanse.

• 49:16Lewis Howes?

  Talk about the things that you didn't talk about, or you can address these things. Yeah.

• 49:20Wim Hof?

  Yes, absolutely. And they, you know, you do not even need to talk. They come. And then you talk. It's not like you invent, these things come up. Finally, I got time to have it come from the bottom up. This is nature. And yeah, I love it. I love it. I welcome it all the time.

• 49:47Lewis Howes?

  What was the thing that you needed to cleanse with your wife? That you guys hadn't talked about or didn't cleanse yet? Was there a conversation? Was there?

• 49:54Wim Hof?

  So many things, so many things, too many things, almost. I'm actually getting back to my wife, the way I was in the beginning. You know, in the beginning, when you are with a woman you feel attracted to, there is no words. There is just bloody great energy. And you can go through it all. You just wanna go from A to B. So then in turn, between A and B is A1 and A2 and A300 and all kinds of thoughts and this, and the energy weakens. And that energy is being brought back.

• 50:37Wim Hof?

  And I see it and I feel it. So instead of knowing how to address things, it is that these addressing things, these things go away. So there is no addressing this. The love is becoming stronger. The presence is becoming stronger. The gratitude is becoming stronger. I see her back again, the way it all began. And I'm so grateful for every moment. Every moment I say, wow, I'm just looking at her. Wow, what... I'm a lucky bastard to have you as my wife. And I think you are so beautiful, so amazing. What a qualities.

• 51:19Wim Hof?

  I can see them again. I can feel them again. Amazing.

• 51:24Lewis Howes?

  Yeah, that's beautiful to see and I think we might lose that sense of wonder and curiosity when we're isolated with someone so much. We might lose that because we're getting frustrated or stressed that we're not going out and doing our routine or having space. But if we can come from your point of view, Wim, and appreciate more and express more gratitude and rediscover the qualities we love about our partner.

• 51:48Wim Hof?

  Yes.

• 51:48Lewis Howes?

  From the beginning, it's going to create that magical experience as opposed to a challenging, stressful one that wants me to like get at someone's throat and get out of there. And I think it's rediscovering that curiosity and just showing more appreciation and love. That will rekindle a relationship that maybe had just challenges or that will strengthen one that's already strong. So it's like appreciation and gratitude is like breathing and ice therapy for your relationship, right?

• 52:16Wim Hof?

  Yes, yes. Break the ice. Go into it and come out alive, like activated from the depths. And you know, when you are in love, you don't think. You just want to go to your love. That power, we have now the opportunity to get into that power. Anything, if you want real control of the mind, be in love, be in control of your love, in learning to let go. If you feel the love, you are in control of the mind because then the mind is there. It is there to serve you. It's not to dominate you, it's to serve you. And then the love

• 53:00Wim Hof?

  is there because we all want love. We all want happiness. The control of the mind is love.

• 53:08Lewis Howes?

  Hmm. You're giving some good love advice right now. I love this, Wim. You've got a, you've got a book that people can preorder right now. It's out this fall. But I'm so excited about this book and I want everyone to preorder this. And if those are, you don't want to preorder it right now, you can also follow Wim on social media. You have a 40-day quarantine challenge, which I think is going to be so helpful if you follow this. Challenge, they can go to your Instagram, they can go to your website to to check out this challenge, go do this challenge, it's simple stuff like five minutes a day that they can do. And you also have an incredible app that is free in the App Store. If you guys download the Wim Hof app, the breathing app, it's amazing, it's gonna be

• 53:53Lewis Howes?

  Wim guiding you through meditation, breathing exercises, challenging you to improve your breathing techniques and everything that's Wim's talked about during this this time together today, he's gonna guide you through that and it's free over there on the app. You've also got incredible workshops that when we can go out into the world again and into nature again as a groups, you'll be able to sign up for those and go do those in the future. But again, from the beginning, me and a group of 13 guys went to Poland, experienced this firsthand, it was life changing, we all said it was one of the greatest weeks of our lives. And I've had some amazing weeks, but this was one of the greatest.

• 54:35Lewis Howes?

  So I highly recommend you sign up for the app, do a retreat in the future when you can, get the book, do the 40 day challenge. We also, Wim, we're also editing this footage from Poland that we're making into like a mini 20, 30 minute documentary, I saw the first rough cut the other day.

• 54:54Wim Hof?

  It's gonna be really good, man. That's good.

• 54:59Lewis Howes?

  So we're gonna release that soon on YouTube probably and on social media, but stay tuned for that.

• 55:05Wim Hof?

  That was amazing. If people get, if people get that being vulnerable actually is strength, that leads up to love, which is the absolute control of the mind. And we got it all scientifically endorsed now, eh? We know how to, we are the pioneers, we are advocating the new human, the paradigm shift, the change that will better humanity and the world. That's what we do right now. And it's all, all the science is behind it. It's now the science of the soul. And we are, we are just mediums, we, we, we stand here full confident within our words

• 55:50Wim Hof?

  because we are man, we arise from the past and here we are, shining like the light and we can guide and direct because we all love all.

• 56:02Lewis Howes?

  Wim Hof, thank you so much, my man, for always taking the time and sharing your wisdom, your love, your light, and challenging us to be better human beings. I appreciate you, my man, and we will talk to you soon. Lewis, thank you. Appreciate you, man.

• 56:20Lewis Howes?

  My friend, thank you so much for being here. I hope you enjoyed this episode and interview as much as I did. I always love spending time with Wim. He's a little crazy sometimes, but man, his passion is infectious, and we could all use the infection of powerful mindset, of love, of positivity, and his breathing is a game changer. If you don't have the Wim Hof app, make sure to download it free, and it's amazing to go through this process. I have a whole YouTube video you can watch of me doing breathing with him. Just type in Wim Hof, Lewis Howes, on YouTube. You can see the entire process of how he guided me the first time, and how crazy my reaction was. You gotta go check that out. I'm a big

• 57:03Lewis Howes?

  fan of his work. You just gotta make sure you are careful, and if you're gonna try for the first time, make sure you are careful. Make sure you take it slow and easy, so you can see how it feels the first time, because it could feel a little overwhelming if you try to push the breathing too much. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend. You have the power to change someone's life, to transform and make a massive impact. You never know what one piece of content, one interview can do to truly unlock something in someone. And if you have a friend who might be stressed, or struggling, or just wanting to improve their life, then text them this link right now, lewishouse.com/941, or just copy and paste the link on the podcast app, wherever you're listening to the podcast.

• 57:48Lewis Howes?

  If this is your first time here, please subscribe to the School of Greatness. We've been around for seven years, one of the top podcasts in the world, 941 episodes. Three times a week, we're bringing you the biggest names, the best leaders, the top entrepreneurs, the brightest minds in health and relationships, spiritual leaders. We are bringing you the best, and we want you to have the tools to help you transform. And take your life to the next level. This is not the school of average. This is a school of greatness and I'm so grateful that you're here. I love this quote from Albert Einstein who said, learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.

• 58:26Lewis Howes?

  And Eckhart Tolle said, sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on. There are so many things that we don't have control over and we need to be prepared. But we also need to let the worry and stress go at the same time. I believe in you. This is a challenging time and I know you can make it through. I know you can be stronger. You need to take it easy on yourself. Use some of these tools, practices to enhance your moment by moment. Believe in yourself. You will get through this and I'm rooting for you. And as always, you know what time it is. It's time to go out there and do something great.