Welcome back to the Real Conversations Newsletter!

My name is Jacob O’Connor and I’ve interviewed 300+ high performers for my podcast, Real Conversations. Every Tuesday I’ll send out 3-5 of my biggest takeaways from that weeks podcast episode. Short, concise, and never spam.

As I mentioned in the last email, this one is going out on a Thursday and then we’ll be back to sending the newsletter out on Tuesday mornings. Thanks for bearing with me.

Today’s newsletter post is from this weeks Real Conversation’s episode with Evan O’Connor- Ultrarunner, Wildland Firefighter, & Farmer. Know someone who you think might be interested in this newsletter? Forward this email to them (we’d appreciate it 😉).

Evan O’Connor- Ultrarunner, Wildland Firefighter, & Farmer

In life, I’ve found the unconventional path is often the most fun. My cousin, Evan O’Connor, lives this ethos to the max. Six months out of the year, good luck reaching him… He’s a Wildland Firefighter (more on this below) out in Wyoming. In the off season, he’s back in Illinois helping out on the Family Farm. Here are 3 takeaways from my episode with Evan:

1. Pursue what is Meaningful

What even is a Wildland Firefighter (also referred to as a “hotshot”)? It is an incredibly difficult, dangerous, and rare job. In the U.S. less than .004% of the population will be a Wildland Firefighter (yes, you read that right— 4/1000 of 1%). It’s a tough job that receives little-to-no praise but they save countless lives fighting fires across the U.S. and even internationally.

From May-October, a Wildland Firefighters’ work schedule typically consists of working 14 days straight (called a “roll) and then getting 2-3 days off before going back out on another roll. During a roll, you’re going to a remote area, digging fire lines, smoke jumping, sleeping under the stars, and working dawn-dusk without complaining.

The Wyoming Hotshot’s are the premiere wildland fire suppression crew in the U.S. My little cousin, at the age of 20, managed to earn a spot on the crew. Truly impressive.

2. You are Capable of More

I’d like to think that I’m a pretty tough and disciplined guy, but I don’t know that I could make it as a Wildland Firefighter. If that wasn’t enough, Evan spends his off season farming and running ultramarathons / training for endurance races.

Evan seems to have a deep belief that we are all capable of more and it’s our responsibility to milk the most out of every day. His discipline has evolved over the years into something truly remarkable. He is currently farming, completing 75 Hard (two workouts / day) and training for an Ironman 70.3. He ran 3 ultramarathons and 1 marathon in 5 months during the off season last year.

We all have time to do more and be healthy.

3. Difficult Challenges create a Deep Bond

Whether it’s doing a 50 mile ultramarathon with his mom, working 14 hour days with his crew of hotshots, or the ice bath we did prior to this episode— sharing the experience of doing something difficult with another person creates a deep and meaningful bond. It’s a game changer for relationships and creates deeper and more meaningful conversations for those involved.

The concept of “Do Hard Things & Live a Meaningful Life” has been discussed often on the podcast. Evan is the epitome of this statement.

You can watch / listen to the episode here.

You can follow Evan on Instagram here.

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-Do Hard Things & Live a Meaningful Life-