EP 52 | Steven Pivnik: Endurance Athlete | Author of "Built to Finish" | Serial Entrepreneur | International Speaker | Dad of 3 Girls

Steven Pivnik Website:

https://stevenpivnik.com/

 

Book Link: "Built to Finish"

https://www.amazon.com/Built-Finish-Distance-Business-Life/dp/B0CB9HWSGW

 

Summary

 

In this episode, host Daniel Hickman interviews Steven Pivnik, an endurance dad athlete, speaker, serial entrepreneur, and best-selling author. They discuss Steven's journey from being a couch potato dad to becoming a determined triathlete and mountaineer. Steven shares how he balances his training with family life and the importance of incorporating his family into his races and adventures. He also talks about his experiences summiting Kilimanjaro and the mindset of pushing beyond one's comfort zone. Steven's biggest accomplishment as a father is getting his daughters off the payroll and teaching them self-sufficiency. He also shares his biggest fear as a father, which is his daughters going through a painful divorce. Steven emphasizes the importance of setting big goals and not settling for mediocrity. He discusses his transition to public speaking and the reward of inspiring others. Finally, he offers advice to college dropouts and those in dead-end jobs, encouraging them to believe in their ability to achieve their goals. In this conversation, Steven Pivnik shares his journey from being an immigrant to a successful businessman and endurance athlete. He emphasizes the importance of taking action and utilizing the abundance of information available to achieve success. Steven discusses the concept of competitive edge and the value of being niche in business. He also highlights the role of endurance sports in his personal and professional life, including how it has influenced his approach to leadership and time management. Steven encourages individuals to find their why, create good habits, and stay focused on their goals.

Takeaways

• Balancing training and family life requires sacrifice and careful time management.
• Incorporating family into training and races can create shared experiences and motivation.
• Pushing beyond one's comfort zone is where true learning and growth begin.
• Teaching self-sufficiency to children is an important accomplishment as a parent.
• The fear of children going through a painful divorce is a common concern for parents.
• Setting big goals and not settling for mediocrity can lead to personal and professional success.
• Public speaking can be a powerful platform for inspiring and motivating others.
• Believing in one's ability to achieve goals is essential, regardless of educational background or current job status.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:29 Fatherhood and Endurance Sports

05:06 The Importance of Team Sports

07:45 Incorporating Family into Training and Races

08:01 Mountaineering and Summiting Kilimanjaro

11:15 Life Begins at the Edge of Your Comfort Zone

12:39 Biggest Accomplishment as a Father

19:16 Motivation and Inspiration at the Edge of Your Comfort Zone

24:36 Transitioning to Public Speaking

27:18 The Reward of Inspiring Others

28:01 Advice for College Dropouts and Dead-End Jobs

28:27 Opportunity and Taking Action

32:10 Competitive Edge and Niche

33:59 Information Gathering and Unique Approaches

36:11 Using Endurance Sports in Business

39:48 Time Management and Focus

53:31 Finding Your Why and Creating Habits

56:26 Balancing Training and Fatherhood

57:43 Connecting with Steven Pivnik

59:31 Closing Remarks and Advice