335 - Are You on Autopilot? Find Your Life’s Purpose By Doing THIS | Joe Gagnon
Release Date: 09/24/2025
Switch4Good
Protein has become the buzzword of the moment, but how much of what we're hearing is grounded in science? Registered dietitian and nutrition researcher David Goldman returns to separate facts from marketing and explain what the research actually says about meeting your protein needs, building muscle, and healthy aging. And then there’s this: They say you are what you eat. David's research suggests the story doesn't end there. The plant foods you eat may influence how attractive you appear to others. Packed with practical advice and refreshing clarity, this episode will leave you better...
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Young people today are inheriting a world they didn’t design. They’re facing a climate crisis, a food system that puts profit before health, and a constant stream of misinformation that can make meaningful change feel impossible. But a new generation of advocates is already stepping up, asking difficult questions and challenging outdated systems. In this episode, we talk with Lucy Whitney and Gianna Klein, recent graduates of NYU and Cornell who studied sustainability, the environment, and the connection between what we eat and the only habitable planet we’ve got. Through Switch4Good’s...
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A move from Houston to a cattle ranch in rural Texas was never meant to alter the course of her life so completely, but that is exactly what happened for Renee King-Sonnen, founder of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary. What began as a new chapter alongside her husband became something far more complicated as her relationship with the animals deepened and she confronted realities on the ranch she could no longer ignore, reshaping everything from her marriage to her identity and sense of purpose. That internal shift led to the creation of a sanctuary for rescued animals and the path she now walks in advocacy...
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By age 35, Javant Benton found himself at a crossroads. He was 85 pounds overweight, prediabetic, prehypertensive, and undergoing tests for cancer. Confronted with his own mortality, he knew something had to change. What began as a personal search for greater well-being became a journey of creativity, discovery, and transformation in the kitchen, where familiar comfort foods were transformed into something nourishing and satisfying. In this episode, Javant shares the wake-up call that altered his trajectory, the lessons he learned along the way, and how his determination to feel better...
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For more than two decades, Indra Lahiri has dedicated her life to rescuing animals who have survived unimaginable trauma at Indraloka Animal Sanctuary in northeastern Pennsylvania. But through years of witnessing suffering day after day, Indra found herself facing something many caregivers, advocates, and helping professionals quietly struggle with: burnout, chronic stress, and secondary trauma. In this conversation, Indra shares how animals helped reshape her understanding of healing, emotional connection, and resilience. We also talk about the restorative power of animals and nature, the...
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In this very special episode, Alexandra Paul returns to the podcast for a powerful, and at times difficult, conversation. For those of you new here, you may know her from Baywatch or some of the iconic films she’s appeared in. Longtime listeners already know her for her decades of activism, often stepping into spaces most people would never consider. Recently, she made headlines after being arrested during an animal rights operation at a breeding facility in Wisconsin, where activists entered the property and removed dogs being used for research, bringing the issue into the national...
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"The rates of fractures are highest in the high milk drinking countries, basically North America, Scandinavia, Denmark, and they're lowest in countries that actually don't consume milk at all." Today, we’re joined by one of the most influential and widely cited figures in nutrition science. Dr. Walter Willett, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has published over 2,000 papers across four decades. His work includes some of the largest and most rigorous studies on diet and chronic disease ever conducted. He is the author of several books,...
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Dr. Michael Klaper returns to the Switch4Good podcast for a conversation that redefines what medicine can achieve when food is placed at the center of care. A physician, educator, and longtime leader in nutrition science, Dr. Klaper has advised NASA on dietary planning for space missions, appeared in documentaries including Cowspiracy, The End of Meat, and What the Health, and authored several foundational books on plant-based health. His latest work, Moving Medicine Forward: What More Doctors Should Know About Nutrition–and How It Can Save Your Life, challenges clinicians and patients alike...
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"After struggling with health issues for decades and years of doctors and misdiagnoses, I was finally diagnosed with progressive MS and lupus and the only thing that had happened to me was removing dairy. We started working with plant-based doctors, lifestyle medicine doctors, and working with plant-based and vegan chefs. We created a menu of healthy kid friendly meals. Once you know better, you cannot pretend you don't." What if school could shape not just smarter students, but a more compassionate world? Today, we’re joined by Michele Fasnacht, founder of Solid Rock Community School in...
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“Fiber is the new protein. Don’t count your protein grams - count your fiber grams. And if you do that, and you’re getting adequate calories, you’re going to be fine.” What if aging didn’t have to mean slowing down, losing strength, or watching your best years slip into the past? What if the mind and body were capable of far more resilience and longevity than we’ve been led to believe? In this episode, two powerhouse voices in human performance challenge the idea that physical and cognitive decline are inevitable. Dr. Sharon McDowell-Larsen, physiologist, coach, and plant-based...
info_outline“Human potential really is infinite. Along the way, we created a whole bunch of concepts in fear-based thinking that got in the way of us turning the fire on that everyone of us has inside us. But sadly, if all we do is we sit on the couch and watch Netflix, you don’t unlock it. You’ve got to do something. You are not here to live the life everyone’s telling you to live. The world wants you to be who you are. I don’t think that what we should be doing is taking input from the world. We should build ourselves first. It’s never too late. It doesn’t matter if you start when you’re 57, you’re 29, whatever age it is.” -Joe Gagnon
What if the limits you believe in are just illusions? In this episode, Joe Gagnon — CEO, high-performance coach, ultra-endurance athlete, and author of Living Intentionally — challenges us to rethink what’s possible when we trade autopilot for intentional living. From Ironman races to ultramarathons to six marathons on six continents in six days, Joe’s jaw-dropping yet deeply human story is proof that growth lives at the edge of discomfort. He joins us to share how curiosity, courage, and grit can help anyone uncover their “why,” move through fear, and step into their full potential.
What we discuss in this episode:
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Joe’s path to living with intention
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Awakening from dormancy: discovering your “why” and purpose
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Why taking the first step matters more than waiting for the perfect path
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The role of curiosity in a purposeful life
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Embracing discomfort: how to move through it instead of avoiding it
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The surprising benefits of breathwork
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How to tell the difference between a meaningful risk and recklessness
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Joe’s reflections on ego and the work of overcoming self
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One of the scariest moments he faced, and the lessons it carried
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His take on trauma, victimhood, and resilience
Resources:
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Joe’s book: Living Intentionally: How intentionality enables success, fulfillment, and growth
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Instagram: Joe Gagnon (@thehighperformancelife)
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YouTube: Joe Gagnon - YouTube
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