It was one of those things in my life that just clicked...boom. This is where I'm supposed to be, and I've been doing it ever since.

- Sean Corvelle

Sean Corvelle has played a variety of different roles in his career as an actor, a comedian, and a television host. But for the last eleven years he has been inspiring and motivating athletes and weekend warriors across the world at the Tough Mudder starting line. He is also the host of Tough Mudder’s No Excuses podcast of which I was recently a guest on (you can hear my interview with Sean here.)

Like most of us, Sean came to Hollywood with stars in his eyes hoping to build a career that would bring out the best in him - a career that fulfilled him while also allowing him to be creative, to perform, and to ultimately be successful. Similar to my own path, Sean discovered that the more success he attained in Hollywood, the further away he got from himself and his core values. The higher he climbed the ladder, the more it burned him out, and the less he wanted to be on the ladder at all. Tough Mudder became the unexpected calling that Sean never imagined.

In today’s conversation Sean shares his advice, experience, and stories about what it took to listen to his soul in order to leave behind a career in Hollywood. If you have ever felt stuck or you’re unsure of the right path for you, get ready to be inspired and motivated to take just one small step towards forward progress today. Whether you have run an obstacle course race or not (or if you could honestly care less about mud runs), the lessons Sean shares in this conversation apply to every aspect of life.

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Here's What You'll Learn:

How does Sean answer the question, "what do you do for a living?"
How he got the job as Tough Mudder's starting line inspirational speaker.
What Sean's first ever Tough Mudder starting line speech was like and how it evolved.
Sean discusses the audition process in Hollywood from his perspective.
Why it's important to not let success define you.
How he became known as "The Mirror Man".
Instrumental quotes from Tough Mudder and what Sean learned from the requests for them.
Lessons learned from Hollywood.
Why Sean believes our souls don't change, instead they just expand.
How Tough Mudder is designed to be done together and what people learn from that experience.
The two common excuses people use to avoid signing up for a race.
How to overcome your hesitations to race.
The lessons learned in Tough Mudder apply to every aspect of life even if you just show up to volunteer and not race.
Inspiring stories of Tough Mudder runners never quitting.
Sean’s advice to his younger self in his darkest moment.

Useful Resources Mentioned:

No Excuses Episode 61: Zack Arnold on How to Optimize Yourself - Tough Mudder

Carlos Alazraqui - Comedian/Actor/Producer

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Guest Bio:

sean-corvelle-bio Sean Corvelle

Born in Annapolis MD, Sean Corvelle grew up partly in Baltimore and the other half of his childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was soon after high school when he began his professional journey in the field of entertainment as a stand-up comedian. With his instant likability and fresh enthusiasm on stage he quickly became a favorite act in clubs across the country and eventually moved to Los Angeles where he also enjoyed success acting in commercials, hosting and guest starring in TV shows. The three highlights in his professional career that stood out for him are: hosting a travel show, guest starring in an episode of “Friends,” and now working with Tough Mudder.

Show Credits:

This episode was edited by Curtis Fritsch, and the show notes were prepared by Debby Germino and published by Glen McNiel.

The original music in the opening and closing of the show is courtesy of Joe Trapanese (who is quite possibly one of the most talented composers on the face of the planet).

Ep182: Staying True to Your Core Values (When Hollywood Tries to Steal Your Soul) | with Sean Corvelle

The Zack Arnold Podcast