Richard Hernandez was living the resume dream.
MIT. Yale. Fast-moving startups. Big exits.
But at the height of his career, he felt broken. Spiritually flatlined. Physically drained. Emotionally spent.
So he did the unthinkable…he slowed down. Not to rest, but to rebuild.
And in the process, he developed real mental toughness.
Inspired by David Goggins, Richard set out on a mission to forge mental toughness through physical adversity. His new metric for success wasn’t venture capital or accolades—it was discipline. Daily pain. A mind that didn’t quit.
This episode is about that journey—from winning on paper to winning in real life.
What we cover:
Richard’s pedigree: MIT, Yale, and startup wins
Why his early success nearly cost him everything
The wake-up call that led him to “do hard things”
Building an identity around toughness and ownership
What endurance training taught him about business
Documenting the process so others can follow it too
Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro + Richard’s background (MIT, Yale, Bain, startups)
04:47 – The connection between high performance and insecurity
09:55 – Watching Goggins live and choosing to pursue pain
14:32 – First steps into physical training and mental transformation
21:18 – Why CrossFit became his mental testing ground
27:40 – Comparing elite academics vs. elite athletes
32:30 – How Richard balances startup leadership with training
41:15 – Choosing hard things in the digital age
48:44 – Building habits when nobody’s watching
55:22 – What’s next for Richard’s business and personal goals
01:03:01 – Final thoughts on suffering, faith, and focus
Richard challenged us to do hard things. What’s your hard right now? Reply and let me know.
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