589. Nobody Is Coming to Save You

Following up on yesterday’s powerful interview with ultra-endurance athlete Charlie Engle, today’s episode dives into one of the hardest, and most liberating, truths he shared: Nobody is coming to save you.

This isn’t doom and gloom. It’s a call to radical ownership - the foundation of real transformation.

Brian unpacks the “fantasy of rescue” that holds us back in business, health, and relationships. He challenges you to stop waiting for the perfect plan, the right moment, or someone else to fix what only you can. You’ll walk away with:
- A mindset shift that puts you back in control
- Two non-negotiables to anchor your daily action
- A simple sentence that will change the way you approach obstacles
- Real talk on why personal responsibility is the most compassionate truth you can embrace

Who is Charlie Engle? 

Charlie Engle’s life is anything but ordinary. A world-renowned adventure athlete, Charlie is known for chasing the improbable and often achieving the impossible. At 62, he’s one of the most accomplished endurance runners alive, having won grueling races across nearly every continent.

In 2007, Charlie ran nearly 5,000 miles across the Sahara Desert—an unprecedented feat captured in the documentary Running the Sahara, produced and narrated by Matt Damon. That expedition became the launchpad for his humanitarian work as a co-founder of H2O Africa, now known as WATER.org, which continues to provide clean water access across the globe.

But Charlie’s story isn’t just about running. It's about redemption, purpose, and resilience. Running played a pivotal role in his recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol—an addiction that nearly cost him everything in his 20s. Since taking his last hit of crack cocaine 32 years ago, Charlie has used running not only as a sport, but as a lifeline. It sustained him through sobriety and through his unexpected 16-month stint in federal prison, where he was incarcerated in 2011 for overstating income on a home loan application.

Today, Charlie continues to inspire through keynote speaking engagements—from the Boston Marathon to the United Nations—and through powerful storytelling that blends grit, humor, and vulnerability. Cheryl Strayed once remarked after sharing a stage with him, “Wow. And I only hiked 1,100 miles.”

Charlie now leads two new endeavors: he serves as Head of Recovery at Anonymous Health, and he’s preparing for Dead Sea to Everest, his next ambitious expedition. Still, his favorite role is Dad—he beams when talking about his two sons, Brett and Kevin. Charlie lives in North Carolina with his wife, Stacey Astacianna Hatcher, a tropical ornithologist.

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Meet Your Host:

Brian Gubernick is a visionary leader with over 20 years of diverse business and life experience. Currently the Chief Real Estate Officer for PLACE Inc and Co-Founder of Metrix Masterminds, Brian has held numerous other significant roles in th