Laird Hamilton: The Big Wave Surfer Who Built a +$10 Million Business Empire

**Laird Hamilton** (0:00)
I used to use the guilt from drinking to make me feel motivated about training. So I'd be like, oh yeah, I could drink Pinot Noir, a bottle, two bottle, three bottles, no problem. Eat dinner, go to sleep, wake up, 5 a.m., train like an animal. What's the problem?
No problem. Where's the problem? I don't see a problem.

**Sam Parr** (0:17)
You could train hungover?

**Laird Hamilton** (0:18)
Oh yeah, like an animal.

**Sam Parr** (0:29)
Yeah, man, we're live. We get things going and I can fill you in.
You probably don't know anything about who we are, do you?

**Laird Hamilton** (0:37)
No, but that's not unusual. I don't know much about anything, really.

**Sam Parr** (0:42)
Good. Hey, same. I've learned about you.
This podcast is called My First Million. Basically, I owned a fairly successful and big media company that I sold. One of our products was this podcast. It's listened to by millions of people a month and it's mostly a business podcast.
I'm a health nut and a health nerd. I was a former college athlete. I'm going to talk to you all about Laird Superfood, it's going to be your businesses and stuff like that. That's where we're going to spend most of the time.
But the reason why I wanted to have you on was because we have people, we normally don't have guests, normally it's my co-host, Shaan, who's not here. Someone was asking us, who's your dream guest? I was like, man, Laird Hamilton, that's who I want. They're like, why? I had my description as to why I liked you best, but you said it in another interview a while back. You said something like, your life is like a wheel and business is one spoke, health is another spoke, relationships is another one and there's all these spokes and they all have to be nice in order to make this whole wheel work. I was like, oh man, that describes best why I like you because I like making money, I like being fit, I like having a lovely relationship with my wife.
I like doing all this stuff and so I'm pumped to talk to you. I'm normally never nervous to talk to anyone, but you and Andrew Huberman made me nervous to talk to you because I admire you guys and I look up to you guys.

**Laird Hamilton** (2:13)
Well, I appreciate that. I'm thankful for that.

**Sam Parr** (2:17)
I was talking to some friends, telling them how I'm pumped that you're coming on, and most people know who you are.
But then for the people who don't, I was like, well, he's done a lot of things. I don't even know how to describe you that I was like, he started as a surfer and then a big wave surfer, then did some modeling and I always tell my friends, I'm like, he's a hunk. You probably recognize his face. He's a hunk, his face is all over, because you represented this quintessential surfer.
But then you evolved where you and your wife now are quite popular because you guys have this almost Zen-like attitude. So a lot of people like me, I turn to you just to hear what's your advice on living. You've also started Laird Superfood, you have another fitness brand. What would you say is, where are you now and how do you describe yourself in a sentence or two as to your professional existence?

**Laird Hamilton** (3:09)
Because of Hawaii, the way we grew up, there was a lot of, I would say, segregation, but I think there's just a lot of friction because you have all these different cultures.
So my favorite description is somebody goes, well, where are you from or something? I go, well, I'm a human from Earth. So I'm a human from Earth. If you're something different, then we should probably sit down and have an incredible conversation. But otherwise, let's get past that and then get into what are these other things that we do.
I think none of us are what we do. We are who we are and then we do these other things. But I do like, I mean, listen, the water sports and fitness and health and wellness is, I've made a career out of that and so I've been fortunate to do that. That's been a beautiful thing. But I mean, I am concerned about being healthy and living a healthy lifestyle and being a good example for my children, having a good relationship. I just know I feel best when I have all those things.

**Sam Parr** (4:26)
Yeah. I always knew you. I mean, I remember watching, was it, Riding Giants and a few other movies with you in it and that's how I knew of you.