Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), is the REI of Canada whose founder wants you to be part of the company, find your purpose and GET OUTSIDE! Raised in South Africa and served in active combat in Angola, his toughest challenge was actually finding a job once he moved to Canada. In this episode we will learn how to define ourselves in difficult moments, find our purpose and how going through tough situations actually fortifies you with a more full life to “suck the marrow out of every experience.” LESSONS: The worst thing you’re going through in your life turns out to be the best Structure your organization to give customers what they need Get off the couch and out the door! Use your profits to give back and improve your community Success is not necessarily measured in dollars Evaluate yourself against who you were yesterday Be better than you were yesterday Come out of experiences with a positive frame of mind As a young person seek a right of passage- embrace discipline and hardship Be of value to your country community and family It’s not about finding happiness, FIND PURPOSE Don’t be too scared to fail Learn how to define yourself in difficult moments Be able to handle tough situations and stress to have a full life Suck the marrow out of every experience Be ready and open for the opportunity, it’s about timing and luck Appreciate today Design your company to caretake the environment   This episode of “Spartan Up!”  is sponsored by Athletic Greens.  Get 20 travel packs free when you order at https://athleticgreens.com/spartan TIME STAMPS: 0:00 Joe Desena tells you why you need to listen 0:23 Athletic Greens 0:38 Sefra, Johnny, Col. Nye and Joe get you ready 1:28 Interview with David Labistour CEO of MEC 2:15 Customers as owners of the organization 3:30 What is  co-op structure 4:00 putting money back into the community to get people outdoors 4:50 stop evaluating yourself against other people 6:00 active combat in Angola 7:40 what is purpose? 8:20 how do you find passion? 9:40 how do you define yourself in difficult moments?   10:00 how handling stress leads to a more full life 10:37 Athletic Greens Break 16:55 during hard time: gas in car or buy food? ? 18:35 be ready and open for the opportunity 20:45 designing your company with ecological values 21:04 Sefra, Johnny, Col. Nye and Joe De Sena discuss the interview LINKS: MEC https://www.mec.ca/en/   SUBSCRIBE:   Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpShow YouTube: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpYT Google Play: http://bit.ly/SpartanUpPlay FOLLOW SPARTAN UP:   Spartan Up on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/spartanuppodcast/ Spartan Up on Twitter https://twitter.com/SpartanUpPod CREDITS:   Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Hosts: Joe De Sena with Johnny Waite, Sefra Alexandra, and Col. Tim Nye. Synopsis – Sefra Alexandra   © 2018 Spartan