Back in 2021, I got a text from my friend Lewis Howes asking if I wanted to spend a week at Wim Hof's house in Poland. Not really, was my first thought. I'm not big on long trips or being away from my kids, but since I'd written the foreword to Wim's book in 2016, I decided to give it a second thought. And that second thought was: sure, why not?
The week before the trip, I was skiing in Montana, walking around in short sleeves, trying to prepare my body for the cold. When we finally got to Poland, it was like watching an episode of Survivor—people kept showing up one by one: Aubrey Marcus, Matthew Hussey, Steve Weatherford, Mike Posner, and my trainer Marq Brown, among others.
Wim's house was something else – in the middle of nowhere in the Polish woods. No internet, no neighbors, no civilization. Just us guys sharing rooms in this wooden house, like some kind of adult winter camp. And let me tell you, Wim doesn't precisely prioritize safety. The first night, I appointed myself fire marshal when I saw sparks from the unscreened fireplace flying everywhere in our very flammable wooden house.
We did some crazy stuff together. We jumped into freezing rivers, hiked shirtless up snowy mountains, leaped off glaciers into waterfalls, and sat in saunas. And something interesting happened: we bonded. I mean, we really bonded.
Here's what's wild: Four years later, I barely talk to any of these guys except one. But here's the kicker: I still feel incredibly connected to all of them. That shared experience, those challenges we faced together, created a bond that outlasted our actual communication.
It made me realize something: you'll form stronger connections with people in one week of adventure than sitting next to them in a cubicle for ten years. Something about facing challenges and being uncomfortable together creates lasting bonds.
So next time you're hesitating about taking that crazy adventure or stepping out of your comfort zone with a group of relative strangers, remember this: sometimes the best connections aren't built over coffee chats and business meetings, but in moments when you're all wondering what the hell you got yourselves into.
