New York Times bestselling author Joe De Sena, founder and CEO of Spartan, the global health and wellness platform, leader in obstacle racing, and executive producer of NBC’s television show Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge , challenges you to live The Spartan Way . Determined to yank 100 million people off their couch cushions to start living instead of being passive observers of life, Joe De Sena has one ultimate goal: to help improve everyone’s physical and emotional health by teaching them the tenets of Spartan living from ancient Greece: simple eating, smart training, mastering resilience, and an all-out commitment to achieving a goal. Like Spartan training, living The Spartan Way requires endurance to reach your finish line, the goal that inspires and drives you to succeed no matter what obstacles are thrown in your path. De Sena believes you can gain that endurance in just thirty-six days by following the ten Spartan Core Virtues, timeless principles to help you embrace adversity and overcome any challenge, and making them a permanent part of your own personal core. The Spartan Core Values include: Self-Awareness―Know yourself Commitment―Be dedicated Passion―Discover your purpose Discipline―Practice diligence Prioritization―Put your house in order Grit―Push your limits Courage―Face your fears and your failures Optimism―Look for the positives Integrity―Act honestly Wholeness―Live as a Spartan De Sena turned this philosophy into a lifestyle―and so can you. With The Spartan Way , you’ll discover your true north, unleash the warrior within, and transform your life to 10X your maximum potential. Praise for Joe De Sena: "Ideal for workout enthusiasts who want to push themselves to the limit." ― Publishers Weekly on Spartan Fit! "De Sena...provides a plan to transform your body and mind...no gym required."― Sports Illustrated.com on Spartan Fit! "Joe De Sena is the real deal in endurance sports and Obstacle Racing. Spartan Up! will guide you to train your body and mind for the arduous Spartan Race." ―Mark Divine, New York Times bestselling author "Joe DeSena is the real deal. His stories are believable, because his achievements and accomplishments are genuine...A must read." ―Dean Karnazes, New York Times bestselling author of Ultra Marathon Man Joe De Sena is a New York Times bestselling author, entrepreneur, veteran of adventure racing, and founding CEO of Spartan Race. The Spartan Way Eat Better. Train Better. Think Better. Be Better By Joe De Sena St. Martin's Press Copyright © 2018 Spartan Race, Inc. All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-250-15321-0 Contents Title Page, Copyright Notice, Dedication, The Spartan Way, Preface, Introduction: Transform Your Life, PRINCIPLE # 1: Find Your True North (Spartan Virtue: Self-Awareness), PRINCIPLE # 2: Make a Commitment (Spartan Virtue: Perseverance), PRINCIPLE # 3: Fuel Your Enthusiasm (Spartan Virtue: Passion), PRINCIPLE # 4: Delay Gratification (Spartan Virtue: Discipline), PRINCIPLE # 5: Maximize Your Time (Spartan Virtue: Prioritization), PRINCIPLE # 6: Get Gritty (Spartan Virtue: Grit), PRINCIPLE # 7: Embrace Adversity (Spartan Virtue: Courage), PRINCIPLE # 8: Adjust Your Frame of Reference (Spartan Virtue: Optimism), PRINCIPLE # 9: Be Honorable (Spartan Virtue: Integrity), PRINCIPLE # 10: Be Spartan (Spartan Virtue: Wholeness), Photos, Appendix, Acknowledgments, Also by Joe De Sena, About the Authors, Copyright, CHAPTER 1 PRINCIPLE #1 FIND YOUR TRUE NORTH (SPARTAN VIRTUE: SELF-AWARENESS) Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. — JOHN F. KENNEDY Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after. — HENRY DAVID THOREAU For millennia, the North Star has helped human beings find their way. People have sailed boundless seas and crossed trackless deserts without getting lost. They had a permanent beacon in the night sky to keep them on track. Hunt for the North Star the next time you're outside, away from city lights on a clear night. It is easy to find if you can I.D. the constellation Ursa Major, the Big Dipper. The two outer stars in the bowl of the Dipper always point directly to the North Star. The North Star, also known as Polaris, is a fixture in the night sky, always positioned directly over the North Pole. It neither rises nor sets. It's constant and reliable, which is why it's also referred to as the True North. Just to be clear and avoid misunderstandings, Magnetic North, where your compass needle points, is about 310 miles away from the True North Pole. Its location shifts several kilometers every year, due to fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic fields. We're focusing on True North here. Like the North Star, your True North will be an uncompromised beacon that you can always count on to guide you. It's NOT 310 miles shy of your goal. It's spot on. That's why figuring out your True North is the most im