Dave Albin, CEO of Firewalk Productions, shares valuable insights on how firewalking fosters deep team connections through experiencing vulnerability and shared achievement. Hear stories from 20 years of working with Tony Robbins, learn how recalling...
Loading summary
A
Welcome to the Stay Paid podcast where we help agents and entrepreneurs master the latest business trends to unlock growth and create a life of freedom. Brought to you by Reminder Media.
B
Welcome to Stay Paid. My name is Joshua Steike.
A
And I'm Luke A. Cree.
B
And before we bring on our guest today, we'd love it if you take a minute to subscribe to Stay Paid on Apple podcast or on Spotify. If you're not already subscribed, follow us on YouTube as well. YouTube.com reminder media make sure to leave a comment. We will read those here on the show. Our special guest today is Dave Albino. Dave is the CEO of Firewalk Productions, the number one firewalking instructor and team building expert in America. Firewalk Productions has provided innovative and effective team building experiences for organizations like Google, NASA, Notre Dame, Tony Robbins, and many others. Dave, welcome to Stay Paid. Thanks for being here.
C
Hey, you guys. This is so cool, man. Thanks for having me. I really appreciate it. This is awesome.
A
Yeah, Dave, we're excited to have you on. I want to dive right into this, man. So you worked with Tony Robbins for years.
C
Yeah.
A
Is Tony Robbins actually, like, he seems on stage? Like, does the guy actually, is he the same off stage as he is on stage? What was it like working for a guy like that?
C
Complete, complete. So horrible guy. Terrible guys. Amazing. Tony is. Yes. He is everything off stage that he is on stage. You know, I had the honor and privilege to be with him for just shy of 20 years. And when I got to a certain level, he offered me a position within Robin's research to take over all the firewalks globally. And when that happened, I said, tonight, you know, I'm really interested. The challenge is I homeschool my kids. And he goes, dude, I got your back. I'll pay to have them travel. And so that was it, man. Here's my daughter, what, I guess she was probably 6 at the time. My son's 9. And the next thing they, those kids know, they're on the road with Tony Robbins and their mom and dad. So. So it was.
A
That's incredible, man. What do you think his organization? It's hard to pinpoint one or two things, but if you were to look back on your 20 years with Tony and all the success you had, I mean, you were running his firewalks and all that, but what were the things that made that company so great, that culture so great that you've tried to take to your firewall productions?
C
Well, you know, getting information from Robin is like trying to get it through a fire hose. You know, it never stops. Tony has a. He has a belief. His belief systems are, you know, it's constant and never ending in improvement. He calls it Can I C A N I. And so, you know, and one of the things he teaches is so powerful estate management. And so that just, you know, that permeates throughout the. Throughout the company. And so we had, you know, we ran. You run with Tony Robbins. You're running hard, you're running fast, and if you screw up, you're out. I mean, so he's a very professional athlete kind of a guy, if you want. He demands a tremendous amount from himself. And then, of course, if you're going to play on his team, you've got to bring your A game every time. And so that's the great part of that is, you know, that spills over into the other parts of your life. And I think that's really why he's seen, you know, his seminars. He's had millions and millions of people, but the firewalk is what, you know, it's. It's the. It's the opening day gig, right? So he hits you with that the night of his 40 event. Night one, the evening of, that's the firewall. And so when you come in on Monday morning, you know, and you're with 6,000 people or 9,000 people or 12,000 people, whatever, right? Then there you are, you've got connectivity with them unlike you can't even imagine. You know, when I first did my firewalk back in 95, you know, that night was extraordinary. I wasn't going to do it. I held off. I'm like, you know, I'm going to go hide out. And Tony knows there's people, that coward, they hide in the back. So he trains people to come get you, which he did. This guy came out of me, and I'm hiding in the bag, man. I'm not doing this. I'm scared of death. And this guy comes up to me, makes eye contact with me, and he gets, like, I don't know, 20ft from me, and he goes, hey, man, are you okay? You know, like, you know, you're kind of looking at me like a dog that hears a funny noise, right? And. And I said, yeah, I'm fine. All good here, you know, move along. Nothing to see here, pal. And he went right for the kill shot, man. He goes, hey, man, you're gonna walk tonight? And I said, absolutely not. Like, you know, you idiot, why do you think I'm hiding in the back? And he goes, hey, man, that's Cool. No problem. We don't want you to do anything you don't want to do. And I went, oh, okay, this guy's going to get me out here. No, he's not. He's setting me up. Because the next question he asked me was, wouldn't you at least like to watch? And I'm like, yeah, sure, let's go watch these people burn their feet off. So he goes, well, look, man, you can't see anything from way back here. You're, you know, I have 3, 500 people standing in front of me. I can't see anything. I can hear it, you know, when he gets you going out there at 12:00 at night, at midnight, he's got everybody clapping, right? And chanting, going, yes, yes. And then when you get out there, and by the way, he has you take your shoes off inside the venue. And so that we sweep it and clean it all the way out to the firewalk. The fire team does. So you don't step on a nail or a rock or anything. That's. We, we take hours doing that alone. And then, and then when you get out there, he's got African drummers, right? So it's done.
A
It's intense in the whole emotion, the state, psychologically and physiologically, total, total immersion, man.
C
Up to your elbows, whether you were, whether you liked it or not. And so, you know, how do you, logistically, how this works is you start at 2:00 in the afternoon, you build this giant fire and you burn it all day and you keep adding cords of wood to it, and I mean cords of wood, hardwood, seasoned hardwood. And then it burns all day, and after 10 hours it renders and you have this big, giant, beautiful blue flame coals. They are freaking gorgeous. And so what you do, you got 3,500 people or whatever, right? You go over, you take, you fill wheelbarrows with the coals, you bring a wheelbarrow back in and you run two lanes of sod on each side of it. And the sod is like 3ft wide, 15ft long. Take a flathead shovel, sprinkle the coals on top, pound them down so they don't stick to your feet. That's what you walk on. That's it.
A
So is walking on fire fake? No, that's the main thing that people think when they think of walking on fire, that it's kind of a fake. It's not really hot. Like, how hot would you say the coals are?
C
Like, thousand degrees.
A
No way.
C
Yeah way, man. And you know what's funny about this, you guys. Firewalk has been around for a thousand years. Only here in the west, are they all, oh, you know, other cultures. No.
A
Do you know where it originated from?
C
I don't know the actual. I think there's. There's a few of that. There's talk that it originally came to be in India, which could be because the people of India, they're very rite of passes driven. They firewalk all the time. In fact, I got a picture of my website that's got. You know, when we're walking there, remember what we're doing, right? We're sprinkling coals on top of grass. You're walking on top of it. In India, they dig a pit, and it's a pit, so the coals are this thick. And I got, again, I got a picture on the website that shows the family and the people standing around, right? And they're all these beautiful pastel colors. It's really gorgeous. And they're wearing all kinds of ceremonial things. And down in that pit, which is probably 18ft wide and it's probably 30ft long, but it's kind of concave, right? There's a ledge, you know, on the side, if you will. And right there in the middle, man, there's a. She looks like she's probably 18, 19 years old, and she's holding two newborns, two babies right out of the womb. And, you know, and once she gets down into that deep pit, she's not locking on them, she's walking in them. What? And so. And if she drops a baby, it's over. You drop that baby. That baby. That baby's gonna die, right?
A
How does it not burn your feet? Well, that's like, what?
C
You know what? I get this asked Luke. I get this all the time. So, Dave, you've been doing this forever. You walked to half a million people. You've walked every celebrity on earth. What? What? What? How? Why? And I. And they asked me, and I'm like, look, dudes, I don't know. You know, I've got my own theory, but how can a human walk on coals that are a thousand degrees and not burn yourself? And I'm like, I don't have the ultimate answer for that. I just don't. I just know that if you do it the right way, with the right intensity, and you come to the. To the fire with the right intention, you can walk across it.
B
So why. Why do it at all? What does it do, like, for you?
C
Right? Yeah. Why do it at all? What's Wrong with you. We're mammals, man, we're supposed to run from fire, right? It's real simple. What doesn't challenge you doesn't change you, period. And most CEOs know that, right? At some level, you don't become a Navy SEAL by setting your happy in a room, you know, studying this and studying that. You become a Navy SEAL when they put you in hell week and they take you out in the ocean in the Pacific off coast of San Diego and drop you in at 3 o'clock in the morning. And just prior to that, you know, they let you know about all the man eating sharks in the water, you know, just to give you some comfort while you're sitting there at 3 o'clock in the morning. Cold is all. Get out black, you can't see anything. And the only thing you've got with you is your thoughts. So if we use that premise, right, it's state management. Life is about state management. And that's really big intony's world. So that's what this is about. In that moment, you know, I've watched a half a million people do this, man, and they walk up and the look on their face is like they're going to lose their right. And all of a sudden there's, there's like this moment of reckoning and all of a sudden, boom, there they go. And within four seconds you went from this to this. Because your self worth, your self confidence, your self belief, all of that, your frequency gets raised. And when you do it in a group setting, it's, it's, it's, you know, it happens for everybody. When I firewalk that night, you know, my first night in 95, man, unbelievable. I'm like, let's go climb Everest, people. You know, I mean, you're, you're jacked up, man, for sure. But what got interesting for me was the next day, so I come into this venue, I didn't know any of these people. I could care less. I didn't even like people. But I'm standing in this room with 3,500 people and it was like, you gotta be kidding me. Look at this, look how they're acting, look how they're treating each other. Look at the humanistic side of what's happening right before your eyes. Because I'm watching people, man. They're hugging and they're laughing and this, you can see this intensity on their face. Some are even crying. They're talking about the firewalk, they're talking about their fears. And I'm going, what did we drink the Kool Aid last night. What the hell was going on here? Yeah, we did. We sure did. And so that amazement, you know, because again, you're standing in the four year, getting ready to go into the venue with 3500 people the night after the firewalk, and, man, you are. You are in tune with these people. And that's really what the fire does. Fire doesn't care about any of this other stuff. Right. That's why I get hired so often. You know, when, when covet hit, all hell broke loose, as we know. Right. So we all shifted and pivoted and got things organized. And, you know, but if your people are still arguing about, oh, maybe, you know, I love Donald Trump. I hate Donald Trump. I love Joe Biden. Well, I hate Joe Biden. Well, I don't. I didn't wear a mask. Well, I'm not getting a vaccine. So all this is going on inside your company. What does that do? Decrease the session? Yeah, it's. It's. It's deadly. And if the CEO doesn't fix it, well, then they'll find a CEO who will. And that's really what it boils down to. So you're either cultivating that toxicity out of your organization, or you're allowing it to permeate. And that's really. And that's why right now I'm, you know, I'm as busy as all get out, because I can come in and fix it that quick, because it creates.
A
Unity through a shared experience. That can only happen through vulnerability. And vulnerability, like even from a sales knowledge standpoint, you cannot. Or the greatest salespeople are the ones who are able to get real and get very vulnerable with people and understand their needs.
C
Right.
A
And understand the pain points that they have.
C
Oh, my God. True.
A
Not fake ones, but true ones. Bad salespeople think they're getting the needs and the pain points, but they haven't gotten vulnerable enough with the person to understand that.
C
That precisely. And, you know, you got to learn to live from the inside out, not the outside in. And that when that shift happens. Right. Because we got three questions going on in our heads at all times. And so I challenge groups to say, hey, take the tech 24 hours and focus on these three things. You think about, number one, what you have or what you don't have. Well, that alone, that dynamic. Right. Alone will either give you. That'll put you right into gratitude, or it could stress you out. The second one is what you can control and what you can't control. Very interesting. Right? Like, politically, how much can you really control? Oh, by the way, this just in. Nothing. Come on. You want to spend time there and scream and yell and do all this and fine, but you're wasting your time. And then the other, the third one, which is my favorite, is, are you spending your time in the past, the present, or the future? And so that goes right into Eckhart Tolle, right? The power of now. And so once you learn to stay here, present at all times, and like you said, look the vulnerability side of it, right? I got a buddy of mine wrote a book called Painted Baby, and he's a painting contractor, and he did he. Man, he painted a baby. That's hilarious. And yet it was his worst day in business, or so he thought, until he decided to become vulnerable. Go, you know what? I'm going to tell this story. What happens if my number one competitor finds out that I painted a baby? What do you think you'll do with it? He goes, I'm not going to let that happen. I'm going to tell the story myself. Oh, my God. It's incredible, right? But I say that because of the. You mentioned the vulnerability side of showing that, because here's what I've learned. People don't care how much. How successful I am or how much money I make. They don't care. Care less. Non zero. Here's what I've learned that they want. They want to hear about my worst, most intense struggles and how I got through them and overcame them. That's valuable, right? Like, for example, I talk about my sobriety all the time. You know, I got June. I got. I got sober on June 8, 1988, grossly addicted to heroin, cocaine, alcohol, cigarettes, chocolate chip cookies. You know, okay, I still have the.
A
Chocolate chip cookies once.
C
Okay. Maybe I still have a problem. Okay. Maybe I'm still doing a few cookies. All right? But I don't have any court cases as a result of maybe cookies, right? So, yeah. So, you know, this last year, I've been. I've been sober for 36 years, and one of them I learned. Oh, thank you. You know, A is so full of knowledge and wisdom and experience, and it's why it's so successful. And, and. And one of the things I love, right, is that the 12 steps have to help you put your life back together. The 12 traditions of AA help you, you know, navigate through the group. But in the middle, it's called the preamble. The preamble says, when anyone, anywhere reaches out, I want the hand of AA to be there. And for that, I am responsible. Whoa, brothers, let me tell you something, man. I took that seriously because when I showed up, I was suicidal and homicidal. So those men. I went to an older men's group, man, they just embraced me. They loved me until I could love myself. And I. That never left me. Right. When people pour themselves into you, that love, you tap into that and you use that going back out. It's so powerful. And so that's, you know, that's what I've done. I've been a gatekeeper. Somebody new from AA comes in that door, I'm on them, man, because their life's on. Their life's on the line.
A
Yeah, because. And that is a more fulfilling life than the. Any amount of money or accolade ever brings you and everybody who goes through life and as you mature and you have these experiences, you. You start to see that play out in real practicality for sure for you. So, I mean, this is amazing. I mean, so many things I think people can take away. I want to go back to, like, with the fire walk, where you're going through this transformation. Has anybody ever gotten burned in front of you?
B
No.
A
Has anybody not made it?
C
No, I made it. I mean, you know, sometimes we just did one, and I said it, you know, up in Denver for the EO organization, the Entrepreneurs organization there. And one of their members that night, she went, right, God bless her, she took her first step. Because here's what I teach when you're fire walking, if you'll. If you're willing to take the first step. Oh, you'll take the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th, I promise you. And so she did. But she. She stepped outside of the grass. So she was kind of walking on the outside of the grass. And then when she did that, she looked at me, she goes, I'm going to do that again. And so she went back, got into the front of the line and came back. But to your question, can you get a burn? The. The coals are a thousand degrees. What's the answer? Sure you can?
B
Yes.
C
How bad is it, though? Are you going to need hospitalization? No. Are you getting a little blister on your foot? Maybe. Yeah. Is it going to be gone in 24 hours? Most likely. So grow up. Life's going to beat your. So don't worry about a little, you know, blister on the bottom of your foot. The whole. The. The message is in the moment, man. The change is right there at the end. It happens that fast. You can change your life in four Seconds. And what I love about the firewalk is that it's not like jumping out of a plane. It's not like snowboarding or skiing or surfing or all these other things that create, you know, an adrenaline kind of a thing. Right. I. One of the things I've always said is that in that moment just before you walk, you're going to be able to feel what it feels like to be a professional athlete and to be able to step into that game, or maybe you're on Broadway or whatever. There's that intense moment, and that's what fire walking gives you the opportunity to feel and experience. And that's why it's so life changing at the end. Four seconds, boom, you're a new person. I mean, you go from going, oh, I got doubts and I can't. I'm not. No. And everything we do.
A
Yeah, you overcame adversity in the moment.
B
How do you hold on to that feeling? Like what? Like what do you. Because I'm, you know, obviously it's an emotional situation. It's very, you know, you overcame the fear. How do you then hold on to that? What are some things you can do to not lose that, that feeling?
A
Well, there's Tic tacs. What do we got there?
C
So these are, these are the coals from, from their firewalk.
B
Oh, that's cool.
A
Oh, that's great.
B
I fire walked in 2022.
C
Right. So you put that on your desk.
A
And it's a reminder as.
C
A reminder as an anchor. And, you know, you come back once a year.
B
Can somebody say repeat business?
C
Ladies and gentlemen, it's right here in the magazine. I mean. Yeah, there we go. Come on. We were gonna get.
A
We were gonna get the magazine somehow into this episode. So I'm glad you brought it in now.
C
There you go. That's so great. Yeah.
A
There is this in, in the Bible, it talks about, like stones of remembrance, of course. Right. And it's like, you know, to remember kind of what God has done. It's like you have like stone to remember it. So it's like a similar concept in the sense of. And this applies to everything, even outside of the spiritual. But it's like you got to remind yourself of the things that you have walked through because oftentimes we never stop and look back of what we've overcome. And I shared a video on Instagram one time that went viral saying, you know, you're self doubting, you are struggling with where you're at. You're wondering if you are where you're supposed to Be you're comparing yourself to others. And we know comparison is the thief of joy. But I said, just think about where you were and how that past self, how proud they would be of where you are now and what you've done. And oftentimes we never stop and look at stones of remembrance of what we've been through and what has happened for us. And it anchors you and brings you back to what you can do and can accomplish. And so I think people struggle with it because they also make mistakes. But it's so important to write down because perspectives, everything, you know, and a.
C
Lot of times people look at, I've been accused of, well, it was easy for him because he's this and he's that and he's this and he's that and like that's a croc, you know, when years ago. I'm working for Tony and I've been with him for 20 years and it's 2014, I'm driving down the road and my phone rings and it's like, hey. Hi. Is this Dave Alvin? Yes. Is this the Dave Alvin that does the firewalks for Tony Robbins? And I said, yeah, who's this? Google who? I don't know anybody named Google Person. Yeah, she introduced herself and she said, hey, you know, the reason we're contacting you is if you're not under any contractual obligation or non compete with Tony Robbins, we'd like to talk to you about hiring you. I'm like, well, homeboy's a free agent. What you got?
A
You're like, tony, you're out the window, bro.
C
This is Google clock. It's funny, we had the conversation. So they ended up hiring me and. And so when I'm flying out there to go to Mountain View, 148 executives, we end up doing the Glass Walk. By the way, firewalk wasn't logistically possible for them. So I have what's called the Glass Walk experience. Really powerful. It's pretty spooky. And so anyway, I'm flying out there and I'm halfway there and I'm at 37,000ft and all of a sudden I have this thought in my head, Alvin, you suck. What makes you think you're going to be able to get on stage at Google? You're going to flop, you're going to suck. People are going to laugh at you. Right? So these are the voices in our head. And I know your audience can relate to what I'm talking about because we all have that. And here was a really cool moment for me. Next thing I know, my other little guy jumps up on my shoulder and starts talking to me and says, can I just remind you of something? You and Tony Robbins went to London in 2005 and you walked 12,300 people. You set a world record. Tell that other voice to take a hot. But you know what? It was like this motivational moment that's going on in your head where you've got self doubt. We have it, we just have to learn state management how to step through it and control it so it doesn't control us.
A
Yeah.
B
How does this work for organizations? And can you do it like in this remote? Like obviously you have to get people physically together, but then when you go remote, like our organization's, what, 98% remote remote, does that feeling of unity continue in that environment?
C
Well, one of the things I did in that were they were. It was right after Covid and really big hardware software company and they had people remotely all over the world. So. But they wanted to do a board break. And so what we were able to do is mail the boards to all the, to all their people. And then I took them through the process typically. And you know, I, I change this up depending on what's going on in the moment. Like I do the board break during the firewall because that's really powerful because I ever write something on front of the board they want to move towards, I have something on the back they want to move away, they need to stop doing. I have them write anybody's name on the board that they're in conflict with. So if love or reconciliation is part of that relationship, it's done. Tonight you're giving it to the fire. It's over. And then to create the rite of passage, I have them write anybody's name on the board that they've lost. And so then we take them outside, they break the boards, we do a circle, they get to throw the boards in the fire. Meanwhile, this is all being videoed and photos taking because you know, if you firewalk and you don't have pictures, it didn't happen. And then I do something really magical there too. And that is at the end, I put everybody in a circle and I have them look across the circle and say, look, make eye contact with somebody you don't know. And then now go to that person. And so now I've got everybody in twos. And then I put them in what's called a heart hug. So when I hug you, my heart stands on top of your. Your heart. I have them close their Eyes. And they do three cleansing breaths. And when I'm getting them into or out of that second breath, their hearts calibrate. It's. You gotta love. You gotta love the human body and the spirit and the universe and God and, you know, it's hilarious, right? So then I keep doing that, and I do that six, seven times, whatever, until everybody's heart's beating at the same time. So they just broke a board, they made their declarations, they walked on fire, and I put them in a hard hug. And then at the end of the night, you know, we. We kiss them good night and we give them the coals so they can take it home. And, you know, when they come in on Monday morning, they're different people. And I just reached. I don't know if you know this, but, Luke, you may know this on my Facebook page. You know, I was on a podcast a few months ago, and I was being interviewed by Natalia Earl. Super, you know, really good in the space of podcasting. And so we recorded, and we're talking sidebar after we recorded, and she said, dave, let me ask you something. Have you ever done a firewalk for veterans? And I said, you mean specifically? And she said, yeah. And I go, no. I mean, we've walked a lot of them, but we haven't targeted that. Why? What's going on? And she goes, well, first of all, do you know what the suicide rate is? And I go, Yeah, I heard 22 a day. And she goes, that's not true, Darren. That's if they leave a note, they don't record it. If they don't, she goes, the number's higher in the higher 40s to low 50s per day.
A
Wow.
C
And it was. What? It was like a gut punch, right? I'm bet I was raised by a highly decorated veteran in World War II, retired military. And so. And then I grew up during the Vietnam era, right? So that I'm like, okay, you've got my attention. I'm in. What are we talking about here? And so as we talked, I said, look, give me. Give me a couple of days to think about this. I'll get back to you. We'll. We'll get this moving forward. And I went to bed that night, and I woke up in the middle of the night. And I've never been more clear about anything in my entire life. Like, the vision at 3 o'clock in the morning went boom, and it was Operation do no Harm. Well, I also realized, yes, there's a high suicide rate amongst veterans, but guess what? There's also a high suicide rate for first responders. And as of yesterday. Right. 9 11, where 343 firefighters perished. Right. That, you know what that does to their other brothers and sisters. Right. The ones that have survival syndrome, if you will. And so. And I also realized that single mothers and kids that have been abused and neglected need to be part of that group. Operation do no Harm. Well, I met an incredible firefighter that was dispatched to 9 11, Bobby Sense. He was in Brooklyn at the station when they got. When the call came in yesterday morning. Wow. And so Bobby said, you know, they're suited up. They. They know. They know something's going on. That's pretty. Because I guess the tones of the bells and stuff in the firehouse change, and all they heard was commercial airliner hits building. So they were coming out of Brooklyn. They knew that's a lot. You know, they're coming from Brooklyn into Manhattan. Right? And so they came around the corner, and Bobby said they saw the tower for the first time, and the smoke was bellowing all the way out there. He goes, we're going to die.
A
Wow.
C
He knew. They knew right in on the spot that they weren't going to make it. And they went in anyway. So Bobby, right? Bobby gets into building two, Bill. Building collapses on him. And that's not. And. And he's. They're sitting there and they're watching jumpers, you know, hit the concrete at 140 miles an hour. He goes, it's. It's pretty. It's pretty ugly, man. One of his buddies, one of his best guys, one of his best friends in a firehouse killed instantly. So when the building fell on him, he climbed out, he dug out, and he went into building one. And 103 minutes later, guess what happened? Building one collapsed on him. And then after surviving all this, and he's got a story, you guys, I'd probably get him on your podcast if you want me to. You know, the next day, after all that happened, he had to go to the pile, by the way, when he went back to the firehouse, all his guys are gone, his equipment's gone. You got an empty firehouse. And this guy has used laughter to keep himself alive and to deal with the PTSD and all this stuff. So what's really cool, too, is he jumped. So Operation do no Harm. The reason I bridged that is because Bobby's coming with me, and I'm going to put him on the road. He's got a message inside of there for entrepreneurs and business owners. Look, this could happen to you. An hour later, the next building falls on you. Okay? And then, and then, and then, and then, and now. And so he's you. You know what I mean? Because it. It's really true. You know, it's 90% what happens. It's 10. You know what happens to us. And 90. How we react and, and. And everything we do in life is a story. And we make up the story. You know, we're the architect of that. Right. So no matter how good or bad or whatever, we still create the story. That's why I love Victor Frankl. Right. His book, man Search for Me.
A
Yeah.
C
So, you know, that's a hard read. But yeah, for those of your audience who don't know, he was. He went to Auschwitz, man, and they assassinated his family. And, and so every day, imagine every day, every moment, every second, you don't know that you're going into the death chamber. That's all that's on your mind. You're naked, you're cold. They haven't been fed. There's no hope. They take everything from you. They took everything. Except. Except Victor figured out there's one thing you. You're trying to take. But I have to let you. I have to give you almost permission. I have to relinquish it. Maybe it's a better way to say it. And that's my attitude because. Because he. Because Victor's going, someone's got to get out of here and tell the story. So he realized that purpose would do that. And so. Yeah, and, And. And that's what he did. Incredible, man, isn't it? So it is such a hard book. Oh, it's just excruciating. But the message there, man. Whoo.
B
Yeah.
A
So powerful.
B
Well, Dave, your message today was. Was powerful as well. Let people know before we close out here, though, how they can connect with you. Learn more about what you're doing.
C
Oh, man. Thank you. Well, just this, the website, Firewalk adventures dot com. It's all one word. Firewalk adventures dot com.
A
That's so awesome.
B
Well, thank you again for coming on the show and sharing your story and what you're doing. Thank you all so much for listening. You can dive deeper into this episode. Get the show notes as well as the links that they've mentioned over@stay paid podcast.com. of course, you can check the show notes wherever you're listening to this as well. If you enjoyed this episode and want to show your support, head on over to Apple Podcast or Spotify. Drop us a five star review and leave a comment and the best way to support the show is simply share this episode with someone that you know. If you want to get hold of me, Luke, you can email us at podcast reminder media.com and of course you can follow us on social as well. We are at Stay Paid podcast for this episode of Stay Paid. I'm Joshua Stike.
A
Guys, I'm Luke Akery. Dave. Incredible man. So glad that you came on. I really hope people go check out what you're doing with the Firewalk and the do no Harm. I think there's a ton of potential there and a ton of good. So really, really awesome. My action item for everybody listening to this. I mean, it's just so powerful. There's so many takeaways you could get. But I would challenge you to think through the question, are you living in the past, the present, or the future? Where are you at? And, you know, the idea of, you know, what can you control and what you can't control, like, that whole concept that is so powerful. If you take a second pause, reflect, get into where your actual thoughts are instead of letting the subconscious mind and just whatever happens to you control your. Remember, the difference between top producers and mediocre producers in every single business is top producers take action. Take action on that today.
Stay Paid Podcast Summary
Episode: The Transformative 4-Second Team-Building Experience
Release Date: October 14, 2024
The Stay Paid Podcast, hosted by Luke Acree and Joshua Steike from ReminderMedia, focuses on empowering agents and entrepreneurs to master contemporary business trends, fostering growth, and achieving personal freedom. In this episode, they welcome Dave Albino, the CEO of Firewalk Productions, renowned as America’s top firewalking instructor and team-building expert. Dave shares his extensive experience, including his two-decade collaboration with Tony Robbins, and delves into the profound impact of firewalking on personal and organizational transformation.
Dave Albino brings a wealth of experience in team-building and motivational coaching. As the CEO of Firewalk Productions, he has facilitated firewalks for prestigious organizations such as Google, NASA, Notre Dame, and Tony Robbins. His expertise lies in creating immersive experiences that drive personal growth and enhance team cohesion.
Dave recounts his nearly 20-year tenure working alongside Tony Robbins, highlighting the intense and demanding culture Robbins fosters.
Notable Quote:
“Tony has a belief. His belief systems are, you know, it's constant and never ending in improvement. He calls it Can I CAN I.” (02:13)
Dave describes Robbins as both challenging and inspiring, emphasizing the relentless pursuit of excellence within Tony’s organization. This environment not only pushed Dave to excel professionally but also influenced the culture he cultivated at Firewalk Productions.
Dave provides an in-depth look at the mechanics and philosophy behind firewalking, debunking misconceptions and illustrating its transformative power.
Key Points:
Preparation and Execution: Firewalking involves constructing a large fire that burns down to hot coals (approximately 1,000 degrees) over a full day. Participants walk barefoot over the embers, a process that requires intense mental and physical focus.
Psychological Transformation: The act of walking on fire serves as a powerful metaphor for overcoming fear and self-doubt. Dave explains how participants often undergo a rapid transformation, shifting their self-belief and confidence in mere seconds.
Unique Aspects: Unlike adrenaline-fueled activities like skydiving, firewalking emphasizes state management and mental resilience.
Notable Quote:
“Because your self worth, your self confidence, your self belief, all of that, your frequency gets raised. And when you do it in a group setting, it happens for everybody.” (05:18)
The discussion delves into the concept of state management, a core principle in Tony Robbins' teachings, emphasizing the importance of controlling one’s mental and emotional state to achieve desired outcomes.
Key Points:
Overcoming Instinctual Fears: Firewalking challenges the mammalian instinct to avoid fire, teaching participants to confront and manage their fears.
Vulnerability and Unity: Dave highlights the role of vulnerability in creating genuine connections and unity within teams. Shared intense experiences like firewalking foster deep bonds and collective resilience.
Notable Quote:
“Life's about state management. And that's really big Tony's world.” (08:46)
Dave explains how firewalking and similar team-building exercises can address and dissolve internal conflicts within organizations, especially in a post-COVID world where remote work has become prevalent.
Key Points:
Reducing Toxicity: By fostering trust and mutual respect, firewalks help eliminate workplace toxicity, leading to more cohesive and productive teams.
Adapting to Remote Environments: Firewalk Productions has innovated methods to bring the firewalk experience to remote teams, ensuring that unity and shared experiences are maintained regardless of physical location.
Notable Quote:
“If you're going to play on his team, you've got to bring your A game every time. And so that's the great part of that is, you know, that spills over into the other parts of your life.” (02:25)
Dave shares powerful anecdotes illustrating the life-changing effects of firewalking. From overcoming personal fears to witnessing profound transformations in participants, these stories underscore the efficacy of the experience.
Notable Experiences:
First Firewalk: Dave recalls his initial reluctance to participate in a firewalk and how a fellow participant's intervention led him to confront his fear, resulting in a significant personal breakthrough.
Impact on Veterans and First Responders: Responding to the high suicide rates among veterans and first responders, Dave introduces Operation Do No Harm, an initiative aimed at supporting these groups through firewalking and other transformative practices.
Notable Quote:
“The message is in the moment, man. The change is right there at the end. It happens that fast. You can change your life in four Seconds.” (17:04)
Dave emphasizes the importance of maintaining the transformative feelings experienced during the firewalk. He introduces the concept of “stones of remembrance”—physical tokens (like coals) that participants keep as reminders of their achievement and the mindset shifts they underwent.
Key Points:
Anchoring Transformation: Keeping a piece of the firewalk (e.g., coals) serves as a daily reminder to stay committed to personal growth and state management.
Community and Support: The shared experience fosters a sense of community, encouraging ongoing support and accountability among participants.
Notable Quote:
“You have to remind yourself of the things that you've walked through because oftentimes we never stop and look back at what we've overcome.” (20:04)
Dave invites listeners to engage further with Firewalk Productions and their initiatives, particularly Operation Do No Harm, aimed at supporting veterans, first responders, and other affected individuals through transformative experiences.
Contact Information:
Hosts Luke Acree and Joshua Steike wrap up the episode by highlighting the key lessons from Dave’s insights:
Closing Quote from Luke Acree:
“Are you living in the past, the present, or the future? Where are you at? And, you know, the idea of, you know, what can you control and what you can't control, like, that whole concept that is so powerful. If you take a second pause, reflect, get into where your actual thoughts are instead of letting the subconscious mind and just whatever happens to you control you.” (32:04)
This episode of the Stay Paid Podcast offers profound insights into the power of immersive experiences like firewalking in fostering personal transformation and enhancing team dynamics. Dave Albino’s expertise and compelling stories inspire listeners to embrace challenges, manage their mental states, and strive for continual improvement in both their personal and professional lives.
Connect with Firewalk Productions: