THE ED MYLETT SHOW — "7 Powerful Lessons to Overcome Any Obstacle in Life"
Host: Ed Mylett (Matt) | Guests: Nick Vujicic, Tim Tebow, Colin O’Brady, Joe, Sunny
Date: September 6, 2025
Theme: Overcoming adversity, practical strategies for resilience, maximizing personal potential, and redefining what’s possible in life.
Episode Overview
This episode is a masterclass in facing and overcoming obstacles, featuring powerhouse guests who embody resilience: motivational speaker Nick Vujicic, athlete and author Tim Tebow, world record-setting adventurer Colin O’Brady, and others. Ed Mylett facilitates a raw and inspiring conversation about gratitude, presence, faith, taking risks, the role of failure and adversity, the power of perspective, and actionable steps to move from limitation to possibility.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Redefining Impossible & Finding Purpose
Featuring: Nick Vujicic
- [00:37 – 04:43]
- Nick shares his birth story and the “redefining impossible” moment, growing from being born without limbs and not expected to survive—or succeed—to becoming a global inspiration.
- Purpose Through Pain: He emphasizes how every person’s struggle can be a launching pad for helping others. Instead of waiting for a miracle, “be the miracle for someone else.”
- Quote:
“When I don’t get a miracle, it doesn’t mean I can’t be a miracle for someone else.” – Nick Vujicic [03:43]
2. The Power of Acceptance, Forgiveness & Daily Action
Featuring: Nick Vujicic
- [04:44 – 05:55]
- Nick discusses breaking the cycle of self-judgment, how not everyone is meant to be an entrepreneur, and the importance of prioritizing faith, family, and connection.
- He openly talks about forgiving those who hurt him and reframing adversity as a daily practice, not a one-time event.
- Quote:
“Take one day at a time. Be thankful, do your best, reframe the attitude for you on a daily basis.” – Nick Vujicic [05:28]
3. Resilience, Humility & Presence
Featuring: Nick Vujicic & Ed Mylett
- [13:22 – 19:21]
- Resilient Mindset: Nick illustrates how overcoming struggles gives a unique “edge,” and how presence, honesty, and resilience allow him to “figure it out” in any situation.
- Ed highlights Nick’s personal presence and the blessing of becoming “comfortable with yourself,” which leads to true influence.
- Quote:
“Genius is when you’re obsessed with impossible. And when you look at impossible, that’s when you become fearless.” – Nick Vujicic [15:08]
“There are people who say inspiring things and then there are inspiring people. You’re an inspiring person, and your inspiration is because of who you actually are.” – Ed Mylett [17:20]
4. Entrepreneurship & Timing
Featuring: Nick Vujicic
- [08:46 – 11:44]
- Nick on why entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, and how to align business pursuits with personal priorities.
- Importance of honoring the “triggers” of success and failure by trusting your heart and timing rather than solely seeking outside validation.
- “A closed door doesn’t mean it’s not going to open again.” – Nick Vujicic [11:47]
5. Serving Others and the Power of Perspective
Featuring: Tim Tebow
- [23:51 – 34:21]
- Tim reveals how service to others pulls us out of self-pity and restores meaning; shares a moving story of meeting a young woman, Kelly, whose courage changed his perspective after a major sports loss.
- “If you feel helpless in your life, get helpful and it’ll change everything for you.” – Ed Mylett [23:48]
- Tim’s mother’s wisdom after defeat:
“Timmy, you already won tonight. You just don’t get your award till heaven.” – [31:17] - The importance of remembering and meditating on values and non-negotiables to keep life on track amid setbacks.
6. Gratitude as a Choice, Not a Feeling
Featuring: Tim Tebow
- [36:58 – 38:54]
- Discusses research showing that writing down a daily gratitude item for 10 weeks improves health and happiness.
- “Gratitude is not just an emotion, it’s actually a conscious choice.” – Ed Mylett [39:03]
- “We don’t have to live always by our feelings, because feelings are really fickle… we get to choose our convictions.” – Tim Tebow [38:00]
7. Perspective & Adversity in High Performance
Featuring: Tim Tebow & Ed Mylett
- The “Tebow Promise”: Ed cites Tim’s legendary speech after the 2008 Florida loss to Ole Miss as a model for taking accountability and transforming adversity into next-level performance.
- “Adversity is here, it just left, or it’s on its way… I just don’t think we should ever give people the false notions that adversity is not a part of life. It is.” – Tim Tebow [42:51]
8. The Role of Reasons & Motivation
Featuring: Joe
- [49:20 – 51:26]
- Joe shares how personal loss (an aging pet) drove him to higher levels of discipline and passion in fitness, highlighting that “big reasons” fuel extraordinary performance, even when already at an elite level.
- “If you’re passionate about something… you’ll continue to work out, you’ll continue to eat right, you’ll make right choices…” – Joe [49:44]
9. Adapt, Evolve, and Build a Team
Featuring: Sunny
- [54:23 – 64:02]
- On pushing through physical pain during a daunting endurance challenge, Sunny explains how adapting, evolving, and relying on the right support system (team) are keys to surviving and thriving.
- “It’s okay to feel, it’s not okay to quit. It’s okay to problem-solve; it’s not okay to quit.” – Sunny [60:25]
- The importance of recognizing “You’ve done enough today” and the power of vulnerability.
10. Extremity Expands Capacity
Featuring: Colin O’Brady
- [66:36 – 77:35]
- Colin reflects on burning himself in a freak accident and, through adversity, developing the mental and physical resilience required for world records.
- “I am afraid of dying. But you know what I’m more afraid of? I’m afraid of not living. …Of never seeing what you’re capable of.” – Colin O’Brady [70:11]
- Ed’s maxim: “Extremity expands capacity,” illustrated by Colin’s journey from “not a rower yet” to rowing the Drake Passage, the world’s most dangerous ocean crossing—without prior experience.
- “One word changes everything: ‘yet.’ I’m not a rower yet. We can be and become anything we set our minds to.” – Colin O’Brady [75:20]
11. Mindset Shifts & Decision-making
Featuring: Ed Mylett
- [77:35 – 84:00+]
- Ed shares a personal story of coaching his son from defeat and “having fun” to deciding to win—demonstrating the exponential power of a shifted mindset and self-belief.
- “Too many of you here are playing with this… you’re casual. And until you decide you’re going to win, nothing’s going to change.” – Ed Mylett [83:44]
12. The Power of Imagination vs. Memory
Featuring: Ed Mylett
- [84:00+]
- Distinguishes between those who operate from “history and memory” (99%) and the 1% who live from “imagination and vision.”
- Encourages listeners to evaluate relationships for forward-thinking influence versus being trapped in the past.
- “The most insidious form of neglect of all children in the world is a child being raised by a parent who is not pursuing their potential and their vision and their imagination.” – Ed Mylett
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Nick Vujicic:
“Take one day at a time. … Don’t be debilitated by panic. See what you know, learn what you don’t know, and take a step forward.” [05:29]
“When I don’t get a miracle, it doesn’t mean I can’t be a miracle for someone else.” [03:43] -
Tim Tebow:
“If you feel helpless in your life, get helpful and it’ll change everything for you.” [23:48]
“Gratitude is not just an emotion, it’s actually a conscious choice.” [39:03] -
Colin O’Brady:
“I am afraid of dying. But you know what I’m more afraid of? I’m afraid of not living.” [70:11]
“I’m not a rower yet. We can be and become anything we set our minds to.” [75:20] -
Ed Mylett:
“Extremity expands capacity.” [71:47]
“Too many of you here are playing with this… and until you decide you’re going to win, nothing’s going to change.” [83:44]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Redefining Impossible & Nick Vujicic’s Story: [00:37 – 04:43]
- Forgiveness, Acceptance, and Daily Mindset: [04:44 – 05:55]
- Entrepreneurship, Family, and Priorities: [08:46 – 11:44]
- Resilience, Presence, and Honesty: [13:22 – 19:21]
- Serving Others: Tim Tebow’s Story of Perspective: [23:51 – 34:21]
- Gratitude as Choice and Skill: [36:58 – 38:54]
- Responding to Adversity, The Tebow Promise: [42:51 – 46:27]
- The Power of Reasons / Motivation, Joe’s Story: [49:20 – 51:26]
- Adapting Under Pressure, Sunny on Teamwork: [54:23 – 64:02]
- Colin O’Brady, Pushing to the Limit & “Yet” Mindset: [66:36 – 77:35]
- Ed Mylett’s Golf Story, Mindset, and Winning Decision: [77:35 – 84:00]
- Imagination vs. Memory – Final Reflections: [84:00+]
Final Takeaways
- Facing adversity is universal—what matters is how you respond.
- Gratitude, presence, and vulnerability aren’t just concepts; they are daily practices that build resilience.
- Your current limitations are not your destiny—persist, adapt, and trust both your team and spirit.
- Help others: Serving pulls us out of self and recharges our sense of purpose.
- Mindset is everything: whether it’s “not yet,” finding big reasons, or making a decision to win, it all starts inside.
- Choose to live from vision and imagination, not just memory and history, and surround yourself with people who push you forward.
For more on each guest, their books, and upcoming episodes, visit: edmylett.com | nickvujicic.com | timtebow.com | colinobrady.com
This summary distills the wisdom, stories, and practical lessons from a powerhouse episode—perfect for anyone looking to break through their own limits and live an extraordinary life.