logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2019
2h 18m

Todd Herman On The Alter Ego Effect: Unl...

Rich Roll
About this episode



“There's a big difference between interested and committed.”

Todd Herman 



What if I told you that one secret to success just might be adopting a secret identity?

I know. It sounds weird. I too was skeptical. But today's guest sold me with one unique thought:

What if your alter ego is a more accurate representation of who you really are?

Pondering this left me wanting to learn more. So I invited high performance coach Todd Herman on the show to elaborate.

An author, advisor, and entrepreneur, Todd has spent the last 2 decades helping professional and Olympic athletes, entrepreneurs, leaders, and executives unlock peak performance at the highest level to achieve wildly outrageous goals while enjoying the process.

Featured on the Today Show, Sky Business News, Inc. Magazine and CBC National News, Todd is also the author of the recently released book, The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life*. Equal parts instructive and entertaining, it's a provocative exploration of the heroic self within as a means to overcome that which holds you back with one goal in mind — to empower greater expression of your inner best self.


This conversation tracks the viability of Todd's alter ego thesis through the lens of successful case studies who have used this strategy to their advantage. It explores the fraught terrain of actualizing peak performance and the proven strategies to maximize human potential. And it's about how to best confront and overcome the hurdles that unnecessarily prevent the best of us – often repeatedly or in some cases continually – from inhabiting our most expressed selves.

In addition, we explore the why behind Todd’s work. More specifically, Todd relates how confronting a severe childhood trauma helped him overcome profound feelings of guilt and shame that held him back for years. Impactful for anyone who suffers in silence, it's a powerful story of healing and empowerment (but perhaps inappropriate for the little ones among us — so fair warning).

Very much in the vein of my recent podcast with James Clear (RRP #401), I found this conversation both fascinating and entertaining. My hope is that you will too.

To view our conversation on YouTube, visit bit.ly/toddherman422. And don't forget we're also now on Spotify here: bit.ly/rrpspotify

Peace + Plants,






Listen, Watch & Subscribe


Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts

Thanks to this week’s sponsors







Ten Thousand: The World's Most Durable Training Shorts. Built for Your Needs. Designed for Performance. Every order gets FREE shipping, FREE exchanges and FREE returns. Save 20% OFF your first purchase at



See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Up next
May 2022
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz On All Things Microbiome: Heal Your Gut, Sidestep Disease & Thrive
One of the most popular guests in the history of this podcast, Dr. Will Bulsiewicz ‘Dr. B' joined me back on episode #538 for a deep dive on the gut and honing our immune systems. Today we dive even deeper with a comprehensive investigation of the microbiome, why it’s important, ... Show More
3h 3m
May 2022
Roll On: Kristian Blummenfelt, The Ministry of Truth, & Sustainable Self-Growth
Welcome to another edition of ‘Roll On’, wherein Rich Roll and journalist & author Adam Skolnick riff on matters of interest across sports, culture, entertainment, and self-betterment.  Specific topics discussed in today’s episode include:Adam's latest NYT piece A Free Diver’s Tr ... Show More
1h 46m
May 2022
Gemma Newman, MD On Optimizing Hormone Health
Today’s episode explores nutrition, lifestyle  and overall well-being with a particular focus on hormone health – particularly (but not exclusively) women’s hormone health, aging, and reproductive care – with Gemma Newman., MD. A Senior Partner at a family medicine practice in th ... Show More
2h 8m
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2019
Tapping Alter-Egos to Unlock Hidden-Potential: Todd Herman
What if there was a pill that would give you instant access to your greatest potential every time you needed it most?What if that pill was free, had zero side-effects and worked in nearly every domain of life. Especially the ones where so many struggle, from public-speaking and s ... Show More
1h 3m
Feb 2019
Todd Herman || The Alter Ego Effect
“At the end of your life, you won’t remember the thoughts or intentions you had. You’ll remember the actions you took. You’ll judge yourself by how you showed up, by what you did, what you said, how you acted, and whether you performed the way you knew you could in any of the sta ... Show More
56m 12s
Apr 2022
If You Feel LOST, LAZY & UNMOTIVATED In Life, WATCH THIS! | David Goggins
When it comes to mental toughness, discipline, and being hardcore like no other, very few people can stand with absolute confidence. By now, you’ve realized how hard life is. Maybe your future didn’t work out the way you and your family expected. Maybe you’re convinced the world ... Show More
1h 38m
Jan 2022
This Is How You MOTIVATE Yourself, and Turn Your ANXIETY, Depression and FEAR Into Power | Jay Glazer
“Be proud of your scars. Be proud of the stuff that has knocked you down. Be proud of the crap, the adversity that you've gone through and it didn't break you. You came through the other side of the tunnel.” - Jay GlazerThey say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.This is esp ... Show More
55m 44s
Nov 2023
How To Unleash Your Full Potential, Cultivate Character, Build Confidence & Use Hobbies To Beat Burnout with Professor Adam Grant #406
We live in a world that celebrates and rewards talent. Whether it’s gifted students, outstanding athletes or born musicians, we applaud those who get there effortlessly, instead of those who travel furthest to reach the same place. In doing so, my guest today believes we also ove ... Show More
1h 53m
Oct 2022
E153 - Danny Cipriani: The power of vulnerability and empathy
Danny Cipriani is a professional rugby player, he has played for England, Bath and Gloucester among others. In this episode, Danny takes Jake and Damian through his life - the struggles he faced growing up as a “council house boy” in a private school, coming from a single parent ... Show More
1h 17m
May 2024
Why You're Falling Victim To The Frog in the Boiling Water Syndrome
99% of people fall victim to the "Frog in the Boiling Water Syndrome”. This happens when our lives gradually deteriorate, and we adapt to these conditions instead of eliminating them until we're no longer strong enough to escape. Our muscles atrophy, our expectations lower, our g ... Show More
23m 21s
Feb 2022
Standing Up for What You Believe In with Todd Kashdan
There’s a tension we’ve all felt at some point between the benefits of conformity and the desire to be true to ourselves and stand up for what we think is right. On today’s episode of Being Well, Dr. Rick and Forrest Hanson are joined by Dr. Todd Kashdan to explore how we can com ... Show More
1h 6m
Nov 2023
Gary Vaynerchuk: How to build more SELF CONFIDENCE 🔥
YOOOO!Today's episode is featuring the ONE and ONLY GARY VEE! 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥I have been a fan of his work since 2016 and started THIS podcast because of his push and encouragement so to have Gary on the show felt like a full circle moment 🥹In it he shares HOW he built his level ... Show More
15m 39s
May 2022
Brad Stulberg: Ditch The Hedonic Treadmill For Sustainable Success
Ambition is laudable. But hustle culture extracts a cost. True, sustainable success demands groundedness. Here today to elaborate is Brad Stulberg—a writer and coach specializing in human performance and well-being. Returning for his third appearance (you can check out episodes # ... Show More
2h 19m