At 11, Joe made a decision that changed everything.
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 | | In today's edition, Joe shares: - A 25 mile childhood ride that started Spartan
- Why comfort nearly derailed him
- Why "leveling up" means more than a promotion
| | Spartans!
Hi, it's Joe here, writing this week from Pittsfield, Vermont – where I've spent plenty of time in the Green Mountains trying to level up my life.
When people talk about leveling up, they usually mean achieving something – like a college degree, a faster time in a race, or a promotion at work. But the first time I leveled up wasn't about winning anything. It was about leaving.
I was eleven when I jumped out the window of our second-story apartment in Queens. I don't remember exactly what I'd done wrong, but I remember the yelling. Things had gotten tighter at home after my parents split up. My dad had moved out, and with him went the buffer. My mother was trying to hold it all together, but her discipline had ramped up and I felt trapped.
So I dropped ten feet to the ground, got on my BMX, and started riding. I had no plan, no clue what the traffic would be like. I only knew I was going to my grandmother's house – 25 miles away.
She lived out in a quiet neighbourhood and treated me like royalty. At her place, there were no punishments or curfews. Just soda, junk food, and cartoons on TV. She let me lie on the couch for hours. It felt like freedom. And at that age, I thought that was all I wanted. | | Leaving Was The First Step | Eventually, I moved up to Ithaca with my mom. We didn't have a TV. Sometimes, we didn't even have heat. And in a strange way, that ended up being the best thing that could've happened to me.
The contrast between indulgence and scarcity forced a shift in my mind. Discipline wasn't punishment – it was purpose. It was something solid to hold onto when everything else felt out of control.
Looking back now, that 25-mile ride to eat junk and sit on my ass actually rescued me from softness. I didn't know it then, but I was laying the foundation for the mindset that would later shape my life, my work, and everything Spartan stands for.
Leveling up isn't always about climbing. Sometimes it's about leaving. Sometimes it's about getting fed up enough to move – even if you don't know where you're going. Motion creates clarity. Hard work creates discipline. And discipline builds everything else in your life.
So if you feel stuck, stop waiting for motivation or a roadmap – and definitely don't sit on your ass eating junk food. Open the window. Get moving. Go sweat for something that matters.
Go on,
Joe | | | SHOW UP AT 7:15 OR ELSE | I was a kid when Joe "The Ear" told me I'd be cleaning pools. I thought he was just my neighbor. He was actually the boss of the Bonanno crime family. He said, "Be here at 7:15. Not 7:14. Not 7:16. Or you'll end up under the pool." I believed him. Before long, I was cleaning for half the mob in Queens. I showed up, worked hard, kept my mouth shut. That's how I learned that your reputation might open the door, but discipline is what keeps it open.
More stories: The Spartan Way by Joe De Sena. | | | You Ask, Joe Answers | Q: "Joe, what's the number one trait you look for in a person?"
- Alex M.
A: Reliability. I've seen strong people quit, and smart people talk themselves down. But the ones who show up on time, every time, without excuses are the people I trust with anything.
Aroo!
Question for Joe? Want to tell him what you think of The Hard Way? Email him at thehardway@spartan.com. | | | | They Said It | | "Ninety percent of success in life is just showing up." | | – Woody Allen | | | ➝The Hard Way Podcast with Joe | | | Lost His Legs, Found His Strength | | | Joe De Sena sits down with a Marine veteran, Rob Jones, who lost both legs to an IED—but didn't lose his drive, purpose, or grit. Instead, he ran 31 marathons in 31 days, won a Paralympic medal, and built a life rooted in service, family, and leadership. | | | | | | ➝Watch The Latest Hard Way Video | | | Into the Dark | Trevor Franklin survives night one of the Death Race and now facing darkness, exhaustion, and the question: Why am I here?
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