You are going to suffer either way. In business, you either endure the discomfort that builds you, or you avoid it and pay for it later. Akshay Nanavati is a Marine veteran, author of Fearvana, and polar explorer who attempted a coast to coast crossing that had never been done before. In this episode, Akshay discusses how entrepreneurs can choose the right kind of suffering by building self imposed structure, acting in the face of fear, and why stillness can be harder than the grind. If you are building a business and you feel stuck, the goal is not to avoid pain. The goal is to stop adding suffering on top of it, so you can execute.

Chapters

(00:00) Introduction

(03:13) From The Marines To Entrepreneurship

(05:35) The Structure Problem Most Entrepreneurs Face

(17:59) Pain Vs Pleasure As A Motivator

(23:41) Fearvana And Reframing “Bad” Emotions

(30:38) Why Avoiding Hard Things Makes Life Worse

(39:12) The Antarctica Vision And Raising $1.1 Million

(44:25) Losing Two Fingers And Still Going Back

(54:01) Validation, Failure, And Why It Still Mattered

(1:15:20) The Medical Call That Ended The Expedition

(1:21:13) What He Is Building Next

What is one hard thing you will choose to overcome this month that will actually build your business? Leave your answer in the comments.

Subscribe for weekly episodes and interviews that reveal the true work behind business growth and the stories most people skip.

Connect with Michael R Hunter

Instagram: https://instagram.com/michaelrhunter

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrhunter

Website: https://michaelrhunter.com

Connect with Akshay:

Website: https://fearvana.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/fearvana

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fearvana

X: https://twitter.com/fearvanalife

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fearvana/

Let's make your brand impossible to ignore. Learn more about PersonalBrand.com exclusive private client services at https://personalbrand.com

The fastest way to grow is by removing friction. Spiffy keeps your checkout simple, powerful, and reliable. Sign up today at https://spiffy.co

If you are new here, my name is Michael R. Hunter. I am the founder and CEO of PersonalBrand.com, and the co-founder of Spiffy Checkouts. 

I got my start building and freelancing in college, then turned that hustle into real businesses, skills, connections, and momentum.

Over the past 15 years, I have had a front-row seat to what actually makes businesses grow. I have built campaigns and strategies that have generated over $43M in revenue for clients, and through Spiffy Checkouts we have supported over $1B in customer revenue.

This show exists because most business advice skips the part that matters most. The slow seasons, the late nights, the skill building, and the messy middle that looks boring until it compounds.

The number one myth in business is that there is a fast path to success. If it feels slow, hard, and messy, that is not a sign you are failing. It is usually a sign you are building something real.

Welcome to the Six Fig Podcast.

Connect with Michael R Hunter

Instagram: https://instagram.com/michaelrhunter

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelrhunter

Website: https://michaelrhunter.com

Let's make your brand impossible to ignore. Learn more about PersonalBrand.com exclusive private client services at https://personalbrand.com

The fastest way to grow is by removing friction. Spiffy keeps your checkout simple, powerful, and reliable. Sign up today at https://spiffy.co

The SixFig Podcast explores the real path of building a business. This channel shares honest, long-form conversations with entrepreneurs who went from six figures a year to six figures a month, a day, and even a minute.

Hosted by Michael R. Hunter, with more than 15 years working behind the scenes with successful founders and building businesses himself, we dive into what most people do not post — the slow growth, the lessons, the mistakes, and the work that creates the foundation for success.

You will hear real stories, strategies that moved the needle, insights that matter, and the turning points that changed everything.If you are building a business and want a deeper understanding of the journey between where you are now and what success actually looks like, this show is for you.