I believe that we can all learn tremendous lessons of wisdom from our environment and the majestic animals that survive in the wild. Through the brilliance of natural selection, wild animals have evolved by adapting to changing habitats, hunting and foraging, and avoiding predators. Much of this survival is based on instinct that has been genetically encoded for thousands of generations and passed on to the strongest, fastest, and smartest offspring. The evolution of wild animals never stops, as they constantly work to adapt to changing environments. For this reason, there is much to learn from observing animals in their natural habitat.

As a result, over the years I have looked deep into nature to replenish my soul, receive inspiration, and seek clarity. The lessons learned have transformed by my own life and gifted me with rich and enduring experiences that have formed the person I have become. Not only do I apply these animal inspired life hacks into my daily personal routine, but embrace them each and every opportunity with our business. The following lessons are cherished at EPIC Provisions and in many cases the catalyst for our success. I encourage you to apply these powerful hacks into your everyday routine and reap the rewards of crushing life!

I urge you to act like a bison more often! In particular, I am referring to a bison's ability to navigate and thrive through fear. When approached with a powerful storm on the horizon, bison instinctively run directly into the looming threat. By “charging into the storm” bison instinctively face their fears head on, and through running, the herd will minimize the amount of time they are exposed to lightning, flooding, and powerful winds.

Take the wisdom of a bison and apply this to your own life. Run towards the storm! We are all faced with fears and insecurities on a daily basis. Whether or not we admit it, we frequently decide to run away or avoid facing these "storms". By doing this, we indirectly expose ourselves to longer periods of stress and unhappiness. However, if you practice acting like a bison, you will begin facing fears head on and run at them with all your might!

This lesson comes from the light-footed athleticism of a mountain goat. These nimble creatures possess the uncanny ability to forge their own paths through dangerous mountain terrain and as well as change direction at a moment’s notice to correct a devastating dead-end. At oxygen depleted altitudes above 13,000 feet, mountain goats can be seen running alongside death defying ledges that no other mammal would dare to venture. It is during these moments that this animal can pivot on a dime and change direction in less than a second.

I have been a strong advocate of taking the opportunity to "pivot" my entire life. When I use the word, I am referring to creating change in your daily existence that is a 180-degree turn from your normal life. Pivoting can be incredibly scary, but it helps you break out of daily routines, learn more about yourself, and ultimately leads to great rewards. The biggest pivot of my life was going from a raw food vegan to a conscious carnivore. The outcome of this pivot was the creation of EPIC Provisions and one of the greatest adventures in my life.

The noble pigeon has been used for thousands of years to carry messages across long distances. These amazing animals can cover hundreds of miles through the use of self-guided intuition and tapping into their internal compass. In order to perform such incredible feats, these birds are taken from their “home” which is often accompanied by a mate (pigeons are monogamous animals… one love) and transported long distances by a human carrier. When it is time to deliver a message, the birds are equipped with a note and released. Instinct hastily guides the animal back “home” along with the accompanying message.

Through natural selection, we are all alive today because our ancient relatives were good at listening to their instinct. The innate ability to evaluate danger, thoughtfully plan, and carefully execute, are all human characteristics that have kept us on this earth for over 250,000 years. While it’s easy to recognize instinct in wild animals, most humans have lost touch with this powerful tool and no longer possess the ability to “listen” to their internal compass. When challenged with decisions that seem difficult, try listening to your instinct more often. Whether related to business, finding a soul mate, or just kicking ass at life, listening to your heart is an EPIC way to thrive!

The Peregrine Falcon is the fastest animal on earth. While hunting, this incredible predator can drop from the sky at speeds of over 240 miles per hour. With such speed, the lethal blow imparted on its pray often comes from the raw collision force of a precisely landed hit. More impressive than this bird’s terminal velocity is the Peregrine Falcons ability to pursue animals into dense thicket, brush, and even cactus. Can you imagine a rabbit spotting a falcon high in the sky and running into a thick cactus bush covered with thousands of outwardly facing needles, a false sense of safety, the Peregrine Falcon dive bombs directly into the cactus at maximum speed and instantly harvests the bunny. So EPIC!

The lesson here is to commit to the opportunities presented before you. Act like a falcon when you commit and don’t be afraid to “dive bomb” into whatever decision you make as fast as you can. Moving fast, acting boldly, and throwing every ounce of energy directly towards your target is an EPIC way to thrive and will ensure you crush life like a true champion.

Wolves are notorious for the unique order in which they consume their prey. Shortly after the kill, a wolf will tear open the animal’s abdominal cavity and first consume the organs. This “prized meat” includes the liver, heart, kidneys, spleen, and other vital organs. Contrary to modern human carnivores, wolves decide to leave the lean muscle meat for scavenger animals to consume as carrion.

Perhaps by observing wolves or through deeply encoded instinct, our human ancestors ate the same way. In particular, the liver, heart, bone marrow, and visceral fats were cherished as the most sacred and nutrient dense portions of animals. The lean meats prized by modern humans (filet mignons, rib eyes, and sirloins) were historically fed to dogs or left for other scavengers to consume. By “eating like a wolf,” you will nourish your body with some of the most powerful super-foods in existence. By doing so, you are establishing a foundation to enrich your own diet and maximize your ass-kicking imprint on the world!

You owe it to yourself to start incorporating these animal inspired life hacks into your daily routines. Start today with a few of my favorites and look deep into nature to receive inspiration from a finely tuned ecosystem of amazing animals. Share those lessons with loved ones and elevate your own existence to optimal levels of domination. Whether you want to thrive in business, athletics, relationships, or being an all-around champion look into nature and crush life!