On Purpose with Jay Shetty
David Blaine: I Nearly Died Doing This (How to Conquer Fear and Push Your Limits)
Mon, 31 Mar 2025
What’s a fear you want to overcome? How do you stay calm under pressure? What if the only limits you had were the ones you refused to break? Today, in this spellbinding episode, world-renowned illusionist, endurance artist, and master of the impossible, David Blaine, sits down for a deep and insightful conversation that goes far beyond magic. Known for his jaw-dropping stunts, being buried alive, standing encased in ice for days, and holding his breath underwater for over 17 minutes, David has captivated audiences worldwide. But behind the spectacle lies a profound philosophy of discipline, resilience, and the boundless potential of the human mind. Jay and David explore what drives someone to willingly push themselves to their absolute limits, both physically and mentally. David opens up about his mindset, revealing how he prepares for extreme feats that defy human expectations. He explains the power of visualization, breathwork, and sheer willpower in overcoming pain, fear, and doubt. But this conversation isn’t just about physical endurance, it’s about the mental and emotional strength required to navigate life’s greatest challenges. David shares personal stories of setbacks and perseverance, showing that even in moments of failure, there is wisdom to be gained. In this interview, you'll learn: How to Train Your Mind to Overcome Fear How to Build Unbreakable Mental Resilience How to Use Breathwork to Enhance Endurance How to Stay Calm Under Extreme Pressure How to Push Past Your Physical Limits How to Cultivate Childlike Curiosity for Creativity How to Reframe Failure as a Stepping Stone No matter what obstacles stand in your way, remember: you are stronger than you think, and capable of more than you realize. Believe in yourself, stay curious, and never stop challenging what’s possible. With Love and Gratitude, Jay Shetty Join over 750,000 people to receive my most transformative wisdom directly in your inbox every single week with my free newsletter. Subscribe here. Join Jay for his first ever, On Purpose Live Tour! Tickets are on sale now. Hope to see you there! What We Discuss: 00:00 Intro 01:41 The Subway Trick that Started It All 04:39 Lessons from the Above the Below 09:10 What Happens When You Don’t Feel Hunger 11:34 Pushing the Body Beyond Its Limit 17:25 The Capabilities of the Human Body 22:52 The Knife Stunt 26:25 The Bullet-Catch Trick 30:12 Break Free from Your Comfort Zone 32:27 Push the Boundaries of Your Growth 34:41 Some Stunts are Just Too Dangerous 41:46 Pushing Yourself Without Risking Your Life 45:04 Failure Leads to Continuous Learning 47:26 The Riskiest Illusion 49:29 Processing the Pain of Grief 53:32 Everything is About Perspective 57:14 Open Up Your Mind with Books 01:01:24 Every Person is Unique 01:03:06 The Bridge Jump, Anything is Possible 01:09:13 David on Final Five Episode Resources: David Blaine | Website David Blaine | YouTube David Blaine | Instagram David Blaine | Facebook David Blaine | X David Blaine Do Not AttemptSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
How did David Blaine begin his journey in magic?
And we didn't see it because we had our eyes closed in meditation. That's amazing. And it was just one butterfly. No one really saw it. And it's just, I love things like that when people have such a strong... semblance to signs.
Yeah, there are signs everywhere if you pay attention to them, if you look for them, if you're open to them. And it's easy to block off from all that stuff, but it's like, yeah, if you open to it, it's everywhere.
Well, that's what I love about the way you think about it, because I think there's a lot of illusionists in the world who almost see illusion as a way of saying there is no mysticism in the world. there's a lot of illusionists who will say, oh yeah, because I can explain everything, it kind of proves that there is no otherworldly, supernatural or mystical, whatever language you want to use for it.
But you seem to have somewhat of a... Well, it's, yeah, I mean, it's more about like being open to it. So if you're open to it, you'll find it because that's what you're looking for, right? But if you're like, nah, then you won't. It's And it's like, I feel like the better approach is to be open to it so you could experience these incredible things, you know?
What's one of the most amazing things you've experienced by being open?
No, I mean, just by being open, just like, you know, watching my daughter just grow and, you know, that's the most amazing. And watching who she becomes and you said that. But yeah, when you need those signs, right? If you're open to it, they'll be there. And if you're close to it, you'll never see them because you're like, nah. You know what I kept writing in my journal when I was in the box?
Because that's the only thing I really brought was no toothbrush, nothing. But I had a journal and a couple of pens. And I kept writing, everything is perspective. Everything is how you decide to see it. Because people kept saying, are you bored in the box? I'm like, boredom is a choice. Like, you choose to be bored.
Because your mind has so many things it can think about, create, do, wonder, dream, everything. So it's like, so those two things are the things that are all over that journal. Everything is perspective and boredom is a choice. And then there was a lot of numbers and mapping out like the amount of time and graphs.
But those were two of the very strong, prominent thoughts of what I learned and became very clear to me. During that 44-day fast, it opened me up to so many thoughts. And it was like this clarity that I never get because there's very few distractions. No phone, no this, no that, no food, no distractions really. So suddenly you become hyper-aware.
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