On this week's Spartan Up Podcast, Spartan Founder Joe De Sena sits down with Jim Gregory. As a former Green Beret and Olympic* athlete, Gregory has experienced plenty of failures, but the important part is he's learned from it.

Learn what the asterisk next to Olympian means and the secret to a life without regrets.

Jim Gregory Lessons:

1. Take Chances

Don't sit on the sideline and watch your life happen, jump in and start trying things, says Gregory. Even if you fail, you'll get farther than you would have sitting on the bench.

"If you never put yourself out there, then the opportunities are never going to arise," said Gregory. "I would have never met the guy who recruited me into pentathlon if I didn't just take a group of guys and say hey I'm going to teach you how to swim. Look for those opportunities, take chances, and don't be afraid of them."

Do something that makes you uncomfortable today.

2. Push as Hard as You Can

Gregory urges you to hold nothing back. Because it's the only way to live a life with no regrets.

"Something I learned throughout swimming and life is if you're not pushing as hard as you can, you're not going to see where you can ultimately get to," said Gregory. "You can do so much more than you think you can"

"Growing up there were natural athletes that I saw all around me and I was always the kid that had to push harder. Maybe I made the all-star team but I was working my tail off. And the kids with natural abilities ended up fading away at some point."

Related: You Can Do Anything with This Mindset

3. Don't Give Up

Lastly, Gregory says don't give up. Even if he didn't win gold as an Olympic athlete, he still lived an accomplished life. And he wouldn't have made it there if he'd given up after his first failure.

"I didn't reach my ultimate goal, but I never gave up. And new opportunities arose because I just kept going and going and going," said Gregory. "You have to take life as it comes and know that every day is a new adventure."

For more from Jim Gregory, listen to the Spartan Up! podcast in its entirety.

CREDITS: Producer – Marion Abrams, Madmotion, llc. Hosts: Joe De Sena, Sefra Alexandra, Johnny Waite & guest Dr. Lara Pence Synopsis – Sefra Alexandra Production Assistant - Andrea Hagarty

Connect With the Spartan Up! Podcast for More Great Discussions Below!

Amp up your fitness and wellness routine NOW. Click here to find a Spartan Race close to you!