Episode 33. Creating a Life You Won’t Give Up On with Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld

In this episode, I sit down with legendary skydiver, author, and speaker Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld, whose name has echoed in the skydiving world for decades. From watching his TED talk as a brand-new student in 2011 to jumping with him in 2013 and now finally sitting with him in this full-circle moment, this conversation felt incredibly special.

Dan shares the extraordinary story of how he followed a childhood dream of human flight into a life of skydiving, championship competition, and ultimately—resilience in the face of unimaginable tragedy. After surviving a devastating plane crash that claimed 16 lives, left him in a coma, with substantial injuries, Dan made the seemingly impossible decision to heal, return, and continue living the dream he had fought so hard to create.

We talk about the mental strength it takes to leap into the unknown, the profound lessons skydiving has offered him (and all of us who’ve flown beside him), and the true meaning of success - doing what you love with your whole heart.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to chase something wildly meaningful—despite fear, obstacles, or the odds—this conversation is for you.

Learn more about Dan here:

Dan’s book Above All Else

danbrodskychenfeld.com

IG: brodskychenfeld

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld

02:54 The Journey of a Skydiver

06:01 The First Jump Experience

08:55 The Leap of Faith in Skydiving

12:11 Discovering Competitive Skydiving

15:04 The Rise of Professional Skydiving

18:12 The Impact of Sponsorship in Skydiving

20:53 Creating Opportunities in Skydiving

24:05 The New Team at Skydive Paris

31:34 The Road to Recovery

36:10 Grieving and Healing

41:01 The Drive to Return

44:17 Exploring Big Ways

46:40 The Journey of Writing a Book

53:27 Finding Strength in Adversity

58:01 Embracing Fear and Moving Forward

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