Episode #281: How to Enhance Your Aliveness and Presence by Creating a Deeper Relationship with Nature with Dom Francks

Episode Summary

Learn how to overcome distraction, overwhelm, and disempowerment to become more present, creative, courageous and wild. Dom Francks joins Matt from a van in the Western U.S. for a virtual wine night and begins talking about the role of sports in his life growing up. He reflects on achieving excellence in golf, nearly going professional, and the lessons on peak performance he has taken from that into other areas of his life. Dom also talks about the origin of his passion for climate activism, his professional career in the climate-tech space, and his choice to pivot into becoming a wilderness guide so he could connect more deeply with nature. He shares some of his top experiences in nature, from competing in The Grand Traverse, to riding dog-sleds across the Boundary Waters, to his most epic downhill ski experience. Dom also talks about wilderness guiding in Chilean Patagonia, Alaska, and explains why the High Sierra in California is his favorite place in the world. He then talks about his experience studying with the Animus Institute and the Conscious Leadership Group, and eventually developing his own program: The VIVIFY Regenerative Leadership Program. He explains how Maverick Show listeners can participate in VIVIFY and get a special discount. And, finally, he explains “the nature pyramid” and gives tips on how busy people in urban areas can better connect with nature.

Get The Maverick Show's

Monday Minute Newsletter

Unsubscribe at anytime. You can read the
Privacy Notice and Terms of Use here.

Kick off each week with 3 personal
recommendations from me that
you can read in 60 seconds.

What You'll Learn

How busy people in urban areas can create a deeper connection with nature
How to overcome distraction, overwhelm and disempowerment in our modern world
How to enhance your aliveness and become more courageous, present, creative and wild

Links From the Episode

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links. If you click through any links and make a purchase, you should assume that Maverick will receive financial compensation (at no additional cost to you). We greatly appreciate you using our affiliate links because it helps to support the show and cover production costs of the podcast.

SUPPORT OUR SPONSOR GALACTIC FED
(Get Your Free Marketing Plan and Mention “MAVERICK” for 10% off your first month of services)

WATCH MATT’S VIDEO TRAINING ON MINIMALIST PACKING

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MAVERICK SHOW’S MONDAY MINUTE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

CHECK OUT DOM’S VIVIFY COACHING PROGRAM
(Use code “MAVERICK” and Get $500 Off)

#1 BOOK THAT DOM RECOMMENDS

The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter

#1 PERSON WITH WHOM DOM WANTS TO HAVE DINNER

Dalai Lama

TOP 3 FAVORITE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS

TOP BUCKETLIST DESTINATIONS

LOCATIONS WHERE THE INTERVIEW TOOK PLACE

WINES CONSUMED DURING THIS INTERVIEW

OTHER PLACES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

COMPANY MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

Chulengo Expedition

INSTITUTIONS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

OTHER PEOPLE MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

OTHER SHOWS/PODCASTS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

OTHER BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE

CONTACT AND FOLLOW DOM

Time Stamped Show Notes

**Click the time stamp to jump directly to that point in the episode.

[2:17] Introducing Dom Francks

[4:23] Van Life in the Western U.S.

[5:13] The Role of Sports in Dom’s Life Growing Up

[7:16] Peak Performance Lessons from Achieving Excellence in Golf

[9:41] Gravitating to Sports that Connect Him With Nature

[11:30] The Origin of Dom’s Passion for Climate Activism

[13:13] Working Professionally in the Climate-Tech Space

[14:27] Becoming a Professional Wilderness Guide

[17:15] The Grand Traverse

[19:45] Matt’s Experience Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro

[20:34] Matt’s Best Ski Experience

[21:34] Dom’s Best Ski Experience

[24:30] Riding Dog Sleds Across the Boundary Waters

[26:57] Wilderness Guiding in Chilean Patagonia

[29:15] Wilderness Guiding in Alaska

[30:59] Why The High Sierra is Dom’s Favorite Place in the World

[33:09] Participating in The Animus Institute’s Yearlong “Soulcraft Immersion” Program

[35:48] Training with The Conscious Leadership Group

[37:47] The Eremocene and the Age of Loneliness

[40:14] Struggles with being Distracted, Overwhelmed, Disempowered, and Domesticated

[43:28] The Goals of Becoming More Present, Creative, Courageous and Wild

[47:19] Explaining Regenerative Leadership

[48:24] The VIVIFY Regenerative Leadership Program

[50:24] The Structure and Timing of the VIVIFY Program

[52:38] Who the VIVIFY Program is Best Suited For

[54:10] How to Get a Special Discount on The VIVIFY Program

[55:28] The Relationship Between Climate Activism and Our Individual Connection to Nature

[56:15] The Evolution and Impact of Dom’s Relationship with Nature

[57:23] Understanding The Nature Pyramid

[59:48] How Busy People in Urban Areas Can Better Connect with Nature

[1:02:07] The Lightning Round

[1:05:41] How to Follow and Connect with Dom and Learn More About VIVIFY

About the Guest

Dom Francks

Dom Francks is a wilderness guide, leadership coach and the founder of the VIVIFY—a Regenerative Leadership Program for adventurous professionals that blends leadership coaching with an off-trail wilderness backpacking expedition. Dom has held leadership roles at multiple climate-focused tech companies and has also led wilderness immersions in remote locations around the world, ranging from Patagonia to Alaska. He is on a mission to blend personal vitality with ecological harmony and empower people to enhance their own aliveness and presence while creating a deep and lasting relationship with nature.