Brian Rose On Why He Left Millions In Banking To Inspire Millions Online

“The brain is a pliable instrument. If you don’t program it, someone else will.”
Brian Rose


This week I explore the story of a extremely smart, capable and disciplined man who lost his way in the pursuit of the American Dream. It’s a quest that left him disillusioned. Broken and lost, it was only when he let go of that dream entirely that he ultimately found himself and the purpose and fulfillment that had always eluded him.
Meet Brian Rose.
San Diego born and bred, Brian earned a mechanical engineering degree from MIT and his MBA from the Sloan School of Management before heading to Wall Street to make a name for himself.
With money came the fast-paced investment banker lifestyle that accompanies newfound riches. A hard-partying culture in which more was never enough. A warped sense of entitlement that led to financial success. And a perverted belief in his own invincibility that debased his sense of self and led to a heroin addiction that very nearly claimed his life.
Professionally, emotionally and spiritually bankrupt, Brian was compelled to face his addiction and the existential crisis that provoked it — an epiphany in which he realized he could no longer continue along the path he had chosen for himself. He hated his work. He hated his life. And he hated himself.
Thus began Brian’s journey to reclaim his life. A search for meaning. A path towards purpose. And a quest towards becoming whole.
He only had to change one thing: everything.

Walking away away from his lucrative banking career, Brian reinvents himself entirely — physically, mentally, spiritually and professionally. Without any experience, he embarks on a new self-styled career as the host of London Real, an intimate, high-gloss new media talk show launched in 2011 as an alternative to conventional media.
The show is marked by humble beginnings, but ultimately it becomes a massive success. Over the last seven years, Brian has sat for intimate, in-depth conversations with some of the greatest minds on the planet, amassing over 100 million views along the way.
An avid fan of London Real from the outset, I credit Brian as an inspiration for this show. But it wasn’t until this past year that my interest in meeting him quickened.
Seven months ago my friend (and podcast favorite) John Joseph guested on London Real, challenging Brian Brian to tackle a half-ironman on a plant-based diet. Not only did Brian accept the challenge, he created a YouTube mini-series entitled Ironmind — a documentation of the mindset and preparation required to step outside one’s comfort zone. I loved it for the raw honesty in which Brian confronts his past: the shame of his heroin addiction; his history of misplaced priorities; and the spiritual epiphanies that led to his rebirth.
Although the facts of our respective stories differ, I deeply related to Brian’s emotional journey. And I knew I needed to get him on the show.
This is Brian’s story. It’s a story about one dynamic man’s quest to live and be better. It’s a conversation about a capsized American Dream. It’s about the search for happiness, fulfillment, contentedness and purpose. How these things we seek most simply cannot be found in the material. And why the path forward is achieved only through an elevation of consciousness.
I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange.
Final note: Brian graciously allowed me to use his studio and team to produce both the audio and video for this episode. I strongly urge you to check out the full video version of the show (it’s beautiful),