Conquer Your Fears. Master Your Mindset.
Unlock Your Inner Spartan.
The courage, resilience, and determination necessary to weather difficult times are not traits you are born with. They must be earned.
It's time to unleash the warrior within.
Ready to unlock your true potential?
Who Are We?
We are The Optimizers, a tenacious group of artists, creatives, and storytellers who have chosen to step outside our comfort zones and train for some of the hardest obstacles imaginable so that when obstacles choose us, we are ready.
We are not athletes.
We are just regular people working hard to make a decent living in Hollywood who love what we do and want to optimize our true creative potential.
The vast majority of those who join this training program have never run a Spartan Race. Or a Tough Mudder. Or even a couch-to-5k.
Nobody in this group ever felt “ready” to get started.
But we’ve simply learned how to master the art of showing up.
We’ve learned how to support each other no matter the obstacles we can (or cannot) face.
And most importantly, we’ve mastered the mindset of “Being ready to not be ready.”
Because in this age of massive uncertainty where there are so many things that we cannot control, the one thing we can control is our reaction to adversity & change.
“It's not what happens to you, but how you react that matters.”
- Epictetus
How Does This Work?
Starting September 10th, over the course of ten Sundays (from 9am-12pm) we’ll meet in various locations around Los Angeles to help each other train for the Spartan Sprint on Sunday, Dec 3rd (in Castaic, CA).
Imagine training with world-class athletes and legit ninja warriors like:
→ ANW global superstar and world-renowned stuntwoman Jessie Graff
→ World champion triathlete (and Oscar winner) Lesley Patterson
→ 4-time American Ninja Warrior Westley Silvestri
Imagine learning a variety of new skills to help you confront and overcome not only difficult physical obstacles but also the mental obstacles life throws our way every single day.
Imagine surrounding yourself with a network of like-minded individuals all of whom are there to not only discover their own potential but support you in discovering yours.
(PRO TIP: This is a HUGE networking opportunity!)
Imagine spending (almost) every Sunday visiting a variety of amazing locations like the sand dunes of Malibu, muscle beach in Santa Monica, and some of the most beautiful hiking spots in Southern California.
And in between Sundays imagine learning how to keep your body feeling young, mobile, and energized…even if you spend most of your life in front of a computer.
This is just a sampling of what’s in store for you if you choose to join us from Sun, August 27th until you run your first (or next) Spartan Race or Tough Mudder at the beginning of December.
The world needs more Spartans. Become one.
Introducing Your Spartan Sensei
My name is Zack Arnold, the creator of Optimize Yourself. I’m a former Hollywood film & television editor (notable credits include Cobra Kai, Empire, Glee, and Burn Notice) turned podcaster, author, and career strategist who helps artists, creatives, and storytellers like you design the more balanced, more sustainable, and more fulfilling creative career that you deserve…without having to sacrifice your health, relationships, or sanity in the process.
I’ve spent over twenty years working in small, dark, windowless offices wasting away behind a computer. Because of my less-than-ideal working conditions I’ve experienced depression, anxiety, and burnout more times than I can count. But when I stumbled upon the sport of obstacle course racing in 2012 and ran my first Tough Mudder, I discovered how vital my physical health was to optimizing my creativity.
Since then I’ve run 20+ Spartan races and Tough Mudders, I’ve completed the P90X series multiple times, and for the last five years I have trained for American Ninja Warrior (and competed on the course twice).
Life is my dojo.
I don’t train because it helps me get stronger (which it does).
I don’t train because I want to have more creative energy (which I do).
I don’t train because I want to feel younger in my forties than I ever did in my twenties (which is also true)...
I train because my calling is to inspire you to step outside your comfort zone so you can unlock your true potential.