For Alex Verdugo, success isn’t about the accolades or the appearance of achievement — it’s about the work you put in when nobody is watching. “I’ve always been fascinated by how people make it in their own way,” Verdugo says. “Everyone has a story. Everyone has faced challenges and setbacks to reach their version of success. I wanted to bring those real stories to life.”
He noticed that most interviews and motivational podcasts only show the highlight reel — the wins, the accolades, the alpha mindset. “But they rarely talk about the struggle it took to get there,” he explains. “And that’s the part that really matters.” He gives an example from his own experience: people see that he owns a gym and assume it happened overnight. “They don’t see the blood, sweat, and tears behind it. They don’t see the risks, the sacrifices, or the obstacles. Success is never easy, and it’s never instant.” With Extreme Influence, Verdugo aims to ask the questions that reveal the journey: “What did it cost you? What did you go through? What did it take to get here? That’s where the real inspiration is — in the struggle, not just the spotlight.”
Verdugo also wanted to disrupt traditional CEO interviews, which he found static and surface-level. “Most interviews focus on achievements, numbers, and titles,” he says, “but they rarely tap into the mindset or the energy behind the success.” His solution was to integrate movement. “When you’re
pushing your body, your mind becomes sharper, more alert, and more aware. You’re not giving rehearsed answers — you’re speaking from flow and authenticity.” For him, the same drive that pushes someone through a tough workout also drives growth in business and leadership. “The connection between how leaders train their body and how they train their mind — that’s where the real insight comes from,” he says.
Physical challenges, he explains, are a mirror for mindset. “When someone is pushed physically, it can go two ways: they either crash or they rise. That moment exposes your mindset.” Some people give up, forming a habit of quitting. Others push past their limits, surprising themselves and building a higher mental threshold. “Physically pushing past a limit proves something powerful to your mind: ‘I can do hard things.’ That confidence carries into business, relationships, and leadership.” For Verdugo, a strong body builds a strong mind. “Resilience is everything in business. Challenges don’t disappear, but your capacity to handle them grows,” he says.
When guests step into Extreme Fitness for an Extreme Influence interview, they can expect a challenge — tailored to their ability, but always designed to push boundaries. “The goal isn’t to break anyone down,” he says. “It’s to bring awareness to what they’re truly capable of. And if someone is an advanced athlete, we’ll take it to another level — warrior mode.” But the workout is only half of the experience. “The movement strips away rehearsed answers,” he explains. “When you’re pushing through discomfort, you speak differently — more honestly, more instinctively. That’s where the real conversations happen.”
Verdugo also wanted to clarify what “extreme” really means. “Extreme isn’t about recklessness,” he says. “It’s about commitment. It’s a lifestyle. It’s physical and mental discipline operating together.” In fitness, extreme means pushing past comfort, building resilience, and staying consistent. In business, it means pursuing excellence without settling, striving for the highest level, and applying calculated intensity. “Extreme is also about living fully,” he adds. “You work hard, build something meaningful, but you also enjoy the process and embrace the journey. At the end of the day, it’s about operating at your highest level — physically, mentally, and professionally — without losing balance or purpose.”
Mindset, he says, separates average performers from elite ones. “If you want to be elite, you have to go past your limits consistently,” he says. “Elite performers do what others won’t. They lean into discomfort instead of avoiding it.” Complacency keeps people average. “Those who are satisfied where they are won’t push beyond it. Elite performers are never fully satisfied. They’re always looking for the next level.” He emphasizes that people aren’t born elite or average. “It’s developed through maturity, adversity, and the situations you face. Certain situations either harden you or humble you — and you choose how to respond. Once that elite mindset switches on, it’s hard to turn off. Even when I’m relaxing with my son, my mind is still moving, still thinking, still creating. You can’t just become passive.”
Daily discipline is another lesson Verdugo draws from the gym and applies to business. “Success is built through daily deposits,” he says. “One workout won’t transform your body. One healthy meal won’t make you fit. One bad meal won’t ruin you. Consistency over time produces results.” Business works the same way. “You hit a goal — maybe lifting a personal record you never thought you could — and once you reach it, you don’t stop. You build on it. Now it’s 210. There’s always another level.” Progress is earned, incremental, and cumulative.
For leaders who neglect their health, Verdugo’s advice is blunt: “Don’t sacrifice the one thing you truly own. There are a lot of external factors in life you can’t control — markets, outcomes, other people’s decisions. But your body? That’s your responsibility. It’s the foundation for everything — your leadership, energy, clarity, and longevity. Success isn’t sustainable if your body can’t support it. Treat it like your most valuable investment.”
Asked to finish the sentence, Verdugo summarizes the essence of his work: “Extreme Influence is about real life, real success. It’s about stripping away the performance, embracing the struggle, and understanding that strength built in one area of life carries into every other. Growth is always possible for those willing to push beyond their limits.
Written in partnership with Tom White
