If you've heard of the modern Misogi concept, you've probably encountered the name Jesse Itzler.
The entrepreneur, ultramarathoner, and author has become synonymous with the idea of choosing one year-defining challenge—and his stories of pursuing these challenges have inspired thousands to think differently about goal-setting.
But who is Jesse Itzler, what exactly is his approach to Misogi, and how can you apply it to your own life?
Who is Jesse Itzler?
Jesse Itzler has lived a life that reads like fiction.
He started as a rapper, recording the New York Knicks' theme song and the theme for NBA on NBC. He co-founded Marquis Jet (which he sold to Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway), then co-founded Zico Coconut Water (sold to Coca-Cola). He's a co-owner of the Atlanta Hawks NBA team.
But that's just his business life.
On the personal side, Itzler has run over 100 miles in a single race, spent a month living with a Navy SEAL (which became his bestselling book Living with a SEAL), and regularly pushes his physical and mental limits in ways most people would consider insane.
He's also married to Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx.
In short: Jesse Itzler is someone who has tested a lot of theories about achievement, success, and personal growth. When he talks about what works, it comes from lived experience across wildly different domains.
How Itzler Encountered Misogi
The traditional Misogi is a Japanese Shinto purification ritual involving cold water immersion—standing under waterfalls or submerging in rivers to cleanse the spirit before sacred ceremonies.
Itzler encountered the modern adaptation through Marcus Elliott, a doctor who works with elite athletes. Elliott had been studying practices that create lasting psychological change, and he'd identified a pattern: transformative experiences often involve a single, challenging endeavor rather than scattered small improvements.
He called this a Misogi—borrowing the spiritual concept and applying it to personal development.
The rules were simple:
- Choose one thing per year that will define that year
- It should be hard enough that you might fail (roughly 50% chance of success)
- It shouldn't be dangerous (risk of failure, not risk of death)
- When you look back on the year, this is what you'll remember
Itzler immediately resonated with the concept. It aligned with how he'd already been living—but gave it a framework and a name.
The 50% Rule
One of the most distinctive aspects of Itzler's Misogi philosophy is the 50% rule: your Misogi should have roughly a 50% chance of success.
This is counterintuitive. Most goal-setting advice tells you to set achievable goals—things you can realistically accomplish with consistent effort. But the 50% rule suggests something different: genuine uncertainty about the outcome is part of what makes it meaningful.
Why?
Because if success is guaranteed, it's not really a challenge—it's just a longer to-do item. The possibility of failure is what creates the growth.
When you're not sure whether you can do something, you have to reach beyond your current capabilities. You have to discover what you're made of. You have to keep going on days when quitting would be easier.
That said, 50% doesn't mean reckless. Your Misogi should be at the edge of what's possible for you with maximal effort—not something that would require supernatural abilities or absurd luck.
If you've never run more than a mile, a 50% Misogi might be a half-marathon. An ultramarathon would be more like 5%—possible, but almost certainly a setup for failure. (Need help calibrating? Check out our guide on how to choose your Misogi.)
Itzler's Misogis
To understand the philosophy in action, it helps to look at some of the challenges Itzler has pursued:
Running 100 miles: Itzler completed a 100-mile ultramarathon, pushing through hallucinations, extreme fatigue, and the constant temptation to stop. When asked about it later, he didn't talk about the running—he talked about who he became by finishing.
Living with a SEAL: For an entire month, Itzler invited a Navy SEAL to live with him and train him. Every day involved workouts designed by someone who found "comfort" to be an insult. The experience reshaped how Itzler thought about effort and limits.
48 hours of continuous activities: Itzler once designed a 48-hour challenge for himself involving constant movement and activities—no sleep, just one thing after another. The goal was to see what he was capable of when normal limits were removed.
Cold water challenges: True to the original Misogi concept, Itzler has incorporated cold water exposure into various challenges, including ice baths and cold water swims.
In each case, the challenge wasn't just about the physical accomplishment. It was about using the challenge as a vehicle for personal transformation.
The Deeper Philosophy
Beyond the specific challenges, Itzler's approach to Misogi reflects a deeper philosophy about how to live:
Years Should Be Memorable
Most people can't remember what they did three years ago—because most years blur together into an indistinguishable mass of routine. Itzler argues that this is a choice, and we can choose differently.
By anchoring each year around one significant challenge, you create memory markers. 2019 becomes "the year I ran my first marathon." 2020 becomes "the year I wrote my novel." Each year gains a distinct identity.
When you're 80 looking back on your life, you won't remember the ordinary Tuesdays. You'll remember the challenges you faced and what you learned from them.
Comfort is the Enemy
Itzler frequently talks about how comfort—while pleasant—leads to stagnation. The body and mind adapt to challenges and become stronger. Without challenges, they atrophy.
A Misogi is a deliberate introduction of discomfort into a life that might otherwise become too easy. It's a forcing function for growth.
This doesn't mean suffering for its own sake. It means recognizing that meaningful experiences almost always involve some difficulty, and choosing to embrace that difficulty rather than avoid it.
You're Capable of More
Perhaps the most important outcome of completing a Misogi is the shift in self-perception. When you finish something you weren't sure you could do, your sense of what's possible expands.
Itzler often says that completing a 100-mile race changed him more than any business success. The money came and went, but the knowledge that he could push through extreme difficulty stayed with him.
Each Misogi builds on the last. Your capacity grows. What seemed impossible becomes merely difficult. Your baseline rises.
Applying Itzler's Approach
If you want to incorporate the Misogi philosophy into your own life, here's how to think about it:
Start Where You Are
Itzler's Misogis might seem extreme, but he didn't start there. He built up over years. Your first Misogi should be calibrated to your current level—challenging enough to require growth, but not so extreme that failure is nearly certain.
If you've never run, your first Misogi might be a 5K or 10K. If you've been running for years, maybe it's a marathon or ultra.
Focus on Transformation, Not Bragging Rights
The point of a Misogi isn't to have an impressive story to tell at parties. It's to become a different person through the pursuit.
Choose something that will change you—not just something that sounds impressive to others. The best Misogis are often ones that only you fully understand the significance of.
Embrace the Possibility of Failure
This is the hardest part for achievement-oriented people. We're trained to set goals we'll definitely hit. A Misogi requires accepting that you might not succeed—and pursuing it anyway.
The growth comes from the attempt, not just the completion. Someone who genuinely tried and failed at an ambitious Misogi often gains more than someone who easily completed a safe one.
Make It Your Own
Itzler's Misogis tend to be physical endurance challenges, but that's because those resonate with him. Your Misogi should resonate with you.
Maybe it's creative (write a novel). Maybe it's intellectual (master a language). Maybe it's personal (one year without alcohol). Maybe it's adventurous (visit every national park). The domain matters less than the personal significance. (Explore 50 Misogi challenge ideas to find what resonates with you.)
Review and Choose Annually
The Misogi isn't a one-time thing—it's an annual practice. Each year, you choose a new challenge. Each year, you grow. Over a decade, you've completed ten major challenges. Over a lifetime, you've lived dozens of distinct, memorable years.
Make it a ritual: every December, reflect on the year's Misogi and choose the next one. And if you're struggling with why this approach works while 92% of resolutions fail, the answer is focus: one goal beats fifteen scattered intentions.
The Misogi App Philosophy
We built the Misogi app because we believe in this approach.
Not the 15-resolution list that's forgotten by February. Not the scattered habit trackers that create guilt without progress. Just one goal, tracked daily, for an entire year.
The app is designed around the philosophy Itzler popularized:
- One Misogi per year — define your singular, year-defining challenge
- Daily accountability — log your progress and watch the year fill up
- Visual proof — 365 days of showing up, displayed as an undeniable record
- Community support — connect with others who are pursuing hard things
It's a simple tool for a simple philosophy: one goal, full commitment, genuine transformation.
Key Takeaways
- Jesse Itzler popularized the modern Misogi concept—one year-defining challenge per year
- The 50% rule suggests your Misogi should have a genuine chance of failure
- Misogis are about transformation, not just achievement
- Comfort leads to stagnation; deliberate challenge leads to growth
- Each Misogi expands your sense of what's possible
- The approach works for any domain—physical, creative, intellectual, or personal
- Annual Misogi practice creates a life of memorable, meaningful years
- Start where you are, embrace possible failure, and make it genuinely yours