Uploaded August 2022 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
DUSTIN DIEFENDERFER: Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab, Ultra Runner, Backcountry Hunter
Backcountry hunting, anyone?
If ever a man wanted to discover what it takes to become an elite man – mentally, physically, and spiritually tough, training for such a high-end hunt may just be the ticket. This week’s Team Never Quit Guest, Dustin Diefenderfer, explains in detail the grueling athletic training and grit it takes to hunt Deer, Elk, Moose, or Caribou In the backcountry. If you’re looking for an easy way to get there, stay home. When the hunt experience is over, you’re left with the mental and physical ability to reach your personal and professional goals by applying the principles learned in this endeavor – a better life by learning to be comfortable in being uncomfortable.
In this episode you will hear:
Getting comfortable being uncomfortable is teaching men to handle adversity.
If you can handle adversity in the gym, you can handle it better in the field. If you can handle it in the field, you can handle it a lot better at home.
When you’re more used to adversity and spend more time outdoors, it makes for a better man.
If you’re fortunate enough to harvest an animal on a backcountry hunt, you’re coming out with 80-100 pounds per trip for 3 or 4 trips.
Adversity building is one baby step after another. It makes you way tougher than you used to be.
It’s cool looking back on God’s footsteps that have brought us to creating Mountain Tough.
You don’t need to chase the corporate America stuff; You don‘t need to do what everyone else is doing.
Living in Africa taught us not to worry so much about money & finances. The people living there with nothing are pretty happy. They’re not distracted like Americans are, with cell phones and the like.
I knew I was gonna do something I was passionate about, and I knew I would do something outside, away from the computer, and engage with building a community.
When we’re going thru something stressful, God looks at us like “Do you realize that what you’re looking at right now is ‘this big’ in the grand scheme of life.”
We went to Ethiopia on a short mission trip and worked for two weeks where kids lived, slept, and ate in a landfill all day long. It was complete re-entry depression after watching those kids live in the dump.
They would rescue the child soldiers and teach them some life skills.
We’re creating elite men.
Dustin’s Website
mtntough.com use promo code TNQ for 20% off you first year!
—
For More Fun, Follow:
Team Never Quit
Instagram: instagram.com/team_neverquit
Marcus Luttrell
Instagram: instagram.com/marcusluttrell
Morgan Luttrell:
Instagram: instagram.com/mojoluttrell
Andrew Brockenbush:
instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush
—
Support the Show
patreon.com/teamneverquit
—
Special Thanks / Credits
Executive Producer & Artwork - Andrew Brockenbush
Audio Engineer - Joey Garza
Video Editor - John Fritzsching
—
About TNQ Podcast:
Each week join Retired Navy SEAL and Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell, Morgan Luttrell, and Producer Andrew Brockenbush as they’ll take you into the “briefing room” to chat with incredible guests who share their greatest never quit stories. This humorous, heartfelt, and entertaining podcast is changing lives and has become a beacon of hope and resilience to those who are facing the impossible. One of the best ways we can support our community is to share their stories so that we might inspire others to Never Quit.
We’re bringing you real-life stories of men and women who took life’s toughest challenges and met them head-on, radically changing their own lives and inspiring others to do the same.
DUSTIN DIEFENDERFER: Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab, Ultra Runner, Backcountry Hunter
Backcountry hunting, anyone?
If ever a man wanted to discover what it takes to become an elite man – mentally, physically, and spiritually tough, training for such a high-end hunt may just be the ticket. This week’s Team Never Quit Guest, Dustin Diefenderfer, explains in detail the grueling athletic training and grit it takes to hunt Deer, Elk, Moose, or Caribou In the backcountry. If you’re looking for an easy way to get there, stay home. When the hunt experience is over, you’re left with the mental and physical ability to reach your personal and professional goals by applying the principles learned in this endeavor – a better life by learning to be comfortable in being uncomfortable.
In this episode you will hear:
Getting comfortable being uncomfortable is teaching men to handle adversity.
If you can handle adversity in the gym, you can handle it better in the field. If you can handle it in the field, you can handle it a lot better at home.
When you’re more used to adversity and spend more time outdoors, it makes for a better man.
If you’re fortunate enough to harvest an animal on a backcountry hunt, you’re coming out with 80-100 pounds per trip for 3 or 4 trips.
Adversity building is one baby step after another. It makes you way tougher than you used to be.
It’s cool looking back on God’s footsteps that have brought us to creating Mountain Tough.
You don’t need to chase the corporate America stuff; You don‘t need to do what everyone else is doing.
Living in Africa taught us not to worry so much about money & finances. The people living there with nothing are pretty happy. They’re not distracted like Americans are, with cell phones and the like.
I knew I was gonna do something I was passionate about, and I knew I would do something outside, away from the computer, and engage with building a community.
When we’re going thru something stressful, God looks at us like “Do you realize that what you’re looking at right now is ‘this big’ in the grand scheme of life.”
We went to Ethiopia on a short mission trip and worked for two weeks where kids lived, slept, and ate in a landfill all day long. It was complete re-entry depression after watching those kids live in the dump.
They would rescue the child soldiers and teach them some life skills.
We’re creating elite men.
Dustin’s Website
mtntough.com use promo code TNQ for 20% off you first year!
—
For More Fun, Follow:
Team Never Quit
Instagram: instagram.com/team_neverquit
Marcus Luttrell
Instagram: instagram.com/marcusluttrell
Morgan Luttrell:
Instagram: instagram.com/mojoluttrell
Andrew Brockenbush:
instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush
—
Support the Show
patreon.com/teamneverquit
—
Special Thanks / Credits
Executive Producer & Artwork - Andrew Brockenbush
Audio Engineer - Joey Garza
Video Editor - John Fritzsching
—
About TNQ Podcast:
Each week join Retired Navy SEAL and Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell, Morgan Luttrell, and Producer Andrew Brockenbush as they’ll take you into the “briefing room” to chat with incredible guests who share their greatest never quit stories. This humorous, heartfelt, and entertaining podcast is changing lives and has become a beacon of hope and resilience to those who are facing the impossible. One of the best ways we can support our community is to share their stories so that we might inspire others to Never Quit.
We’re bringing you real-life stories of men and women who took life’s toughest challenges and met them head-on, radically changing their own lives and inspiring others to do the same.
