
The Ageless Warrior Lab
Dave Meyer | Host, Ageless Warrior Lab podcast | Co-founder and CEO of Food System Innovations and Humane American Animal Foundation
David Meyer is a pioneering American Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioner, and accomplished non-profit founder and Philanthropist.
David co-founded and served as CEO of Adopt-a-Pet.com for two decades, turning it into the world’s largest nonprofit homeless pet adoption website and helping save millions of animals, before its acquisition by Mars Inc.
Today, David leads Food System Innovations and Humane America Animal Foundation, leading in farm animal welfare and the protein transition movement. He frequently advises U.S. lawmakers on these issues, and has raised and deployed over $160 million in philanthropic capital as part of his work in the nonprofit space.
In his athletic career, David has risen to the highest ranks of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ). He earned his black belt from Rigan Machado in 1996 and ranked among the first Americans (“the Dirty Dozen”) to do so. He was the first American to medal at the black belt level at the BJJ World Championships in Brazil in 1998, and continues to compete, winning world championship titles in his age division.
As a martial artist and instructor, he taught at UCLA, Steven Seagal’s Tenshin Dojo, and developed globally used grappling curricula with John Will, including customized material for Chuck Norris’s UFAF association.
Meyer also played a critical role in post-Katrina animal rescue, co-authored key books on BJJ and pet care, and co-founded a Haiti orphanage for children with HIV, exemplifying a lifetime of impactful leadership in both martial arts and philanthropy.
David resides in the San Francisco Bay, and continues to coach BJJ athletes while actively managing Food System Innovations and Humane America Animal Foundation.
The Ageless Warrior Lab
The Truth About Confidence: Why Most People Get It Wrong (And How to Fix It) | Ep. 6
Unlock the secrets to true confidence with Dave Meyer, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and martial arts champion. In this episode, Dave shares powerful stories from the mat, including lessons from legends like Gene LeBelle and the Machado brothers, and reveals the real difference between confidence, underconfidence, and overconfidence.
Discover practical tools to build lasting confidence, avoid the pitfalls of arrogance, and learn how humility can be your greatest ally. Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, or just looking to level up in life, these insights will help you perform under pressure and grow from every challenge.
Timestamps and chapters below make it easy to jump to the moments that matter most.
This weeks show was directed and hosted by Dave Meyer, produced by Robbie Lockie, with title music kindly provided by Robel Borja.
Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more wisdom from the lab!
Chapters From This Weeks Episode
00:00 – Introduction: Lessons from Gene LeBelle
00:24 – The Power of Confidence in Martial Arts
01:42 – What Is Confidence, Really?
02:54 – Underconfidence: Holding Yourself Back
05:08 – Overconfidence: Lessons from the Mat
07:10 – The Dunning-Kruger Effect Explained
09:05 – Is Overconfidence Ever Good?
10:33 – Building True Confidence: 3 Essential Steps
13:20 – Step 1: Build Your Defense
14:32 – Step 2: Create Your Evidence Bank
17:06 – Step 3: The Pre-Mortem Technique
19:00 – The Role of Humility in Confidence
20:45 – Final Thoughts & Your Confidence Journey
21:48 – Outro: Subscribe for More Lessons
Links from this weeks show
Gene LeBell
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_LeBell
Jean Jacques Machado
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Jacques_Machado
Kruger & Dunning (1999) “Unskilled and Unaware of It…“
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10626367/
Music “Disambiguation” by Robel Borja https://open.spotify.com/artist/7j0DUZ79z4edeLkU2H1UoJ?si=eISl0YfaQ-yLThljs48j5A