Riding for Greatness: Tyson Durfey on Playing Full Out in Rodeo, Business, Family, and Life

Listen to an hour long conversation around this newsletter… or watch it on YouTube! NEW!

In our latest episode of We Play Full Out, we had an unforgettable conversation with world champion rodeo athlete and entrepreneur, Tyson Durfey. Tyson opened up about what it truly means to “play full out,” sharing insights on mental resilience, family, and faith. If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to push through adversity, reach a “world champion” level of success, and stay authentic in every area of life, this newsletter is for you!

We cannot come even close to covering as much as we discussed, so be sure to tune in and listen on the above podcast platforms, or check it out on YouTube for the full conversation!

$200 to His Name & Stuck in Canada: a Pivotal, Life-Changing Moment

One of the most powerful stories Tyson shared was about a moment when he was left with only $200 to his name, maxed-out credit cards, and barely enough to eat. At the time he was about 21 years old. He had lost his life savings not once, but twice. He was in Canada, miles from home. He was sleeping in the backseat of his truck because he didn’t have money to stay in a hotel. He didn’t have a home, didn’t even have a mailing address. He had borrowed a horse and a horse trailer from his mentor to get there because he didn’t have one. At that point, his back was completely up against a wall as he didn’t have enough money to even get back to the United States.

He lost at the rodeo that day, and as he was going to sleep that night he thought, “Is this ever going to work for me? Is my dream so wild that I’m like a dog chasing it’s tail?”

Crying in his truck and feeling beyond defeated, he called his father for advice. Tyson’s father reminded him to focus on the basics, to clear his mind, and to keep going, even when things looked bleak. Then, Tyson called his mentor, who just chuckled and said, “You’re 21 years old. You’ll figure it out. It’s not that big of a deal. It seems like a huge deal right now in your life, but in ten years you’re going to look back and realize it wasn’t. You’re going to be a world champion.”

That conversation was the spark he needed. Tyson ended up winning second place the next day, earning $4,500! Cha-ching! He was able to make it home! From that point on, a massive shift had taken place. He won 19 out of the next 20 rodeos, a feat that almost never happens. That’s a 90% success rate - the BEST cowboys stay around at about 50%.

It was a pivotal, defining moment in Tyson’s journey. He learned that sometimes we have to be at our lowest to find out what we’re truly made of—and that faith, combined with relentless action, and having mentors who can coach you through challenges - can create incredible breakthroughs.

The Power of Shifting Your Energy: Show Up Fully, No Matter What

One of the most remarkable things Tyson shared was his ability to change his energy in an instant—to show up fully for others, even when he’s struggling internally. Imagine traveling from rodeo to rodeo, sometimes driving all night to get to the next one… and then you’re on early in the morning to compete. You’re exhausted, you haven’t been winning, and you have less than 30 seconds in the arena to perform and win… or go home or to the next rodeo empty-handed. And … sometimes you lose in front of 25,000 people.

As Tyson’s status grew, young children and adults looked up to him and wanted to meet him. This can be a tough, tough thing when you just lost and the last thing you want to do is sign autographs.

So - what do you do? Tyson took on the mentality that just because it may be his worst day… it could be someone else’s best day ever. Imagine meeting your hero and he or she was fully present with you, engaging, and really interested in getting to know you.

Tyson discovered a powerful, yet simple technique to shift his energy: sounds. For him, sounds like the slam of a truck door or the clank of an arena gate closing have become mental triggers to reset. When he hears these sounds, he mentally “shuts the gate” on whatever just happened, allowing himself to move forward and be fully present.

He shared how, after a rough performance or a long day, he’ll pull up to a rodeo, hear his truck door slam shut, and use that moment to let go of the stress and shift into a positive mindset. It’s his way of saying, “I’m here, and I’m ready to give my best.” Tyson applies this technique when he’s with his family, too. When he steps into his home, he leaves any frustration from the day behind, ready to be present for his kids and wife.

Tyson’s approach is a reminder that we all have the power to control our energy and choose how we show up. Whether it’s a sound, a ritual, or a deep breath, finding ways to reset can help us stay grounded and fully present, even when life feels overwhelming.

Tyson’s Philosophies on Mental Toughness and Resiliency

Tyson learned pretty early on that people who are achieving high levels of success out there in the world are awesome only because they sucked at that thing first. He wanted to be mentally strong simply because he was mentally weak. He wanted to be a leader because it scared the hell out of him to go stand on a stage in front of people … to be mentally tough you’ve got to do thing you don’t want to do.

If you are a person who is always chasing “easy” then life is going to be hard for you. If you’re not afraid to tackle big things and go after it and struggle a little bit, life actually seems a little easier.

Tyson was never the fastest or the coolest kid around. In middle school his front teeth got knocked out and he had red hair, freckles, and a mullet. He took a bath once a week, didn’t comb his hair, and was known as “dirty Durfee.” He simply wasn’t exceptional at anything.

But he learned he could change that by doing hard things… and a little bit of “hard” reaps big rewards. Tyson’s advice is that if you’ve got to go through a few years of really struggling to achieve something massive - a big dream or goal, then just do it. Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Keep moving forward at all costs. If you have the attitude that nothing can stop you, you will become successful!

Find Out More!

That’s all the time we have to cover in today’s newsletter… but there’s so much more! If you want to hear about Tyson as a family man (including how his wife is an amazing entrepreneur who pushed him to achieve World Champions status) as well as his own digital marketing entrepreneurial journey… tune into our podcast!

Life Updates:

• Well! We did record our FIRST YouTube episode using our new home studio! Tyson was in town staying with us for a few days and was gracious enough to be our first interview. We really enjoyed visiting with him and his interview was very insightful and fun to shoot! We hope you love it!

• Bart went roping Wednesday night and had an absolute blast! He is roping like a boss! Tyson popped in and the entire arena was at a standstill to get to meet a world champion in their sport! So cool!

• Xander has been super sick all week - fever, chills, sore throat, body aches… coughing. He is on the upswing now, thank heavens!

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