The other day I was asked by a friend: “Why can’t I do the things I know I ought to do?” At some point or another, we’ve all experienced the disconnect between knowing what we should do and actually doing it. Some people seem to have a harder time closing that gap and following through than others. Why is that? Every person and situation is unique, but in this episode, I contend that the primary root of this issue is a lack of belief ..read more

As scary as it may be to start something new, one of the few comforting thoughts you can always fall back on is: “I’m still new at this.” A lot of mistakes can be smoothed over because you’re still considered a novice. But at some point, the expectation is to graduate to intermediate and advanced. Being willing to start something new and go through the process of being a beginner is noble. Staying a beginner forever is not. At some point, you need to level up ..read more

After The Abominable Snow Race 2024, Nate Duisterhof and I broke it down on the way home. We got his perspective as a first-timer and talked about how we can use difficult challenges like these OCR events to prepare us for the real trials that life will throw at us ..read more

In this pre-race episode, I’m joined by special guest: Nathan Duisterhof. We rode down to the Abominable Snow Race together and talked about our hopes, expectations, and mindsets heading into the event. It was interesting to get the perspective of Nate who was not only doing his first winter OCR, but his first ever obstacle course race! Not exactly where most people start when they first get into this sport. What leads a person to make such a drastic shift like that? Listen in to our conversation and find out ..read more

It’s been two and a half years since I started making content and posting it regularly on social media. Seems like a good time to look back and reflect on what sparked that change in the first place ..read more

For the past couple of years, I’ve been trying to do less overthinking and taking more action. In the process, I’ve learned about the value of “just starting” and learning what I need along the way. While that’s helped me to break some of my overthinking tendencies, I’ve realized that I need to be more intentional about how I’m going to grow and develop once I’ve begun. Without a plan to get a little bit better each day, I’m going to stay stuck at my current level. It’s OK to be a beginner when you’re just starting something new, but it’s not good to remain a novice indefinitely ..read more

When you’re trying to make something happen or make a change, it’s usually not the big issues that get in your way…it’s all the little things that slow you down ..read more

Everyone is a consumer. We all eat, drink, buy things, read, watch, listen, and, of course, scroll social media. But the idea is to become someone who doesn’t just spend their lives consuming. Hopefully we strive to produce, to contribute, to leave a legacy. Of course, we never stop consuming; it’s part of life. But if we want our lives to be a net positive to those around us instead of a drain, we eventually need to increase the ratio of our production to our consumption ..read more

It’s one thing to be artistic and make things that you like. It’s another thing to be creative and thoughtful, and make things that serve other people. But how do I know if I am the only one who likes what I’m making? How do I know when I’ve gotten good enough at my craft that my creative abilities can actually add value to other people? My answer: keep making stuff, put yourself out there, and when people start asking you to make stuff for them, you’ll know you’re on the right track ..read more

People often say that “comparison is the thief of joy”. And I know what they’re trying to say. But comparison isn’t the problem. Noticing the differences between people (or between myself and others) is unavoidable. The question is: How will I respond? Will I allow it to breed discontentment and envy? Or is there a more productive way to use this information ..read more