This weekend I chose to do something that was both hard and worth it.
We went to the coast to hunt sea ducks on the edge of a forecasted storm of “historic proportions” in North Carolina. I’d never seen conditions like it.
We were up at 2:30 a.m. on almost no sleep.
Sustained 35 mph winds. Big water in the sound. Nothing ever really let up.
The ducks were slow. We still got a few chances and managed to scratch out a couple teal.
Mostly, though, it was an absolute beating.
Eight hours of getting windblasted until you can’t feel your face or your fingertips.
And somewhere in the middle of that, I was reminded of something important.
You have to love this to do it.
Our default in life is comfort. Warm beds. Easy mornings. The path of least resistance.
But some of the best experiences come from what people call “type two fun.” The kind that’s miserable while it’s happening and unforgettable afterward.
There’s a reason for that.
The word passion comes from the Latin passio. It means suffering and endurance.
Somewhere along the way, we started telling people that “following your passion” means doing something that feels good.
What it really means is finding something you’re willing to suffer for.
The best stories never come from the days when everything went right.
They come from the days when everything went wrong and you kept going anyway.
Discomfort doesn’t just test us.
It shows us where our real edges are.
And sometimes, it shows us they were never where we thought.
FIELD
In heavy wind, always set your spread so birds land into the wind, keep your kill hole slightly downwind of your main cluster, and avoid long, stretched-out lines that get distorted by gusts.
Tighter groups read more naturally in bad weather, and a small upwind “point” of 3 to 5 decoys gives birds a clear visual runway to finish.
If decoys are skating or spinning, reduce spread size and add weight before adding more decoys.
Mindset Model: The Relationship Tax
Every hunt has a hidden cost. Call it the Relationship Tax. Pay it before the season each week. Do one proactive, visible thing that makes your partner’s life easier:
Laundry.
Dishes.
Kid duty.
Planning a date.
Handle something you have been avoiding.
The rule is simple. If you want uninterrupted time in the field, you must earn uninterrupted goodwill at home first.
Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.
John F. Kennedy
What’s one thing you love that you’d never trade for comfort?
