I started actively creating things in 2010.
It began with rap music.
I’d spend hours in college in the back shed of an international cooperative in Austin, Texas rehearsing the same lines over and over until I got the take exactly how I wanted it. My rap career never really went anywhere.
When I moved to Thailand, I started posting motivational videos on Snapchat about living a positive lifestyle. The reception was better, but it still wasn’t the validation I was looking for.
Back in the States, I worked in technology sales. I’d close deals, get the pat on the back, make the money, and still never feel like I’d arrived anywhere worth being.
Then came Wilderness Father.
This time I promised myself I’d create no matter what the response was. Stay consistent. Share what I believe. Forget the peanut gallery.
During those early Wilderness Father days I read a book by the music producer Rick Rubin called The Creative Act. His words shaped how I approached my work. He says the audience comes last, not because they don’t matter, but because the only way to make work worth sharing is to follow your own vision first. If you create to please others, you dilute your voice. You end up with work that looks good on paper but leaves you hollow.
Rubin also says to focus on the craft, not the outcome. Success isn’t the money, the follower count, or the views. It’s looking at your work and knowing you made it as good as you possibly could for yourself. And sometimes the payoff isn’t immediate. You might not see results for years. But the lessons you learn, the habits you build, and the foundation you lay are worth more than a quick hit of recognition.
Parenthood and marriage work the same way. Both are full of work that no one sees and few people applaud. With parenting, most of the effort happens in the quiet hours, but eventually you start to see the results. I’ve watched my daughter develop resilience, grit, and outdoor skills that stand in sharp contrast to her peers because I started early and stayed consistent, even when it was hard, messy, and inconvenient.
Marriage is similar. You don’t get an instant payoff for listening when you’d rather check out, for apologizing when you’re tired, for choosing connection instead of walking away after an argument. You don’t get a trophy for the hard conversations, the sacrifices, or the moments you choose patience over frustration. But over time, those choices stack up. They build trust. They create a bond that can weather the storms.
That’s the truth about creating anything, whether it’s art, a business, a marriage, or a human being. You do the work because it’s who you are, not because of the instant reward.
Authenticity is the only metric that matters.
The real payoff is being able to look back and know you built something that lasts.
FIELD TIP
With hunting season coming up, treat every hunt like you’re gathering pieces of a bigger map. Take notes on sign, water levels, food sources, and animal behavior, even if you don’t fill a tag or catch a fish that day. The knowledge you stack now will pay off on your next outing. A hunt isn’t successful only when you secure your quarry. If that’s your only measure, you’ll always be unsatisfied. Look at every trip as a chance to refine your skills and turn your hunting or fishing area into your chessboard. Stay observant, record the details, and take the small wins.
MINDSET
When you’re building a mountain out of thin layers of paint, you won’t recognize the scale until you step back. Big goals work the same way. Break them into small, manageable steps so they don’t feel overwhelming. Each layer is a chance to adjust and improve, with mistakes serving as lessons rather than failures. Small wins build momentum and confidence, proving you can take on bigger challenges. Over time, that steady layering fosters a growth mindset and reminds you to show yourself compassion along the way. One misplaced stroke doesn’t destroy the mountain you’re building.
The future is purchased by the present.
— Samuel Johnson
If no one ever knew you did it, would you still do the work?
