Cory Richards shocked the world when he abruptly ended his climbing career at the foot of Dhaulagiri in 2021. He is ready to tell his story.
Continue reading “Cory Richards: The Color of Everything”Cory Richards: The Color of Everything
What Two Writers Taught Me About How to Think
In 1949, a college junior named Barbara Beattie wrote a letter for a school journalism assignment. We can only speculate on Beattie’s youthful expectations: Was she so naive to expect a response, or were these different times? She’d written playwright Arthur Miller at a time when the Broadway run of his most famous work, The Death of a Salesman, was in full swing. He had every reason to ignore a college student’s inquiries into the “formal genesis” of his now-legendary work. What Beattie received–a sprawling and deeply thoughtful essay on man’s common and timeless tragedies–must have impacted her greatly. After all, she’s kept it for seventy-five years. Beattie’s daughter found the letter when helping her mother, now 94, move out of her home.
Continue reading “What Two Writers Taught Me About How to Think”The Power of the Four-Hour Work Day (even in retirement)
We live in a distracted world where depth of investigation is discouraged. Despite increases in scientific spending, the number of publications, or the amount of PhDs being awarded, major discoveries in science and engineering have declined significantly in recent decades. The new-music market is shrinking, and old hits are dominating. We are working more days and longer hours, but US productivity growth is way down. A society that produces meaningful output is a healthy society, but meaningful output is arguably on the decline in many fields.
I argue that distraction and “noise” are key inhibitors to a healthy and progressing society. In the nearly three years since I quit my job, I’ve been forced to examine my strong tendency toward distraction. What follows is a discussion of methods that I’ve found incredibly useful in retraining my brain for deep and focused work and why that matters so much today. Our peak potential resides in no more than four hours per day.
Continue reading “The Power of the Four-Hour Work Day (even in retirement)”Joy and Tyler Black on Career, Money Mindsets, and Parenting
Today’s guests on episode 51 are Joy and Tyler Black. Many of you may be familiar with Joy, who has rapidly built a successful online business as a coach for pregnant and postpartum rock climbers. If you follow Joy on Instagram, you know her as a fun-loving and engaging mother of three, with a reputation for solid technical and personal coaching. Tyler on the other hand, is not a climber at all. He’s a biologist with a contrasting, yet highly complementary personality. In that way, they make for fantastic interview subjects on the discussion of relationships, money, career, and parenting.
Continue reading “Joy and Tyler Black on Career, Money Mindsets, and Parenting”Matt Samet: The Uncertain Future of Climbing Media
Today on episode 36 I’m pleased to welcome climber, author, editor, father, and prolific first ascensionist Matt Samet. Recently, Matt was unexpectedly laid off from his position as editor of Climbing Magazine, a position he has held on and off for nearly two decades.
The state of media, particularly print media, is something that has held my attention in recent years. Although I’ve considered reaching out to Matt for some time to discuss his career in writing and climbing journalism, this finally felt like the right moment.
Join us as we take a deeper dive on media, journalism, balancing climbing and other life obligations, as well as some good-ole-fashioned musings on the modern climbing life.
Continue reading “Matt Samet: The Uncertain Future of Climbing Media”Nate Drolet: So You Want to be a Coach?
Alright folks, we’re finally getting back on the interview wagon, and I’m pleased this week to bring you Nate Drolet. Nate, at 31 years young, is a coach, trainer, and podcast co-host for Power Company Climbing, a well-rounded climber (he has climbed multiple 5.14a routes and V12 boulders), and a master of movement. Nate also takes an admirably pragmatic approach to learning and self-improvement.
In many cases, it might be as simple as mind over matter…
Continue reading “Nate Drolet: So You Want to be a Coach?”