Wednesday afternoon.

100+ degrees and humidity that makes woodworking a bit tricky...

Good.

That gives me time to write this newsletter and knock out a YouTube video.

I've been all over the place with this newsletter lately. On top of that, I've been extremely inconsistent getting it out.

That's changing.

I know I've said that before, so I genuinely appreciate everyone who still takes the time to read these.

Hell, last week I said this newsletter was going to be about the push for an Article V Convention of States.

But the more I think about our government and politics...

The less I care.

Not because it isn't important, it’s just someone else’s fight. 

And I've realized it's taking my attention away from the things that actually make me a better man.

The happiest I've been in a long time was last year when I disconnected from social media and, to some extent, the rest of the world.

I was focused on what I could control.

I was present.

Showing up as the man I wanted to be.

Helping others do the same.

Crushing brutal workouts. 

Doing shrooms. 

Working on myself.

That's where I want to get back to.

So moving forward, this newsletter is getting real again.

I'm going to share the challenges, the wins, and what I'm learning along the way in the hope that something I learn helps someone on the other side of this screen.

This week...

It's income.

For the first time in my life, I'm 100% on my own when it comes to making money.

No W-2.

No 1099 sales job.

Just me.

As a man who wants to provide for his family...

That has been beyond fucking stressful.

I've been spiraling.

Worrying.

And overthinking.

To the point that I've spent more time in my head than actually taking the actions needed to change my situation and increase the inflow of money.

Looking back over the last three years of "entrepreneurship"—I put that in quotes because I honestly feel like a poser using that term right now—I think that's been my biggest issue.

I haven't trusted my intuition.

I haven't winged it (wung it?) enough.

Two things recently helped me realize that.

The first was the book Stop Letting Everything Affect You by Daniel Chidiac.

(Don't ask me how to pronounce his last name.)

The second was a concept I came across on Instagram that will probably offend some people because of the name: "Retard Maxing."

The name is what it is and honestly it’s brilliant marketing.

The concept is actually beautiful.

At their core, they're both saying the same thing.

Stop thinking so much.

Start doing.

Stop forcing thoughts.

Let them come to you.

Follow your intuition.

Figure it out as you go.

Wing it.

Joe Rogan came to mind.

When he started the JRE podcast, he didn't have some massive plan.

He just started recording conversations with his buddies because it sounded fun and het let curiosity guide him.

Now it's one of the biggest podcasts on the planet.

I can't help but wonder how different things would've looked if he'd spent years trying to perfect it before ever hitting record.

I've realized overthinking has caused me to hesitate.

To talk myself out of doing things.

To give up on things when they got hard.

Even things I know I'm good at.

Even things that (still) could be successful.

When you're standing on step two but your mind is obsessing over step one thousand...

That shit gets heavy.

I've noticed another symptom too.

Talking about things more than actually doing them.

The more I talk...

The more opinions I hear.

The more advice I get.

The more inputs I collect.

The more complicated everything becomes.

So how do you actually stop?

Honestly...

I'm still figuring that out.

But here's what's helping me.

First, I catch myself forcing my thoughts.

When I notice it happening, I literally tell myself to shut the fuck up and go do whatever needs to get done.

Simple.

But surprisingly effective.

Second, I'm creating space every day where my mind doesn't have to work.

Silent walks.

Silent runs.

Time on the front porch.

Not because I'm trying to empty my mind.

I'm just trying to stop forcing it and let my intuition speak to me.

It's already helped me understand why my content exploded for a while and then slowed down.

When things were taking off on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, an idea would pop into my head...

I'd grab my phone...

Hit record...

And speak with conviction.

That was it.

Later, I started trying to make things go viral.

Sometimes they still did.

But it wasn't the same.

I've also realized what's important to me has changed.

Politics doesn't help me become a better husband.

A better father.

Or a better man.

Simplifying my life does.

Being more present does.

Increasing my income does.

When I stopped forcing everything, another thought came back to me.

Forged Men, Forged Brotherhood? Formerly Forged Fitness but I don’t think that truly fits what it is.

My accountability group for men.

It's been around for nearly a year, it’s proven to be valuable but I stopped talking about it.

Stopped attempting to charge for it.

Stopped trying to grow it.

Even though it solves real problems.

Accountability.

Community.

Two things I believe a lot of men desperately need.

So it's coming back.

Fifty dollars a month. Maybe that’s too low. Maybe it’s too high. I don’t care, I will figure it out as I go.

I'm keeping it simple.

Maybe one day it has a website.

Maybe there's an e-book.

Maybe it becomes something much bigger.

Who the fuck knows?

Right now...

I'm focused on the next step which is a simple info sheet where someone can learn more and book an info call. 

If you're someone who constantly lives in your head, this is what I’m doing and maybe it helps.

Turn down the noise.

Ask yourself what the next step is.

Then stop trying to force the answer.

Go for a walk.

Go for a run.

Sit in silence.

Give yourself room to hear it.

I've realized there is no universal right or wrong way to figure this stuff out.

There's only what's right...

Or wrong...

For you.

As always, thanks for reading

Kyle