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No. 3. I’ll continually be testing this newsletter format so that it’s interesting and, ideally/eventually, actionable in some way. Thanks for bearing with me as I get this going and thank you for the feedback on how to make it better (see question at the end).

This newsletter will be broken down into 3 sections:

• Section 1: Project updates (Uncharted Spirits, Teaquila Farm, Training for Mavericks, Has Ideas. Does Them.)

• Section 2: Thoughts on ‘having ideas and doing them’ (you may have seen these in posts on social)

• Section 3: Your thoughts, feedback, and involvement

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Uncharted Spirits Updates

• We are working on messaging so that people understand what hell it is. Essentially, we run supplies to remote parts of the world, but we bring along someone who has never left the country (or only visits places like Cancun) so that we can, hopefully, create a transformative experience. For now, we’re calling this person the X-Factor...until we have a better descriptor haha.

• The missions will be called ‘Supply Run’

• We are currently working two ‘Supply Run’ routes. The first one is to remote areas of Laos and we’ll likely run that route in April. The second is to remote areas of the Himalayas and we’ll likely run that one next September/October.

• Current Next Steps:

1. Determine supplies needed

2. Solidify the route

3. Finish landing page to explain who we’re looking to join us

• Side project in flight: building the Uncharted Spirits bar on my land in Ventura, CA. This bar will be a content production center. More on this as we go. Finishing the bar at the end of November and will be documenting on Instagram and Facebook for now.

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Teaquila Farm Updates

• The theme here is regeneration. We’re not only learning how to regenerate the earth, but also learning how to regenerate ourselves, which includes physical, mental, and emotional regeneration.

• It starts with food production. So right now we’re focused on getting our beginner gardens going so that we can, hopefully soon, turn it into a seasonal production. Steps include soil management / improvement, watering systems, and succession planning / planting.

• To see what we're working on weekly, check out the Teaquila Farm Instagram.

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Training for Mavericks Updates

• Long way to go here as I’m just getting started. Because of my cancer, I need to work on muscle building to protect & strengthen my bones as they’re prone to breakage from the disease. I'm starting with hight intensity functional strength training with a crossfit-focused trainer.

• Coming up next will be flexibility, breath work (to prepare for hold downs), and the actual skill for surfing a wave like that. The last two probably won’t start until next year.

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Has Ideas. Does Them.

• I’m looking for others who have had a wild idea and went out and did it. Doesn’t matter if they succeeded or failed, I’m just looking for others to connect with on this. If you know anyone, let me know.

• I’m considering a ‘death meetup’ group where we talk about death. It’s been shown that countries that have a ‘good relationship’ with the idea of death are happier. A guy in the Netherlands created the ‘Death Cafe’ and people began living better lives because of it. If interested in joining the meetup, let me know.

This last week’s post about having ideas and doing them. Summary: Become an outlier.

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Tl;dr: I was lying to myself. Are you?
I finished w/, ‘...but I need 60 more years & I want to surf Mavericks.’
The doc responded, ‘Then you need to become an outlier.’
He works with many cancer patients, but he sighed when I told him my diagnosis (stage 4 lung cancer, 30 mets in the brain, lung tumor 5x the avg, etc).
His sigh wasn’t exactly encouraging, especially in those initial days after diagnosis, which were some of the darkest days of my life.
But, ‘become an outlier’ stuck with me.
What does it mean to be an outlier? In my cancer terms, it’s living beyond 5 years.
F that shit. I’m going for 60. The ultimate outlier.
I’m going to build Uncharted Spirits. I’m going to build Teaquila Farm. I’m going to surf Mavericks...
...and I’m fixing everything around me to give me that chance.
Within days of diagnosis, I...
• Removed sugar, alcohol, carbs and moved to Keto + plant-based
• Began eliminating commitments that brought stress
• Stopped doing things I didn't enjoy & wouldn’t matter when I’m dead
• Started doing things that were authentic to me & made me feel alive
• Added high intensity workouts, breathwork, cold water therapy
• Began forgiving myself for past failures
Here’s what’s crazy: These are the actions I SHOULD have been taking before the diagnosis.
I always wanted to surf Mavericks, but looking back that was so laughable because I would still eat a bag of peanut butter covered pretzels in a day, have 1-2 cocktails every other night or two, crush some pizza and beers on the weekend, and wouldn’t workout with the intensity I needed to surf a wave like Mavericks. Mind you, I was still pretty good / healthy / fit...but was not operating in outlier mentality.
And it’s not just Mavericks. There are so many things I wanted, but was not willing to be an outlier on.
I was lying to myself the entire time. Oofta.
Now, I’m forced to be an outlier, or I’m done.
It doesn’t mean I’m a lock to achieve my 60 year outlier goal, but now I understand what it takes and I’m committed...
...before it’s too late.
On Tuesday this week, I received my follow up brain MRI results. While the medicine plays a big role, there’s no doubt that my commitment to becoming an outlier influenced the results...
...a 50% size reduction to the 30 tumors / lesions in my brain. In just 6 weeks.
To which the Oncologist responded, ‘Wow, that’s quick’ (still a loooong way to go).
All because I finally decided (forced?) to become an outlier AND started working towards it.
Stop waiting to be outlier with the things you’re doing...otherwise, it’ll be too late.

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Your Thoughts, Feedback, and Involvement

As you can tell, this is new for me and I’m just trying to get this out there and see what’s helpful. You signed up for some reason, but I don’t know what exactly. I don’t want to waste your time and I want to be helpful. Right now, this feels like the best way for me to give back in some way with whatever time I have left.

Here’s my ask to you today...

Can you respond to this email and let me know what prompted you to sign up and hope to see more of?

Is it the project updates? Is it more of the ‘how’ to do something? Is it my writing on how I’m approaching my situation and the rest of life?

Please let me know.

Have Ideas. Do Them.

🏄‍♂️

Chad