I disappeared because I was creating content I didn't care about. Talking about things I thought I should talk about instead of what actually mattered to me.

I was following someone else's script. And in the process, I lost the best part of myself.

In today’s issue:

Here's what I realized while I was gone: The best version of me is the one most people don't understand. And that's exactly the point.

I was trying to be what I thought others wanted me to be. I was creating content that looked right. Saying things that seemed important. Following the script everyone else follows because it's easier to fit in than to stand alone.

And I became weak doing it. No real values. No compass. Just going through motions that looked disciplined on paper but felt completely hollow.

The wake-up call came when I realized I'd caged the best part of myself because it wasn't what others thought was normal. I'd traded what made me unique for what made me acceptable.

So I stopped.

I pulled that part back out. The part that doesn't care if you understand. The part that sets a standard for myself, regardless of whether it makes sense to anyone else.

And here's what I learned: You cannot build a life worth living by following someone else's standard.

Most people are living lives they don't actually want because they think that's what they're supposed to do. They're working jobs they hate because it pays the bills. They're letting their health slide because everyone else is. They're parenting the way everyone else parents because it's easier than being the weird one who says no.

And then they wonder why they feel empty. Why nothing feels meaningful. Why their kids don't respect them.

Because you cannot demand respect from others when you don't respect yourself enough to hold your own standard.

Nobody cares about your goals. Nobody's coming to save you. Nobody's going to hold you accountable except you.

It's always you vs you.

Do it tired. Do it hungry. Do it angrily. Do it happily. Just do it. For yourself. Not for approval. Not for clicks. Not because someone told you to.

Because holding yourself to something when nobody's watching is what separates you from everyone else.

This is what setting a standard actually means:

It's not about being perfect. It's not about never failing. It's about deciding what matters to you and refusing to compromise on it, even when it would be easier to quit.

It's about being physically disciplined because YOU decided your body matters, not because someone shamed you into it.

It's about being financially disciplined because YOU decided security matters, not because a guru sold you a course.

It's about being an active parent because YOU decided your kids deserve the real version of you, not the one you think everyone else wants to see.

Discipline isn't one thing. It's a system that leaks into every area of your life.

And when you hold yourself to that standard and refuse to compromise even when nobody's watching, something interesting happens.

Everyone around you either levels up or gets uncomfortable.

The people who want to improve will see what you're doing and start asking questions. The people who don't will call you crazy, obsessed, or too much.

Good. You're not for them.

I came back to find my people. People who get called weird for holding themselves to a standard most others won't. People who understand that discipline in one area means discipline everywhere. People who aren't waiting for permission or approval to become who they're supposed to be.

If that's you, you're in the right place.

Active Freedom is now The Standard.

Same mission, sharper focus. I'm not here to help you escape your life. I'm here to help you build one worth showing up for.

Here's what you can expect:

Sundays: The weekly newsletter. Whatever I'm working through that week, that's what I write about. Real shit, not content for the algorithm.

Wednesdays: Midweek check-in. A shorter piece. One observation, one hard truth, one correction. Something to recalibrate before the week gets away from you.

What I'm writing about:

Discipline as a complete system. Not just fitness. Not just mindset. Everything. How physical discipline makes you better financially. How holding yourself accountable in one area forces accountability everywhere else. How setting a standard for yourself makes everyone around you either level up or get uncomfortable.

Active parenting. Not sitting on the couch watching your kids become soft, but actually leading them. Teaching them that effort beats talent. That respect is earned. That the world doesn't care about their feelings.

Taking command of your life. Most people live in passive mode, letting life happen to them. I write about flipping that switch and making life happen on your terms.

Who this is for:

People who've been told they're too much. People who get called ‘obsessed’ or ‘crazy’ for holding themselves to standards most won't. People who are done conforming to make others comfortable.

If that's you, this is where you belong.

After the Marine Corps, I softened up. Most people couldn't handle my personality. I was too much for them. I made them uncomfortable. So I conformed.

Fuck that.

I'm done making myself smaller so that others feel comfortable. I let that happen for too long. The version of me that made people uncomfortable was the real one. The one that actually mattered.

So if my way of life makes you uncomfortable, good. That means I'm doing it right.

Remember, nobody's coming to save you. It's always you vs you.

The world is getting softer. You don't have to. Hold the line. Set the standard.