Keep Hammering [NQM034]

"It is the shame for man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength for which his body is capable. If you don’t finish a day and you are not beat down and exhausted, and you don’t put it all out there and empty the tank, you should feel like you cheated yourself. We are in these times where everyone wants to optimize everything, optimizing their body and health. And we get away sometimes of pushing the limits of finding what we are capable of, because if you don’t push, you don’t sacrifice, you leave potential on the table." Cameron Hanes

Cameron Hanes is one of the truest examples of hard working, blue collar self-made success. He is the owner of the Keep Hammering brand, best selling author, an Under Armor sponsered athlete, and one of the most sought after backcountry bowhunting experts in the world. His work ethic is legendary, running long distances (up to a marathon), lifting heavy weight, and shooting arrows every day, all to become the best possible hunter he can be. He does this while having had a regular 9-5 job for over 25 years.

He is an avid proponent of forging your own path and not to compare your first steps to someone else's twenty thousands. Growing up he did not have alot going for him and was lost into his college years. It wasn't until his first backcountry bow hunting trip that he found his true passion, and started following it because that is what he wanted to do. No one before him had carved a professional path in backcountry bowhunting, yet that did not deter him from reaching those levels. The fact that he has kept his regular 9-5 daytime job is just further testament to his willingness to grind and keep hammering.

His book, Endure, is a perfect read for quite literally everyone, but especially those folks that are looking to take their lives to the next level. It is an inspiring piece of literature that makes yhou question whether or not you are leaving untapped potential on the table, which is one of the most powerful realizations one can have.

Cameron Hanes has been on a number of podcasts, including the Jocko Willink and Joe Rogan podcasts. A few highlights below.

On getting started: You have to get out there. Just like in hunting, you are never going to kill anything from your couch. Get out there and anything can happen, but you have to get out there, and take that first step. Even with running, people don’t know where to start. Start by getting out of the house, closing the door, and simply getting started. And then you build on that. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, it doesn’t have to be a marathon or an ultra-marathon, it can just be a walk around the block. That is where everyone starts. Just the consistent effort will lead you to go one more, and then who knows how far you can go. Too often we compare our first step to someone else’s 20th thousand. Comparison is the thief of joy.

On consistency: Its seven days a week and never being satisfied . I love being exhausted and knowing I have nothing more to give, and that is consistency. I don’t have those nagging what if’s, I know I cant do any more. This journey you can’t shortcut. You have to taste both the successes and the failures. People want to get to the top without ever being at the bottom. The journey is what makes it special.

On what makes the mountains so humbling: There are other things that provide feedback, like terrain. The backcountry is an equalizer. As technology increases and develops, we are minimiznig and eliminating things that equalize us. Money allows you to buy more things, nicer clothes allow you to stand out etc. But in the mountains, that equals you to your most raw form of are you fit, are you strong, are you weak mentally or physically. I saw a lot of people that were better than me in all regards, quit in the mountains. THe expanse of the mountains is a heavy weight to bear.

Enjoying the journey: This journey is a long one, and how you expereince it is key. Finding ways to suffer builds the equalizer. Not everyone can go in the backcountry and go test themselves. When I think about ultramarathons, these big effort races, you see people in all this gear, and some people in just an old pair of shoes and a pack. You show up to that race, and there is no equalizer. Your wealth or status can make you look a certain way when you show up, but once you are 80 miles into a 100mile race, everyone looks like dogshit, and your gear doesn’t matter so much anymore.

Look for opportunities to suffer: Looking for the moments of suffering can break you down to your most raw form and foundation. A lot of people will never reach that because they don’t put themselves in these situations. No one will ever care as much about your goals as you do. People from the outside looking in will constatnly question why you do the things that you do. I got critizied a lot

On testing your limits: It is the shame for man to grow old without seeing the beauty and strength for which his body is capable. If you don’t finish a day and you are not beat down and exhausted, and you don’t put it all out there and empty the tank, you should feel like you cheated yourself. We are in these times where everyone wants to optimize everything, optimizing their body and health. And we get away sometimes of pushing the limits of finding what we are capable of, because if you don’t push, you don’t sacrifice, you leave potential on the table.

On balancing optimization: People talk about over training. Other than professional athletes, I don’t know anyone who truly overtrains. I see these people and they are worried about getting all their sleep while they are barely pushing 30% of their potential. Start giving a 100%, then you can start worrying about rest. I get the recovery and sleep, but I think people get too wrapped up in all this optimization while they are not taking full advantage of their potential.

On doubt: Doubt is only dangerous when you start doubting yourself. When I got started, everyone doubted me. But when you believe, I can do whatever I can do, you have the confidence to put yourself out there and fail, and take a risk.