Most of us are great at ideas. We’re good at talking about them, polishing them, sharing them. We’re good at building plans in our heads and convincing ourselves that intention alone counts for something. We tell ourselves someday. We talk about when things line up, or when we have time. We collect motivation like gear we never quite unpack and use. But execution is different. Execution is the moment we light the fuse—the point where there’s no clean exit, no “maybe later,” no...

How the DUCK Philosophy Was Solidified in the Wake of Titan. I didn’t sit down one day and decide to invent a leadership philosophy. DUCK wasn’t born in a moment of crisis—it had been forming for years, shaped quietly by experience, preparation, and repetition. But it was in hat event that it was truly solidified. In June of 2023, while serving as Expedition Manager and Mission Director during the Titan submersible accident with OceanGate, that way of leading was tested at the highest...

It’s okay to hurt. It’s okay if you don’t have the words, or the map, or even the energy to pretend you’re fine. Pain doesn’t wait for permission. It just arrives—loud, sharp, heavy, or painfully quiet—and suddenly the world feels different than it did before....

In the mountains, base camp is more than a place. It’s a mindset. It’s the place you descend to when the weather turns, when a summit attempt falters, or when your body whispers a truth your ego doesn’t want to hear. Base camp is safety. It’s oxygen. It’s the reset point that gives you another chance on another day. In life, I think faith serves the same purpose—not just in a spiritual or religious sense, but as a deep internal compass, a...