It’s a quiet Friday evening in southern Ohio.
The air is still, the light is soft, and the edge of the field glows gold in the setting sun.

I’m sitting in a white lawn chair — a beer at my side, a bow across my lap. No tree stand. No camouflage. No scent blocker. Just me, the open field, and the hum of the evening around me.

Anyone who knows hunting would tell you: my chances aren’t great.
And they’d be right.

PREPARATION AND PERSPECTIVE

I haven’t done the recon work this season — no scouting, no checking trail cameras, no studying deer movement. Even though I grew up on this land — 200 acres of fields, ridges, and woods I know by heart — I don’t really know what’s happening out here right now.

But that realization didn’t frustrate me — because I knew my goal and intention weren’t to harvest a deer.

This evening was about carving out time and space for myself.
It was about quiet. About slowing down long enough to breathe. About finding some peace away from the everyday demands and routine schedules that can so easily leave me feeling busy and burdened.

Sure, I’m not the guy high in a tree stand with perfect wind direction, layered camo, and a logbook of sightings. But I’m also not sitting at home on the couch. I’m here — in the quiet, paying attention, open to whatever the evening brings.

And that alone increases my odds.

It’s not perfect, but it’s something.
And something beats nothing every time.

LEADERSHIP WORKS THE SAME WAY

We do this in leadership all the time.

We want breakthrough results — a stronger team, a healthier culture, better communication — but we show up like hunters in a white lawn chair, hoping results will just wander into view.

We haven’t done the preparation: the self-reflection, the development work, the investment in our people. We haven’t considered the environment, our tone, or how our presence affects others.

And yet, we expect to hit the target.

The truth is, intentional preparation matters. It increases our odds of success. But so does presence.

You can’t lead well if you’re not willing to show up — to be seen, to engage, to step into the field.
Even imperfectly.

THE POWER OF SHOWING UP

In leadership — as in hunting — you can’t control the outcomes. You can only control your inputs: your effort, your mindset, your preparation, and your presence.

Some days you’ll have the strategy dialed in.
Other days, all you’ll have is the courage to show up.

And sometimes, that’s enough. Because showing up changes you. It softens the noise, sharpens your attention, and reconnects you to what matters.

FINDING PEACE IN THE PROCESS

This past weekend, I came back out again — early mornings, both days. I woke before dawn, poured some coffee, and walked quietly into the woods while the world was still asleep.

I wasn’t chasing a deer. That wasn’t the point.

It was about time with myself.
Time with God.
Time with my thoughts.

It was about peace — the kind that only comes when you step out of the noise and into stillness.

And to be honest, I’ve needed that.

I’m over a year out from finalizing my divorce.
I’m raising three young kids.
I’m running a solo business and planning how to protect this family farm for the next generation.

There’s a lot of motion in my world right now — a lot of noise, decisions, and responsibility. But the stillness out here helps me remember who I am beneath all of that.

It’s humbling. It’s grounding. It’s healing.

And it reminds me that leadership — just like hunting — is deeply spiritual work. It’s not just about outcomes; it’s about alignment. It’s about showing up in a way that reconnects you to your purpose, your people, and your peace.

A CHALLENGE FOR YOU

So here’s the question:

What kind of leader do you want to be?
What kind of effort — or presence — does that require?
What’s one small, intentional step you could take this week to move closer to that version of yourself?

Maybe it’s preparing more.
Maybe it’s pausing more.
Maybe it’s both.

Because the deer might not show tonight or tomorrow — but your chances of seeing something meaningful go up every time you step into the field.

Here’s to showing up, slowing down, and leading with intention.

Happy hunting.