Brendan Leonard - Grinding It Out

Brendan Leonard is a writer and creative whose stories about adventure in wild places have built him a loyal following in the outdoor world and beyond. Whether it’s writing for his blog Semi-Rad, authoring eight books, or making films such as his recent “How to Run 100 Miles,” Brendan combines humor, introspection, and skilled storytelling in an authentic way that strikes a chord with a wide range of audiences. But as you’ll hear, Brendan’s secret ingredient to success in his creative pursuits is his ability to consistently focus in and grind out the hard work, week after week, year after year. • Brendan is an Iowa native who moved West to attend journalism school at the University of Montana. After struggling with alcohol addiction in his youth, the West’s wide-open spaces brought Brendan a much-needed change of scenery and the opportunity for a fresh start. What began as short hikes around Missoula transformed into an all-in obsession with rock climbing that eventually led to writing gigs with Outside, Men’s Journal, Alpinist, and other well-known publications. Brendan is a shining example of how persistence, hard work, and a willingness to bet on yourself can lead to a fulfilling life and career doing what you love. • We had a wide-ranging, fun, and hilarious conversation about his life and career, and we also managed to wander into a few completely unexpected topics. We chatted about Brendan’s “all-or-nothing” personality, and the challenges and rewards associated with being wired that way. We discussed his ability to focus on the process rather than the goal, and how that approach is beneficial when creating or pursuing an outdoor objective. We obviously talked about climbing, but also discussed ultramarathons, specifically his recent experience running a 103-mile race through the Colorado mountains. And as you’ve come to expect, we covered favorite books, films, and a long list of other interesting topics. • This interview was so much fun, and I really appreciate Brendan having me over to chat. I highly recommend his books "60 Meters to Anywhere" and "Make It Till You Make It", so be sure to check those out.. Also, watch his film “How To Run 100 Miles”-- I’ve watched a ton of ultrarunning films, and this one is my favorite. Check the episode notes for links to all of this and more. Hope you enjoy! ••• http://mountainandprairie.com/brendan-leonard/ ••• Topics Discussed 2:55 - How Brendan describes his work 4:00 - Growing up in Iowa 4:55 - Writing for the college newspaper 6:00 - Applying to journalism schools 7:45 - Falling in love with the outdoors in Montana 10:10 - Discovering rock climbing 12:00 - Deep thoughts on booze 15:35 - Soakers and non-soakers 18:30 - Lessons learned from endurance adventures 21:00 - Importance of process over goals 23:40 - The reality of the creative life 24:40 - Story of Semi-Rad 29:00 - The need for a grinding mentality 32:00 - Strategies for the new media landscape 33:10 - Brendan’s creative hustle 35:30 - Focusing on the art versus the bottomline 36:30 - Today’s work ethic versus five years ago 38:00 - Brendan’s daily routine 40:00 - Creating illustrations 41:35 - Other creatives that inspire Brendan 44:15 - Film inspiration 47:00 - Revisiting old work 49:00 - Dealing with reviews and online feedback 53:00 - Managing social media 55:15 - Importance of public lands and conservation 1:03:00 - Favorite books about the West 1:09:00 - Favorite films 1:12:45 - Surprising activities 1:14:30 - Most powerful outdoor experience 1:18:50 - Favorite location in the West 1:22:00 - Best piece of advice ever recieved 1:27:00 - Request of the listeners 1:29:15 - Connect with Brendan online