Dirtbag Rich

Brendan Leonard is a 45-year-old writer, illustrator, ultramarathon runner, new father, and former dirtbag who makes a living by sharing his love for the outdoors. (semi-rad.com / @semi_rad) After spending many years focused on running, climbing, skiing, cycling, hiking, and traveling, Brendan Leonard has settled down in Montana with his wife and young son. He explains the original meaning of the word "dirtbag," what his own dirtbag phase looked like, and how he cobbled together a multifaceted creative career in which he essentially gets paid to "go out, do interesting things, come back, and write about them." We discuss the nuances of making money from your hobbies, why Brendan tells stories of everyday adventure rather than epic expeditions, and his favorite way to measure his impact. He explains how having a child changed his life in deeply meaningful and entirely predictable ways, where exactly his money comes from, and how he and his wife (also a freelancer) managed to buy a house in a cute university town in Montana without family assistance. Brendan concludes by defining the core ethos of dirtbagging: enjoying the freedom to wake up each day and decide what you're going to do with your day—and by extension, your life. I highly recommend Brendan's most recent book, "Ultrasomething," and his "Friday Inspiration" newsletter. Full transcript: dirtbagrich.com/brendan

Brittany Goris is a 31-year-old nomad who lives in her van, works 15 hours a week doing graphic design, and spends the rest of her time as a professional rock climber. (brittanygoris.com / @gorisb) We discuss what Brittany learned from witnessing bankruptcy as a child, the guilt she feels when eating at restaurants, how her life truly began when she moved into her car, and the deep sense of belonging she feels among like-minded misfits in the climbing world. Much like me, Brittany feels listless whenever she stays in one place longer than three months; then she moves, and everything gets better. As a child, Brittany's dad nudged her toward a more high-achievement path, while her mom was an artistic dreamer—a combination she believes led to her ability to simultaneously manage money and live a passion-centered life. While Brittany has plenty of savings and pays her own way as an adult, she also acknowledges that her family safety net (which would provide a place to stay if she ever gets sick or injured) enables her lifestyle. Brittany observes how difficult it can be to sustain the dirtbag climber lifestyle over the long haul. Whether you’re a high-paid tech worker or a low-paid seasonal worker, stress and burnout are real threats, and maintaining romantic relationships is challenging. In the past, Brittany worried about whether she’d have a good social life on the road and if she could survive a vehicle breakdown in the middle of nowhere. Now, she doesn’t worry about either. Beyond her fully remote graphic design work, Brittany earns a little money from climbing sponsorships, public speaking, teaching climbing clinics, and working at a rock gym. Full transcript: dirtbagrich.com/brittany

What's this podcast about? What's a dirtbag, and what does it mean to be dirtbag rich? Who will you hear from, and what will we discuss? And if you followed me here from the alternative education world—what's the connection? So many questions, and so many answers. Welcome to Dirtbag Rich. Video & transcript: dirtbagrich.com/intro