I've had an idea of who I am and what I wanted to do before I die for a long time, but I really haven't been doing them. I was putting everything else first. Then I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and was told, 'if the medicine doesn't work, you have about 6mos to live. If the meds do work, they may only work for 6mos...or 10 years, but average is only 2 years.' Well, that's fucking sobering. So now I'm prioritizing the things I put off before it's too late. That means I have to, first, heal and, second, figure out how to do the ideas I have always had. This newsletter will document the healing process, which includes healing diet, healing stress response, healing immune system, and healing identity... it will also document the progress on the ideas I'm doing: Uncharted Spirits, Teaquila Farm, and Mavericks training. The hope is that my sense of urgency and the 'how' in my efforts helps you, too. I just want to leave things better than I found it, regardless of how much time I have left. Have ideas. Do them. 🏄♂️
No. 8: new scan results; ‘doing the thing’ in 24hrs; a new life
No. 8: [Tl;Dr] - Scan results were good. Not a ton of progress, but no growth and anytime that happens it’s good; phase 3 of healing protocol is moving into the ‘mind body’ connection; my new life will be focused on helping others get my clarity, drive, and performance, without my disease; 24 hours until we depart for Supply Run
The sections to jump to and skim:
• Section 1: Cancer Updates
• Section 2: Have Ideas. Do Them. Updates
• Section 3: Uncharted Spirits Updates
• Section 4: Teaquila Farm Updates
• Section 5: Mavericks Training Updates
• Section 6: Your thoughts & feedback
• Section 7: Links to Posts I’ve Written
(1) Cancer
• Scan Updates: Last Monday I had my 8mo scans. The good news is, the tumors have shrunk a bit more. Not a lot, but enough. I.e, no growth. Grateful. Unfortuntately, I still don’t have a solution for ‘scanxiety’. This time it lasted from Sunday @ 12pm PT through to Tuesday at 12pm PT. That’s 3 days of debilitating anxiety with dips in depression. It’s fucking hard...
• ...But A Mental Fortitude Path Is Visible: Developing mental fortitude has been a focus since December. I used the 3mos between scans to learn more about this process. I feel much much more educated on how to install and use it. It’s now time to install it in my life. The next 3mos will be installation of the practices that will give me the mental fortitude I need. I feel grateful that my cancer is ‘paused’ to give me some time to get this in place.
• My ‘Hit By A Bus’ Is Different: People have said to me often, ‘Yeah, but you or anyone could get hit by a bus today.’ That’s a very acute death. If you ever want to know what this really like, think about getting hit by a bus...but you are outside of your body, watching yourself step into the street, in slow-mo, and it feels like you can’t do anything about it. Nothing worse than feeling like you’re watching your own death in slow mo.
• Savoring The Last Bite: A friend of Stacie’s sent her a message about life being like a bag of candy (sour patch kids for me ;)). When we’re younger we rush through the bag and when we see only 3 pieces left we all of a sudden slow down try to savor those last few pieces. So much truth to this. So how can we slow down and savor every year of life vs just the final few, especially when the question is...
• ...But Is It The 4th Quarter?: Technically, we’re all living in the 4th quarter of life, but for most of you reading this you might assume you’re in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd...whereas for me, I’m now always in the 4th, wondering how much time is on the clock. So while I want to savor the last few pieces of candy in the bag, I also want to get the time to eat it all! How do I savor the pieces AND play with the game on the line? Working on it. Will share more as I learn more.
• Phase 3 Healing: Diagnosis was phase 1, which I label ‘pull the emergency cord and see if we can survive’. Phase 2 was simply ‘stabilize & get some breathing room'. Phase 3 is ‘install final healing protocol.’ It’ll consist of final food/fitness/physical optimizations and now add in the mental / mind body connection. There’s so much science around the mind body connection that it’s my last protocol to install. You will be seeing more content around this in coming months, starting with the following steps to creating my new life...
(2) Has Ideas. Does Them.
• Speaking: I’m speaking at SaaStock Austin on June 1. The audience is founders, executives, VCs, etc in the tech space. All of them want to improve something in their lives and business. My title will simply be, ‘How To Get My Clarity, Drive, & Performance Without My Disease.’ This is already opening the door to more speaking ops around this. Will share the presentation once it’s complete.
• And Coaching: I’ve already had a handful of founders reach out about this. I feel like it’s a good sign that what I’ve been talking about / documenting is helpful to others. I’m hoping I can help others improve their performance and happiness without getting what I have. The hope is to start with the beta group in June after the speaking event and the 1/2 Ironman. If you’re interested in being a part of the beta, let me know.
(3) Uncharted Spirits Updates
• Before I Die: Supply Run Himalayas starts now. My brother, Jake, and I have been working on this concept for like 12 years. When I got diagnosed I told him, ‘I just want to live long enough to get at least ONE of these done.’ Well, I’ll at least get one done. If I continue to improve, I might get a few more, but nothing is guaranteed. This is the most authentic thing for me, which is a big part of healing.
• Sponsored: Apparently the Supply Run concept Resonated. In short order, we were able to generate a ton of gear sponsorship from some great brands, including Mountain Hardwear, Huckberry, Levels Health, Global Rescue, and Wild Planet Foods. Great experience, but more stoked on the possibilities moving forward. Plus, it gave us some legit street cred. It was too short of time frame to decide for REI, but they said, 'dang, that's a great list of brands!' Sweetness.
• Still Not Sure What This Is?: It's a TV show we’ll eventually pitch to networks. On the show, we deliver much needed supplies to remote villages around the world. This first one is in the Himalayas of northern India. Supplies include climbing ropes, solar water heaters, and a yak...yes, a yak. There’s actually a few storylines, so it’s easier to learn about it here...
• Ends Today, Push Us Over The Line?: We did a Kickstarter for this. It’s the easiest place to see wtf I’m talking about. Today is the last day to contribute. We’d love to have your contribution to help us reach the stretch goal, but I have no expectations. At the very least, take a look at the concept of the project...
Go here to see wtf this thing is: https://unchrt.com/kick
• Watch Here: If you want to watch the trip / show filming unfold, we’ll be documenting everything here...
(4) Teaquila Farm Updates
• Longevity Design: Stacie and I have landed on this theme for TF. My situation, her new job, and our collective ‘North Star’ (more on this later) has made TF so incredibly purpose-driven for us.
• Building While I’m Gone: Building TF doesn’t stop while I’m gone! She’ll be succession planting, prepping her cut flower field, and taking care of the vegetable crops. The rain in SoCal has turned TF into an incredibly green, growing space we never seen. Can’t wait to see what it looks like when I return.
(5) Training for Mavericks Updates
• Ironman Training: It’s going great, but the concern is about how much strength / endurance I’ll lose while on Supply Run. Sean, my trainer, is giving me some ‘hotel workouts’ (tent workouts? Haha) to complete while on the road. We’ll see how that goes. When I return I have ~45 days to prep for the race in Kona on June 3rd. Doing all of this for Mavericks training, which scares the shit out of me!
(6) Your Thoughts, Feedback, and Involvement
Here’s my ask of you today...
• Please look at our KS link and consider contributing. If you can’t contribute, no worries, can you share it with 3 friends you think find this project interesting?
Reminder, it ends tonight.
Here's the link again: https://unchrt.com/kick
Preciate you.
Reminder: I’m publicly documenting this journey to help others and I’m going all in. If I didn’t go all all in, I’d just handle this in private. My belief, though, is that being public will help me leave this planet a bit better than I found it.
You’re gonna die.
Have Ideas. Do Them.
🏄♂️
My LinkedIn
Uncharted Spirits Instagram
P.s....
Links to one my writings since last newsletter:
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• Dive In - March
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I'm Chad Vanags and I want you to take the ideas you've had and finally do them.
I've had an idea of who I am and what I wanted to do before I die for a long time, but I really haven't been doing them. I was putting everything else first. Then I was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and was told, 'if the medicine doesn't work, you have about 6mos to live. If the meds do work, they may only work for 6mos...or 10 years, but average is only 2 years.' Well, that's fucking sobering. So now I'm prioritizing the things I put off before it's too late. That means I have to, first, heal and, second, figure out how to do the ideas I have always had. This newsletter will document the healing process, which includes healing diet, healing stress response, healing immune system, and healing identity... it will also document the progress on the ideas I'm doing: Uncharted Spirits, Teaquila Farm, and Mavericks training. The hope is that my sense of urgency and the 'how' in my efforts helps you, too. I just want to leave things better than I found it, regardless of how much time I have left. Have ideas. Do them. 🏄♂️
No. 9 TLDR: You read that headline right, I’m realizing that cancer is healing me; we created a death plan; it’s time for me to become metabolically, athletically, and mentally elite...and I want to help top performers do the same; finishing Supply Run 1, starting SR2, need applicants; I’m very much over the Ironman training, finally back to muscle building and surfing so I can take on Mavericks. The sections: • Section 1: Cancer Updates • Section 2: Becoming Elite Updates • Section 3:...
**It’s been 3.5 months since I’ve sent this newsletter. Lot’s happening. Good and bad. Plan moving forward is to send 1x a month. My goal is to use this journey to help others in any way I can, PLUS this actually helps me heal. This one is a bit longer because of ‘catching up’. Thank you for being a part of this journey (& kudos to you if you read the entire thing haha). No. 7: [Tl;Dr] - The mental / emotional side of this is the hardest, but I’ve had some breakthroughs in recent weeks;...
No. 6: religious experiences & cancer, psychedelic experiences & cancer, 15 dudes for first Death Cafe, completing UCS bar 1, building logistics for ‘Supply Run: India’, Teaquila Farm Instagram went from 2k to 9k 11.5k 16.8k followers in 7 days. **Small format change to make it easier to skip to and skim the section you’re most interested in. Here are the sections: • Section 1: Cancer Updates • Section 2: Have Ideas. Do Them. Updates • Section 3: Uncharted Spirits Updates • Section 4:...