A Simple Life

I’ve been at TierraMitica for nine years now. In that time, I’ve experienced many changes within myself and learned countless lessons. But if I had to choose the most impactful one, it would be this:

This story takes me back a few years, to a time when Leanne and I were together. I had just finished building our house. From digging the first column hole to the final paint touch-ups, I built that house with my own two hands. I was incredibly proud of myself, energized, and ready to tackle anything. But, as often happened after accomplishing something great, once the house was complete, I let myself spiral downward. I spoke to the community and declared that I wanted a simple life—no responsibilities, no ambitions. I just wanted to care for my garden, have a baby, and take it easy. Leanne joined me in this decision. She stepped down from her role as a Mythic Voyage assistant, and the two of us embarked on a “simple life.” We didn’t know it then, but this was the beginning of our downfall.

There’s something seductive about the idea of living simply. Before making that choice, I imagined myself working on the house, doing small finishing touches, and tending to the garden. The thought felt good, comforting even. But reality didn’t align with my imagination. What actually happened was that I stopped making myself proud. Although I continued working in the community, my heart wasn’t in it anymore. I resented not having enough time to work on my house, yet when I had the time, I wasn’t productive. By choosing the “simple life,” I had turned off my drive, ambition, and power. Everything felt like it was dragging. I was stuck, like being in a swamp where even the smallest tasks seemed to take forever.

And then there was Leanne. Since neither of us was doing anything to make ourselves proud, we started fighting constantly. We both felt bad about ourselves, and it didn’t take much to ignite an argument. Something as trivial as deciding where to hang a picture could escalate into a full-blown fight. We didn’t ask the community for help, as we normally would when someone wasn’t doing well. Looking back, I realize I was ashamed of the man I’d become. I wanted to hide it. Slowly but surely, we were destroying our marriage, chipping away at it day by day.

It wasn’t until a workshop with the TierraMiticans that we finally came forward and talked about what was happening in our relationship. Leanne ended things with me, and for good reason. I had become a loser. I was half a man—with no direction, no drive, no ambition, and no voice in the community. I was just floating aimlessly, letting the days pass by.

I was faced with two choices: leave TierraMitica and stay a loser or get my act together and start living a life that made me proud. Mikis gave me a proposal: build all the furniture in Leanne’s house. “That will make you proud!” he said. I love carpentry, and it always makes me feel good and excited when I have a project going. So I got started. I put myself on a Mythic schedule. I continued working with the community during the day as usual, but after hours, it was carpentry time. I would finish at 6 p.m., head straight to woodworking, have dinner at 8 p.m. with everyone, and then dive back into my project until 1 or 2 in the morning.

I remember how good I felt, how energized I was even late into the night. I had to force myself to stop and go to bed so I wouldn’t be too tired the next day. I was flying, and it felt amazing. Two weeks into my program, you could see a completely different me. I was inspired, driven, and learning carpentry. I made countless mistakes and spent hours figuring things out, but it didn’t matter—I was having fun, and there was no stopping me. In four months, I built Leanne a beautiful wardrobe and two bedside tables. I felt incredible and was so proud of myself. About a month into my work, Mikis called me for a talk and entrusted me with the leadership of TierraMitica in his absence, as the team was hosting a workshop abroad. I suddenly had a lot on my plate, but I was doing it all.

When you’re going for life, you get things done. Before, I used to complain about not having enough time to work on my house. But it was never about time—it was my energy that held me back. Recently, I found myself in another slump, not feeling 100%. I wasn’t excited about my life. Something was missing. Once again, I was stagnating. I had no challenges ahead, and I wasn’t doing anything to make myself proud. The moment I immersed myself in a couple of carpentry projects and volunteered to host the next workshop, it clicked again. The same magic as before—and every other time in my life—came alive.

I know I am happiest when I’m doing things that challenge me—when I have to push myself and figure things out. It makes me proud of who I am. This has become a compass I use in my life these days, and it works every time. As much as my body wants to keep me comfortable and safe, I know that is not a good place to dwell. Nothing worth living for comes out of mediocrity, and no mythic man has ever chosen to take care of his garden instead of slaying the dragon. You take care of your garden on top of slaying the dragon.

These are my thoughts, and this is what I’ve lived. Until next time, a big hug to all of you. Be mythic, and slay all your dragons!