As you're well aware, Nathan Florence has been absolutely killing it in recent years.

A self-made marketing machine, controlling his own brand and media,

and churning out short and long-form content multiple times a week.

Most importantly, he's performing at the highest level of surfing on the planet in the most consequential waves.

For me, it was, I leaned into that because that to me was a strength in something I showed promise in

versus like small wave technical surfing.

Like, I just, it was just so, such a struggle and uphill battle,

and I just didn't put the time in, but I knew, like,

as soon as I did something in higher consequence,

my body reacted in a way, my instincts were faster.

I made things I didn't think I could make, and to me that was a strength,

and I was like, I'm gonna lean hard into a strength strength. It's that age old thing, like talent and hard work, and then you combine the two.

I was like, okay, this is what I'm good at.

And if I lean into this and work really hard at being good at what I already have a little advantage in,

then I might be able to become elite in it.

And so that was part of like the decision of being a big wave guy. Our good buddy Justin Jay just interviewed Nathan about all of it on his podcast, The Plug.

Nathan's episode is available right now on whatever podcast app you are listening to this in.

And you've probably seen Justin's photography work

in the past. He made an incredible coffee table book a couple years ago, a 10-year compilation

of his winters on the North Shore. It's called H-I-1K. And guess what? We're giving three of those

books away this month to highlight Justin and just to say

thanks to our loyal subscribers. So Dylan Verberg, you just won yourself a copy of H-I-1K. Thank you

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