Left Field

The more elusive it seems to attach a label to someone, often times, the more winding and interesting stories that person has to tell. The less someone seeks the spotlight directly, the more I'm tempted to dig deeper, asking why? What is behind this veil is only meant for a seeker who is willing to put in the time, curiosity, and work to pull back that veil. Todays guest is not famously known...

It is no easy feat to find the balance between our professional lives and all the other things that make us who we are as individuals. Sometimes a challenge lies in deciding which traits, out of many, can win a bit of our time and attention. Sometimes we seek an activity to avoid another. Sometimes we invest in something to make us feel less like an outsider. Sometimes we follow our own talents, e...

Imagine facing your first real season as a professional runner, joining the start line and finding yourself next to an idol. Not just an idol, but your idol. Then you have to continue to race. What kind of emotional high must that be! There are so many mental factors that can simultaneously be running around in the mind of a professional athlete. You love what you do, but you undoubtedly analyze e...

What happens when life confronts you with immense risk you can't walk away from? We all know life carries two sides, yin and yang, dark and light, complementary opposites. This is the kind of confrontation you sign up for when you're on a mountain's edge, looking down its face, a moment away from letting the skis glide over the lip to descend the line. Sebastien Varlet tells us exactly what happen...

You know that person who has gone so deep integrating something into their lifestyle you just cannot separate the two any longer? It's so beautifully a part of who they are they hardly think its worth mentioning. This is the impression I got speaking to Petter Restorp about his escapades, either deep in the mountains of Chamonix or far in the hills of Sweden. In his humility, it felt as if he...

What are those few professions that feel so huge, so far away, so long term, unconnected from the reality of the child who decides to fall in love with them? I'd venture a guess that both ballet dancer and wedding dress designer rank high up there for what some consider "unrealistic." From 17 years as a professional ballet dancer, to launching a bridal design business, Lennart takes us through the...

It might feel the most common experience these days is to find yourself competing. Competing for a raise, for recognition, for praise, for a promotion, and the list goes on. But if you have an opportunity to exit that competition and enter a new one, what would you want it to look like? A competition with yourself, to become the best version of yourself, surrounded by the gorgeous French Alps and...