Would you pay $8,000 to chase your dream TODAY?! I did... And I'd do it again...

This is (WAS) my truck. Pretty, isn’t it?

But here’s the thing—this truck was the only thing standing between me and the next chapter of my evolution as a creative and artist.

Let me explain.

I’ve been performing professionally since I was 19 years old. And for more than two decades, I made my living onstage. It’s been a blast, I’ve seen the world. There was one year where we visited 32 countries and 24 states, all in one year! Another year I was on the road 283 days. Corporate events, colleges, cruises, military tours, the works. It’s been an incredible adventure, and I’m far from done under the spotlight.

But there’s been a second calling, one that’s been whispering in my ear just as long as entertainment has: writing. I wrote my first story in 1995. I’ve been writing down meaningful moments ever since, all with the thought that maybe one day I’d publish a book. Well, a few years ago, I did. Stories That Move—my first book. Proof to myself that I could do it, that publishing wasn’t just a dream, but a reality.

That’s when the question hit me: Do I want to keep focusing on the stage? Or do I want to turn the page and step into this new chapter—as an author, coach, and storyteller?

As wonderful as entertainment has been, there comes a time when you don’t want to be on the road all the time anymore. I’ve had my share of airports and hotels, and I’ll always love performing, but more and more I’m drawn toward helping others chase their own dreams, so they can see the world. I’ll still have adventures, of course, but my curiosity is shifting.

And deep down, another question was gnawing at me: Can I do it again?

I’ve already had the impossible run. I’ve already done more than I ever could’ve dreamed. Is it selfish to want another shot? To try to climb a second mountain in a completely different medium? Maybe. But here I am anyway—daring to dream again, daring to reinvent myself, daring to hope that this second run could be just as profound, maybe even more so, than the first.

So I sat down and looked at my finances. And there it was: I was only $1,000 a month shy of being able to focus completely on writing. Just $1,000 a month stood between me and throwing myself fully into this new adventure.

But where was I going to find it? Every way I thought of to earn that extra thousand would take time—time I wanted to spend writing. And what I really wanted wasn’t more money. It was more time.

So instead of asking, How do I earn more? I asked, Where can I cut back?

Out came the pad and paper. I mapped out my expenses. And at the top of the list was the answer: My Truck.

$650 a month for the payment. $150 for insurance. Fuel, maintenance, all the rest. There was my $1,000.

But how in the world was I going to get rid of it?

That's when a plan began to form in my mind.

I drove back to the dealership—the same one where I bought it 18 months earlier. By pure chance, I even found the same sales rep. She wasn’t thrilled about my idea, but after some back-and-forth, she talked to the owner. And they agreed to buy the truck back—for $8,000.

I know what you’re thinking: You paid the dealership $8,000 to take your truck back? Are you insane?

Maybe. But here’s the math. I would’ve paid that $8,000 anyway—over the next 13 months in loan payments. This way, I made those payments up front. And instead of being chained to four more years of debt, four more years of bleeding $1,000 a month, I was free to redirect my energy toward writing today.

Most people would’ve called it financial suicide. I called it liberation.

Without a second thought, I handed them the $8,000, turned in the keys, and left the truck behind. A friend picked me up, we had lunch (on me), and then he dropped me off at a motorcycle dealership. A couple of hours later, I rolled out with a nearly new bike—150 miles on it, and a payment of just $151 a month.

When you add in insurance and maintenance, my transportation costs dropped from $1,000 a month to about $250. The sacrifice of the truck became the freedom to chase my new dream full-time.

And it ONLY cost me $8000 to do it!

That’s the thing about chasing dreams: it always costs something. Comfort, stability, security—whatever it is, you’ve got to give something up. And the pain of that sacrifice is often why people don’t take the leap. It’s easier to push the dream off until tomorrow.

But here’s the truth: you can’t chase your dream tomorrow. You can’t even chase it one year from now. You have to start today. Because the time it takes to get good, the time it takes to build something sustainable, it’s longer than you think. And time is the one thing you don’t get back.

Now, maybe you’re not going to hand $8,000 to a dealership and give up your vehicle. I don’t expect you to. But I do hope my story makes you pause and ask yourself: What’s standing between me and my dream? What can I let go of to free myself?

You might think my methods radical, but so is the belief that you can take something you love and turn it into your life’s work.

Most people only talk about it.

Very few actually do it.

If you want to be one of those few, then start today.

Not tomorrow.

Not next year.

Today.

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Oh, and if you're wondering how effective this strategy has been, check this out:

Since making this change, I've published my second book, Embracing The Flame

I've also completed the entire rough drafts for books Three and Four, a total of 236,000 words. Book 3 is now entering the final phases of the second draft, and should be published before the end of this year (2025). I'm hoping to have book four finished before the end of summer next year 2026.

I've also outlined five additional book projects, each of which is sitting somewhere between 24,000 and 97,000 words each.

I'd call that a successful strategy...

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