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- It Never Feels Like Enough. But That Doesn’t Mean You’re Failing.
It Never Feels Like Enough. But That Doesn’t Mean You’re Failing.
The voice telling you to do more won’t quiet down when you hustle harder—but it will when you slow down.
Clay Garrett
December 11th, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
In partnership with
Morning — Clay here.
I’ve been noticing a pattern: no matter how much I do, it still feels like I should be doing more. And that ties directly into today’s reflection — why “not enough” is almost always a feeling, not a fact.
Let’s get into it. 🔥
It Never Feels Like Enough. But That Doesn’t Mean You’re Failing.
Let’s be honest—most days, I feel like I should be doing more.
More work.
More fun.
More patience.
More presence.
Just… more.
That voice in my head?
It’s loud.
And it loves to show up when I’m tired, overwhelmed, or just trying to hold it together.
And for years, I let it drive me.
Push harder. Stay up later. Say yes to everything.
Try to be the guy who could do it all.
But here’s the thing I’ve learned the hard way:
That voice doesn’t shut up when you hustle harder.
It quiets down when you slow down.
When you breathe.
When you put the phone down and actually look your kid in the eye.
When you stop chasing “enough” and just decide to be here.
Because what your family needs isn’t a better version of you someday.
It’s you—right now.
Not perfect. Not crushing it.
Just present.
And some days?
That’s not only enough—it’s everything.
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The 5-Minute Connection Guide
Small moments build strong relationships.
If you’ve been feeling stretched thin but still want to show up better for your wife, your kids, and your friends, this guide is for you. Inside, you’ll find simple five-minute habits and conversation starters that make connection easier—not heavier. No guilt. No overhauls. Just practical ways to be more present with the people who matter most.
A few minutes a day can change the tone of your home and the strength of your relationships. Grab the guide and start today. Keep the fires burning.
Quote of the Week
At the end of the day, the most overwhelming key to a child’s success is the positive involvement of parents.
The biggest difference-maker isn’t the stuff we sign them up for…
It’s us.
Positive involvement doesn’t mean being a superhero. It means being present enough that your kids know they matter.
And that presence—the small, ordinary moments—is what builds the foundation their whole life stands on.
In other words: put your phone down and pay attention to them.
Book Recommendation
Exit Strategy by Lee and Andrew Child
The Jack Reacher series is hands-down my favorite fiction escape. I started listening back when I was driving delivery routes after getting laid off during COVID—hours on the road with nothing but coffee, quiet highways, and Reacher’s no-nonsense approach to life. It hooked me fast.
The newest entry, Exit Strategy, opens with classic Reacher: a Baltimore coffee shop, a minor dust-up handled without breaking stride, a quick case of mistaken identity, and a handwritten plea for help slipped into his pocket.
That’s all Reacher needs.
From there, the story barrels forward with the clean pacing, sharp tension, and zero wasted motion that make this series so addictive. If you want a break from nonfiction—or just a smart, fast, deeply satisfying thriller—Exit Strategy is a great pick.
→ Check it out on Amazon
Affiliate link—see disclosure below.
Until next time—
Keep the fires burning,
— Clay
P.S. I’d rather grow Campfire Gentleman through real connections than algorithms. If something here resonated with you, forward it to one friend who might enjoy it too. That simple act helps more than you know—and keeps me off the social media hamster wheel.
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Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links in this newsletter are affiliate links. That means if you click through and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. I only share products and services I genuinely believe add value and align with the mission of Campfire Gentleman