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Sooner or Later, You're Gonna Need a Knee Brace
A tumble on the kickball field, a borrowed knee brace, and a reminder that none of us really have it figured out.
Clay Garrett
September 18th, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 7 minutes
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Hey—it’s Clay.
Middle age has a way of humbling you. One minute you think you’ve still got the “jets,” the next you’re face down in the dirt, borrowing your wife’s knee brace.
This week’s Kindling is about embracing the limits that come with age, remembering that nobody really knows what they’re doing (and that’s okay), and why waiting for Monday isn’t the answer. I’ll also share a few takeaways from Laird Hamilton’s Liferider, because if anyone knows about facing fear and staying resilient, it’s the guy surfing 70-foot waves.
Sooner or Later, You’re Gonna Need a Knee Brace
Another installment of the series: Things I’ve Learned in the First Quarter of Middle Age (That I Probably Should’ve Already Known).
For the last three years, I’ve played in a charity kickball tournament with some friends. It’s always a good time… until last year.
I was rounding first base, heading for second, when I spotted the shortstop playing deep, ready to field the ball. In my head, I thought, time to turn on the jets. The problem was, my jets don’t exactly fire like they used to.
It’s kickball… what could go wrong?
Instead of gliding into second, I went tumbling head over heels, landing flat on my back and rolling the rest of the way to the base where the shortstop was already waiting with the ball. Not exactly my proudest athletic moment.
The next day, I could barely walk. My knee hurt so badly I had to borrow my wife’s knee brace. I figured I’d wear it for a few days. Then a week. Okay, maybe two weeks. Finally, I gave up and bought my own.
For the next nine months, I regularly sported that knee brace until finally, my knee healed. These days I don’t wear it all the time, but it’s still tucked away in a drawer—because sooner or later, you’re going to need a knee brace.
What I’m Reading
Liferider by Laird Hamilton
I just finished Liferider by Laird Hamilton. You probably know Hamilton as the guy who surfs 70-foot waves, but the book is less about surfing and more about how to approach life when the ocean (or the world) is unpredictable.
Fear is not your enemy—it’s your compass.
What stuck with me is how he treats fear. He doesn’t deny it or try to erase it—he uses it as fuel. That mindset translates far beyond the ocean: when you stop waiting for fear to disappear, you realize you’re already equipped to move forward.
It’s not a “surfing book” so much as a guide to living with more courage, resilience, and presence. Worth the read, even if you’ve never touched a surfboard.
→ Check it out on Amazon
Affiliate link—see disclosure below.
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Quote of the Week
The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.
Mondays don’t hold the magic we like to assign them. Neither do New Year’s resolutions nor the first of the month. Change starts the moment you decide to stop hitting snooze, literally and figuratively. Valéry’s reminder is simple: your dreams don’t need a calendar date; they need you to get up and move toward them today.
Remember This
Despite most people’s best efforts to hide it, everyone is just figuring things out as they go—and that’s okay. 🤫
For a while now, I’ve been offering Campfire Sessions—one-on-one coaching conversations built around the five pillars of Campfire Gentleman: Family, Purpose, Growth, Health, and Simplicity.
These aren’t lectures or “10x hustle” blueprints. They’re simple, practical conversations designed to help you sort out what matters, clear away the noise, and take your next step with confidence.
If you’ve been thinking, “I should do this sometime,” maybe that time is now. Pull up a chair at the fire—let’s talk.
👉 Book your Campfire Session here
Until next time—
Keep the fires burning,
— Clay
P.S. Know someone who needs this? Forward it to a friend. 🔥
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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