Cody Alt | March 6, 2025
Lessons from Big Sky Country
I grew up in a tiny Montana town with just 30 people. The wide-open landscape gave me both freedom and uncertainty. Many of us share that uncertainty in life.
We get stuck in looping thoughts. We feel unsure about our path and reach for any chance that seems to matter. I've seen friends chase online business ideas. Some move to new cities to find connection.
Others fall into routines that slowly drain their spirit. When nothing seems to work, it's tempting to accept that maybe an ordinary life is all we're meant for.
I stood at the edge of my dad's land, gazing at the mountains. They look inviting yet intimidating at the time. Big decisions in life can be tricky. We want to explore new paths, but it’s often unclear which way to go.
Sometimes, it feels easier to stay put, even if we’re not happy there. Unfortunately, this is the path that everybody falls into. Because it's comfortable.
Why We Get Stuck
In Montana, we understand adaptation. Our winters demand it. Yet somehow, we forget this wisdom when navigating life's paths.
As kids, we were fearless. We climbed trees, built forts, and followed creeks. We also ate some berries we probably shouldn’t have.
I came home with scratches and stories. Each mini-adventure taught me valuable things. Somewhere along the way, many of us learned to stick to established paths instead of creating our own.
The education system trained us to become specialists, to pick one narrow path and stick to it. "Go to college if you want to be successful." Bullshit.
You can either be a rancher or learn to run equipment. You can drive semis or pick up another skill. However, there aren't a lot of options where I come from. That's all that is available.
There's nobody running ECOM brands where I come from.
This limits our natural ability to adapt and create in various aspects of life.
I had a high school counselor who thought I would be a failure because I sucked at school. To this day, I have never hated anything more than sitting in a classroom.
Fast forward, I'm by far the most successful business person that's ever come out of the town and it's not even close.
I realized that many of us get pushed into narrow paths. We should be encouraged to explore all our abilities instead.
Discovering What Matters
In Montana, everyone knows where the mountains are. They were our compass. In life, our mistakes serve the same purpose, showing us which way not to go.
You'll never have perfect clarity about what you want. Life changes all the time. What you want today will shift tomorrow. But you can gain clarity about what you don't want, and that knowledge is more valuable than any map.
When I left my small town, I wasn’t sure what I wanted. I just knew I needed something different. Each step I took taught me something, even when that something was "never again."
I tried working sales jobs. I drove dump trucks. I worked in the oil-fields. I lived in small towns my entire life. I needed more resources. More motivation.
These jobs weren't failures; they were guideposts. They were just as valuable as discovering what I actually enjoyed.
I found out pretty quick I was a shitty employee.
The local diner in my hometown had a sign: "Not all who wander are lost." I think about that a lot.
What seems like confusion to others is often you discovering your path, step by step.
Finding Your Own Trail
In Montana, we don't sugarcoat tough situations. A blizzard is a blizzard, and pretending it's a little flurry won't keep you warm.
Take an honest look at where you are now. What parts of your life feel like a freezing cold February morning that you dread facing?
Write them down without mercy.
This isn't negativity—it's clarity.
How many times do you hear people complain about their jobs they hate, things they despise doing? People often avoid change until they face tough situations, like an injury or pressure from a partner.
Don't wait for your own version of misery to acknowledge what isn't working.
When spring comes to Montana after a long winter, you really appreciate it. You know what you’re leaving behind.
Golf and sundresses, am I right, fellas? ha
The same goes for creating a better life. The gap between what you dislike and what you desire, fuels change.
Give Yourself a Season of Change
Understand life seasons. Nothing transforms overnight, but given three months, winter always yields to spring.
Give yourself a full season—three months—to try something new. It might be learning a skill, starting a simple business, or exploring a different community.
Your first tries won't be perfect. Just like spring shoots, they may not look great. But they are an important start.
Start with small steps: "I think I'll try photography." "Maybe I'll learn about investing." These aren't commitments to a lifetime career—they're seeds planted to see what might grow.
Self-educating is so important. Most people quit learning after high school and never acquire any new skills. Which is part of the reason why their stuck in the same place for decades.
Consistency matters more than intensity. In farming, daily attention to crops yields better results than occasional frantic effort. The same applies to building a new direction in life.
Learn from the Land
Montana taught me that some of the best decisions look foolish to others. The rancher who plants a different crop when everyone else is sticking to tradition. The person who builds a house where others see only emptiness.
Taking calculated risks creates growth.
Room to Grow: Just as our open spaces let you breathe, pushing your limits helps your mind grow. I've seen people change when they allow themselves to want more than what they have.
Urgency Creates Action: When winter's coming, you don't delay chopping wood. My friend's uncle decided to build his house himself despite having no experience. "Having no roof overhead is fucking motivating," he told me. He learned faster than anyone expected.
Nothing worth having in life is easy. If success was simple, everybody would have it.
Moving Forward
Face your truth: Be honest about what isn't working in your life. Like checking a map to see where you actually are, not where you wish you were.
Take the first step: Make one decision that pushes you in a new direction. It doesn't have to be dramatic—just authentic.
Learn like your life depends on it: Because in many ways, it does. Every skill you acquire opens doors you couldn't see before.
In Montana, we know there's rarely one perfect trail to the summit. But the joy comes from finding your own way through the landscape.
Use the mountains and stars as guides. Choose your own path through the learning and failing. Your life's journey deserves that same freedom of exploration.
As we say back home, "The view changes for the person who climbs." Whatever mountain you're facing, take that first step up.
The perspective from even a little higher will show you possibilities you can't see from where you're standing right now.
That's it for this week,
Keep believing.
Your Montana Friend,
Cody
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Have a positive week,
Cody
