As someone who spends most of my time immersed in nature here in Hawaii, I’ve made it my life’s mission to stay connected to my primal roots. While modern life often separates men from our raw, adventurous spirit, I’ve discovered ways to tap back into the wild nature below the surface.

In this blog post, I’ll explore the concept of our primal nature — what it means, why it fades as we age, and how to rekindle that fire.

What It Means to Tap Into Your Primal Side

As boys, the world is our playground. It seems full of questions waiting to be answered and mysterious places to discover and explore. It’s in our nature to run, jump, play, and unlock the secrets that call us.

But as we become men, we lose our natural curiosity and desire to explore. The world often becomes more like a jail cell than the playground of our youth. I remember those days of adventure and discovery as a boy, and I’ve made it my mission to keep that magic alive as a man.

Tapping into your primal nature means returning to the most basic, wild, and free parts of yourself. It’s about unleashing the raw instincts that are coded into you as a human being.

What Being Primal Means to Me

For me, tapping into my primal side means getting out into nature, doing rugged outdoor activities, and pushing my body to its limits. Activities like spearfishing, bow hunting, dirt biking, and backcountry expeditions allow me to connect with my inner caveman.

When I’m out there battling the elements, my senses become heightened. I experience life more vividly. It’s like every cell in my body is electrically charged and firing on all cylinders. I feel strong, gritty, and fully alive.

Growing up in the civilized world, we’re taught to temper our primal urges and conform to society’s structures. We learn impulse control and adopt socially acceptable behaviors.

While those skills are valuable, we often overcorrect and become overly domesticated. We trade freedom for comfort, adventure for safety, and wildness for predictability.

I lost touch with my primal side as I transitioned into adulthood. The responsibilities and routines made me feel tamer. My world shrank, and life became less vibrant.

Here’s how I corrected that.

How to Tap Into Your Primal Nature

Here’s how I connect with the wild disposition of my youth:

• Spend more time in nature. Get out into the mountains, forests, and oceans. Immerse yourself in the elements. Nature has a way of unleashing your primal self.
• Take up intense, adrenaline-fueled hobbies. For me, these hobbies are spearfishing, dirt biking, and big-wave surfing. They demand total focus and awareness.
• Learn new survival skills. I’m teaching myself how to make fire without matches, build shelters, track animals, and identify edible plants. These skills put you in touch with your inner caveman.
• Push your body. Lift heavy weights. Do intense interval training. I’ve regained primal intensity in my fitness pursuits. I train like I’m trying to survive.
• Travel often and be spontaneous. Don’t overplan. Embrace the unknown. Let your curiosity guide you into unfamiliar experiences and places.
• Socialize with others who have that primal spirit. Find a community that values adventure, grit, and competitiveness. Their energy will rub off on you.
• Listen to your body’s innate signals. Eat, sleep, and recover in a way that makes you feel strong and energized. Don’t ignore your primal body’s messages.

How Primal Living Instills Confidence and Vitality

Pushing my limits in survival situations has shown me what I’m really capable of. My adventures have instilled grit, resilience, and mental toughness.

Now, I approach everyday life with a warrior’s mindset. Obstacles that terrified me in the past now seem small compared to the challenges I’ve conquered in the wilderness.

Overall, embracing my primal nature has filled me up as a man. It lights a fire inside me, making me feel focused and fully charged.

I strive to be the best version of myself — to live life fully and be ready for anything. Whether it’s bow hunting, knife making, or facing unexpected challenges in life, I want to be prepared.

By constantly testing myself, I’ve inoculated myself against stress and gained the skills needed to handle difficult situations. My goal is to be ready for any adventure or adversity that comes my way.

A Note on Danger

I don’t give too much thought to injury, but death gives me pause now that I’m a father.

I’ve always been able to endure pain and believed I could heal from anything. But having a child rely on me has made me consider the consequences of death a bit more seriously.

I can’t just think about myself anymore, but I still believe that calculated risks make life richer, and I try not to let fear hold me back. A little adrenaline keeps me razor-sharp.

For example, I’ve had some close calls, like motorcycle wrecks and shark run-ins. In those moments, my senses become hyper-attuned through adrenaline. Time slows. And although I don’t dwell on past risks, these experiences have sharpened my instincts and built my confidence.

By facing death, I’ve learned to live more fully.

Frequent risks alter our perceptions. When you repeatedly face a risk, you stop seeing it as a threat. For example, driving a car daily numbs us to the dangers of the road; however, placing a new driver on a highway elicits a vastly different response.

In that way, primal living is about reframing familiar risks as the thrilling challenges they really are.

How I’m Motivating Others — And How You Can Be Next

Some of my best experiences came from friends pushing me into uncomfortable situations. Now, I try to pay that forward.

While raising my daughter is my top priority, I’ve realized I’m driven to push others out of their comfort zones. By teaching survival skills or guiding someone toward exciting new hobbies, I can share the grit and passion that adventure ignites.

We each have a primal fire meant to be stoked. I want to help men let their inner flame burn bright again.

By transparently pursuing what excites me and documenting the journey on social media, I’ve motivated others to seek adventure and self-improvement. My passion seems contagious. I’m always here for anyone looking to break free from their routine. Just reach out.

A Final Note

I’d encourage every man to find ways to unleash his inner beast.

We’re meant to harness and express our primal energy, not just pacify it. Start with small steps like spending more time outdoors, training more intensely, and learning survival skills. Build up to bigger challenges, like intense expeditions in nature. However you do it, let that inner caveman roar. It’ll change your life for the better.

It’s human nature to choose the route of least resistance. But comfort and predictability lead to a dull life. I’ve found that confronting fears and chasing curiosity, while difficult, make me feel truly alive.

The same primal spirit in me as a boy still longs for challenge and discovery. And I encourage every man to explore the unexplored — within himself and out in the world. Rewards await.