One morning, my nine-year-old son and I walked the River Trail in Smith Rock State Park to spend the morning climbing with a guide. As we turned from the River Trail onto the short approach trail to the Monument Area, he was happily walking right behind me. Same hat, same black sunglasses tipped up on the brim. Same smirky, confident, this-is-going-to-be-great expression.

I took a selfie of us mid-walk. The caption wrote itself: On Approach to The Monument Area.

Looking at that picture later, I felt it at my center. The most alive moments in life are the ones where we're willing to show up the way he does. Excited and a little scared. Ready to do hard things for the first time. And when things get hard, take a breath, and go again. Present, curious, and on approach with someone alongside who is there entirely in support of you.

That image is why this blog is called On Approach. And that boy, Hudson, who connects me to a childlike center of wonder every single day without knowing it, is a big part of why it exists at all.

At the core, these writings are about leadership excellence. The kind that goes values and beliefs deep, into the parts of life most leaders keep off the professional list.

Other times it's practices and thoughts from the trail that serve both leadership and life. They "do the both." And every now and then, it's something that amounts to "and that's my blab." A thought that wanted out, bringing a little humanity or levity to the day. A little Humanevity.

The energy behind these writings flows from a well of love that is deeper than anything else I've known professionally. This craft grew from those same depths, long before Trailyst was founded. It took root in a love of exploration, deep curiosity, and a genuine desire to help people grasp complex, sometimes scary concepts in ways that are bundled, bite-sized, and designed to stick.

This is a little glimpse inside.

Welcome to the approach. Glad you're here, my friend.

Peace be with you.

— Justin