What It Really Means to Be Ready

Hey Team!

It’s a special week across North America. We’re celebrating Canada Day today, and in just a few days, the U.S. lights up for the Fourth of July. Wherever you find yourself, I hope you’re surrounded by good people… and doing something that fills your bucket.

For me, I’m back home in Tofino. And today, I’m taking on something I’ve never done before: a 4-hour hike up Lone Cone Trail with new friends. Holidays like these are the perfect chance to break up routine and challenge yourself in unfamiliar ways.

This edition is a little different. I’m focusing on one thing only: the mental edge. Because last week, I had a conversation—and a connection—that hasn’t left me since.

The Mental Edge

Last week, someone walked into my life that I didn’t expect. And with Independence Day around the corner, it feels like the perfect time to share what I learned from my new friend former Navy SEAL Ray “Cash” Care.

Ray and I met at the Return To Self retreat. From the jump, there was a charge between us. Different backgrounds, different countries, but we clicked instantly around one shared language: doing hard things.

What caught me off guard was how Ray approached me. He’d done his homework on me. Knew what I stood for. And from that point on, it felt like I had a brother in the room. One who wasn’t going to let me off easy. The banter was real—locker-room-style jabs, pushing limits, poking fun at my Canadian roots. But underneath it all, a deep respect. We became counterparts. Teammates.

It goes without saying: Navy SEAL selection is one of the most mentally, physically, and emotionally grueling processes out there. Only the best make it through. As someone obsessed with elite mindsets, I was interested to understand what made Ray tick. What made him elite of the elite.

Of course, I asked the question I had to ask: What does it mean to be ready?

Ray’s answer was simple, but it’s still ringing in my head:

It wasn’t just what he said. It was how he carried himself. On our urban hike, Ray led without trying. He didn’t dominate the space—he shaped it. People listened. Leaned in. He had presence.

At one point, Michael Chernow turned to him and asked, “Do you think Matty could survive your hell week?”
There were laughs. But I’ll tell you, just being in the running meant something.

What stuck with me most was this:

Ray’s no longer active duty. But the mission hasn’t stopped. He’s a husband, father, mentor. He’s still building elite teams. Still chasing the next evolution of himself. And on August 16, he’ll be in New York City, taking on the SEAL Swim, a grueling, open-water endurance event uniting SEALs from across the country.

That’s who he is. Not because cameras are rolling. Because he’s watching. And that’s enough.

Quick Reminders Before You Start:

Inspired by Ray’s commitment to country, freedom, and leading from the front? Here’s a way to support his fundraising initiative for the SEAL Swim on August 16.

And if you want a glimpse of our time together, here’s a short clip of Ray and I rucking through the upstate New York countryside (second photo).

As always, grateful to have you here—on the start line.
This week, ask yourself: Where in your life do you need to lead yourself first?

Catch you on the Start Line,
— Matty