Have you ever crushed it at work all day, walked through your front door, and realized you had nothing left for the people you love most? I’ve been there. More times than I’d like to admit. You win in business, you lose at home, and somehow you still call it success. That’s not happy hustlin’, my friend. And that’s exactly why this conversation hit me so hard.
In this episode of The Happy Hustle Podcast, I sit down with my good buddy Lucas, a guy I’ve been friends with for over five years now, ever since softball brought us together. I’ve watched Lucas show up as a father, a husband, a man of God, and an entrepreneur, and honestly, he’s one of the most grounded humans I know. We got real about the difference between a “doing” culture and a “being” culture, how to stay present with your kids when your business never sleeps, and why learning to say no might be the most underrated skill an entrepreneur can have.
Here’s a little about Lucas. He’s the founder of Entrepreneurs of Faith, an organization that hosts retreats in Montana for Christian business owners who are tired of carrying everything alone. He also runs Plant Your Flag, a raw land business he grows alongside his wife, buying land from distressed sellers and making it possible for everyday Americans to own a piece of this country with affordable monthly payments, the kind of deal most banks won’t touch. Before all that, Lucas wrestled in college, competed in MMA right alongside his wife (who’s a total badass, by the way), spent 27 months serving in the Peace Corps in Botswana, and ground it out in medical device sales. Today he’s raising four kids in Montana, homeschooling, keeping chickens and bees, and teaching his crew how to hunt, fish, and handle themselves in the wild. He’s lived a lot of lives, and he brings every one of them to the table.
So why does this episode matter? Because so many of us are chasing the next goal so hard that we forget who we’re chasing it for. Lucas has felt that pain firsthand, and he found a better way. If you’ve ever felt hollow on the inside while looking successful on the outside, this one’s for you.
The first big lesson is all about being versus doing. Lucas spent over two years in Botswana, a culture built around relationships and simply being present with people. Then he came home to America, where we’re constantly polishing our medals and measuring our worth by what we accomplish. A year into medical sales, grinding across the whole state and lone wolfing it, he found himself eating a PB&J in his Prius with tears running down his face. He told me his biggest mistake was trying to do it all himself. That moment of surrender, praying and finally inviting God into the struggle, changed everything. It led him to pivot toward land investing and building a business with his wife so he could live more aligned with who he really is.
The second lesson is that presence with your family doesn’t happen by accident. It takes real intentionality. Lucas gets up before his kids so he can do his deep work, then pours into them the rest of the day. His bedtime routine is something I’m stealing. They read together, pray for each other, and share roses and thorns, the best part of the day and the hardest part. Then they add seeds, something they’re looking forward to tomorrow. His son even invented “prickers,” something he’s not looking forward to. I love that. And Lucas made a point that stuck with me. Your kids are watching what you do with your phone when they’re talking to you, and they’re going to copy it someday.
The third lesson is one I needed to hear. Lucas used to believe great entrepreneurs were born with some magical ability nobody else could learn. Now he knows better. It’s all learnable. It comes down to consistency, discipline, and doing the right things over and over. Every night he writes down three things he’s grateful for and three things he needs to get done tomorrow. But here’s the key. Those three tasks have to be meter movers, not the easy stuff you knock out just to feel productive. Tackle the big rocks first and everything else gets clearer.
The fourth lesson is about becoming what Lucas calls the CNO of no. When you’re the person who always gets things done, people keep asking you for more. Lucas once mapped out every commitment in his life as bubbles on a sheet of paper, then went full Marie Kondo on it. If it didn’t support his family or his core values, it had to go. So many of the things on our plates are there because somebody asked and we said yes, and three years later we’re still doing it. Be kind with your no, but be direct.
The fifth lesson might be the deepest one. Lucas said it simply. “Contentment is the number one most valuable thing.” Comparison and social media fuel that endless craving for more, more money, more tasks, more everything. But as Lucas reminded me, if you’re chasing a destination, you’re chasing the wrong thing. The joy lives in the journey, in this moment, right here.
We also talk about why Lucas and his wife can run a business together when a lot of couples can’t (spoiler, staying in your own lane is huge), how his Friday accountability group helped him push through the scary moments in his business, and why nobody on their deathbed ever wishes they’d answered more emails. Oh, and he shares a pretty wild fun fact from his college days that proves confidence really is ninety percent of the game. You’ll have to listen for that one.
When I asked Lucas what happy hustlin’ means to him, he talked about stepping back and looking honestly at how you’re living day to day. It’s that beautiful union of having a great, fun, happy life while still hustling toward something that matters. That’s it right there. That’s the whole thing.
If you’re ready to stop racing toward a finish line that keeps moving, and start being present with the people and moments that matter most, this episode is for you.
Grab a coffee, put your phone on silent (after you hit play, of course), and listen to the full conversation at caryjack.com/podcastin caryjack.com/podcastin. Your family will thank you.
What does Happy Hustlin’ mean to you?
Lucas said that happy hustlin’ means taking a step back and looking at what you’re doing in the day to day of your life. It’s that beautiful union between having a great, awesome, fun, happy time and hustlin’.
Connect with Lucas
Find Lucas on this website: https://entrepreneurswithfaith.com/
Connect with Cary!
Get a copy of his new book, The Happy Hustle, 10 Alignments to Avoid Burnout & Achieve Blissful Balance
Sign up for The Journey: 10 Days To Become a Happy Hustler Online Course
Apply to the Montana Mastermind Epic Camping Adventure
“It’s time to Happy Hustle, a blissfully balanced life you love, full of passion, purpose, and positive impact!”
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