Fountain 46
Hi Friends!
Ria Kitsch here.
I’m taking over the keyboard this week to give Trent some well-deserved time off, and because it was his birthday this weekend.
While he thinks this episode is about how backpacking prepared me for business, I decided to surprise him with a tribute instead.
Trent has evolved how I think and operate simply by being himself.
Today, in the spirit of The Fountain, I’m sharing five mindset shifts he inspired without even realizing it.
Happy birthday big guy!
The Abundance Mindset
When I met Trent, I was adventurous and confident, but my brain was still wired to worry about the "what ifs."
I would often look for reasons not to do something before I would consider saying yes.
Maybe it was because I grew up on a tight budget and heard "no" a lot, or because I’m naturally risk-averse (or maybe both 😂).
Either way, Trent’s natural inclination to lead with a "Yes" instead of a "No" was a game-changer for me.
I now realize there is almost always room to start with a yes. There is time if we make it; there is money if we budget or earn more; there is ability if we care enough to learn. An abundance mindset doesn’t just mean "there is enough"—it means refusing to hold ourselves back in the name of scarcity.
Action (Usually) Wins
Like many people, I feel comfortable planning and establishing a sense of certainty before proceeding.
Trent operates differently. Although it often makes me highly uncomfortable, he has shown me that the quickest path to a result is action.
If you make a mistake? You learn, adjust, and keep going.
Acting now actually creates greater certainty because you are dealing with known conditions; windows of opportunity can close suddenly, rendering all that planning irrelevant! It’s not always time for action, but I’ve (reluctantly) discovered that my hesitation is usually more of a liability than an asset.
Genuine interest in others reaps rewards.
Interested People are Interesting
Trent can strike up a conversation with anyone. He rarely talks about himself, preferring to ask genuinely interested questions of others. He leaves most interactions with a few new facts (usually regarding history, sports, or business) and a deeper connection. As a result, he becomes a more interesting person for it.
Imagine if you exchanged one comment about yourself for one question to someone else just a few times a day. How much more would you learn? How good would you make people feel? It requires practice, but it is definitely worth the effort.
Talk about Ideas, Not People
It can be tempting to vent to friends about a situation, which often devolves into judging the people involved. Although I’m not one to gossip, what I’ve learned from Trent is how to actively steer the conversation away from the topic of people altogether.
When a conversation starts taking a gossipy turn, Trent usually offers a graceful off-ramp with a comment like:
“Yeah, that must be tough for them,” or
“I hope they get through that soon.”
Then, he immediately pivots to an interesting idea or opportunity to create a new point of focus. This is pure Fountain energy!
Trent Getting a Fountain Tattoo last year on his birthday
Your Life Reflects Your Priorities
Not sure what your passion is or what matters to you most? Look back and examine how you’ve allocated your hours in the days, months and years. It is incredibly easy for our attention to be hijacked, but at the end of the day, your time will be spent—it is up to you how that happens.
For example, Trent hates when I say “I have to…” or “I can’t…” because, with those words, I have surrendered my power of choice.
Acknowledging that we get to make these choices can be as intimidating as it is empowering.
However, if you can define what matters to you by making clear choices with your attention today, Future You will thank you.
So, what’s the lesson here?
Perhaps the greatest gift you can give the world is to truly be who you are. Trent isn’t trying to teach me (or anyone else) and he’s certainly not perfect. But he is existing authentically, striving to be the truest version of himself with every passing day. That authenticity is the reason for this newsletter, and it is likely the reason you are reading it right now.
Let this be your inspiration for the week—not just the lessons Trent has accidentally shared with me, but the belief that you, too, are inspiring and teaching those around you simply by being yourself!
Thanks for reading. Trent will be back next week!
Have an amazing week. We appreciate you.
Ria xo
