The Death of Me and the Rebirth of Different Hunger

It’s been a while — years, actually — since I last wrote to you.

This isn’t a comeback.

It’s a resurrection.

The old me died.

Spiritually, emotionally, physically.

And in his place, a clearer, calmer, more powerful version was born — along with the next evolution of this movement.

This post is about where I’ve been, what I’ve learned, and what’s coming next — for you, for Different Hunger, and for the global movement we’re building.

The Last Two Years

On April 17, 2023, Anamaria and I welcomed our son, Noah Vicente, into the world. Next month, he turns two!

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In just two years, he’s completely transformed my life.

Becoming a father is the most psychedelic, beautiful, chaotic experience I’ve ever had.

And I’ve taken a few journeys, if you know what I mean…

Imagine being a kid in an adult body trying to raise another kid.
How is that even legal? LMAO.

It’s been the greatest joy of my life — and also the hardest thing I’ve ever done.

Trying to balance business, my relationship, my health, and being a present father and husband?

That’s the real work. Shoutout to all my moms and dads raising humans and building dreams at the same time!

So just when I thought I was starting to get the hang of things…

Anamaria and I found out she was pregnant again.

Fast forward to November 12, 2024 — our daughter Alma was born.

Two babies under two?!
The next level of Dad mode had been unlocked.

I was extremely grateful but two kiddos in under two years cracked me open.
I had to take a break.

I stepped away from Different Hunger.
I disappeared from social.
I disappeared from myself.

Unfortunately, this meant losing touch with many of you — but in that stillness, I found what I needed: Clarity. Purpose. Presence.

The Last Ten Years

Before I talk next steps, I want to back up a bit more to give you the full context.

Ten years ago in May 2014, I gave birth to an entirely different creation:
Different Hunger.

At that point, it was an ugly AF WordPress blog and a dream.
I had no clue WTF I was doing and no roadmap.
I just knew I couldn’t live my life on anyone else's terms.

Since then, my life has completely transformed. I have…

• Worked with 220+ dream clients like Foundr through Different Hunger Creative

• Earned a full-time living since March 25, 2016

• Traveled to 20 countries as a ‘digital nomad’ 🤢

• Bootstrapped to my first $1M+ online

Impressed? Don’t be.
Because here’s the truth most won’t say:

I escaped the 9 to 5 only to rebuild it — with a better view, more stress, and less pants.

If you look closely, everything I shared above is the highlight reel.

The digital nomad life.
The revenue numbers.

All that? Food for the ego.

The truth that jackasses trying to sell you a coaching program on social media won’t tell you is this:

The last decade of my life has been a silent war of anxiety, bankruptcy, burnout, depression, hustle, and self-doubt with no finish line in sight.

Yet, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Because this journey has shown me what truly matters.

These are the milestones I’m proud of:

• Spending the last 3,290+ days (and counting) on my own terms

• Helping others overcome their fears and pursue their dreams

• Impacting others’ lives in ways I never thought possible

• Hiring over 300 amazing humans all over the world

• Doing meaningful work I enjoy every day of my life

• Meeting my wife Anamaria and starting a family

• Being home to raise my son and daughter

• Building a global community of rebels

The last decade — and the last few years as a new father — have helped me crystallize the vision and hunger that inspired this brand in the first place.

Different Hunger was never meant to be just a business.

It was always meant to be a movement.

The Epiphany

I started Different Hunger 10 years ago because I didn’t want to live and die in a cubicle.

I was chasing freedom.

Like most people chasing freedom, I thought effort was the answer.

Grind harder.
Work longer.
Hustle more.

But becoming a father flipped everything on its head.

Let me share a story from when Noah was a few months old to explain what I mean.

After dozens of sleepless nights, rocking Noah at 4AM and desperate for just one hour of peace…

I tried everything.
More bouncing.
More shushing.
More walking.

And the harder I tried… the worse it got.

Until one night, I decided to try something different.

I stopped forcing it.
I slowed my breath.
I relaxed my body.

I let go.

And in the stillness, without any effort, my son fell asleep.

That’s when it hit me like a lightning bolt:

It’s not about effort.
It’s about energy.

Instantly, I was reminded of this truth showing up throughout my life.

A few years back, when Oreo was a puppy who never wanted to return home after playtime…

So I’d chase him for hours, unsuccessfully trying to get him on the leash.

It wasn’t until I stopped trying and started sprinting in the opposite direction that I was able to capture him.

Years before that, in my career as a baseball player…

All my worst games, slumps, and career lows always came from overthinking — trying too hard, forcing it.

But every one of my best hits and moments — like my last college at-bat, where I hit the ball so far it became a satellite orbiting the atmosphere?

Effortless.

And the craziest part?

The same thing was happening in business.

Even while I was off the grid…
No marketing.
No outreach.
No funnel tweaking.
No hustle.

Opportunities still showed up.

Out of nowhere, multiple deals — some of the largest in company history — just landed in my lap effortlessly.

Believe it or not, I didn’t even have a functional website live at the time.

That moment with my son rewired everything:

What if life was never about doing more?
What if it was always about being more?

This experience reinforced that energy — not effort — was the way.

That was the moment everything clicked.
Not just in fatherhood…
Not just in business…
But in life.

We’ve been lied to.

We were taught that success comes from doing more.

From waking up earlier.
From grinding harder.
From sacrificing sleep, sanity, and soul in exchange for freedom that never comes.

But freedom isn’t earned through effort.

It’s accessed by letting go.

The more I let go… the more I received.
The more I flowed… the more momentum I built.
The more I slowed down… the more everything sped up.

Effort is the rat race. Energy is the escape.

This is what the Chinese call Wu Wei, which translates to “not doing.”

This is the core concept of my favorite book, The Tao Te Ching.

According to the book, true peace, power, and wisdom come not from action — but from energetic alignment.

What’s Next

So finally, I made a decision:

I would no longer play the 3D game of more effort and work.

Instead, it was time to play a different game…

Where time bends, energy compounds, and freedom becomes your default state.

After 10 years and two beautiful kids later…
I finally have the clarity I’ve been seeking.

What you’re about to see is the next evolution of Different Hunger.

It’s not a brand.
It’s a portal to transcend.

It’s not a community.
It’s a movement.

It’s not a philosophy.
It’s a new reality.

And you’re invited.

Up Next

In the next post, I’ll show you the shocking truth about success and why most of us are stuck in a game we were never meant to win.

You’ll see why time freedom isn’t earned by doing more — but by becoming more.

And I’ll reveal the operating system that will help you rewrite your identity, reclaim your energy, and build a brand that works while you rest.

Stay tuned.

We’re about to rewrite the rules.

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