He Spent 14 Years Trying to Finish One Book | Chad Martin’s Fight to Reinvent Himself

What if the thing you were meant to do took you 14 years to finally finish?

On this episode of The ToosDay Crüe, Stephen and Jake sit down with Chad R. Martin — author, professional wrestler, podcast host, entrepreneur, personal trainer, and lifelong storyteller — for a conversation about reinvention, persistence, and what happens when you stop putting your own dreams on hold.

Long before he became a published author, Chad was stepping into wrestling rings as Big Daddy Storm.

He started out as a shy introvert who was uncomfortable talking to people. Professional wrestling changed that.

It taught him how to read a room, connect with an audience, create emotion, think on his feet, communicate under pressure, and tell a story people could actually feel.

Those lessons followed him everywhere.

Into business.

Into podcasting.

And eventually, into writing.

Chad first began working on his novel Hale County years ago, but life kept getting in the way. Work, family, responsibilities, unfinished drafts, creative roadblocks, and the habit of putting everyone else's needs ahead of his own kept the book unfinished for more than a decade.

Then one person kept asking him the same question:

“Where’s the book?”

For 14 years.

That simple question eventually became the push he needed.

Once Chad finally discovered how the story ended, he outlined the rest of the novel and completed it in roughly 60 days.

After 14 years of waiting.

And once that door opened, the stories started pouring out.

This conversation goes far beyond writing.

Chad talks about the physical reality of professional wrestling, why wrestlers have to trust each other even when they don't like each other, the psychology of engaging an audience, why communication matters more than flashy moves, and why some of the hardest lessons in life come from failure.

He also opens up about why authenticity matters so much to him now.

His philosophy is simple:

Be yourself.

Stop trying to become the version of yourself you think other people want.

Make mistakes.

Fail.

Learn.

Adapt.

And keep moving.

Stephen, Jake, and Chad also get into science fiction, aliens, podcasting, management, audience connection, classic rock, Star Wars vs. Star Trek, DC vs. Marvel, wrestling stories, writing across multiple genres, and the kind of unpredictable rabbit holes that make The ToosDay Crüe what it is.

If you've ever had a dream sitting unfinished in the background of your life, this conversation is for you.

Because sometimes the dream didn't disappear.

You just haven't finished it yet.

Learn more about Chad R. Martin and his books:

https://chadrmartin.com/

Visit The Misfit Nation:

http://www.themisfitnation.com

In this episode: Chad Martin, Big Daddy Storm, Hale County, professional wrestling, indie authors, writing, storytelling, podcasting, personal growth, reinvention, perseverance, overcoming fear, creativity, entrepreneurship, communication, and learning from failure.

The ToosDay Crüe — real people, real conversations, and zero idea where the ride is going next.

Be humble. Stay hungry. Keep hustling.

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