John Ballen

It's a product of telling stories and loving to do that. But yeah, I don't have the deep unchecked box. I hope to find one. But right now it's like I feel like I'm just sort of doing stuff and I need to find the thing and I don't have it. I'm so fortunate, so blessed. I love my life. I love that. But I've done the box checking and I don't know what's next.

It's a product of telling stories and loving to do that. But yeah, I don't have the deep unchecked box. I hope to find one. But right now it's like I feel like I'm just sort of doing stuff and I need to find the thing and I don't have it. I'm so fortunate, so blessed. I love my life. I love that. But I've done the box checking and I don't know what's next.

I feel like you do. It keeps you moving, keeps you like thinking about that. It's like purpose and meaning, isn't it?

I feel like you do. It keeps you moving, keeps you like thinking about that. It's like purpose and meaning, isn't it?

there was that horrible disaster with the little submarine that imploded. Horrible thing. And I was reading about it and like the people that that go on these deep sea excursions are typically like billionaires. It's people that literally have every resource known to man. You can do basically anything you want within reason.

there was that horrible disaster with the little submarine that imploded. Horrible thing. And I was reading about it and like the people that that go on these deep sea excursions are typically like billionaires. It's people that literally have every resource known to man. You can do basically anything you want within reason.

And it's like they can't figure out what to do now because everything – like to us, if it's like, hey, do you want to go buy a $100 million yacht today? Like we can't do that. Like I can't go buy – maybe you can. I can buy a $100 million yacht. But it's like imagine being – it's very difficult to do this. I'm sure billionaires could tell us.

And it's like they can't figure out what to do now because everything – like to us, if it's like, hey, do you want to go buy a $100 million yacht today? Like we can't do that. Like I can't go buy – maybe you can. I can buy a $100 million yacht. But it's like imagine being – it's very difficult to do this. I'm sure billionaires could tell us.

If you could buy anything, it's like suddenly everything loses its value, at least the things you can buy. It's only valuable to us because we can't have it. It's like I can get this nice of a car, but I know I can't get a McLaren. But that's what makes this one special because I can't afford this one.

If you could buy anything, it's like suddenly everything loses its value, at least the things you can buy. It's only valuable to us because we can't have it. It's like I can get this nice of a car, but I know I can't get a McLaren. But that's what makes this one special because I can't afford this one.

But it's like the billionaires, it's like, oh, well, all I can do is like adrenaline now because it's money doesn't put up. So it's, I've sort of reached a point, not billionaire status even close, but it's like, It's hard to figure out what I even want to do besides knowing wife and kids is like a really big thing for me.

But it's like the billionaires, it's like, oh, well, all I can do is like adrenaline now because it's money doesn't put up. So it's, I've sort of reached a point, not billionaire status even close, but it's like, It's hard to figure out what I even want to do besides knowing wife and kids is like a really big thing for me.

It stems literally from nearly dying in Afghanistan, like really cherishing the fact that I have a family. But it's like I also cherish what I have here with Ballin Studios. I just I'm waiting for the next big sort of unchecked box to to appear.

It stems literally from nearly dying in Afghanistan, like really cherishing the fact that I have a family. But it's like I also cherish what I have here with Ballin Studios. I just I'm waiting for the next big sort of unchecked box to to appear.

Yeah, I've really struggled with my mental health. In particular, kind of like from military service was a big part of it.

Yeah, I've really struggled with my mental health. In particular, kind of like from military service was a big part of it.

when i was medically retired so 2014 i get hurt in afghanistan i really didn't i thought i dealt with it because you have to go see a therapist and stuff post deployments you go you go speak to somebody but i sort of was just sort of playing the game to get through it because i just wanted to deploy again and be a part of the team again um it wasn't until later on that i actually saw i deployed a second time and i went to south america

when i was medically retired so 2014 i get hurt in afghanistan i really didn't i thought i dealt with it because you have to go see a therapist and stuff post deployments you go you go speak to somebody but i sort of was just sort of playing the game to get through it because i just wanted to deploy again and be a part of the team again um it wasn't until later on that i actually saw i deployed a second time and i went to south america

Um, and I remember not giving much thought to the deployment before I got there. I remember thinking like, compared to going to Afghanistan, we're going to South America to like sit in a, in like a nice house, literally in a beautiful part of South America and like train Peruvian military forces. Like it's not a combat deployment.

Um, and I remember not giving much thought to the deployment before I got there. I remember thinking like, compared to going to Afghanistan, we're going to South America to like sit in a, in like a nice house, literally in a beautiful part of South America and like train Peruvian military forces. Like it's not a combat deployment.