Why Kayaker and Filmmaker Rush Sturges is Rethinking Work-Life Balance

For The Love Of: Trade-offs we make in pursuit of our passions

Kayaking waterfalls and creating epic films looks glamorous from the outside, but if there’s one thing the river’s taught Rush, it’s humility.

Rush Sturges is one of the world’s most influential whitewater kayakers, a prominent action sports filmmaker, and a devoted musician.

Rush has honed his filmmaking and paddling skills on location in some of the planet’s wildest places, from Pakistan to China to the Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2009, Rush founded River Roots, a media production house based in White Salmon, WA.

We talk about…

-Feeling physically stronger than before, but the mental side is getting tougher

-Starting filmmaking as a young teen on a kayak for the family business

-Shifting from shred flicks to vulnerable stories in filmmaking

-The future of filmmaking and technology: AI and social media vs. human storytelling

-Juggling the workflow of feature films vs. shorts and other passion projects

-Dealing with grief in the community as a kayaker

-Resuscitating kayaker Gerd Serrasolses during a medical emergency while filming

-Living through a massive earthquake in Nepal in 2023 and dealing with the post anxiety of a traumatic situation

-Feeling addicted to both kayaking and work

-Spending 3 days in silent meditation and wanting to do less more often

-Second-guessing moments in Rush's unconventional career: travel infections, times of financial instability, facing death

-Rush's passion for making music: his folk-americana-hip hop mix album

-Rush's current film project (3 years in and counting!): Paddle Tribal Waters

Connect with Rush:

-Rush on Instagram: https://instagram.com/rushsturges

-River Roots Productions: https://riverroots.com/

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Shout-Outs:

-Music: The King of Sandwich Island by Shut-ins

-Thank you to The Ruins, the best wedding venue in Oregon, for supporting the show.

For full show notes and more: https://fortheloveofpod.com

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