The Debut Novel

You Go Where You Look

From Surfing the Waves to Boxing Under the Pier

Leaving the Mind for the Light

John is a young man struggling with overthinking and drifting from his faith — until he begins an unexpected journey through boxing and surfing that transforms his life.

Narrated by the Moon · Based on a mix of several true stories

You Go Where You Look book cover by Matt Walburger

About the Book

The Premise

Twenty-two-year-old John is running on empty. A former missionary, he returned home only to lose his footing — drifting away from his faith and drowning in the exhausting, circular chatter of his own overthinking. Desperate for a distraction to shock his system, he makes a reckless, impulsive choice: he signs up for a brutal amateur boxing match.

With only three months to prepare, John finds mentorship in the most unlikely pairing on the beach. His coach is an aged, battle-hardened former boxer. His gym is the wet sand under the local beach pier near Lifeguard Tower 22. And his unorthodox training routine? Lung-burning miles of sand running, coupled with sunrise surfing sessions led by the coach's wife — a fierce, former professional surfer.

But as John struggles to survive the heavy bags and the crushing ocean swells, he learns that his greatest opponent isn't the man across the ring — it's his own mind.

Out on the water, his mentors introduce him to the golden rule of surfing: you go where you look. Stare at your feet, or lock your eyes onto your fears, and you'll wipe out. To survive the waves and the boxing ring, John must lift his gaze from the suffocating confines of his own thoughts and fix it upon something much larger.

To win the fight of his life, John will have to step out of his own shadow, look toward the Light, and find his way back to the path he thought he'd left behind.

"Stare at your feet, or lock your eyes onto your fears, and you'll wipe out."

You Go Where You Look

At a Glance

Book Details

Author

Matt Walburger

Genre

Inspirational Fiction

Narrator

The Moon

Chapters

16 chapters

Based On

A mix of several true stories

Formats

Paperback & eBook

Faith Mindset Personal Growth Adventure Transformation

Between the Covers

What's Inside

More than a story — a training manual for the gaze.

Life Lessons

Sixteen chapters of hard-won wisdom from the sand, the surf, and the ring.

Faith

A faith heritage rediscovered — not in a pew, but under a pier at sunrise.

Courage

What happens when you sign up for the fight that terrifies you.

Perspective

The golden rule of surfing, applied to everything: you go where you look.

Composure

Sand running, heavy bags, and cold dawn water — a blueprint for self-mastery.

Resilience

Looking up when you used to look down.

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Amazon

Paperback & Kindle

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Signed Copy

Directly from Matt

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For Groups & Press

Resources

Book Club Resources

A free discussion guide with chapter-by-chapter questions, a 'golden rule' reflection, and a suggested reading journey for groups.

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Media Kit & Press

Cover art, author bio, book one-sheet, and interview requests — everything journalists, bloggers, and podcasters need in one place.

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