Life Lessons
Sixteen chapters of hard-won wisdom from the sand, the surf, and the ring.
The Debut Novel
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
About the Book
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
Author
Matt Walburger
Genre
Inspirational Fiction
Narrator
The Moon
Chapters
16 chapters
Based On
A mix of several true stories
Formats
Paperback & eBook
Between the Covers
More than a story — a training manual for the gaze.
Sixteen chapters of hard-won wisdom from the sand, the surf, and the ring.
A faith heritage rediscovered — not in a pew, but under a pier at sunrise.
What happens when you sign up for the fight that terrifies you.
The golden rule of surfing, applied to everything: you go where you look.
Sand running, heavy bags, and cold dawn water — a blueprint for self-mastery.
Looking up when you used to look down.
For Groups & Press
A free discussion guide with chapter-by-chapter questions, a 'golden rule' reflection, and a suggested reading journey for groups.
Get NotifiedCover art, author bio, book one-sheet, and interview requests — everything journalists, bloggers, and podcasters need in one place.
Request the Kit