Use the Tools You Have: A Holiday Reminder We All Need

The holidays have a way of convincing us that we need more—more gifts, more gear, more upgrades, more everything. It’s easy to feel like the only way to get better at anything, whether it’s shooting, hunting, crafting, or building, is to buy something new. Every ad tells us that the next best tool is the missing piece, and if we just spend a little more money, everything will finally fall into place.

This time of year always brings me back to something my dad told me growing up:
“Learn to use what you have first. Once you’ve mastered that, then go get something new.”
Back then, I thought it was just a way to keep me from begging for new things. But as I got older, I realized he was teaching me something much bigger than how to save a few dollars. He was teaching me the difference between improvement and impulse.

The truth is, spending money doesn’t automatically make you better. A new tool doesn’t replace skill. A fancy setup doesn’t replace practice. The best gear in the world still depends on the hands that hold it. Mastery comes from repetition, problem-solving, and learning how to make the most out of what you already have. When you push your existing tools to their limits, you start to understand what actually matters—and what doesn’t.

Everyone who has ever been good at something started the same way: learning, failing, adjusting, and improving with whatever they had available. The best shooters didn’t start with top-of-the-line builds. The best hunters didn’t begin with high-end gear. The best craftsmen didn’t learn on premium tools. They learned through effort, not equipment. And once they truly outgrew what they had, then they upgraded with purpose.

That mindset is something we could all use around the holidays. This season has a way of making us believe we need to overspend, overbuy, and overcompensate. But maybe the real value comes from slowing down and appreciating what we already have—our skills, our tools, our gear, our experience. Instead of rushing to buy the next thing, maybe this is the perfect time to sharpen your technique, tune what you own, or simply get better with the equipment that’s been working for you all along.

And when the time does come to add something new—whether it’s a holster, a rifle accessory, or a shop tool—you’ll know you’re not buying it to fill a gap in your confidence. You’ll be buying it because you’ve earned the upgrade, and you’ll know exactly how to put it to use.

The tools don’t make the person. The person makes the tools work.
It’s a simple reminder, especially during the most tempting spending season of the year, that growth doesn’t come from your wallet—it comes from you.