Paul Rosolie was born in Brooklyn, grew up in New Jersey, and works 3,000 miles away in the Amazon Rainforest, where the conservationist has protected over 100,000 acres of the climate-critical region. He’s the founder of Junglekeepers, an organization working to save one of Earth’s most biodiverse regions, and wrote an incredible new book, Junglekeeper, filled with stories that are equal parts inspiring and terrifying. 

Paul recently joined us on How Success Happens to discuss his inspiring triumphs and wild near-death experiences. Listen to the full episode here and read on for his insights that’ll help your personal success take off in three, two, one!

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Three Key Insights

1. The “You’re Too Late” Trap Is a Generational Lie

Paul grew up convinced that “all the good stuff already happened.” He was depressed by the idea that the golden age of exploration was over, that was born at the wrong time. But here’s what he figured out: every generation thinks the world is ending. “If you just start at 1900, leading up to World War I, the world’s coming to an end. The Dust Bowl, the world’s coming to an end. World War II, the world’s coming to an end,” Paul explains. “But there’s always something wild happening.” Yes, we face real environmental crises. But we’ve also fixed the ozone hole, brought back bald eagles from extinction, and proven that humans can identify problems, create solutions, and implement them.

Takeaway: The next time you think your moment has passed, remember that every generation felt that same fear—and some of them changed the world anyway.

2. Start With Your “Foolish” Dream, Not Your Degree

Paul never thought he’d amount to much because he was severely dyslexic, had terrible grades, and came from no money. The people saving ecosystems all had PhDs and institutional backing. But he went to the Amazon anyway with just a local friend, JJ, and they called it “the barefoot machete days” because it was literally just the two of them on a riverbank, doing it purely for love. “The audacity to imagine that we could possibly do anything is probably the magic serum,” Paul says. “It’s the foolishness to think that you can.” If he’d known the full cost upfront—the diseases, the injuries, the 15-year timeline—he might have said no. But he started anyway, following what he loved, and it led to Jungle Keepers protecting 130,000 acres and building the world’s tallest treehouse.

Takeaway: Don’t wait to have the perfect credentials or backing. Start with what you love, and let that fuel your journey further than a resume ever could.

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3. Tell Stories That Start With the Bang, Not the Problem

Paul is a master storyteller, and he knows that you can’t begin with a bummer. “If you start with ‘the rainforest is disappearing and we want to help these people,’ people change the channel,” he says. Instead, he starts with the compelling moment, like explaining that he had his arms around a 15-foot -long anaconda and was in danger of drowning in a swamp. “Now people are leaning in, and they want to know why you were in a swamp wrestling a snake.” Then, he says, you explain that you were there to do research on the snakes and their environment, and that their environment is being steadily destroyed by humans. He uses what he calls “causality”—because we wanted to do X, we had to do Y, and because of Y, this happened next. The environmental message lands because you’re already invested in the adventure.

Takeaway: Whether you’re pitching a business, spreading a message, or rallying people to a cause, start with the most interesting part. The problem can wait—hook them first, then teach them why it matters.

Two Great Ways to Learn More

1. Visit Junglekeepers.org to become a monthly donor and read Junglekeeper to get the complete story of Paul’s adventures.

2. Read former CEO of Patagonia Kristine McDivitt Tompkins‘ advice to all aspiring entrepreneurs who want to make an impact.

One Question to Ponder

Paul talks about “walking the razor edge” between what you think you should do and what you actually do: When was the last time you stepped over the edge and made a big, gusty move? What did you learn about yourself?

Send your answer to howsuccesshappens@entrepreneur.com. We’ll read the best responses on a future episode of How Success Happens.

About How Success Happens

Each episode of How Success Happens shares the inspiring, entertaining, and unexpected journeys that influential leaders in business, the arts, and sports traveled on their way to becoming household names. It’s a reminder that behind every big-time career, there is a person who persisted in the face of self-doubt, failure, and anything else that got thrown in their way.