Meet David West | Surfer Skier & Solar Guy

We had the good fortune of connecting with David West and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi David, what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
Sunday planning and morning rituals, bar none. It is so important to set aside some time every week to set out your goals and plan your week to take the next steps towards those goals. I always prioritize what tasks I need to get done and when I’m going to do them. That way, I always keep the process towards success at the forefront of my schedule. I use an hour every Sunday to review my previous week, the high points of the week, write down what I learned, and plan my next one.

Adding on to that, it’s crucial to wake up with the same routine every morning. It can be whatever you want it to be and however long it takes you, as long as its positive. Even though it may sounds boring and repetitive, having the same routine makes waking up easy. We all love the comfort of bed. But staying in bed too long can hinder the rest of the day. When it’s easy to get out, it makes the rest of the day a lot easier. Because I can plan my week out how I want on Sunday but you can’t control life and challenges arise. So when I have consistency in my mornings, I can be consistent in how I approach those those obstacles.
For me, I wake up at 5am, stretch and do affirmations for 10 minutes, spend 10 minutes showing gratitude for what I have and others in my life, then I surf until 730, eat breakfast, and work on moving my accounts forward until 930. Again, the routine be whatever you want but I recommend a combination of mental positivity, exercise, and productivity.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I graduated in 2019 from UCLA with a bachelor’s in chemical engineering. My expectations for the impact I could make with that degree and the reality of being in the workforce differed greatly. I went straight into working for an oil & energy contractor, primarily doing work for refineries. As a nature and people lover, this career did not align with my values in pursuing solutions to the climate crisis or making a direct impact on people’s lives.

As such, I faced a difficult choice: continue working a 9-5 job for the company and hope things change within or leave to journey in the entrepreneurial world. With the increasing number of climate-related incidents, I realized I have to do everything in my power to make as much difference as I can,
So, I chose the latter and I am grateful to have done so. It was incredibly tough to leave a safe career but I am now a renewable energy consultant forging my own path. I get to help others make a knowledgeable switch from fossil-fuel powered energy to solar energy on their homes.
It has been a never-ending road of personal development and learning. Every day I go out and meet customers looking to make the switch at their doorstep. Every day, I face more rejections than interest and as such, I’ve had to learn to deal with fear of rejection and becoming a better person. I have to be able to maintain my emotions to not let each “no” affect me at the next customer. In addition, I have to overcome previous notions customers have of solar consultants and be an honest, energetic reservoir of education and help.
At the same time, I am pushing to make my presence known online and that’s come with its own challenges of staying consistent and posting attention-grabbing marketing content.
For the world, I want people to know that in order for us and our children to continue to live on this planet for 20+ years, we have to take every chance we can to improve how we treat our environment and each other. I started this path because I want to make a direct impact on changing environmental impact on an individual scale.
I love the beauty in this world and in humanity. I wake up every day grateful for the opportunity to be able to hop in the ocean or go for a jog in nature. I’m grateful that I can do my part so we still have sea turtles in 20 years. Even for the people that aren’t happy to see me knocking on their door, I want to bring them joy in any way I can and radiate positivity into the world.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love the beach. I’m drawn to the ocean, its creatures, and the serenity a sea breeze brings. So I would definitely take them to Carlsbad State Beach and San Elijo State Beach, some of the most majestic beaches North San Diego has to offer. A day of paddling in Mission Bay for sure followed by an adventure out into the streets of Pacific Beach. Moonshine is a fantastic place for a wide variety of activities and drinks. I would also have to bring them to Lake Calavera since the ancient volcanic rock is a sight to behold.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My mentorship and support organization – Solar Energy Partners. Not only have I found amazing mentors and leaders there (s/o to Emil, Jesse, Trent, Tyler, Mario, Ro, Alex, Matt, Scott, Colin, & many more)but also incredible people. Every person I work with is so helpful and the training in regards to resources/workshops and mental/sales skills is something I will always be grateful for.

Website: www.wesolarturtle.com

Instagram: wesolar.turtle

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-west/