Do you ever feel envious of people who climb the steps of Manchu Picchu or go whitewater rafting down the Nile River? It downright ticks me off! Why do they get all the fun? Why can’t that be my life?
The truth is that there is nothing special about the people who live adventurous lives. The only difference between adventurers and those who dream about adventurous lies in the doing. Adventures make their dreams of traveling and exploration come true.
How, then, can an average Joe become an adventurer?
Dream
This is the fun part. Ready?
~Sit down and take fifteen minutes to write down every adventure you’ve ever dreamt of.
~Don’t censor yourself. If an adventure pops into your head, it goes on the list!
~Don’t worry about logistics such as time, money, or effort. Now’s not the time.
Set Some Goals
This is where those who do and those who wish split ways. If you want to do rather than wish, try this:
~Choose an adventure from the list.
~Write the name of your adventure on a piece of paper. Make the lettering large and obnoxious.
~Pick a date for your journey and add it to that piece of paper.
~Post that note somewhere conspicuous.
~Find pictures representing your adventure (as many as you can find). Place them around your home as “reminders” of your goal.
Plan
~Research your adventure
Contact travel agencies. Research your adventure to get a sense of those who provide the services you’ll need such as transportation, lodging, food, etc. Talk with people who have been there. Publicly commit to your plan by telling everyone you know about your goals (nothing like a public declaration to prod you toward realizing your goal).
~Begin to plan for the logistics of the trip.
List every possible logistical consideration for the trip that you can think of. What do you need by way of budget, time away from work, someone to watch the children, transportation, gear, guides, safety precautions for the area?
~Make a plan
Assign “due dates” to every logistic you’ve considered (e.g. securing passports). Then plan times/dates to review your progress toward achieving your goals.
~Work your plan
If you’re going on an unusual trip or are blazing new ground, your planning will necessarily need to be more involved. If you are taking an Alaskan cruise, your planning may only require contacting a travel agent. Keep in mind, your adventure is just that: an adventure—an experience outside of your ordinary life, so you’ll be doing things that you’ve never done before. This may be challenging to you, but the pay off in the end is an experience that few others may have had and certainly one you’ve never had, so keep working.
There are a thousand variations on any adventure. What’s important is that you see yourself living the life you’ve only dreamt of. Set the goal of making it real and take the actions necessary to follow through on that goal.
Before you know it, you’ll be on your adventure.
Live Large!
Photo by: Mike