How to Launch an Adventure

1. Daydream a big, bold, exciting adventure. Something that’s within reach, but perhaps the kind of reach where you have to stand on your tippy toes and grab on to something that’s uncomfortably far above the ground. If it was something that seemed impossible a few years ago, that’s a good sign. So too is that slightly uneasy feeling that makes your body tense up and take in a deep breath in order to pull  take a deep breath and pull all your energy into your body.

2. Make grand proclamations. Announce the plan several months a head of time while it’s still a newly-hatched slightly-crazy idea because this will create the accountability that’s needed for following through. When people are intimidated or say its too hard: move on, it’s not their thing. When people are excited about the adventure: suck in their enthusiasm and save it as if you were a battery.

3. Make an investment. Buy something for the adventure: a book, a piece of equipment, a plane ticket. It needs to be exciting, producing the kind of endless enthusiasm that keeps the daydream going. This is for accountability too, but it’s also a beacon.

4. Advance through mini-adventures. Training, preparation, and planning all sound boring, but are essential. Mini-adventures can be used to create opportunities to build skills, try new things, push harder, and practice without the tedium of self-imposed drills.

5. Seek out expertise. Inspiring people often have a combination of fascinating life experiences and an urge to continuously learn and improve. These are the people who can provide the best advice: practical, experiential, and existential.

6. Don’t think too hard. Strive to ride the cusp between excitement and nervousness. While oscillating between the two feelings, draw energy from the movement like the pendulum on a grandfather clock.  Think to hard and it just becomes another task. Don’t think—feel—and it will be an adventure.


That’s all I’ve got because tomorrow morning I’m taking off on my summer adventure.

What crazy, inspiring adventure are you working on? Tell me because I’d love to hear about it!!

3 thoughts on “How to Launch an Adventure

  1. Well, my current adventure is probably not of the sort that you were thinking of when you wrote this post… but [ready for it?] we’re having the entire outside of our house painted and our deck re-stained. Strangely enough, when I apply your 6 principles to this project it becomes an adventure. As if I didn’t know that already.

    1. Ha! That definitely sounds like it will take a lot of work, which should be another principle (something that’s mentally and/or physically exhausting at times!). I think calling anything an adventure makes it more exciting, even it if is seemingly mundane. Possible future adventures: Getting the mail! Making pancakes!

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