I have just published a second article about funding adventure including interviews with Alex Roddie and my friend Daniel Smith, both of whom have in their own way made adventure central to their lives.
Alex has made a career of it and Dan, a focal point to his lifestyle. These interviews, along with those with Ash Dykes and Gilad Nachmani indicate that adventure, rather than being a luxury many of us simply dream of, is in fact eminently reachable and the barrier between us dreaming and doing is a mental one, not a financial one. Below are some key lessons I am taking away from these interviews to apply to my journey toward a more adventurous life.
- For the full articles read Part 1 and Part 2 of Funding your Adventure (Part 2 includes a full list of Key Lessons).
KEY LEssons On AFFORDING ADVENTURE
- Large undertakings of any sort, whether work or leisure, tend to create a feeling of pressure which can lead to a form of mental paralysis so starting on a small scale is an effective way of introducing yourself to adventure.
- Look close to home and engage your mind in a way that you can see adventure in an achievable way - such as the swimruns that Daniel Smith is undertaking or Gilad's few days wild camping in an area of wilderness close to you.
- If you can live a frugal life at home, you can certainly do so in the wild, far away from the attractive and addictive convenience of the likes of Amazon Prime. As an investment, financial or otherwise, adding a little adventure to your life is likely to lead you to acquire skills and relationships that will persist well beyond the actual adventure in itself and reach into other areas of your life.
- The aspirational and inspirational stories we read in the adventure media are just that - inspirational - and should be viewed as such. To emulate them takes time, ambition and experience. Adventure is state of mind and personal to each individual. The satisfaction gained from it should therefore also be personal and not competitive.
- I think the biggest lesson I take from these people is that the adventurous lifestyle that I look for will probably never compare to that of the world's leading explorers and adventurers. Indeed I should not compare my own feelings of excitement at a challenge or adventure to that of someone climbing Everest or paddling around the world. I must challenge myself, I must find what adventure means to me.