The Next Great Adventure

“To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.”

If you can tell me who what’s a quote from, you get 10 blog points! (Points tallied at the end of the year for a special prize!)  I kinda like this quote.  Don’t worry, I have no plans on dying any time over the next 70 years or so (living to 100 seems like a good adventure as well), but it does put things into perspective.  Why be afraid of what comes next?  It’s just another adventure!  And as you all know, I’m always ready for a new adventure.

In my mind, challenges are adventures…but adventures aren’t necessarily challenges.  I can go to Hawaii on an adventure, but that’s not a challenge (that’s heaven).  But I go hike Mt. Whitney, and that’s definitely a challenge and an adventure.  Same with attempting a triathlon, running a marathon, or cooking a particularly delicious meal! 

Since I’m going to save death for last, I better fill my life with other challenges to chase.  49ers coach Jim Harbaugh is fond using the following Joe Paterno quote when talking to his team: “if you’re not improving, you are getting worse.”  Changed to suit my needs here slightly…if I’m not constantly challenging myself, I’m not improving.  Nothing is static.  Everything changes.  If you aren’t constantly evolving, adapting, and improving…you’re going to get left behind.

To that end, I have two main goals in my life every single day.  Goal 1: to ensure that today is better than yesterday; and goal 2: to continue to challenge myself and make myself a better person.

With that in mind, I’ve started compiling a list of challenges I wish to pursue in the somewhat near term.  This list changes constantly…as I complete challenges (or fail at them), as I think of new challenges, etc.  Here’s what I have on the list right now:

~Run a full marathon

~Run a half marathon in under 1 hour and 40 minutes

~Hike the entire Kalalau Trail

~Hike the rim to rim trail at the Grand Canyon

~Complete a century bike ride

Short list for now, although I did just cross off “summit the tallest peak in the Continental U.S.”, and “attempt to finish a triathlon”.  One success, and one failure.  Hey, no one said completing these challenges would be easy!

Just a quick post today, but I’ve been thinking about this recently and thought I’d share.  This list will grow, shrink, and evolve as I do.  Non-physical challenges will be added…life will continue to progress…and hopefully I’ll keep getting better and better!

Go out and challenge yourself today!  Even if its something small.  The feeling of accomplishment for completing something you set your mind to is pretty awesome.  It’s the feeling I get when I cross the finish line of a race.  It’s the feeling I get when I made it to the top of Mt. Whitney.  It’s a feeling I now crave…so give it a try!  You might find you like it too!

So what's your next great adventure?