#20 – How to Live a Life of Adventure: My 9 Rules

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Man hiker with trekking poles on mountain ridge

Think you don't have the time or money to live a life of adventure? Then maybe it's time to get out of your own way!

Believe it or not, most of the limitations in our lives don't come from outside of us. They actually come from our own heads.

And the good news about that is that once we're aware of them, we can release them.

So in today's podcast episode, I'm going to share with you my 9 rules of living a life of adventure.

Warning: listening to this episode may inspire you to sell all of your possessions and walk across Mongolia with $20 in your pocket.

And actually, that sounds like a lot of fun.

So buckle up, here we go!

Links/Resources Mentioned

Episode Sneak Peek

  • [4:05] My story. Why I really believe that you (yes you) can live a more adventurous life, no matter your circumstances.

  • [5:21] 1. Commit to living with no regrets. Research shows that dying people regret the things they didn’t do much more than the things they actually did. On your deathbed, you will not congratulate yourself for saving money and vacation days by skipping your adventure.

  • [6:54] 2. Get out of your own way. We tell ourselves stories about why we can't have a life of adventure (money, time, body, fitness). But most of these limitations are actually in our mind. Your life will match your mindset. If you really want it, if you really believe, you will find a way.

  • [9:37] 3. It doesn’t have to make sense. Your dreams may seem stupid or foolhardy to others — and also even to you. That’s why you need to get in the habit of following your heart, not your head.

  • [12:39] 4. You will never, ever feel ready. Your brain just isn’t programmed that way. Your best strategy: allow discomfort to be there. Your brain is just doing its job, so thank it. Use mind-body strategies like breathwork to quiet down the noise of your ego.

  • [15:06] 5. Enjoy the journey, or don’t go at all. The main event is never guaranteed in adventure travel, so you have to love the entire process of getting there. If you're not going to love the journey — the people, the place, the whole experience — cancel the trip and eat the cost. It's not worth it.

  • [17:13] 6. Choose your adventures wisely. Even if you had unlimited time and money, you couldn’t do it all. By saying no to good trips, you make room for great trips.

  • [19:21] 7. Be a leader. Waiting to take a trip until you have someone to go with you is a mug’s game. Instead, do amazing things, and see who it attracts into your life. Some people won’t come with you, and that’s OK.

  • [21:08] 8. Adventure must fit into your life, not the other way around. Chronic, compulsive adventuring can be a way to escape the truth of your life, which may include loneliness and unworthiness. Remember that the whole adventure thing could end tomorrow, and you will still need a life to come back to. Make time to love and be loved.

  • [24:16] 9. Trust and surrender. There's no point in being attached to an outcome you have no control over. When we stop trying to control everything, we open up to the goodness the universe has planned for us. Maybe what's coming is even better than you expected!

This episode is brought to you by Mountain Fit

If you want to level up your fitness game and tackle bigger adventures, check out my online master class Mountain Fit: Self Coaching for Mountain Athletes. In this course, you’ll learn all the skills and tools you need to become your own outdoor fitness coach. If you’re hooked on adventure, learning how to train is one of the best investments you can make in your future. So stop wasting time and money with trainers who don’t understand our sport, and learn how to get in the best shape of your life with Mountain Fit!

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