How Many ADVENTURES left in YOUR Tank?
When it comes to adventures, age should not be the primary determining factor in your pursuit. Risk might play a large role impacting adventures we’re willing to pursue as well as family responsibilities, financial obligations, time management, and dream fulfillment. So, I’m asking you right now, how many adventures are left in your tank? Your answer will have a powerful impact on your future.
As we all navigate recovering from, and adapting to, the real changes in our life brought about by Covid’s impact it appears that many have cowered away from pursuing adventure and sought as much comfort and predictability in life as possible. But each of us has been given a brain that was designed not only for survival but also to thrive utilizing the uniqueness that each of us was gifted. Mastering survival and living a joy-filled life involves pursuing adventures and all the treasure those adventures contain.
Let me approach adventures from the risk vs. reward perspective. Entrepreneurs are keenly aware of the possible risks they accept in pursuit of a dream. They’re typically willing to sacrifice their current status for something they perceive as better…much better. Success for entrepreneurs occurs most often when they consider the risk part of what they’re doing an adventure. They also possess the inability to accept mediocrity. Disdain for mediocrity can be a powerful driver for anyone attempting a new adventure. It replaces the risk involved with thoughtful motivation and a drive to accomplish something big. It suddenly becomes an exciting adventure. But does it relate only to business? What if we viewed ourselves as entrepreneurs and perceived every area of our life as an adventure?
How about I approach adventures in all the areas of life that impact us? What if we viewed our job as an adventure each day? Would we be willing to risk additional effort for the reward of benefitting the entire organization we work for? What if we saw our marriage as an adventure, parenting as an adventure, our faith life as an adventure, our volunteering as an adventure, the caregiving of a loved one as an adventure, and our personal and family’s financial management as an adventure? Sure, we could label all of these by other names like commitment, obligation, burden, necessity, and more but don’t they just sound so much better if we perceive them as adventures?
Honestly, over the past five years as I’ve embraced this perspective of seeing everything as an adventure, every area of my life has become an adventure with improvement and joy the reward for the risk. Being diagnosed with cancer? New adventure. Shutting down a successful business? New adventure. Writing and publishing a book? New adventure. Becoming a syndicated weekly columnist? A privileged adventure. The quest to become a better husband and father? This adventure is the one I enjoy the most. A better listener, neighbor, community member, volunteer, and friend? All improved by seeing them as an adventure. I’ve been able to minimize the risk and amplify the rewards provided by each of these important areas of my life.
A few months ago, at the extremely young age of 67, I embarked on a new adventure in an effort to prove to myself that I still have plenty of adventures left in my tank. I decided to pursue getting my commercial real estate license. I’ve been involved in, and in love with, commercial real estate for 3 decades and getting licensed seemed a natural choice. To accomplish this, I was required to take an online class, learn and comprehend oodles of new information, pass the class’s test to qualify to take and pass the state licensing test, and then be sponsored by a broker for the state to issue the license.
While pursuing the commercial real estate license as an adventure, I was able to pass the state licensing test, be sponsored by a broker (thanks Century 21 Commercial), and receive my actual license over the course of five weeks. A wonderful part of this story is that the completion of actually obtaining my license adventure meant a whole new adventure of pursuing success through commercial real estate, helping others sell or purchase a business, and leasing buildings has begun. The very best part of this story is that through all of the study and test taking, I was able to develop enhanced learning skills that improved the levels of adventure in every other area of my life…at 67 years old…which means if I can do it, every single one of you can too. That’s why I’m sharing this “adventure thought process” with YOU today.
If you’re completely honest with yourself, YOU have lots and lots of adventures left in your tank regardless of your age or circumstances. The best adventures, the ones that will bring you the most joy, will involve a simple move away from complacency and mediocrity. They will also involve some level of risk resulting in an abundance of rewards. YOU are worth taking some time, right now, and view all of the important areas of your life from the perspective of them being an adventure. How do I know this? Because Hey…I Believe In YOU! GiddyUp!