An old friend calls out of the blue. He's got a ticket for you to come down to South America and join in a 5 day hike through a remote section of the Andes Mountains. You'll be carrying a 40 pound pack for 10 miles a day into scenery few have seen. Here is the catch: You have to get on the plane tomorrow. Are you physically capable right now, or will you have to decline because you wouldn't be able to keep up with the group? Are you "Adventure Ready"?
You're walking down the street to the coffeeshop. Suddenly you notice dark smoke puffing out of a window. There is a little girl barely visible through the grey billows. "Help!" She screams at you. A scan the building reveals a pipe running up the side. It would be physically possible to climb that and get a hand on the window frame. But.. can you do it? Or the better question: Could you do it if you were in your peak physical condition? Or will you watch in high anxiety hoping someone else will arrive in time? Georges Hérbert, a French officer, was stationed in the island of Martinique when a terrible volcanic eruption put several lives in danger. Through his acumen, courage, and physical conditioning he managed to rescue hundreds of people. The event seared into his mind a philosophy: "Be strong to be useful". Georges "Natural Method" of fitness training is about remaining adventure ready. In our era of passive entertainment it's harder than ever to adhere to this principle. Where could you carve the time out to improve the ability to climb, run, leap, swim, and carry? How much more enriching would hours developing these skills be than hours logged watching a streaming series? How much better would you feel in your body for making the active vs. passive choice? How many more opportunities could you seize if you were adventure ready?
4 Comments
Bob Post
1/26/2019 02:41:10 pm
Thanks for this post, Jonathan. About a year and a half ago, some friends invited me to participate in an obstacle course race. At the time, I was 221 pounds, which did not fit my 5’ 10” frame well. I worked to get myself in good enough condition to complete the course, and now I’m hooked. I’m 53 years old and have never felt better.
Reply
Jonathan
1/26/2019 04:57:20 pm
Hey Bob! Thanks for reaching out with the feedback man. I appreciate it. Fantastic that you're on the fitness wagon. I'm sure you feel so much better in your body. You are ready for whatever physical challenges or opportunities life provides.
Reply
4/24/2019 11:25:13 pm
I guess, we should never say "No!" to an adventure. If you know that it's going to be fun and you will get the chance to learn a lot of stuff from the upcoming experience, then go for it! I am pretty sure that it's a once in a lifetime experience that we should not miss. One of the secrets of being adventurous person is the people who surround you. As much as possible, you need to surround yourself with people who have the same perspective as yours so you will always be pushed to do something wild and fun!
Reply
7/30/2021 05:11:59 am
Nice post. I like the way you start and then conclude your thoughts. Thanks for this information .I really appreciate your work, keep it up
Reply
Leave a Reply. |