A New Adventure

A new adventure. Those words bring butterflies to my stomach and so many thoughts that I am sure most of you have experienced. When is the correct time to try something new? When is an adventure something to embrace? When is it ok to step outside our controlled and safe existence?

Newness and adventure thrust our lives into a state of change, a transition from where we are today to where we want to be in the future. In this state of change, we begin to resist, fight, bargain for what we know, get angry when the transition becomes challenging and then finally accept the good the newness brings.

When you combine the “new” with adventure, something that the dictionary describes as an “exciting or unusual experience; it may also be a bold, usually risky undertaking, with an uncertain outcome.” That doubles the uncertainty, intensifies the change and makes the transition all the more uncertain.

So when is the right time to begin the journey of a new adventure? I have come to understand that no time is perfect but if it matters, we will make it happen. We will find the time, slot it in and make it a priority.

Embrace the unknown and venture out to see what is possible is the challenge facing those that go beyond the ordinary in life. Challenging ourselves to transition between our lives now and what our goal is extends our lives into the extra-ordinary.

So what is the strategy to open your mind and body to a new adventure? Here are four steps that will assist you in your transition to something extra-ordinary.

1. Know why. Why do you want to start your new adventure? Are you looking to be inspired or inspire others? Do you have a dream? Look beyond the what you are doing and instead reach inside and understand “why”

2. Make a plan. A dream without a plan is only a wish. If you want to achieve something, if you want a successful outcome to your adventure you need to plan. Being prepared is what all adventurers share. The better prepared you are, the easier you can handle resistance on your journey. Break your plan down into bite size portions, and revisit your plan along your journey, making adjustments and amending as needed. Whether you are traveling to new countries, trying a new sport, or extending your life into something new and exciting a plan is needed. Without a solid plan we will lose our will and revert back to what we know and what is safe.

3. Celebrate your victories. Set milestones along the way in your plan and celebrate them. We often forget to give ourselves a pat on the back. When trying something new, unknown and something that puts us into a state of transition our mini-celebrations will keep us motivated to continue, even during the tough days.

4. Have a finish line. Just saying you want to lost weight, or be rich will not keep you motivated. To go through change you need a starting and an ending point. When you go through transition you need a present state and a desired future state. Know your finish line. Make is measurable so you know when you have achieved your goal. Concrete goals keep us accountable and make planning, motivating and achieving more manageable.

New adventures are uncertain. They are unknown. They are also exciting opportunities to allow us to grow and go beyond the ordinary, into the extra-ordinary part of our lives. I look forward to starting my new adventure today.

I am starting my new adventure to complete a 50km Ultra running race on Oct 13, 2013 so join me on my journey to the start line.

Looking forward to seeing you out there, embracing and basking in the unknown.