I have ADD. It's not what you think.
I have ADD.
It's not what you think.
It's Adventure Deficit Disorder.
And that's how I found myself climbing over the rail of a bridge wearing only a swimsuit and a parachute.
I could see my wife and five small children 500 ft below in a boat on the Snake River.
They looked like ants from that height.
It was one of those perfect summer mornings in Idaho.
But all I noticed was the gentle bouncing of the bridge as each car drove across.
My palms were sweating… like yours are right now while reading this. :)
My heart was pounding -- and for good reason!
I was standing on the 'wrong' side of the rail and was about to let go and fall.
What was I thinking?!
But I didn't want to look like a wuss to the base-jumping-stunt-men I was with...
So I counted...
3...2...1…
Then let go of the rail and felt the adrenaline of the free fall.
WHAT A RUSH!
Less than 4 seconds later, the parachute deployed.
I glided down and landed in the water 10 seconds? later.
My wife picked me up with the boat.
It was one of the coolest moments of my life.
(I got to jump twice that day.)
And it made me feel like a man.
WHY?
Because I faced my fears.
Because I did something dangerous.
Because I felt intimidated but conquered it.
Because I did something challenging.
Because I LIVED!
Men NEED Adventure!
(The second 'A' of the 7 Things a Man NEEDS to Be a 'Bad A').
No, you don’t have to BASE jump off bridges, like I did.
But yes, you do need to do things that challenge you, excite you, and sometimes intimidate or scare you.
Maybe it’s a marathon or an Iron Man.
Maybe it’s a long road trip or an international expedition.
Maybe it's a mountain bike trail or a snow-covered slope.
Maybe it’s a big mountain that calls you to conquer it.
Maybe it's a motorcycle ride, a hunting trip, or fishing in Alaska.
Whatever it is, you need adventure in your life and you need it regularly.
When men don't have Adventure they slowly die on the inside.
And sometimes they seek adventure in other, less fulfilling ways...
Financial risks, emotional or physical affairs with other women, pornography, food, gaming, or other addictions...
A man can't live without adventure...
...so he finds replacements if he doesn't have good, healthy options on a regular basis.
I do small adventures every week..
Some of my adventures from the last few years include:
trekking to the Base camp of Everest (carrying my 13-year-old son for 3 days)
sandboarding in the Sahara
circling Iceland
riding ponies across the steppes of Mongolia
leading humanitarian trips to Guatemala every year
hiking the Inca Trail into Machu Picchu
snorkeling in Thailand (then we had our Valentine’s dinner at the Ritz Carlton)
driving from Alaska to Panama
driving from England to southern Italy
The adventures me and my family have planned for 2021 include:
another road trip through Mexico & Guatemala
flying to Ecuador to climb Cotopaxi
sailing around the Galapagos
hiking Kilimanjaro OR to Base Camp (or both)
exploring Istanbul
I have an EPIC 'Life List' of all the adventures I want to have during my lifetime!
Every man should have such a list.
What adventures do you have planned for the next several weeks, months, and years? Leave a comment below!
P.S. If you don't have enough adventure in your life, it may be because you are letting life happen to you instead of making it happen for you.