I want to do a thru-hike, but…

My name is François; I’m 34 years old. I don’t own a house, a car, or fancy clothes. I have lived a nomad life for the past eight years and run my own business. I am a total adventure addict, and I’ll be hiking the PCT with my wife in 2024!

We all have our reasons to go on a thru-hike; they are all unique. Here is mine:

In 2018, when I thought I was about to die, a few seconds before being hit by a tsunami (true story!), I thought about my life. Nope, it’s not a myth that you see your life flashing in front of your eyes in your last moment! During that timeless moment, I asked myself questions to evaluate my life. After thinking about the people I love, remembering the joy and the smiles, I thought about my experiences. It felt good, but then I asked myself: “Was that it? Was that everything I could be or do? Had I truly lived my life to the fullest? Had I pushed myself to be the best version of myself?

Ouch.

Luckily, I got a second chance! And I will be forever grateful for it, so much that I dedicated my

life to two things: to live every single day to the fullest and inspire others to do the same. The burning question on my mind became: how do I make the most of my time? That was the start of going down the rabbit hole of personal growth, and I went deep!

Only when you figure out how you will measure your life, will you know how to live.

Aliveness

In today’s world, it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness of our daily lives. We keep moving forward, checking off tasks on our to-do lists, but we’re not really present in the moment. Do you ever feel like life is passing you by, and you’re just going through the motions without really experiencing it? You’re not alone.

We live, but we don’t always feel alive. It’s a bit paradoxical, and we all know how it feels. But is it really enough to just get by?

I don’t think so.

I always keep in mind that we tend to regret the things we didn’t do more than the things we’ve done. So, if not now, when?

That’s the conversation I had with myself, and I was ready to commit until I heard a voice in my head saying, “Yeah, sounds great, BUT…”

 

The voices in your head

Please tell me I’m not the only one who hears them. You know what I mean..  those different characters arguing:

• This is a one-in-a-lifetime experience!
• Yes, but you’ll have to quit your job.
• I can always find another one later.
• OK, but what about your family and friends?
• I’m not going to Mars; I’ll be in touch every week!
• It’s gonna cost you a lot of money! 
• I will start saving now.
• Are you even in shape to do that?
• I’ll do my best.
• But what if you don’t complete it? What will people think?
• At least I will not have regrets!

No matter what your voices are saying, I know they are there. Sometimes, they are just your fears and insecurities; sometimes, they are the ones of others. 

My main “BUT” is that for the past four years, I’ve been building my business as a high-performance coach. I worked really hard to achieve the success I wanted. And to be honest, it’s scary to think about leaving the business I built (with sweat and tears!) behind to walk in nature for months.

Going on a thru-hike is not something very common. So, obviously, it’s normal to doubt at some point if it is actually a good idea. When I heard about the PCT, I knew one day I would do it; I just had to convince myself it was the right the right time. And there was one question that helped me make a decision:

“When I’m 80 years old, what is the story I’ll want to tell my grandchildren?”

For me, the answer was easy!

I’ll figure it out!

After serving in the military and traveling around the world, I figured out one thing: we, humans, have an amazing ability to figure things out! How we navigate uncertainty and unpredictability solely depends on how we think. I believe I’ll always find a way, and guess what? I always did. 

It is all about the beliefs we have about ourselves and the world that determine how we navigate the unknown. As much as we try to create a sense of control, the only thing we truly control is our reaction to what life throws at us.

It feels at times that the only thing that matters is to create success in your life. As I said, I’m 34 years old; I don’t own a house, a car, or fancy clothes. But I realized with time that I don’t need those things to be successful because success is about how we feel, not what we have.

Friends will come and go. Money will come and go. But my time is only getting less every day. That’s what Death taught me a few years back, and I took good note!

So to the voice in my head saying, “BUT,” my answer is, “Thanks for the info, but don’t worry, I’ll find a way thru!” 😉

 

And you, what is your “BUT”?