You’re boring and overweight. I know this because you, dear reader, are just like me – that’s why we get along so well. So let’s work on this together.
Steve Kamb (Blog – @SteveKamb), on the other hand, is interesting and fit. I know this because his blog is named NerdFitness.com, his arms are the size of my legs (but not in that gross Ahnold way), and he’s living one of the most interesting lives I’ve seen.
Steve turned his life into an adventure game – Steve’s Epic Quest of Awesome. He’s built levels for himself, and he’s tracking his progress. Here’s the five quests from Level 3:
- Visit Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland – Completed 8/9/11
- Be a guest speaker at Google – Completed 6/1/11
- Visit the Great Wall of China – Completed 5/20/11
- Rock climb the cliffs of Thailand – Completed 5/6/11
- Visit Angkor Wat – Completed 4/29/11
o_O
Alright, readers, let’s do this. You, me, and Steve.
You don’t have to do the health stuff. (Note that this blog wasn’t titled “Why You’ll Be More Interesting And Less Fat Next Year.”) I’m not trying to get you to aim high – I’m just trying to get you to aim, period. I invite you to join me in building a Life Quest for yourself, too. Here’s mine.
Your Life Quest doesn’t have to be public, but at least take ten minutes today – right now – to start writing down what you want to accomplish in your life. Don’t try to organize your dreams into a linear project plan, because that’s not how life works. Just make a list of all the cool boxes you’d like to check off someday, and let’s work together to check your boxes off.
I’ll be working towards mine right here in public, and you’ll be able to celebrate my joys with me. If they’re your joys too, I’d love to celebrate them together – that’s exactly how we did #SQLRun, the Portland Half Marathon. Several of us joined together and ran it (at different speeds, and of course I was last!) and that made the event so much more meaningful.
Here’s what I need you to do right now:
- Read Steve Kamb’s Epic Life Quest (and if you find him as inspiring as I do, follow @SteveKamb)
- Read my Life Quest for ideas
- Take ten minutes today to start writing down your Life Quest
- And finally, tell a friend about this Epic Life Quest thing. Time is so short. I’m dealing with catastrophic illness in my family, and every week reminds me of how little time we’ve all got left. Let’s do this together!
8 Comments. Leave new
Sorry to hear about the illness happening in your family, especially painful around the holidays, I’m sure. But I really enjoyed your post: I’ve got to get me some goals!
Matt & Thomas – thanks!
I’d seriously LOVE to go to Japan. And if it could be work-related it might be doubly fun.
Hey Brent – Echoing Matt’s comment: also sorry to hear about the serious illness in the family. I’m still learning the lessons you’re learning… Here’s one that made it off my bucket list (I wrote about it) http://tomroush.net/2011/03/03/what-heaven-must-be-like/
Good luck with your adventure, I’ll start with my 10 minutes today. 🙂
Tom – WOW, the glider adventure looks awesome! I’ve never wanted to fly a small plane, but suddenly a glider looks cool. I’m adding that to my own list!
Brent – if you couldn’t tell, I had a pretty good time. 🙂 Too bad PASS is in November this year, (they stop flying at the end of October) – but that’d be something fun to do. In fact, here’s something in your neighborhood. http://www.chicagogliderclub.org/content/home.php You’d be doing more thermal stuff than ridge soaring – both of which can be fun. We were about a wingspan away from one ridge. When you’re used to flying commercial, seeing trees that close raises your level of interest pretty quickly. 🙂
Brent, making your life into a geeky epic quest is an excellent idea. The danger is thinking you’re making progress grinding and doing fetch quests like in World of Warcraft! 🙂 I’ve thought of my life progress for a while in terms of versions or levels but this idea puts a fun perspective on goals and GTD.
Emre – thanks! Hahaha, yeah, it feels like I’ve already been doing grinding – that’s what the 9-5 life felt like for me for a while. I never thought of it that way though!