I’m Only 80 Kilometres Away From The Finish Point of Kanyakumari
I honestly don’t know where to start. I’ve written and re written this post over and over again. It’s difficult to put into words. I’m only 80 kilometres away from the finish point of Kanyakumari, the southern most point of India. I say only 80km as if it’s simply a walk in the park, but the fact is, it is for me nowadays.
I’m now used to knocking that sort of distance out in two days. That amounts roughly to walking from London to Brighton in 48 hours - circa 50 odd miles for all the Brit's.
Not bad going, if I do say so myself.
Will I become one of those crazy people I used to see jogging at 6am on a Sunday morning, when I would be bowling out of a club? Let’s just say that’s a probability, as the days of me clubbing until the early hours are behind me. I cherish my lazy Sunday mornings and brunches. I suppose that’s what getting older does to you.
Life lessons
To say this whole experience has been life changing would be an understatement. It’s difficult to put into words, it really is. When I turned 40 I started to ask myself a lot of questions -
Have I achieved my full potential in business?
Have I reached my full potential in life?
Have I dated/slept with enough woman?
Have I proved to myself that I’m successful?
Have I experienced enough thrills in life? (read into that what you will)
Basically all of those questions us men think about, but don’t necessarily dare to share with anyone outside the locker room or with our mates down the pub.
Well, me being me, I openly talk about them.
All of which, basically amount to - have I done enough manly shit?
And then it suddenly occurred to me, I’ve been asking myself pretty much the same questions throughout my life. The only difference being, that the answers have changed as I’ve grown older.
Yet, when I turned 40 suddenly the underlying question changed...
“HAVE I” suddenly changed to “CAN I”?
And when that reality finally hits home, suddenly the the question has a lot more urgency in it.
Well, I certainly can’t go on an 18/30’s holiday that’s for sure. Although that’s been the case for some time. For the first time in my life, I started to question the clothes I wore. Am I too old to wear ripped skinny jeans and Air Max 95’s? What about the lime green Lamborghini I’ve always wanted?
Please lord no!!
Turning 40 was a significant turning point for me and it scared the hell out of me. I’m now closer to 50 than I am 30 for fucks sake!
Is it all down hill from here?
Absolutely not!
Trekking across India all on my own has given me a hell of a lot of time to think and contemplate life. Who I am as person and who I want to be moving forward.
I’ve proved to myself that the old boy still has it in him.
But, the invisible hurdle I see with so many people, myself included at certain points in my life, isn’t actually a hurdle - it’s excuses. I’m not saying everyone can piss off to India for months on end like I have. Nor am I saying anyone would want to. I’d actually probably advise against it if I’m being completely honest.
Create Your Own Adventure India
That was a totally personal thing for me. But what about changing something that is making you unhappy, like a job, relationship or being overweight? Ultimately, our overall happiness or unhappiness for some, falls into three categories...
Health - Wealth - Relationships
We live in a society of wanting instant gratification, which amounts to:
Instant food - hello processed food and takeaways
Instant TV - hello Netflix binges
Instant weight loss - hello bullshit weigh loss plans and fat burners (which don’t work btw)
Yet, rarely in life does anything of value come quickly, or without effort and hard work. On my journey across India one thing I’ve come to realise more and more, is that it’s not about the finish line. It’s about the journey you’ve taken to reach that point. That is where the true life lessons are found.
It’s all about the process
Take lottery winners for example - instant money and supposed fortunes. Did you know that over 80% of them end up skint and unhappy?
How you might ask.
Simple, they never experienced the life lessons and values throughout the journey in order to appreciate money. They simply had a shit load of cash deposited in their account and a whole lot of pressure added to their lives.
Look at people who get liposuction and fat loss procedures. Rarely does the weight stay off for long. Why? Because they haven’t experienced the hard work that it takes to lose weight.
Earn it and you’ll appreciate it. It’s your reward.
It doesn’t resonate with them that the hours of hard graft down the gym can be undone in the blink of an eye by eating a chocolate bar after dinner
Purpose - Passion - Profit
Why do you think kids of rich parents are often total fuck ups? They have no purpose in life. They get given everything on a plate. They want for nothing and, as a result, haven't experienced the struggle and journey that life rewards us with. What lessons have they learnt apart from when they want something, they know mummy and daddy will buy it for them.
It’s all about the journey
I’ll be completely honest with you, I’ve absolutely hated trekking across India over the last 4 months. I’ve tried so hard to take the positives from it but, the fact still remains, it’s been a living nightmare. It’s wrecked me psychically, emotionally and spiritually.
It’s only been over the last couple of weeks that my spirits have been lifted and I’ve started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t get me wrong, there’s been occasional glimmers of enlightenment along the way. But they’ve been few and far between.
Yet, when I reach the finish point in Kanyakumari and see the coastline, I know my life would have changed for the better. And, it would have nothing to do with finish line. It would have been the whole experience.
I know through experience that nothing of value comes easily. The real lessons and rewards come though the challenging times, the hardship and the struggle.
The real lessons in life only happen when you’ve done “The Work”.
It pays to remember that life doesn’t happen to you, it’s happens for you!
Create Your Own Adventure