I am sitting here typing this in a hotel room in Ashford, Washington. Tomorrow I will make a summit attempt on Mt. Rainier, the 14,410 ft volcano that, on lucky days, graces the skyline of Seattle and reminds the population why they put up with all the rain. This life list item, if completed, will mean I have passed the halfway mark on my life list.
Before starting to write this post, I exchanged friendly tweets with the person who now has my old job. (From what I can tell, Cyrus is doing a fantastic job) It was right after hitting send that the magnitude of how much my life has changed in the past eight months came into focus. My life is now completely different (new home, new job, new friends and a completely new lifestyle) and it all started with a single decision.
The single best decision I have ever made wasn’t leaving my old lifestyle and moving to Buenos Aires. It wasn’t surrounding myself with interesting places, things or people. It wasn’t even the choice I made to actively love more. These things all made my life better but were merely the results of a much bigger decision.
The single best decision I have ever made was to choose a direction in life and fully and uninhibitedly commit myself to it. The direction itself was irrelevant, (in this case, I chose pursing my life list) but the fact that I fully committed myself was the factor that forever changed how I think of myself and my potential.
I didn’t hesitate and ask what if, I didn’t wait for more data and I didn’t ask for more opinions. I was nervous as hell but made the conscious decision to grab my life by the throat and live it my way. I made the decision to pursue my life list and in order to accommodate that, I radically changed everything about my life to pour all of myself into my new focus.
I sit here on the eve of climbing the biggest physical mountain of my life and smile. The real battle has already been won. The mental mountain has already been climbed.
Which summit is next for you?
Danny,
From the old guy who has your old job, you continue to inspire and motivate me. I hope to keep following in your footsteps by following my own path. Good luck on your climb!
-Cyrus
Danny,
Great post! I am so proud of the directions you have “chosen” to take your life.In less than a year, you have all ready accomplished more than many people do in their lifetime. This is because you have become focused and proactive to what makes you happy.
Congratulations on the successful summit of Mt. Rainer and a safe return. I am a proud papa!
What a monumental way to complete the half way point of your list! It just seems like the goals you are completing are just getting bigger (literally). I hope the altitude treats you well!
Awesome. I had a similarly formative decision a few years ago when I found myself working in a lab while finishing up college being swept into a science grad program that looked to be inevitably leading to another half-decade of research drudgery followed by eventual postdoc slave-wagery and, if lucky, academic bureaucracy. Quit my job, broke up with my long-time girlfriend, drove across the country to Utah (where I’d never been and knew noone) and dedicated my life to skiing, climbing, biking and deliberate living. It’s an incredible feeling to come to the unflinching acceptance that you are responsible for… Read more »
Hi Danny,
Great job. You inspired many people including me.
Good luck!
Awesome post. My favorite part was “stop looking around for more opinions or for more data to come in”. Sounds too familiar. I need to make one of these changes.
Hi Danny,
i wish you all the best for your new chapter in your life! Its great to see that you enjoying it so much. Be good to yourself!
Greetings from Germany
-Thomas
Wow Danny, that is so inspiring! You had a dream and trusted yourself and the universe enough to pursue it. Now that takes some gigantic balls.
Wishing you further happiness and success on your quest! :-)
March on forward soldier!
From somebody who did something very similar this year, I can’t tell you how much this post resonates with me. Very well written, I couldn’t agree more! Good luck on Rainier… you’re gonna love it!
You should have planted a big flag with Ralph Naders face at the summit. That would have inspired me.