SxSW ended 2 days ago…

And I didn’t get to check out Prince, Justin Timberlake, or the Smashing Pumpkins. :/

Is this a Festival Failure OR do you avoid the main acts too?

In the past, I have had a few epic times at huge, massively popular shows, but usually I just end up wishing I was someplace smaller. The lines, crowds, bathroom waits, and overpriced drinks are all just a bit much for me.

I’d prefer to be inches from an unknown, but so darn talented and passionate band, giving the show their ALL with 15 enthusiastic fans… THAT is my idea of a time.

And this is kind of how my SxSW experience went too.

I went looking for simple moments.

SxSW is a massive festival with oodles of film, music, and technological stuff happening. It is the perfect place if you want to see a gazillion live shows, watch the latest edgy film, and learn about some of the most practical applications of technology.

In fact there was almost too much to do.

I could have spent hours and hours RSVPing for events and shows. But I wasn’t really trying to do up SxSW like a Balla. I am still getting settled here in Austin and I’m working on a bunch of stuff with Adventure Sauce.

So I went out in search of simple moments…

AND for SxSW, these were about as simple as I could get.

Here are 5 SxSW tips from simple moments (in GIFs):

1. Don’t talk about boring stuff.

SxSW is a great way to meet some kickass people. And I had a lot of conversations with a lot of people… But I can barely remember most of them.

I do remember this little lady and her Baby Robot tattoos. She told me the whole story, which isn’t important for our purposes here, but if you want to make new friends at SxSW or other festivals…

Talk about interesting shit.

2. Should you wait in that line?

If the line is huge, then you are too late.

There is so much to do at SxSW, go find something that no one has realized is fun yet.

 

 

3. Share

Share as much as you can.

SxSW is a cool time to share stuff. Food, alcohol, bikes, RSVPs, and your GoPro are great things to share to start.

***Coincidentally, the colorful lady holding the camera is named Cher/Share (unsure about spelling).

 

 

4. Eat the most unhealthy thing you can.

Now and again, you have to eat the most unhealthy thing you can.

A fried bratwurst, covered in jalapenos, cheddar cheese, bacon, and spicy chipotle mayo is the perfect way to celebrate SxSW. Super tasty and tomorrow you will appreciate those green vegetables a even more.

 

 

 5. Get some lemonade.

Any time you see a lemonade stand… STOP!

I almost zoomed past these two cute and enthusiastic entrepreneurs, who were advertising their lemonade stand on a side street. So cool to see ambitious young folks and support them.

Their lemonade had real lemons and plenty of sugar too, just like I like it.

 

Do you have a SxSW tip you follow? Or maybe you have went to a different festival and you have a suggestion for others?

Please share in the comments below.

Your friend,

-Benjamin

Ps. Join our Posse for free updates with tips about travel, personal development, and adventure.

The post 5 SxSW Tips Inspired By Simple Moments (In GIFs) appeared first on Adventure Sauce.

My man… have you had trouble finding pants to travel in?

It seems like guys have only two options: comfort or style.

Which do you choose?

• Comfortable, functional, and durable: Typically this means active, outdoors-y pants meant for hitting the gym or hiking in forests. If you get soaked in a rain storm, they dry quickly. The pockets are big, so you can stuff them with muffins at your hostel. And they are baggy, so your “boys” have plenty of space in cramped bus rides, airline seats, or cars. But there is a problem… you kinda look like a tool.

Or…

• Fashionable and stylish: After traveling, you want to go meet some people… maybe even a lady, AND having nice pants helps. A good pair of jeans, khakis, or other trendy pants will help you fit into a local bar or club. Some places might not even let you in wearing those Other Comfortable Travel Pants. But these pants usually end up just sitting in your backpack most of the time and they are heavy to lug around.

So… I’ve been looking for the perfect travel pant for years and I’ve almost found it.

I know what you are thinking…

“Benjamin, just bring two pairs of pants.”

And to you, I say, “Touche.” You are a smart dude, of course.

But I’ve done that and it works, but I want a lighter a pack. I carry all my stuff on my back, including camera equipment, so I’m always looking for ways to lighten my load. Jeans can be pretty heavy too. They weigh about a pound, and if I wear my backpack for hours every day, that weight really adds up.*

This is why I experimented with my One Travel Pant Solution.

For over 150 days, I wore only one pair of pants.**

It wasn’t by design at first, but after my “nice” pants had split down the middle, instead of rushing out and buying a new set, I just kept the one pair. Thank Niall Doherty and his article on wearing one pair of pants for inspiring me.

I was in Stanley, Idaho at the time and had 5 months of traveling ahead of me, so I figured I could play the whole “I’m an adventure sort of guy” card. Although pretty quickly it became an experiment on how long I (and these pants) could last.

Without further ado, here are my beloved pants:

REI’s Endeavor Convertible Pant

Here’s the skinny on these pants…

They fit well, when so many other’s are so baggy, I feel like a rapper. The material stretches, but not so much that I feel like I’m wearing yoga pants. The pockets have zippers, which will USUALLY keep your passport/wallet safe (although my girlfriend’s passport slipped thru in Mexico). The color doesn’t look too “outdoorsy” and they zip down into shorts.

If you are the sort of dude who is into Pant Details (like the percentage of polyester/spandex blend or what the UPF rating is, then go here.)

They look pretty good, right?

And the pants passed my Durability Test.

Here’s some of what they’ve been through:

• Swam and hiked the Sawtooth Mountains.
• Withstood the playa dust at Burning Man.
• Hitchhiked from Stanley, Idaho to Missoula.
• Greyhounded from Missoula to Banff.
• Climbed snowy mountains and rode mountain bikes in Banff.
• Hitchhiked from Banff to San Francisco.
• Survived falling in love at a drag show in SF
• Rideshared to San Diego
• Bussed to Mulege on the Baja
• Climbed small mountains and tried to swim in the Sea of Cortez (rocks were covered in barnacles)
• Hitchhiked across the USA again (San Diego to Jacksonville, Florida)

In total, I’ve had these pants for over a year and a half, and I’ve hitchhiked over 4,600 miles and have traveled over 10,000 miles in them.

With the right maintenance, they could last another big trip too.

But we already knew how tough and durable they were though, right?

Well, I’ve also taken them to some fancier places like…

• A nice Thai restaurant in Dallas with some friends who know a lot about RVs
• Hip bar in San Francisco with dudes who don’t have much stuff, a good blogger, and a zen family man.

Oh and… my girlfriend at the time rarely complained about them (odor or aesthetics).

But I’ll admit… they aren’t the fanciest pants ever.

You probably shouldn’t go to a job interview in them or meet up with Kirsten Dunst for your date. BUT for travel pants, these can take you almost anywhere (most people forgive a traveler for looking a tad un-stylish).

In fact, according to my very accurate and unbiased calculations, REI’s Endeavor Convertible Pants will help you rank 4.3 points less on the Toolness Scale (see below).

Here’s why these pants rule:

• The Material: The pants are 11% spandex, which is enough to give you room to move and shake without being yoga pants-y. The material is thin enough to breath and dry quickly. Yet, isn’t as thin as those “plastic feeling” active pants. Add in some wind and sun resistance and I’m pretty sure you will dig the material.
• The Fit: Most travel pants are too baggy. Unless you are touring with Rick Ross or want to fit in with the senior citizen crowd, go with pants that fit you well.
• The Functionality: Pocket zippers are essential for the traveler getting in and out of cars (or other forms of transportation). There are also zippers on the side bottom part of the leg (see picture), so you can make your pants shorts without taking your boots off. They also have different colored zipper material, so you know which leg goes with which leg.

But these pants aren’t perfect. Here’s why these pants suck:

• The Price: These pants go for 109$ from REI, which is pretty steep. It is tough for me to invest large amounts of money in clothing, when I know that any point in my travels, they could be ruined.
• The Style: Let’s face it, any type of “convertible” pant isn’t all that stylish. Convertible pants always make it seem like you are off to go bird watching and you are 50.  If someone could hide the zippers completely, I’d be happy.
• The Fit: I’m no skinny jean-loving punk rocker, but I like my pants to fit. These are still a little too baggy for me.

Overall verdict…

If you want to travel with one pair of pants and you have an extra 100$ lying around, then these could be your new favorite pants.

EXTRA: Potential Business Idea for You:

Make trendy clothes for traveling dudes. There is still a big gap between the clothes I like to wear and those that are the most functional. Maybe you could change that? Or maybe you just know some clothing places I don’t?

Do you have a piece of travel gear that you love? Please share in the comments.

Or maybe you want to know about another piece of gear, I haven’t mentioned. Ask any questions below or shoot me an email at benjamin(at)adventuresauce(dot)com.

- Your friend,

Benjamin

Ps. Join our Posse of thoughtful adventurous types and get 5 lessons about traveling.

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The post The Only Men’s Travel Pants You Need appeared first on Adventure Sauce.

Do you ever get nervous before a meet up?

Gosh, I have been lately.

I just moved to Austin, Texas and am surrounded by gaggles of hot, ambitious, and funky people. Which is cool, right? I’m not complaining… in fact, it’s why I’m here.

I’m looking for badasses.

Austin is the perfect place to build a small crew of people with similar goals and interests. People who dig some combo of online video + blogging + traveling + personal development + art + doing interesting shit + biking + photography + experiencing the most of life. AND don’t take themselves too seriously.

Moving to a growing hip city like Austin has been a dream… but my guts are also getting more nervous than usual.

And as a guy who teaches others how to be socially confident, you might think that means “fearless.” Well, I wish that were the case. But I get scared and nervous in social situations too (which is why it is natural for me to help others).

But I’ve gotten out of “social shape.”

I’d been living in an empty house in Farmville, Virginia for the past six months.

It was like being in a bare cabin in the woods. I could focus on my writing, video editing, and online biz stuff. I meditated, ate cheaply, and aside from a few casual coffeeshop friendships…

I was alone and I half loved it… half hated it.

But the time was perfect for building up my “productive as shit muscles.” Plus, as much as I dig meeting people, I have a feeling I’m going to be “hermit-y” later in life. I need SO MUCH alone time.

As a result, I’m feeling like the ole’ shy Ben, I used to be.

But my “social skill muscles” are still there and I’m ready to start flexing them.

 
Here’s one of my guiding principles that never fails me…

You don’t have to be interesting. You have to be interested. That’s how you have conversations,” says John Gottman, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of Washington.

Be curious about people and the RIGHT people will love you, even if your brain tries to get in the way.

 

Do you ever catch yourself “practicing” conversations in your head before a meet up?

As I was riding my bike to meet up with some travelers, my brain kept rehearsing potential conversations with people it made up, who might be there.

Imaginary Meet-up Person: What do you do?

Benjamin’s Brain: Fuck… I hate this question. I haven’t decided what I call myself yet. Writer? Video dude? Don’t tell her you are a coach… it’s such a silly name, no one understands. Go with your main focus…

“I help creative people make NON-LAME videos for the web.”

That’s actually not bad. I’m using that next time.

Other times I try to convince my brain I’m not nervous.

It’s like being nervous is below me. It’s sounds so pansy, right?

Part of Benjamin’s Brain That Hates Being Vulnerable : Dude, we are a Swagger coach… we don’t get nervous anymore. PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, MAN!

Part of Benjamin’s Brain That Lies Like A Car Salesman : Listen, it ain’t nerves… that’s just a little indigestion. Chorizo tacos are way to cheap here. Go figga.

Avoiding the nerves makes it worse though, because now I’m ASHAMED that I’m NERVOUS and I don’t have the COURAGE to be vulnerable about it. It’s like a triple whammy. :/

But just acknowledging my nerves helps.

“I’m nervous, so what.”

I remember that 50-80% of people get nervous in social situations.

I also remember that being nervous means I’m pushing my boundaries…

AKA I’m a fucking badass.

AND most importantly…

I focus on the world and people around me.

How could I make this meet up better for others?

What can I give?

What can you bring to the meet up or any person you meet? (it doesn’t have to be a physical object)

How can you give to the people around you?

Then try some combo of these 6 things to calm your nerves before the meet up:

1. Choose Passion & Avoid Networking:  Choose a group you are passionate about. Some meet ups are all about grabbing business cards. Avoid those. Choose a meet up that encourages first-timers or beginners. Look for groups that welcome shy people and avoid the “Bring Your Business Cards And Network groups.”

***Finding the right meet up group is like finding a compatible girl to date. Not all groups will fit, so look around. Go see what’s out there before you commit.

2. Visualize Pimpness: In Charlottesville, I’d been invited to a house party by a tea house girl. Sounded fun, but I was heading in solo and I had my whole backpack, so I knew I would stick out at first. To prepare, I sat on a bench with my head in my hands. I thought of  past parties, I’d rolled into alone. I pictured myself walking in relaxed and smiling. I relaxed and talked to people in my head for 10 minutes or so, which was enough to get me started.

***Your brain can’t tell the difference between something you visualize and reality.

3. Fake Confidence: Stand tall. Laugh. Talk to people. Introduce yourself. Shake hands. Give hugs. Pat backs. Tease. Have fun. Dress well.

And if you just can’t manage to say anything or act confident, then you still have a shot… just smile.

***No one really cares about you, so they won’t notice. In fact, they are probably faking confidence themselves.

4. Prepare: So dorky right? Whatever… don’t ever worry about being a dork. Worry about being a coward. Politicians prepare like mad to make connections with the right people at parties and as a beginning social star, you will too.

Write down a few conversation topics ahead of time. Include interesting articles, videos, or conversations you’ve had. Because you are so damn smart, you do have interesting things to say. Just try not to forget at the party.

***Bring a prop or something fun to do  too (frisbee, camera, kite, goat cheese and crackers).

5. Warm Up:  Just like a marathon runner warms up before a race, you need to warm up before a social event. Start talking to people before your meet up. If you are really nervous, you could try talking to people who get paid to talk to you. Baristas, waiters, and random people on the street are the perfect targets. Or call a friend you have an easy time talking too.

***Talking takes practice, so be sure to add in some every day to stay sharp.

 

For more tips on talking to people…

I wrote a book about 167 ways to talk to anyone, so if you want more strategies, tips, and techniques, then you can get the book now. It is free, when you type in your email address, and I cover basic ways to easily start conversations, keep them going, and maintain contact afterwards.

 

–> Download the free e-book, 167 ways to talk to anyone now.

 

Do you get nervous before meet ups too?

What does your brain tell you before meeting a strange group of people? Do you do anything to keep your nerves in check?

Please share your story with our community in the comments. We’d like to hear from you.

- Your friend,

Benjamin

Ps. Thanks to Anna for partially inspiring this piece with her sorta hilarious social anxiety video.

Pss. Join our Posse and follow Benjamin’s adventures helping thoughtful people get the most from life.

—> Click here for free email updates.

The post How To Calm Your Nerves Before A Meet Up appeared first on Adventure Sauce.

If you think normal adventurers are the chest thumping, fearless types… then you may be disappointed to know…

I’m not a normal adventurer.

I don’t really care if I ever skydive.

Climbing Mount Everest isn’t at the top of my bucket list.

My grandpa would tease me because it would take me so long to jump into his pool (Yo… it was pretty chilly).

And when I hike up a mountain, I’ll probably bring some jambalaya and beers… not mountain climbing equipment.

You don’t need to be super extroverted or completely fearless to be an adventurer.

Jack Kerouac was a shy and extremely sensitive dude, even though he train hopped and hitchhiked around the USA.

Chris Guillebeau used to be a shy dude and he has traveled to 190 countries.

And you don’t have to be hooked on the adrenalin rush either.

Although a little adrenalin does get taste pretty darn good after awhile… .

Quick confession: Some days I wonder…

“Gosh… why the heck did I choose Adventure as the theme of my blog.”

Why didn’t I choose viral videos or zingy art or powerful writing or growing a fat beard or teach my badass dance moves (;))?

But then I realize…

I know EXACTY why I choose adventure as my theme.

Adventure helps me be a badass artist and wise man.

Being adventurous challenges me by shoving my fears right in my face.

Being adventurous shows me the depths of my soul… most Normal People run screaming from.

Being adventurous has crammed my brain full of stories that I can shit out in my colorful art.

Being adventurous has given me the Swagger Juice (confidence) to be able to live a life I completely dig. 

Plus… adventure is freakin’ fun.

***Zoom into San Fran’s ‘worst neighborhood’ for 229 seconds from December 2012.

I love to dive into the worst neighborhoods in a city and meet people with dark depths.

I love to try out something new… and get my ass kicked.

I love to jump off the trail on my hikes and see what I can find (without dying).

And I like to buy hoppy beer and drink on the street.

STOP doing what you are told.

I used to be such a ‘good boy.’

Always working to be the best employee I could, even if I didn’t agree with my boss.

Always working hard on my studies, even if I thought the topic was pointless.

And always following the rules, even if they didn’t make any sense.

Now… this Good and Normal attitude isn’t ALL bad.

I have a loving, badass family…

I was the director of a school helping troubled kids and worked with some really awesome friends…

And I have a pretty solid resume (or at least I did, until I started being honest at Adventure Sauce ).

But I also never felt like I was really living my life.

I was bored and hollow.

I was living in fear of what others would think of me.

I was always worried how things would work out in the future…

And I was missing out on living right now.

It wasn’t until I started jumping in cars with strangers that I started to see what life was really about.

Every moment can be an adventure.

It is a lot harder to die than I thought.

People freakin’ rule, especially if you know how to talk to them.

The world is our home… go sleep where you want.

And having fun is important to your health.

Approach your life like an adventure.

When you get up, wake up with an attitude of wonder.

“What could happen today?”

“Who could I meet?”

“Where could I explore?”

“What could I experience?”

Even if you just have a Normal Day…

How could you push yourself?

How could you have some fun?

What adventure could you take?

Risk.

Play.

Have a purpose.

Share.

Every moment can be an adventure.

It won’t all be fun, of course

There is work to be done.

Sharing your soul in your blog posts is scary.

Making videos about your travels isn’t being completely free.

Getting a posse of people inspired and others to care takes time, effort, and work.

And making money from your adventures won’t be easy.

But welcome to living, my good buddy.

I can’t promise you will be successful.

But I can promise that you will NEVER have that horrible feeling of regret in your belly.

You will never have to wonder,

“Could I have been a sculptor?”

“Could I have went to Africa?”

“Could I have rode a motorcycle across the USA?”

When I meet some people, I watch them lie to themselves, rationalize, and avoid the fact that…

They could have lived their dreams.

They could have taken a stab at the adventure of their lifetime.

They could have tried to write that book in their heart.

Or made that viral video of their trip around the world.

Or started that blog about bondage gear for blind people.

Or played the hell out of that guitar in front of 50,000 people.

But they didn’t.

They never even gave their adventure a shot.

So… How do you make every moment an adventure?

How do you bring adventure into your life?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments below, even if you only have a short thought…

Your voice is important.

And if you have a friend or so, who needs a little adventure, then please share this post.

Your friend,

-Benjamin

Ps. If you would like to bust your Swagger out of your heart…

And improve your confidence to tackle the adventure of your lifetime… I work with people just like you to help them get confident, so they can rock their dreams.

Simply click here for all the details.

The post Every Moment Is An Adventure appeared first on Adventure Sauce.

There are more pro adventurers in our world than ever before…

Will you be one of them?

Yo… You don’t need anyone’s permission to be a pro adventurer anymore.

You don’t need to get sponsored by North Face.

You don’t need to convince somebody at the Travel Channel that you rule.

You don’t need to win a competition at the Lonely Planet.

And you definitely don’t need a big ole fat trust fund to live a life full of adventure.

Of course… my definition of adventure is broader than the traditional one.

Here at Adventure Sauce, being a pro adventurer isn’t about…

Being the first dude to hike up Mt. Everest like Sir Edmund Hillary.

Being the first white dude to discover North America like Christopher Columbus.

Being the first person to travel around the world in 72 days like Nellie Bly.

Or even hitchhiking over 23,000 miles around the USA and making a mini-viral video about people, like this guy.

Every moment can be an adventure.

Your adventure could be to write a new song every week.

Your adventure could be to make a documentary with all the video you shot as you traveled the world.

Your adventure could be talking to girls and getting a hot date.

Or your adventure could be starting a blog about your coming trip around the world.

Adventure Sauce isn’t an attempt to convince you to do something stupid.

I don’t care if you hitchhike, jump off a bridge, hike up a mountain, or ride a mountain bike.

I want you to do the adventure that beats in your heart.

And Adventure Sauce is about giving you the inspiration and practical tools to make that adventure a reality.

And I hope you can feel the freedom and richness of viewing every moment as an adventure.

Being a Pro Adventurer is about more than getting paid to do cool shit.

And while making a living is a part of it… it isn’t everything.

Here are the four essential parts of a pro adventurer:

1. Risky Action: If there is no risk… there is no adventure.
2. Playful Spirit: If you don’t have fun as you go… you won’t make it.
3. Purpose: But if it only about fun… and there isn’t a purpose, it is an immature adventure.
4. Sharing: Adventure is the best education and you will learn unique lessons that can help people… so share them.

You need each of these four elements or you will fail as a pro adventurer:

• Without Risk: You will get fat and comfortable. Everything you say will be driven by your brain’s evolutionary need to seek out comfort. You will be a walking dead man.
• Without Play: You will be a pro cubicle worker and you will only be able to last so long… until you collapse in a heap. You won’t see the beautiful game of life and your message will be tainted.
• Without Purpose: You will only be worried about you. It won’t be drive by something bigger than you and how your adventure will help our world.
• Without Sharing: If you keep the lessons you learn to yourself, then our world will miss out on the wisdom you gained. If you go live on a mountain top or never put into practice what you learn, then no one will benefit from your experience.

Let’s check out two examples of badass pro adventurers…

I. Jack Kerouac, the author of On the Road, inspired me to become an adventurer.

• Risky Action: His adventures of hitchhiking and train hopping around the USA taught him about America.
• Playful Spirit: His playful spirit of “whooping and hollering” kept him alive and happy during his journeys. Even his writing is playful with his long, winding sentences and down home language.
• Purpose: He was on the search for IT… some mystical spiritual depth in himself and our universe… as well as the soul of America.
• Sharing: And his novel, On the Road, is one of the classics of American literature, which inspired a whole generation of people to travel around the USA… and still inspires dudes like me and you.

II. Chris Guillebeau, author of the blog and book, The Art of Non-Conformity, inspired me to start a blog.

• Risky action: He is visiting every country in the world. His travels fuel his story and makes his articles interesting.
• Playful spirit: No one could travel to 190 countries without being playful. I’m sure it keeps him sane through the airports, buses, hotels, and challenges of running a business as he does it.
• Purpose: He is creating a movement of people, like us, who refuse to conform so we can change the world.
• Sharing: He shares his stories on his blog, in his books, e-books, his courses, and at the World Domination Summit.

I used to think “Pros” were too serious.

Kerouac and his Beatnik buddies influenced me to rebel against being a Pro.

They thought Pros were too serious, too focused on money, and too worried about perfection… so they missed out on the Playful Alive Experience of living.

So… when I would get a case of writer’s block… or would wake up with a hankering to go on a spontaneous adventure…

Then I would just go.

I would quit, stop, and head out the door on a bite-sized adventure.

Which was fun… and was needed at times…

BUT… we also need the discipline, willpower, and focus to create our art, which will share our message…

And THAT is never easy. 

Steven Pressfield convinced me to stop being an amateur.

Steven is a badass writer and has written, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles, and his newest book, Turning Pro…

And his main point is to…

Shut up… and work.

Pros work every day to create something important.

It isn’t easy, so you can’t just work when you feel good.

Work every day and embrace the battle of creating art.

And the same message applies to being a pro adventurer.

Get up every day and be ready to live your adventure to the fullest.

You can’t just adventure, when you feel good.

You must practice daily as if you were at war.

You must turn Pro.

Just don’t take yourself or your work TOO seriously.

Don’t be such a “Responsible Adult,” that you miss the depth of life around you.

You have to add a little Sauce, right?

Crank out your work… AND be playful.

No pro will last, if they don’t choose projects they love and play as they go.

Yo… You gotta cut out of work sometimes and go surfing…

You gotta go dance in the streets…

And you gotta go make out with hot dudes.

Just make sure you get up at 8am the next day, do your meditation, brush your teeth, and write the deepest truth you know…

Even if you have a headache.

In the next few months… stay tuned to learn all the lessons of being a pro adventurer from yours truly…

And from friends of mine who have been creating art, making friends, traveling the world and embarking on adventures they believe in as they make money.

Sign up to our Posse to stay in touch and please share with your friends. Thanks!

Your friend,

-Benjamin

The post 4 Essentials Of The Pro Adventurer (You Got ‘Em?) appeared first on Adventure Sauce.

Do you want to wake up every day… Create cool shit, connect with badass people, and get paid to adventure?

Well… Then why not become a Pro Adventurer?

Yo… to be an adventurer here at Adventure Sauce, you don’t need to…

• Climb mountains with a pick axe and a gnarly beard.
• Sail around the world in a rickety wooden boat and a hook for a hand.
• Or travel around the world without any luggage and one set of clothes.

But you do need to approach your life with the attitude that…

Every moment is an adventure. [Tweet This]

Adventure is a mindset that helps us live the life we want.

Looking at our life as an epic adventure helps us take the Risky Action necessary…

Because we don’t take life as seriously as Normal People.

We can create more HONEST art, go on more IN-DEPTH travels, have a whole lot more FUN…

And we have the BALLS to live our purpose…

So we can save the world. 

Anything you do can be an adventure.

Blogging about your music is an adventure.

Writing about your paintings is an adventure.

Making videos about your travels is an adventure.

And traveling to Kenya to work in a clinic is an adventure.

But to be a PRO adventurer you will need a Powerful Weapon.

You are going to use this Weapon to create things to help people, to connect with other rockstars, and to make yourself some dough along the way.

This Powerful Weapon is the valuable skill you have that others want.

It will pay your bills, it will help you create mind-blowing art, it will help you connect with other people, and it be fun working on something you are AMAZING at.

Recently, I showed our Posse how they could be a pro writer in 30 days…

Which is the easiest way to make money as you travel and adventure.

A crew of Posse members even joined our Pro Writer challenge to try to make their first dollars as a Pro before 2013 (wish them luck or shoot me an email to join).

But there are other ways to be a Pro Adventurer besides writing.

This post is for all you folks, who need some help locating your Powerful Weapon.

Here are popular ways of becoming a pro adventurer (if you have any I missed, please write them in the comments):

1. Write stories.

I know… I know… I already wrote about writing, right?

Well… this is actually becoming a REAL writer (while I was describing a SEO writer before… big difference).

You write pieces about your life, travels, and adventures. You teach the useful lessons and skills you have learned (or want to learn). You could write a book, start a blog, or write freelance articles that can be published on some gigantic blogs.

You no longer have to spend years traveling, like Jack Kerouac and then beg a publisher to turn your work into a book.

Start a blog, write the book as you go, make fans now, and self-publish it later. You can sell your book to the audience you are building, who love you now, because they got to watch your journey in real-time.

Or you could create similar things things with your skills, like an online course about writing or make a online club offering writing tips.

One Small Step Of Risky Action: Write one story about an event in your life.

Then check out…

Chris Guillebeau: He writes about non-conformity and has visited 190 countries in the past 3 years.

Nomadic Matt: He writes about budget travel tips and he makes up to 6,000 dollars a month.

Tyler Tervooren: He writes about taking risks to improve your life and he recently ran a marathon in South Africa.

2. Coach.

If you are great at teaching or counseling, then is your thang.

Being a coach is like being an informal counselor or consultant. You offer your specific skills to another… maybe your life advice (life coach), business advice (business coach), fashion tips (fashion consultant), music lessons (music tutor), writing guidance (writing coach), diet and exercise plan (health coach)…

Or heck you could be a Swagger Coach like me.

This is a great gig for people, who are good working with people.

One Small Step Of Risky Action: Teach one of your friends something you know.

Then check out…

Emilie Wapnick: She helps multipotentialites create successful lives and web projects.

Jason Fonceca: He is a positive badass, who has had 8 failed businesses, been homeless twice, and other catatrosphes, yet he stays happy and helps others create success in their lives.

Jacob Sokol: He helps people find and live their purpose.

3. Play Music.

If you want to be a rockstar… or the next Justin Beiber don’t wait around to be discovered.

Share your music and build your fans now.

Set up a website, release your music, make a cd and offer it for sale, and travel to spread the word.

One Small Step Of Risky Action: Share a song you created online… throw it on Facebook or Youtube and ask your friends what they think.

Then check out…

Marcus Miller: He plays Wave Music, is a traveling saxophone player, and writes a new song every week.

4. Design Graphics.

Can you make a logo, create a header, or design an e-book?

Well… then you can get freelance work as you spend your days sailing in Southeast Asia.

You are going to need some photoshop skills and some knowledge of color theory… but if you can sell yourself and build up some clients, then you can graphic design your way around the world.

One Small Step Of Risky Action: Make a SICK ‘cover’ (you know… that big picture above your name) for yourself on Facebook… or anything cool that other people will see.

Then check out…

Janet Brent: from Purple Panda designs awesome things.

5. Design Websites:

Making websites for other people is a great way to make a living as you adventure. And this is one of the more profitable skills you can have.

You can charge more per hour than writing or graphic design, which means you could be spending more time adventuring and less working, but you will need to have more developed skills. WordPress does have themes though that you could tweak and twangle around for others.

One Small Step of Risky Action: Make a website saying, “I make websites… you can hire me by emailing me now.”

Then check out…

Niall Doherty: He has been traveling around the world without flying and charges up to 80$ an hour for website work.

6. Program.

Gosh… I don’t know much about this. But I do know, a friend who would create the ‘back end’ of websites and work about 20 hours a week, charge a solid rate, and he loved it.

If you can write code for websites, then you could negotiate or get a job programming around the world.

One Small Step Of Risky Action: Can’t help you… If this is an option for you, then you know better than me.

Then check out…

 Justin Klein: He is traveling around the world, programming, and has some pretty pictures on his website.

7. Make videos.

Making videos could get you some Youtube revenue, you could sell them directly, or you could use them to introduce people to YOU and then sell them  your book, course, or product.

One Small Step Of Risky Action: Make a short video and post it to Youtube.

Then check out…

Korduroy TV: These guys make videos about surfing, they sell them, and they sell surfer dude products.

Casey Neistat: He makes home movies from his life… which have attracted the attention of large companies, like Nike, who hire him to make videos.

Devin Super Tramp: He makes videos for youtube and has a huge following… and his work also has caught the attention of large companies (Nike being one of them as well).

8. Take Photographs.

If you can take some beautiful photographs, then you might be able to sell your work on stock photography websites. You could sell them to larger websites. You could set up a website and sell them online. Or you could take fine art prints and sell your work for a good price.

You can also use your photography to better sell your articles or promote your website.

One Small Step of Risky Action: Share your photos with friends… and ask what they think.

Then check out…

Matthew Karsten: He takes beautiful pictures of his adventure travels and sells them to National Geographic and other websites.

Jimmy Chin: One of the most adventurous dudes on the planet and he can take some of the best photos.

Ian Ruhter: He made a truck into a camera and takes gorgeous photos.

If you already know what you want to DO… but you are lacking Swagger to do it…

Then let me help you bring out that Swagger I know you got… I’m accepting new clients now.

Simple click here for the details.

And if you see that I’m missing a way to be a Pro Adventurer… add your sexy wisdom in the comments… por favor.

Please share this post with your friends too. Thanks!

Your friend,

-Benjamin

The post The 8 Types Of Pro Adventurers appeared first on Adventure Sauce.

These days being a pro writer is pretty simple.

Any of our Brilliant and Badass Posse members (who look just like you) could easily rock this.

So… you better buy yourself a pack of cigarettes and start growing a mustache…

Because you can be a pro writer by the end of the month.

We are even going to have a challenge here at Adventure Sauce to encourage you.

If writing isn’t your thing or you are already making money online, you can skip this article.

I’m covering the basic first steps to getting your first writing job online.

And I have 2 old photos I dug up from my first solo trip to Amsterdam… I’m looking all cool and writer-y.

Read on for all the details.

It has never been easier to be a professional writer.

If you are ambitious, you could be making 1000$ or more a month in the next few months. And in the next 30 days (or less), you can DEFINITELY get your first professional writing job.

And if you want to make money as you travel…

Writing is the easiest way to do it.

There are a lot of writing jobs out there…

The work isn’t extremely mentally taxing…

And you can work in your long underwear and a sweatshirt (sort of like I am right now).

AND if you apply yourself, you might be able to make more dollars than Jack Kerouac ever did.

You can fund your travels.

You can free up your time to find your Purpose.

You can start spending more time on your music, art, blog, or business.

You can learn skills that will help you be successful with other online projects.

AND… you can brag to Your People this Christmas…

“Yep… I’m a pro writer now.”

Although… it is (sort of) a stretch to call you a writer.

This isn’t exactly a glamourous gig. You won’t be hired by National Geographic to head to Borneo to live with the natives and a publisher isn’t going give you a chunk of money to stay in your apartment, so you can write the next great American Novel.

You are actually an Web Content or SEO Writer.

You see…

There are a lot of websites out there… and they all need a lot of articles.

All these articles teach their audience, grow their website, and make Google more likely to place them #1 when you search something.

So they can sell their product.

But instead of writing all these articles themselves, they hire a guy like you to write the articles as you travel the world.

So you could be writing about such fascinating topics as…

Ranches in Montana,

Mixed Martial Arts clothing,

Medical Marijuana Clinics,

Or even how to get back with your Ex-Girlfriend.

(All these are topics I have written about in my days as an SEO writer.)

Now… none of these topics are going to make your blood boil with enthusiasm…

But in 10-20 hours a week, you could be making enough money to fund your world travels…

For a LONG time.

You could be reading this in Thailand right now…

Or from a beach in Chile…

Or from the an igloo in Canada.

AND the rest of your time is yours to do what you want.

Maybe work on that project you are really passionate about…

Or go on adventures to explore the country…

Or write that novel that you have been waiting to write…

Or start that blog that you think will be really big…

Sound too good to be true?

Well… there are a few qualifications:

-You need to be able to speak English natively.

-You need to be a DECENT writer. (Understanding grammar and writing clearly are the most important things).

-You need to have a basic understanding of Search Engine Optimization.

And that is about it…

Ready to make some money as you travel?

Devote 30 minutes a day for the next 30 days… and you will be a pro writer.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Day 1 (today): Read through this post.

And another post I wrote 11 months ago, The Beginner’s Guide To Writing Web Content. In that article I included a sample portfolio, profile, and emails that you can steal.

And…

Join our Pro Writer Challenge.

To make this more fun… we will have a fun and friendly contest to see who can make the most money. Everyone who commits and follows through will get a Post-Christmas Gift from Me… (which is going to be a personalized unique postcard from my travels).

Start by…

Sending me an email right now saying, “Yo Benjamin… I am committing to the Pro Writer Challenge.” Then commit to a time each day that you will work on this. Maybe it is before you go to bed, maybe it is around lunch time, or maybe it is the first thing you do every day.

In our Action Course, we learned that by committing to a certain time every day it is much easier to set up a new habit (so you don’t slack on this in a few days).

And also set a daily reminder in your Calendar… maybe you use Google Calendar? Set up a daily reminder to email you at the time you have committed to working on being a pro writer.

2. Day 2: Choose Your Freelancing Website.

This is where you will get your jobs from.

Odesk, Guru, and Elance are the big 3.

Go to each one of them now and look at the jobs. Get a “feel” for how the website works and if you like the design and functionality.

Then choose ONE of them… which you will focus on. They each have plenty of jobs, but choose the one you like best.

3. Day 3: Set Up Your Horrible Profile.

Each website requires you write out a profile about who you are and why someone would hire you. Fill out the profile as much as you can. Add in some personal details about what sets you apart.

But don’t worry about being perfect yet… in fact, be horrible… just to get the hang of it. Fill it out as best you can now. In the coming days, I’ll show you how to set yourself apart from the rest.

Here’s what you need to include in your profile:

• Tell people you know how to write to sell (this is what every business owner wants you to understand).
• Tell them you understand SEO.
• Tell them you are FAST and ON-TIME and PROFESSIONAL.
• Tell them you can write SEO articles, guides, e-books, social media updates, and newsletters.
• Tell them they can contact you at any time, you’ll even give your phone number.

***Don’t worry about actually being able to do any of these yet. You will be able to when the time comes. Just get your profile online. Part of succeeding at this is being about to say to yourself, “I got this… (and if I don’t I can just Google it).”

4. Day 4: Research “Writer” Jobs.

Look for jobs that are paying around 10$ an hour or more and read about them.

***Don’t worry about understanding all the language they use. And DON’T QUIT because you think you aren’t going to be able to do the jobs and your belly is queasy.

Take a breath and keep going. You will be able to figure it all out and anything you don’t understand… you will Google (yo… I dated a doctor recently… and doctors Google all the time).

Don’t even bother checking out the jobs from people who want articles for 1.50$ for 500 words.

And start Googling the terms you don’t understand now.

5. Day 5: Research “Writer” Profiles.

Time to do a little spying on your competition.

Search “writing” jobs like you did yesterday and look at the higher paying jobs.

Now go through other writer’s profiles and STEAL the best parts of their profile. Look through 10-20 profiles and copy the parts you like the best.

***I know… I know… stealing is wrong, right? Well, this is why you will STEAL and then ADAPT what they wrote to fit you. This is not stealing, this is SMART.

6. Day 6: Create A Pimp Profile.

Take all that you STOLE and write up a profile that is dazzling now.

I included some examples you can steal from me in my last post about Web Content Writing.

7. Day 7 – 10: Write 3 SEO articles (1 a day).

These articles will be part of your portfolio.

After you send someone a pitch, they may ask for your portfoilio with examples of your work.

So write 3 articles total, 2 at 500 words and one at 1000 words.

Write about topics that seemed popular when you searched for writing jobs on the freelance site you chose. Technology, dating, health, lifestyle, and travel are always in demand.

Choose article topics you know something about too.

***If you don’t know how to write SEO articles, I added the basics in the post about web content writing.

8. Day 11: Write the cover of your portfolio.

This is tells your client how great you are and is a separate document you have on your computer that you can send to clients. The freelance websites will have a place for you to upload it.

Here is a link to mine you can check out.

9. Day 12 – 29: Pitch!

You will be spending most of your time pitching clients, so get started.

This is the most important aspect of this process. It takes time to write out the pitches, especially because each ones needs to be specific to your client.

AND you are going to get rejected a lot.

But keep at it… and if you pitch at least 1 client a day until the end of the month YOU WILL GET A JOB. I promise.

Some tips on pitching:

A. Give them 3 reasons why they should choose you.

B. Be bold.

C. Tell them you can definitely do the job.

D. Write that they can contact you on Skype at any time.

10. Keep Beefing Up Your Profile

The websites have different tests you can take to prove you speak English, your grammar isn’t horrible, and all sorts of other things.

Take these tests now and again.

Make sure your profile is filled out all the way too.

11. Cruise Craigslist, go to Meet-ups, and Network.

There are other ways to find work besides freelance websites too.

Try these:

A. Search Craigslist for “writing jobs” in major cities.

B. Go to Meet-ups of designers, programmers, entrepreneurs, marketers, and anyone who might have a website and needs some articles.

C. Tell your friends too… maybe you have a friend who is looking for a writer.

12. Day 30: How much did you make?

On the last day… send me an email and let me know how much money you made.

This is just for fun… and from my experience, when I turn the idea of “making money” into a game, it is a whole lot more fun.

Then wait a minute or two… and I’ll be sending you a postcard with a photograph from my travels.

If you want to make money traveling… this is a simple way to start.

And if you want to get into writing more, this is a great way to build up your skills and confidence.

Email me now and join our Pro Writer Challenge.

What do you have to lose?

And if you want to do this, but you know you are just going to quit after 3 days…

Then maybe your problem is taking action.

We just finished our first Action Course where I worked with 20 people to set up their own action habit in 30 days.

Click here to sign up and be notified about more information (and grab a sweet discount).

We are opening up soon!

Your Friend,

-Benjamin

The post Become A Pro Writer In 30 Days (Or Less) appeared first on Adventure Sauce.

Is now your time to run away?

Most people should run away from their life.

Most people should ditch their Normal Life…

Put on your raccoon skin cap…

Grab the sexy woman in Sunday School shoes…

And go dance on a beach in your underwear.

To have the Adventure Of Your Lifetime you have to run away.

Maybe you are running away from a boring job.

Maybe you are running away from a crap little town.

Or maybe you are running away from the Normal Life that already has it’s hooks into you.

***Reminds me of our 13-year old Posse member, Lily, and one of our most popular posts here: Should Lily run away?

Normal people hate when someone runs away.

“Irresponsible, Selfish, and CHILDISH!!!!”

They get very angry and worried.

“You could get have gotten HURT…”

“It’s a DANGEROUS world out there… Do you realize what COULD HAVE HAPPENED?”

“Think of all the people who were WORRIED about you.”

Normal people want you to stay with them in the Normal World.

They picture all the BAD things (they heard on the news) that could happen to you.

They are upset you aren’t living the life THEY want you to lead.

And SECRETLY (although they will never tell you this)…

They get lonely without you hanging around in Normal Land with them…

AND you make them confront the TRUTH…

That, if they wanted to, they could run away too.

And that running away might be the smartest, most courageous, and most loving thing to do.

Have you watched the new Wes Anderson movie, Moonrise Kingdom?

Moonrise Kindgom is badass and it is about running away.

It is Wes Anderson’s newest movie…

It just came out on DVD.

And last week I watched it 3 days in a row.

Moonrise Kingdom is also about telling the truth, being in love, and…

Why little kids get no credit for being badasses.

Even though they say a lot wiser and ballsier stuff than most adults.

And it is about how to have the Adventure of Your Lifetime.

Check out 7 adventure lesson from this beautiful, entertaining, and enlightening film.

And let us know what adventure lessons you have to share in the comments.

Here are 7 Adventure Lessons from Moonrise Kingdom (chock full of colorful pictures):

1. Run Away… NOW.

You have a dream adventure in your head.

You want to travel the world and see the places you saw on Youtube.

You want to start that blog with a message only you can share.

You want to create a painting that shows your one-of-a-kind view of the world.

You want to write a novel that touches many lives.

You want to play your guitar in front of lots of people.

And ou want to run towards your DREAM… NOW.

You want to take the action and run away from Normal… Mediocre… and Safe…

And run towards the Adventure Of Your Lifetime.

But you are waiting…

Maybe the time isn’t right.

Maybe you have to make more money.

Maybe you have business to take care of.

Or maybe you are too scared, lazy, or comfortable to start “running away” now.

But…

We can always start running away today… even if you just start small.

How could you start “running away” today?

2. Grab The “Sexy Woman” You Want.

You are in love, right?

Maybe it is with a sexy girl who wears Sunday School shoes and dresses as a Raven in her school play…

Maybe it is with an idea you have for a website you want to create…

Maybe it is with Youtube movie you want to shoot…

Maybe it is an article you want to write…

Or maybe it is an Adventure you keep seeing play out in your head…

You are the main character and it is more interesting than any story you have ever read, right?

Well… then look her in the eyes and ask her,

“What kind of bird are you?”

Buy the domain name your website.

Shoot some test shots of your movie.

Write the rough draft of your article.

Or buy a book about Zimbabwe.

What can you do today to grab that “sexy woman” right in front of you?

3. Lead The Charge.

No one else has a plan for you.

The blogs you read don’t know what is best for you.

Your parents have no idea how you should live your life.

A book will not tell you how to create the art in your head.

And you can’t put the responsibility of your Adventure on anyone.. but YOU.

Decide where you are going and how you will get there… then tell your dream to meet you there (and to dress sexy). <— Click Here To Tweet This Quote

4. Go Berserk.

Just because it is important to you…

Doesn’t mean anyone else will understand or care.

You will have to fight for your dream.

You will have to take it from the clutches of Normal People.

You will have to look your Normal Life in the eyes…

And stab it in the back with Lefty Scissors.

What challenge/decision/situation are you avoiding, because you can?

Maybe it is time to go berserk… and make a ruthless decision, face the challenge head on, or deal with the situation?

5. Make Sweet Fucking Love To Her.

When you have a chance…

Put your favorite song on a record player…

Strip off your clothes…

Dance around on the beach in your underwear…

Stick your tongue down that sexy lady’s throat…

And cop a feel on her.

***Metaphorically speaking, of course

Are you holding back from doing what you really want, because…

You are scared of looking silly?

Or you are worried about getting rejected?

Maybe you should just go for it.

 6. Paint More Nudes.

Is your art the same as everyone else’s?

Is your blog repeating the same old cliches you read on other blogs?

Are your videos the same thing National Geographic has been playing for generations?

Are you photographs the same old shots we see all over Facebook?

Maybe you need to paint more nudes?

How can you get naked in your art?

Do you need to TEAR YOUR SOUL OUT and show it to the world in a fiction story?

Can you tell your audience that THING you know you are holding back?

Should you write a song about that EXPERIENCE you would rather hide away?

Or maybe you need to work harder and go take pictures with 930 people.

Whatever your art is… paint more nudes.

7. Get Struck By Lightning.

If you take the Adventure of Your Lifetime…

Shit will get crazy at some point.

And you will need to stick up a metal flag towards the sky.

Accept all the help you can get…

Even if the help is painful…

Even if the help is uncomfortable…

Even if your pride is so large and you want to do it All yourself.

The whole universe is here to help you along…

So stick up your metal flag, get struck by lightning, then dust yourself off and ask for help.

Have you watched Moonrise Kingdom?

What lesson did you take from the movie?

Please share your insight in the comments.

And if you want help getting started Taking Action on your Adventure…

We are your people.

We are your Posse (join us).

We will be opening up our 30-day “Let’s Get Some Action” Course soon.

One recent graduate commented, “The output is worth a billion times the price you pay”…

Maybe that is a slight exaggeration but if you are struggling getting your Adventure started…

This course is designed for you.

 Sign up for Updates & Discounts on our Let’s Get Some Action Course

Name:

Email:

Your friend,

-Benjamin

The post 7 Adventure Lessons From Moonrise Kingdom (With Colorful Pics) appeared first on Adventure Sauce.

If you have a big dream up in your Thoughtful brain… a travel adventure, an online business, or a passion project… then you are in the right place. 

You’ve been feeling bullet-proof recently, right?

You were taking badass action…

You were even taking brilliant action (at times )…

You were learning more about your Life Purpose…

And every day felt like one more step on The Adventure Of Your Lifetime.

You were rockin’ it… HARD, right?

Your blog was on fire.

Your business was making money.

Your art was exploding.

Your sex life was bangin’.

And you felt like a living God.

You were thinking, “At first… I thought you were crazy, Benjamin…”

But damn… this Adventure Sauce sure is tasty.”

And then… BAM!!! SLAP!!! KRUNKLE!!! Fuuuuuuuuucccccccccccckkkkkkkkkkk!!!!!!!! :/

Your Action Mojo Hot Streak comes to an end.

Maybe it was something you did.

Maybe you made some sort of fuck up.

Or maybe you just got hit by a really big storm.

Now you have a hard time just getting out of bed.

Every word you write is a battle…

Every email you send is a strain…

And everything you do is like wading through quicksand again. Ugh.

You just want to crawl back in bed with a case of Miller High Lifes and watch Redbox Movies all day.

You want to order pizzas and eat until you pass out from Carbohydrate-Coma.

You want to slurp down Cookies and Cream ice cream from the carton and just chuck it into the corner, when you are done.

And you don’t want to have to DEAL, THINK, or FEEL… whatever has got you feeling so shitty.

You are thoughtful. You are sensitive to the energies around you. And you can feel some dark shit.

It is your gift… it is why you have such an interesting blog.

It is why your audience watches your videos.

It is why your articles are exploding with wisdom.

It is why people are drawn to you.

But you also end up… feeling the dark, brooding, sluggish, shit energy that is all around in our world…

And some days you don’t rise above… some days you lose.

On the Adventure Of Your Lifetime… you will get knocked the fuck down.

You are going to spit blood.

You are going to wonder, “Where did all those Crazy Good Vibes go?”

You are going to be scared that you will never get your Mojo back.

“Am I going to be a drunken, lazy, shy Pothead for life NOW?”

But what you don’t realize is… Getting Off-Track happens to all Extraordinary People.

We just don’t hear about it… until after they have an insanely popular blog or write a book millions of people read.

And then it doesn’t sound as dirty, nasty, and grimy as it actually was.

You just think “Another compelling Rags to Riches Story” Barf! Gag me! Ugh! 

Check out Paulo Coelho… the world famous author of The Alchemist, who is still getting slapped silly by Life.

And he is one of the most influential writers of our time.

He has millions of readers.

He has beautiful homes around the world.

He is madly in love with his wife.

And Life still isn’t handing him everything on a silver platter.

Paulo Coelho still struggles to get back On Track.

One of his most recent books, Aleph (Vintage International), is about how he recently felt spiritual disconnected, lost, and empty…

And how he had to go on another adventure to keep growing (read the book for more… it is good ).

If Paulo Coelho struggles to get back On Track… then I’d bet 3.28$ you will too.

I have had to pick myself up so many times over the past few years…

Times I’ve watched my bank account dwindle down to nothing.

Times I’ve wept by the side of the road with a broken heart.

Times I’ve yelled at the top of my lungs some of the angriest things I’ve ever thought.

The road to a free-wheeling, rich, and Saucy Life isn’t a comfortable journey.

You need to learn is how to spit out the blood from your mouth…

Clean the vomit from your shoes…

And wake up with a mind throbbing headache… only to try again.

Here’s are the 8 steps Thoughtful Badasses take to get back On Track:

1. Chill out and Prepare For The Storm.

When Normal People get Off Track… they freeze… they clamp down… and they try to control everything.

Normal People try to force themselves to get back up as soon as possible…

Because getting knocked down is Bad, Wrong, and Weak, right?

So they beat themselves up… blame themselves… and this just makes the coming Storm worse.

Instead, Extraordinary People just relax and prepare for the Storm.

You are normal.

You aren’t completely screwed.

This may not even be your fault… and if it is, well… you will figure why after the storm passes.

Prepare your sailboat for the rocky seas ahead.

Take down your sail… grab your favorite bottle of wine… and light a scented candle.

Turn on your favorite jams… grab some tasty food… and go inside your safe and cozy cabin.

And prepare to ride out the storm.

2. Crank Up Your Self-Expression

You feel like shit… right?

You are going to want to run like HELL…

Look to your past to see how you have expressed your feelings and felt release: 

• Allow yourself to feel them?
• Talk to a close friend?
• Talk to your coach/therapist/bartender?
• Write in your journal?
• Write a blog post?
• Yell them as you ride your bike?
• Paint them?

Whatever helps you express your feelings… do that NOW.

AND even crank it up a notch.

Don’t just do the bare minimum of self-expression… CRANK IT UP.

Pour out the dirty truthful details of your “problem” to a friend.

Yell as loud as you can… even though you only feel like raising your voice a little.

Paint the darkest, nastiest painting EVER.

Write the more horrible things you have ever thought.

Pour out your self-expression and give it some force.

3. Crank Up Your Escape

Heck… a little escape now and again can be helpful too.

Shit gets crazy, right?

And a night or week of sweet escape could be the best thing for you.

So… if you feel COMPELLED to escape and you want to…

• Go get wasted with your buddies at the bar… go do it.
• Call in sick and wearing pj’s all day (or all week)… do it.
• Write a horrible blog post, so you can have the day off… do it.
• Travel to some other part of the world now… do it.

What is your escape of choice… give it a try.

Then… crank it up your escape too…

Now this is controversial advice, so do this at your own peril… but it works for me (most of the time ).

If I feel like getting blasted and my other methods, like exercise, sipping tea, writing, making videos don’t work…

Then I’ll go get silly drunk.

If I feel so angry about something… I’ll go find a bridge and yell the craziest shit I can think of.

If I feel like spilling my guts… then I’ll write the most personal, Get Me Arrested journal entry ever.

If I am going to escape… I’m going to do it in style.

I take what I’m feeling and just crank it up… where it even makes me uncomfortable.

And I do it with AWARENESS… I watch how I feel… I feel the emotional release… and I also feel the negative consequences of my actions.

I don’t hide from these feelings… I soak them in.

Usually they provide a nice spanking and instead of having months of feeling sort-of OFF…

I’m back to full strength much sooner.

4. Fix What You Broke.

Whatever got broke… from your escaping and self-expression crank up session… then fix it.

If you smashed bottles out back on the garage… go clean them up.

If you poured out your dirty dark soul to a friend… then go take them out to dinner.

If you go horribly hammered and woke up in a pool of your own vomit :/… then clean it up and eat and drink healthy things all week.

Take your time… be conscious… and feel what you did.

5. Change Something Easy.

Go get a haircut. Clean your room. Buy a new outfit. Take a long hot shower with smelly soaps. Buy a gym membership with a friend. Rearrange your room.

Do something that you can see a change.

You are a new person now. 

6. What helped you stay On Track before?

Ask yourself some questions and look for answers…

When we feel bad, this is usually a sign we need to change something:

• What parts of your day really made you feel alive?
• When were you most proud?
• What got your blood boiling?
• What actions you took made you fearful, angry, guilty, or shameful?

Make a list of the things you need to do to be On Track… AND what things you need to avoid.

7. Then start again… and take it step-by-step.

Learning to get back On Track is being back on track.

Being Off Track is all a part of our journey.

So when you start taking steps again… congratulate yourself.

Take a big breath.

Don’t rush to get where you were… you are different now… so enjoy the new You and the new adventure.

And if you need help getting back On Track… Get It.

We just finished the inaugural session of our Let’s Get Some Action Course and it was tons of fun.

We watched inspirational videos every morning…

We broke down how to set up a habit…

And we chilled and connected on Facebook. 

If you want help staying on-track, then sign up for our Action Crew…

Input your email address below and you will be the first to be notified when we open up the Action Course again.

People have been saying the experience was extremely valuable… AND it is priced so anyone can afford it.

You don’t have to get back On Track alone.

Sign up Now for Updates (& Discounts) on the Let’s Get Some Action Course

 Sign up for Updates & Discounts on our Let’s Get Some Action Course

Name:

Email:

Your friend,

-Benjamin

Ps. Please click the Tweet or Like button on the left too. Maybe we can help your friends get back On Track too. Thanks!

Pss. Thanks to Risseth, a recent graduate of our Action Course, for letting us use her photograph.

And thanks to Sean, Micheal, and Willis for rockin’ out that night in Phoenix.

The post 8 Steps To Get Back On The Action Track appeared first on Adventure Sauce.

We would love to hear your thoughts, questions, or experiences in the comments below… Let us help, if you are struggling… or maybe you have some wisdom to share?

***There are also some affiliate links in this post (so if you were to buy a book mentioned, then Benjamin would get a chunk of the profits… no cost to you).

This is a story about ‘finding’ your purpose from a little crap town…

This town could be any place, job, or situation that isn’t really where you want to be.

If you’ve been following along with us recently, then you know a little about Life Purpose…

• You know Gandhi transformed from a schmuck to a God.
• You know Banksy take Brilliant Action.
• And you know my purpose helped me go from Lazy Pothead (sort of) to a Badass Action-Taker.

But maybe you are saying… “Yeah, I’ll get to my purpose, when I get out of this little crap town.”

“I’ll figure out my purpose, when I’m traveling the world in a year or so.”

“I’ll figure out my purpose, when I save up enough money to quit this boring, hellhole work I have to do.”

“I’ll figure out my purpose, some day in the future… Tomorrow!”

I’m in a little crap town now.

My plan of adventuring around the world is temporarily on hold as I wrap up some past business (story on that soon).

Now… I’ve been in a lot of crap towns in my days.

I even pride myself on the idea that… “I can make anywhere perfect.”

I know I can find good people and do cool shit, no matter where I am.

Or I can kick it by myself and rock it out alone for months at a time.

But some days… I struggle and doubt too.

And one day recently, I sat at my computer… writing a post about something or other and…

My chest got really tight.

I felt a powerful, dark energy coursing thru my veins.

I felt a need to get the HECK OUT.

I felt a need to have a rush.

I felt a need to experience some kind of Life Energy.

Have you ever felt a feeling like that coursing thru your veins?

Now… in the past, when I have felt his gnawing NEED…

I would go to a dive bar somewhere and belly up to the bar.

I’d make friends with the bartender… and chat with some colorful locals…

I’d pound a handful of light beers…

I’d swap some stories.

And I’d feel a part of Things.

But I’m just not very interested in that anymore.

Hanging with Normal People has gotten much harder.

Drinking bunches of beers and dulling my brain seems like a huge waste.

But this dark energy is powerful.

And I know not to fight this feeling… I need to use it for something…

I need to harness it like a pissed off bull and ride it.

But what could I do… I was in a little crap town. 

You know what I mean… right?

Fortunately, a friend had let me borrow his bike.

So I closed my computer, grabbed my iPod, and started pedaling… hard.

And I just kept going.

Covered in sweat with nothing but forests around…

I felt alive.

I felt connected to who I am and the big vision I have for my life.

I had used that darkness to make myself a little fitter, a little tougher, and a little more Badass Warrior-like.

I had broken free of that little crap town…

And connected to my Deep Purpose.

Are you struggling to feel your purpose?

Are you in a little crap town and waiting to work on your purpose… some day soon?

Do you have this aching inside… like you are so close to it… but you just can’t grasp it?

Does the dark, syrupy energy got a hold of your body?

Or do you think you have to suffer for long periods of time… before your life gets easier?

Well… if so, then try exercising.

Literally, exercising is a great way to get release that energy.

Exercising is a mini-adventure.

Running, walking, or riding somewhere new is traveling.

And if you want to feel your clarity of purpose… Try the exercises below…

I wish I would have known about these exercises, when I was searching for my purpose.

I spent so much time thinking and searching.

I was trying to figure out my purpose like it was some complex brain-teaser.

I spent so much time mentally struggling… when I could have been exercising more.

These exercises can help you get started on your purpose now.

It took me years to stumble upon these exercises and each one is from someone I respect.

So… if you are struggling with your purpose… I hope these help you.

5 Helpful Exercises From Purposeful People:

1. Travel solo.

Well… this one is from me.

The physical act of looking at the world from a new perspective will help you see yourself from a new perspective too.

Rolling solo will just quadruple the effect.

Solo traveling helped me break out of the “shy, quiet” guy I thought of myself as.

In some places… I would stumble into being the life of the party…

As I woke up the next morning, wondering…

“Where the fuck did that come from?”

I remember one night traveling alone in Lagos, Portugal… I stayed out dancing at clubs on the beach until 5 am… and making friends with people from around the world.

And I’d went out by myself.

Alone.

Just a shy dude in a new country… and I was rockin’ it… hard.

Hmmmm…

No longer was I this shy guy, who would never change, but I could be anyone I wanted to be on a given night.

2. Do some intense self-reflection.

Jacob Sokol from Sensophy has some great questions you can ask yourself to learn more about your purpose.

Jacob is an author, coach, and he wrote a detailed guide called Living On Purpose.

If I had read this a few years ago, it would have saved me a lot of pain and struggle.

And… one exercise he shares is a number of questions to ask yourself to gain clarity.

So… grab yourself a pen and paper… and do these now (or come back to these when you have a minute).

You don’t want to rush through this exercise, but look really deep into yourself.

Answer these questions:

A. What were the 5 times in your life you felt the most alive?

B. What are the 5 times in your life that made you feel the most proud?

C. What are the 5 times in your future that will make you feel the most proud?

D. What are the 5 qualities that make you classify someone as extraordinary?

E. When were the 5 times in your life that you were most at peace?

F. If you only had a month left to live, what 5 things would you do?

G. What 5 things do you care about so much that you’d be willing to die for them?

***Now when you finish… look through your answers and write down 5 themes keep popping up in your answers.

These 5 themes are a big part of your purpose.

3. Plan your perfect day.

I first saw this exercise in Chris Guillebeau‘s book, The Art of Non-Conformity: Set Your Own Rules, Live the Life You Want, and Change The World.

I also saw it in Emilie Wapnick‘s, Renaissance Business e-book… which is a fantastic guide to setting up a blog for ‘multipotentialites’ (aka people like us who have millions of interests… and have a hard time choosing one specific focus).

I use this exercise every 3-6 months to gain clarity on the actions I want to have in my daily life.

Here’s how it works:

Write out your perfect “normal” day in specific detail.

It would be just a regular day, but when you are living your ideal life.

Start in the morning… What time would you wake up? Where would you be? Who would you be with? Then, what would you do when you got out of bed? Would you have some coffee? Eat some breakfast? What would you eat? Or would you go for a run?

Then what would you do?

Then what would you do?

Then what would you do?

Write everything, until you are writing about going to sleep.

This exercise can help you understand what you want to have in your life and how you want to live.

All of these actions lead back to your purpose.

WARNING: If you think your perfect day would be kickin’ your feet up on the beach, strong fruity drink in hand, and the sun cookin’ your belly… well… that might be fun and relaxing for a week, maybe a month… heck, if you are really stressed or just love the beach, maybe you would love that for a few months.

But at some point you are going to crave GIVING and SERVING.

You want to matter to our world, right?

4. The 5% Trick.

I saw this on Leo Baubauta’s zen habits blog… in a guest post from Albert at UrbanMonk.net… but Albert snagged this from Nathianel Branden, who is one of the fathers of the self-esteem movement.

I snagged it from them… and you can snag it from me.

Here’s how this works:

When you wake up in the morning… you will finish the two statements below.

Let’s say you want to find your purpose (just a random guess ). You want more direction in your life towards a goal you really care about. But you are feeling indecisive about what to choose. You are scattered all over the place like a sawed off shotgun blast.

So you would write these two statements…

If I were to be 5% more purposeful today, I would _____________________.

If I were to be 5% less indecisive today, I would ______________________.

Then you fill in the blanks.

If you read my e-book, Shoot The Breeze With Anyone: 167 Ways To Talk To Anyone You Meet, (it’s free) then you know I believe in taking personal change slowly.

Just do something that is slightly challenging for yourself every day.

Science confirms this works and it has worked for me personally.

Over time, that 5% becomes a lot more than 5%… and it is pretty darn easy.

5. Just Sit.

David Deida is one of most bold thinkers in the personal development world.

He is the author of a number of books like, The Way of the Superior Man and The Enlightened Sex Manual…

Just to name a couple of my favorites.

And if you ask Personal Development People, they either love the guy… or hate him.

Which is always a good sign you want to check out someone’s work.

Well, I love David Deida.

He has taught me a lot about finding my deepest purpose.

One statement of his really rung true for me…

“You can never find your purpose in your mind.” – David Deida

And he also says that to find your deepest purpose…

You need to sit.

Don’t do anything.

Don’t read.

Don’t watch tv.

Don’t talk.

Just sit in solitude.

You may find yourself looking out the window… when you notice you are… then return to just sitting.

If you have to take a pee… then go… then come back and sit.

Eventually, you will be MOVED by something.

Maybe it take days… maybe months… or maybe years.

But at some point, you will feel a force greater than yourself and it will compel you to do something.

That is your purpose and you must go do that.

Of course… maybe you can’t quit your job, drop out of school, or abandon your wife and kids, as you just sit. You still have to face the responsibilities of life, right?. But you must make time every day to sit.

Try an hour a day.

Or just start with 5 minutes a day… this was massively helpful for me and I’ve been able to easily add more time as I build my Sitting Habit.

Are you searching for your purpose?

Have you found part of it?

Have any exercises helped you gain clarity?

Please share your questions, thoughts, experiences, or wisdom in the comments. 

And stay tuned…

We are talking more about purpose and every other aspect of how to embark on a successful (and even profitable) Adventure Of A Lifetime.

Please share this with your friends to keep our community growing.

Your friend,

-Benjamin

The post Find Your Purpose: 5 Helpful Exercises appeared first on Adventure Sauce.