Dare to...be enthusiastic

“I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.” – Roald Dahl

During a recent road trip through Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons my wife and I spent a magical week hiking, devouring her divine chocolate zucchini cake made from our garden veggies, watching wildlife, and filling up memory cards on our cameras. We were daring to be enthusiastic.

Most mornings I was already eagerly awake before the 5am alarm. I was like Charlie anxiously waiting to explore the chocolate factory. While the majority of visitors were still slumbering in their beds, we felt like we had the parks to ourselves. We would catch the first sunrays peering over the mountains, the animals emerging from the trees, and the last hoots from the owls before settling in for the day.

August is alive with animal activity as it is matchmaking and dating season for a lot of the mammals like elk and bison. We found deer, elk, bald eagles, antelope, countless chipmunks, bison – so – many – bison! It was mesmerizing to watch and photograph them – like wanna-be national geographic photographers. Each special moment inspired us to seek more moments.

As we left Yellowstone on our way to the Grand Tetons, we were feeling dazed and surreal from what we had experienced, but still longing to spot some bears. We tried hiking the areas known for bear sightings, but had no luck, or couldn’t access the areas because they were closed due to too much bear activity.

The 5am alarm again rang on the last day of our road trip. We had planned to watch some wildlife in the morning, then a whitewater rafting adventure in the afternoon before beginning the 5-hour drive back home in the evening.

On our drive to Oxbow Bend we had photographed some more bison, antelope, and geese. Oxbow Bend is a big kink in the Snake River and is heavenly for spotting wildlife. As we rounded the bend we were surprised to see a dozen cars parked on the side of the road and some wildlife management officers running around with walkie-talkies directing people. When we spotted several photographers with lenses so big they could see into the future, we got excited and jumped out of the car to go see what everyone was looking at.

This was the moment of addiction. We saw a mother (sow) grizzly bear and two very large cubs – nearly the size of their mum. They were casually roaming from one huckleberry bush to the next stripping them clean. Camera shutters were fluttering away. As the bears traversed the area, we all followed along. We started chatting with people who looked like they knew more than the rest of us tourists. We learned this was grizzly 610 and her cubs were 18 months old. For the past week she and her mom - grizzly 399 and her four cubs had been hanging out around this area and swimming in the river. Grizzly 399, also known as the Queen of the Tetons, has unknowingly created bear enthusiasts across the globe – now including me and Ari. She has social media pages, books published about her, and over 40 professional photographers following her.

This matriarch is legendary because while most females will only birth 1 – 2 cubs as triplets is a rarity, grizzly 399 has had 3 sets of triplets and then this spring the statistical anomaly of four cubs! And, at the age of 24 – just one year shy of the average life span of grizzlies.

As we watched, clicked off photos, and smiled – we were captivated by the lore of these majestic animals.

Just before grizzly 610 and her cubs crossed the road and disappeared for the day in the dense willows, the two cubs put their youthful vigor on full display as they spared with each other for more than five minutes.

It was as if we had been converted, baptized and entered a discipleship on the edge of the Snake River by this experience. We had no choice but to rearrange our schedule to stay another day and return to Oxbow Bend in hopes of seeing them again.

The following day was almost a repeat – like a beautiful dream returning with some slight variations. We felt the sirens calling us near and refusing to let us go, so, we again adjusted our meetings so we could stay one more night and try to catch a final encounter before letting go and driving home.

Prior to this trip we only knew the basics about grizzlies - the essentials for hiking in bear country – but we really didn’t know much beyond that. We had become such enthusiasts and absorbed so much information and experiences in two and a half days that we felt we should be hosting National Geographic episodes. Ok, maybe not to that extreme. But we are now certainly passionate about wildlife and grizzlies in particular.

I contrast this experience with another one I have been encountering this year as I have worked with an organization to help them evolve and grow their structure and reimagine their teams and product.

Four years ago, this organization underwent a significant pivot where they changed their core focus and product. This change was directed from the executive level and completely disrupted this team and organization. The change was needed and put them on the proper course for new growth, but the team has struggled to let go of their old paradigm and have failed to become enthusiasts about their new path.

They have been forced to land their boats on a new continent and then burn them, but rather than moving forward off the beach, they are sitting there clinging to the ashes and old ideas and are slow to embrace new opportunities. I know it can be hard to learn a whole new industry and product. I know it can feel intimidating and you question your own confidence.  

Life and work are so much more fulfilling, and in many ways easier, when we become enthusiasts. Even if you don’t think your current stage of life or work are ideal, you can still find something or someone to embrace with both arms.