Five steps to improve your life

It's the start of January 2023 and a few of you will be thinking of how to make this the best year ever. Some will be thinking "new year, new me" and others thinking that every day is the right time to make things better. Either way, a common thread is about being better. About improvement.

You'll not find a bigger advocate than me for adventure being the most wonderful arena for positive change so I'd like to share a five step process to help you all improve your lives...

Step One

Commit to something that scares you or at least gives you tingles. Make it tangible within a timeframe of (e.g.) 9 months so you have a start and end. Once you commit you'll go through a few sensations. Perhaps you'll feel a little sick and then you'll start to get tingles of excitement. People who have booked on expeditions to Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp tell me this. In fact I remember booking on my first summit to Kili and feeling the same. It's okay. It's normal. When you do the scary thing you then get the courage. The art of the possible changes when you have more courage but you have to do scary things first.

Step Two

Plan for success and get stuck in to some detail with this. What training is needed? What research should I do? What does great look like? What can I control within the process? Who do I need to surround myself with to be motivated? Who are the best that I can emulate? This doesn't just engage your brain but it gives you a sense of purpose. In those darker life moments you can focus your mind and effort in to something tangible. You'll feel less lost and more motivated. Put little goals in place but often.

Step Three

Celebrate the wins and while this doesn't have to be expensive meals it will give you a reward sensation for your effort. You could buy yourself a new Audible book and gift yourself learning. You could buy yourself a new piece of kit for your adventure journey rather than hire it as you can then use it again on other things. You could treat yourself to a really nice, home cooked meal with healthy local produce. The flip side is to not beat yourself up if you don't meet those little goals. Adjust and move on but when you celebrate small wins you feel a reward.

Step Four

Do the thing so over (e.g.) 9 months you've committed, planned, surrounded yourself with great people, learnt more, celebrated small wins etc. and now get the thing done. As mentioned it could be the summit of a big mountain, a charity walk, fun run, couch to 5k or whatever feels appropriate within the realms of scary for you. Okay, stuff like injuries may prevent you but it's important to do the thing. If you make excuses it's only yourself who looks in the mirror and knows. If you do that you'll regress back to the begin. Commit, plan, reward and then do.

Step Five

Document and repeat because improvement is constant. How did you feel at the start and end when you completed your goal? What did you learn? What would you do different? Remember, life is transformed now! People who have summited Kilimanjaro with me then go on to climb a harder mountain called Island Peak in the Himalaya or Aconcagua in South America. Repeat. It's scary, then exciting, then plan, then celebrate, then do, then repeat. Then go again! That's why adventure is amazing as there is always the next big thing but this is always in the context of you and what's scary.

This is something that hundreds and hundreds of people have been through with myself and Aspire Adventures. It's wonderful to see how people have transformed their lives.

People have ditched toxic relationships.

People have gone for that pay rise.

People have changed careers to find more purpose and happiness.

People have felt energised in their lives.

People have found more balance with their loved ones.

It's more than just the "thing" it's about the outcome and that's a transformed life. It's about courage, resilience, wellbeing, self-esteem, self-worth, purpose, contribution and balance. Plus it's pretty damn cool to say you've stood on the highest freestanding mountain in the world!!!

Send me a DM if you'd like to discuss this further or to get you booked on an expedition.

Speak soon.

Jason