Everybody’s got a road for you to follow. There are countless how-to-guide, ________ for idiots and the dummy’s guide to everything. So many roads. You just have to pick up a road map and follow the manual.
The guides work…up to a point. They’ll get you to a certain level of success and help you avoid a lot of early mistakes that trip people up while starting out. But after a while, there’s only so far the guides can take you. The pavement turns to gravel which turns to dirt and you realize you’ve hit the end of the road.
What happens then?
You have to make your own road. You have to figure it out on your own. You have to adapt.
You have to find your own way.
How-to guides are nice and easy, but they only work up to a certain point. Eventually, you have to make up the rules yourself. You have to improvise.
You get to choose your own adventure – and that’s when it starts to get fun 🙂
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I’ve been a guest posting/interviewing machine lately. Here’s a few of the one’s I’ve done lately. Check ’em out.
Build Your Own Ladder – Illuminated Mind.
The Simple Guide To Paleo Nutrition For Athletes – Three New Leaves
Interview with Joel Runyon, awesome man who overcomes the impossible – Alden Tan (my favorite title for a post yet)
The Battle of The Mind – A Shot of Adrenaline
photo credit: Steve-h
This post made me think of a solo hiking trip I took once. I looked out into the woods and realized I could go anywhere I liked. I looked for the most interesting adventure I could and had a blast. That trip has become a metaphor for my life now.
Congrats on the guest posts and interviews! Any interest in being interviewed for my newest blog, “Jump!”? Shoot me an email if you are 🙂
Agreed that guild’s can only get you so far.
Every adventure has some sort of uncertainty and at that point where the map or book runs out, then it’s up to you to write the book or draw the map for yourself.
Great list of posts — I’ll have to go check them out.
Yes, its good to choose what you want but you have to do that carefully. Do not let anyone or anybody push you into something you don’t wanna do.
Sheyi
Great post Joel!
Reminds me of this quote: “You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Christopher Columbus
Keep up the inspiring posts!
Todd
Yes! I like this to creating your story.
Every successful people have their own inspiring story to tell. Instead of just being inspired, one should just go on ahead with it and creating your own path, eventually leading to a great story to share for others.
I believe How-To posts are great and should be treated as starting points. True knowledge and greatness is not gained from a how-to, it is gained from blazing your own trail, gaining your own experience, and using your own compass, your passion, to get you to the end goal.
How-to info helps you to not reinvent the wheel, but after you have the wheel, you must decide how to apply it for your own uses. Do you build a wagon? Do you build a cart? Do you build a H2 Hummer equipped with a flame thrower? The choice is yours, and no how-to can decide for you.
Thanks for the perspective Joel.