RELAX. YOUR SHIP WILL ONLY COME WHEN THE SEA IS CALM.

Feel like you're drowning?  I hope I see the day when the word “work” is associated with gratification and satisfaction instead of distress and monotony. Hopefully someday “work hard” will no longer be perceived as putting time and energy into an undesirable act for a desired result. In order for that to happen, we need to change the desired result from money to waking up feeling excited about the “work” we are about to do. The funny thing is that once you do that the money will follow. 

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© Tim McKenna // Athlete: Teiva Joyeux // Location: Teahupoo, French Polynesia

You'll have a whole eternity to think inside the box.

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By wrdbnr.com

Do you feel like you already know what today is going to be like? Routines and comfort zones threaten our growth. If a relationship's not growing, if your skills aren't growing, if you're not growing, it doesn't matter how much money you have, how many people love you, you're not happy. If you feel like your days are mundane and predictable then pretty soon your weeks will be the same. Then months, years and even your whole life. Make it a habit to surprise yourself with spontaneous adventures.

More important than skills or knowledge is your emotion and psychological strength. This invisible force shapes your destiny. Your ability will get you up in the air; your state of mind will land you safely.

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Photo by Ricky Adam

FUEL FOR LIFE

You need to be able to sacrifice who you are for what you will become.

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Photograph by Sarah Lee

Belief is confidence emerging from the anticipation of success.

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Photograph by Jussi Grznar

The best journeys answer questions that in the beginning, you didn't even think to ask.  A line from a great travel documentary "180 degrees South". 

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Photograph by Jussi Grznar

This documentary "Touching the Void" (also on netflix) tells an incredible survival story that is definitely worth watching. Joe Simpson escaped certain death on his attempt to climb Siula Grande (6,344m) in the Peruvian Andes.  Alone with a broken leg, 100 feet inside of a crevasse, he had no chance of climbing up. He had to decide whether to give up and wait for his death or climb down the crevasse into the dark unknown. Venturing into what seemed to be a dead end was a decision that wound up saving his life.  Sometimes the path we need to take is disguised as a treacherous road to know where.

If you look back in history, taking a plunge or facing danger is usually associated with freedom and strength. It seems like in the present, it's almost always associated with fear and pain. 

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Photograph by Oli Gagnon

When you travel you realize that people are wrong about other countries. This is Africa.

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Photograph by Jody MacDonald

If there is an official LiveUnbound sculpture, then this is it!

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Sculpture by Zenos Frudakis Location: 16th and Vine Streets, Philadelphia, USA

The limitations of what we can and can’t do were created by us and will be broken by us. Breaking boundaries or going against existing beliefs often seems unrealistic and even foolish. But since they are inaccurate to begin with, it's okay to be "foolish". Do it not only for your own personal freedom, but also to spark the imagination of those trapped in the illusion of inability.

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Photograph by Andrew Buckley

When was the last time you woke up and felt like today was going to be the best day of your life? Let go of the tired notion that the best is yet to come. Today is a new day with unlimited opportunities. 

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Photograph by Scott Serfas

What if your commute to work looked like this?

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Photograph by Clark Little

If you're interested in how the picture above was captured then watch this video. This is just another day in the office for photographer Clark Little. He is a perfect example of how you turn your passion into a successful career.

DEAR LONDON,

These are the forgotten athletes.  When doing what you love you don't need spectators, funding, world records and medals.

USA = 43 medals
China = 42 medals
Britain = 22 medals
Freedom = ∞ medals

Video by Claudiu Voicu and Tim Shieff.

Here are 2 quotes about the downside of logic and reasoning:

"The secret of flight is you have to do it immediately, before your mind realizes it's defying the laws." - Michael Cunningham

"Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway." -Mary Kay Ash

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"The Morning Glory". If anyone knows who the photographer is please comment below.

How do people know how fast they should go when hitting a jump? If you speed check too much the consequences can be harsh and if you go too fast it can be even more dangerous. We don't mathematically assess how fast we should go, we rely on our instincts. They are worth our trust and if you question them you'll pay the price. 

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Photo by: Adam Falk

DARK SIDE OF THE LENS

I never set out to become anything in particular, only to live creatively and push the scope of my experience for adventure and for passion.  Solid ocean swells powering through deep cold water, ignite the imagination, whisper possibilities, you always learn something.  We all take knocks in the process, cold creeping into your core, driving you mad while you hold position and wait for the next wave to come.  For fires of happiness and waves of gratitude.  I feel genuinely lucky and hand on heart say I love doing what I do.  And I may never be a rich man but I'll have a tale or two for the nephews.  And I dig the thought of that.

-Mickey Smith (paraphrased)

WE ARE NOT FEARLESS

Fear paralyzes us if we let it.  Often it's resilient fear without a name or reason, triggered without rational explanation.  We are not fearless but some of us have the strength to live comfortably with fear. It will alway be there but the ones that care enough about progress, discovery and innovation learn to embrace it. When you feel afraid it usually means you're on to something. 

Inspired by Seth Godin.