Take A Moon Shot

Everyday I wake up early and dedicate the first hour of the day to inspiration, discovery and creativity.  I allow the unpredictable pull of my imagination to take me wherever it pleases.  I often end up developing some far-fetched ideas, or as google’s founder Larry Page calls them “moon shots”.  My mind naturally steers in this direction because I believe the world is full of possibilities and moon shots are within reach.  

A couple years ago I woke up feeling an urge to create something unlike anything else, something that would inspire like-minded adventurers.  Not knowing quite what it was or where to start, I decided that everything would fall together after thinking of the perfect name.  After thinking up several terrible names like “Pretty Much Amazing” and “Goosebumps”, I thought of the name “Live Unbound”.  I started by drawing a little picture to represent what the word meant to me.  

Then I began writing what later became the LiveUnbound Manifesto and decided to create a series of videos to illustrate it. For me this was a moon shot because I was never a good writer, I had no funding and little time to devote to creative ventures.

Two years later the LiveUnbound message has reached millions of people and has given me the chance to live my dream.  The dream of making a living through my creativity, traveling the world and creating positive impact.  

Extraordinary things happen when you give yourself the opportunity to live in accordance with the boundless nature of our existence.  

Cherished Roadblocks

Sometimes our problems become cherished roadblocks, convenient excuses why we can’t move forward or take a leap of faith.  

Yes, doing it is risky and avoiding it might preserve a perfect, failure-free life.  But perfection will never be as respected as a determined attempt at doing something remarkable.  

If you don't take the risk, you'll risk everything else in return.

Painting by Rafal Olbinski.

The Guiding Light

We all have a treasure that awaits us.  When we’re young, our heart constantly gives us clues on how to find it.  We start our search and quickly face obstacles which test our ability, determination and courage.  As we struggle in these challenges we become distracted by an easier, safer path.  We often take it because avoiding pain is our priority, not seeking pleasure.

Our heart tells us we’re off course but we ignore it.  We settle into a life of mediocrity, convincing ourselves that our search was a far fetched dream and now we must face reality.

We go to the movies, read books, visit museums and marvel at the incredible work that others have created.  Completely unaware of our capacity to create the same beauty.  

As the years pass our guiding light becomes dimer, as if our heart knows that we suffer when reminded that our search is over.  But as dim as the light may be, it never disappears completely because in some far off place still lies our greatest treasure.  

Inspired by “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.

 

Photograph by © Ben Canales

The Noticer

My favorite quotes from Andy Andrews book "The Noticer".   

"When confronted with a challenge, the committed heart will search for a solution. The undecided heart searches for an escape." 

"Intention without action is an insult to those who expect the best from you.” 

"Everybody wants to reach the peak, but there is no growth on the top of a mountain.  It is in the valley that we slog through the lush grass and rich soil, learning and becoming what enables us to summit life's next peak.” 

 

It's 2020, Are You Happy?

Lets pretend it’s new years 2020 and you’re living a life similar to the one you’re living today. Will you be happy?  For most people the answer is no because we are always in pursuit of something bigger.  It can be financial success, build a family, to make our mark on the world or to be well traveled.

Luckily, as human beings, we are all creators.  We create the bridge between where we are and where we want to be.  We create the opportunities we don’t have.  We create the courage we’re lacking.  We create our own happiness, fulfillment and freedoms.  

I hope that you’ll use 2014 to build your desired future.  Let the creator in you work miracles.  


Incredible Photography

Some of my favorites from Red Bull Illume 2013.

Photo by Anders Neuman

Photo by Christian Pondella

Photo by Daniel Roos

Photo by Elias Kunosson

Photo by Jaanus Ree

Photo by Joerg Mitter

Photo by Krystle Wright

Photo by Martin Lugger

Photo by Olaf Pignataro

Lean Into The Resistance

“The resistance” is that voice inside your head that says “stop!” whenever you're about to do something challenging and important.  This results in indecision, procrastination, or paralyzing doubt. In other words an impenetrable wall.  When we’re standing face to face with the wall it’s easy to come up with a long list of excuses as to why we should walk in the other direction.  But when we choose to walk away we quickly encounter another wall.  Until one day we find ourselves in a confined, hopeless place; far away from the freedom we were capable of creating.

So how do you break through an impenetrable wall?  By understanding that the wall is a figment of your fear and doubt; it does not exist. You created it by listening to that voice inside your head that said “don’t do this!”.  But that voice is often a sign that you MUST do it.  The resistance is a green light disguised as a stop sign. When you feel doubt, fear or vulnerability it often means that what you’re thinking about doing holds meaning and must be explored.

So instead of fighting the resistance, you should seek it.  If you never feel it then maybe you’re living too safe and consequently below your potential.  Maybe you’ve found contentment in mediocrity and staying within the boundaries of your comfort zone has become acceptable.  The problem with living this way is that if you abide by the walls, they’ll slowly start closing in. Living too safe is dangerous.  

To live a life that is truly unbound, we must commit to the frightening act of exploring our capabilities and shining a light on what makes us unique.     

Designed by Zachary Smith