Go West, Young Man!

How One Spontaneous Moment Can Change the Course of Your Life

The farthest west I had traveled until 2006, when I was 32 years old, was Nebraska. Looking at my pictures and hearing my backpacking stories now, you’d have a hard time believing it took me so long to cross the Continental Divide.

Since then, I’ve backpacked the John Muir Trail in California, summiting Mt. Whitney. I’ve ventured into the most remote parts of Denali National Park and Wrangell-St. Elias National Park in Alaska. I’ve traversed sections of the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington. And I’ve completed nearly a dozen stunningly beautiful and impossibly rugged treks in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.

Along the way, I’ve crossed glaciers and raging, braided rivers, been rained and snowed on at the highest elevations, and come face-to-face with brown bears, black bears, mountain goats, mule deer, elk, and one particularly aggressive caribou who was not too polite.

I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have explored some of the most breathtaking places on Earth over the last 15 years.

But as I wrote last week’s post about my backpacking trip in Colorado with Anna and Caroline, I started thinking about how all of this began.

In 2006, our family was invited to Denver for my best friend’s wedding reception. He and his wife had been married in a week-long ceremony in India and were gathering friends and family in the United States for a celebration. Of course, we were excited about the opportunity to travel to Colorado and wanted to take in as much as we could while we were there. So after celebrating in Denver, we drove to Estes Park and spent three days in the mountains.

It was my first time in the mountains.

One day, we went to Rocky Mountain National Park and drove the entire 48-mile stretch of Trail Ridge Road, which reaches 12,183 feet at its highest point. It was a perfect day—blue skies, a crisp, cool breeze, a picturesque landscape, and expansive views. Something about the moment deeply moved me. Something was calling me out of the car, out of my domestication.

I was living in a metaphor. My whole life had been contained and predictable, and now the wilderness was beckoning me. I pulled the car over, opened the door, got out, and started running up the mountain to a clearing. I had no idea what I was doing, but soon Jenny and the girls followed. It was spontaneous and unexpected, but it was my first step into a more adventurous life—even if I got there a bit late in life.

Listen. It only takes one moment, one decision, to change the entire trajectory of your life. No matter how young or old you are, no matter your situation or circumstance, you can break out of your routines, your habits, and your predictable life to create an entirely new reality for yourself. So here is my advice- Open the door. Step outside. And, run right into it. Do it for yourself—and for those who will follow you.

Question

What is one bold step I can take today to change the trajectory of my life?

Peace,

Brandon

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