Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Butt Inertia - Getting off the Couch and Chasing Your Dreams


"A butt at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force. A butt in motion will stay in motion if it just gets off the couch." -John Pugh


I'm a slothful individual. I can heat a house with burnt time. I slid just under the tax deduction wire by being born on December 31st. Odds are I'll to be late to my own funeral. You get the picture.


That said, I think the only way to achieve anything is to just get off your butt and start. Just getting a goal and starting toward it is the big thing. Details work themselves out over time so don't sweat the small stuff to begin with. Any progress is good progress. Just do something.


Tell people what your plans are. Parents, family, friends, strangers off the street, it doesn't matter. Some will be supportive. Some will say you're a fool. Listen to the former but don't ignore the latter. It helps to have people to face up to when you're scared out of your wits and want to quit. Peer pressure isn't always bad.


Taking the chance of falling on your face occasionally is good for the soul. When I'm old and grey(er), I don't want the regret of not trying something just because I was lazy or doing busy work . Life's too short for that. My father passed away when I was four and I doubt if given the option he would have asked for more time in the office. This trip down the Mississippi was one of the hardest things I've done but also the most fulfilling.


I was a wreck for months before we started. Sleepless nights thinking about details, worries about failure, and nagging doubts about doing the right thing were all part of the process. Once the canoe hit the water everything fell into place. Of all the miles, the first one was the sweetest. Just getting out of the rat race and trying something else was its own reward.


I made a deal with myself at the end of my thru-hike to do something cool at least every five years. That could be hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, biking across the country, or building a house from scratch. Anything to get off my butt and do something besides watch the years go by. If nothing else, I'll have some good stories to lie to my unconcieved grandkids about.


The first and hardest thing is to get off the couch and start. Once that butt inertia gets going, it's all downhill from there








John Pugh has over 5,000 miles of backpacking and paddling experience, including a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail and paddling trip down the Mississippi River. His book, Source to Sea, is being released in early 2007. Book excepts can be found at http://www.sourcetosea.net He is available for speaking engagements, and can be reached at source2sea@gmail.com

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