If anyone knows how to be an explorer in the 21st century it is Mikael Strandberg. His various adventures have taken him on bicycle rides from Chile to Alaska and Norway to South Africa, amongst other places. He's traveled through Patagonia on horseback and trekked through East Africa. He has wandered the most remote regions of Siberia and crossed Yemen by camel. He is a Fellow in the Explorers Club, Royal Geographical Society and the Long Riders Guild. So when Mikael offers advice to aspiring explorers, you know that he is doing so from a place of experience.
In a blog post that was published today, Strandberg shares his 9 tips on how to become a modern day explorer. These simple pearls of wisdom form a solid foundation for anyone who is considering pursing a life of exploration, something that comes with sacrifices and challenges, but also great rewards and satisfaction.
I won't spoil the list because I think the entire thing is well worth a read. I will say that his final tip is perhaps the most important one of all. It simply reads: "9. Finally: Get out there and just do it!" For many of us, the biggest stumbling block towards pursuing our dreams and goals is ourself. Sometimes we need to take that leap of faith and just go for it. The people that I have known who have been the most successful at whatever it is they do have always been the ones who are willing to believe in themselves and make the leap.
Mikael's tips are excellent ones for just about anything you'd like to do in life. While he puts them into context of pursuing the life of an explorer, they could also be just as easily applied to someone who wants to start their own business, quit their day job to pursue other opportunities or just about anything else. He advocates for having a clear vision, staying focused and believing in yourself - qualities that are important no matter what goals you set for yourself.
To read the entire article and discover all of Mikael's tips, click here.