“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better…The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.
Theodore Roosevelt
Have you ever looked in the mirror and thought, “I’m living someone else’s life”? I have. The realization came as I watched The Motorcycle Diaries, a romanticized version of Che Guevera traveling across South America relying on the kindness of strangers. The movie touched a spark in my soul. It woke me up. At the time I was a broker in the city of London, severely depressed and ready to give up on everything. Sounds melodramatic, I know. But it also happens to be true.
I would stay in my house and when I wasn’t sleeping I was self-medicating. It was a profoundly unsustainable way to live. Despite being surrounded by millions of people I felt completely alone. I had lost all form of human connection and I desperately needed it back. The pain forced me into a decision that would change my life forever.
I quit my job and decided to live by a set of ideals I now call the Way of the Traveler. A set of ideals that first germinated on a hilltop in Nepal but came to life on the rain-slicked streets of London.
What is the Way of the Traveler you may ask? Well, it means something different to each person but for me, it meant giving up on my externally successful life and trying to escape the internal pain I was hiding from others. It became a way of life. I left my house, and my life (including all the pain that came with it. I hoped). I decided I was going to travel the world trying to connect with others face to face. Human connection was going to be my fuel…
What the Way of the Traveler tries to do is to help you determine where your passion truly lies and how to take steps to achieve your dreams. It creates a jumpstart to help you find the courage to live ‘your’ life. The beautiful one waiting for each and every one of us…
Leaving your job and family isn’t the only way to take the first step toward your dreams. What I will say is taking small risks is often the only way to get started. If you want to become a writer you can’t just say, “I’m a writer” and hey presto you become Orwell overnight. You have to be willing to take that first very important step; it’s a risky one, though. It’s admitting you’re not happy with your life. For me acknowledging that I wasn’t happy didn’t change things right away. After many nights of self-pity, I found the courage needed to change.
And you can too.
I fought through the fear and I left for my travels around the world. That trip would spark what would become my life’s goal of traveling while helping others feel empowered and feel seen; Viscerally seen by another human being until we find the strength to see ourselves.
So often we try to convince ourselves that we’re not good enough to dream, let alone work toward achieving our dreams. I’m here to tell you if this is what you think you are mistaken. If no one believes in you, know that this Englishman does. He may not know who you are, but he believes in your right to live magnificently. Truly magnificently.
But there is a cost to living fully. And that cost is that people may not like your choices. They may not like your newfound magnificence that shines as brightly as the brightest star. That’s the risk you take… Are you in? Or are you going to go back to the sadness and the boredom? The beauty of this life is that ultimately you get to choose.
The Way of the Traveler asks that you allow yourself to determine what your wildest dreams are. Do you want to become a doctor, an actor, or a world traveler? Nothing starts until you take that first leap into the unknown! It sounds cliché to say this but I’ve met so many people who once they move past the mental block of negativity that’s stopping them begin to soar. Magnificently.
What are 3 things big or small you could do today to start realizing your dreams? Maybe it’s going back to school, or writing one page of your screenplay a night. Whatever it is unless you embrace your ability to chase the impossible it will never happen. And then the magnificence that is waiting patiently to shine will be lost. Maybe forever.
Although the Way of the Traveler asks a lot of each of us, there’s no way to do this alone. This means we have to take a realistic look at those around us. When you tell people your wildest dreams, do they laugh and discourage you, or are they supportive and push you? If they don’t support you it may be difficult to completely take them out of your life. But what you can do is not let them get in your way and surround your self with likeminded people who support your dreams.
I call them accidental heroes! Find them. And keep them close.
When you find your accidental heroes; it will take energy and love to keep them around. If you’re there for each other and share the pain it takes to achieve your goals nothing can stop you. Do you have people like this in your life? Who are they?
Sometimes we will hit setbacks on our way toward happiness. For me, it was ending up right back where I fought so hard to escape, behind a desk (or my slab of wood as I like to call it…). It’s important that during these times we take the time to stop and see the magic. My moment was seeing a homeless chap holding up a sign that read, “Kindness is the best medicine”. This one moment catapulted my next travel adventure of driving a vintage yellow motorbike (with a sidecar) across the globe giving life-changing gifts to unsuspecting good Samaritans. Kindness is a two-way street. It’s not just about receiving kindness it’s also about profoundly giving it away. Like its confetti.
When we find ourselves disconnected from the things and people we value most we need to take a minute to see how far we’ve come. Don’t be deterred by failure. Failing is one of the best learning lessons we can experience. It gives us an opportunity to stop and reflect. The best way to move past failure is to turn it on its head, turn it into a success.
Remember the only reason we failed was because we had the courage to try in the first place. Just ask Winston Churchill, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King Jr. about failure. Their lives were filled with roadblocks but more often than not it was their successes that shaped our world. If you can change your perception of what failure is you can face any setback thrown at you.
Following your passion is not easy; you will have days where you want to give-up. Many days. On these days I say reward yourself for all the hard work you’re putting in toward living your greatest life. You deserve it! When I find myself in this state I turn my favorite song on really loud and I dance. I dance and I don’t stop dancing until I feel better. I believe you can tackle anything, just keep your head up and dance.
Grab life by the arm and never stop dancing.
Ready for more?
If you’re interested in learning more about The Way of the Traveler my book Live, Love, Explore: Discover the Way of the Traveler a Roadmap to the Life You Were Meant to Live, published by Readers Digest, is available online or at your local bookstore.
The Kindness Diaries a 13 part series that documents my worldwide sidecar adventure is now streaming on Netflix: http://www.leonlogothetis.com/netflix/
About Leon Logothetis:
Leon Logothetis is a global adventurer, motivational speaker, philanthropist, and author of the bestselling memoir The Kindness Diaries. He gave up his job as a broker and his home in London for a life on the road. Leon has now visited more than 90 countries and traveled to every continent. He is the host of the TV series Amazing Adventures Of A Nobody, which is broadcasted across the world by National Geographic. Leon has documented his travels for numerous media outlets including Good Morning America, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Outside, Good, Psychology Today, and The New York Times.
GET THE BOOK BY
ERIN FALCONER!
viagra canada buying viagra online viagra online canada
where can i buy viagra buy sildenafil best over the counter viagra
what are the side effects of cialis buy cialis online cialis or viagra
viagra over the counter usa 2020 viagra without a doctor prescription where to buy viagra online
pills for ed herbal ed remedies prescription drugs online without doctor
best place to buy viagra online viagra can you buy viagra over the counter
where can i buy viagra over the counter generic viagra viagra for men online
860302 141720Extremely clear site , regards for this post. 145192
viagra coupon canadian pharmacy viagra how to get viagra without a doctor
cheapest generic viagra buy viagra from canada where can i buy viagra over the counter
482790 588016An intriguing discussion is worth comment. I believe which you ought to write regarding this topic, it may well not be a taboo subject but generally persons are too couple of to chat on such topics. To one more location. Cheers 298836
buy prescription drugs online legally generic viagra herbal ed
ed meds online pharmacy ED Pills Without Doctor Prescription 100mg viagra without a doctor prescription
ed treatments generic cialis meds online without doctor prescription
drugs that cause ed cheap ed pills non prescription erection pills
ed causes and treatment generic cialis ed pills online pharmacy
men with ed buy ed pills drugs and medications
prices of cialis generic cialis for sale how does cialis work
switching from tamsulosin to cialis buy tadalafil the effects of cialis on women
real viagra without a doctor prescription buy prescription drugs without doctor buy ed drugs
treating ed canadian drugs online online canadian pharmacy
cheap generic sildenafil sildenafil without doctor prescription
tadalafil canada tadalafil canada
438801 969215What others have stated and in some uncommon cases, suicide may well occur. 596507
cheap sildenafil sildenafil for sale
tadalafil canada cheap tadalafil
generic tadalafil buy tadalafil
cheap viagra 100mg generic viagra is there a generic for viagra
online ed drugs generic drugs erection pills online
best way to treat ed online canadian pharmacy legal to buy prescription drugs without prescription
cialis coupon cialis online cialis tadalafil 20 mg
order viagra online buy viagra online viagra without a prescription
ed medications list canadian drug stores cheap pet meds without vet prescription
viagra walgreens buy viagra how much is viagra
buy viagra online usa viagra prices buy generic 100mg viagra online
real cialis online with paypal cialis generic lowest price cialis
viagra without a doctor prescription canadian drug stores buy prescription drugs from canada cheap
goodrx viagra cheap viagra viagra from india
generic cialis available buy cialis cialis 100 mg lowest price
herbal ed buy Amoxil ed clinic
how much does cialis cost at walmart cialis for sale cialis erection penis
over the counter ed medication Nolvadex homeopathic remedies for ed
buy canadian drugs: cialis without doctor prescription top rated ed pills
cheap erectile dysfunction pills: drug medication ed meds online without prescription or membership
cialis tolerance how much does cialis cost at walmart cialis or viagra
how to buy zithromax online generic zithromax online paypal zithromax 500 mg lowest price drugstore online
where can i buy viagra over the counter viagra pill canadian online pharmacy viagra
zithromax 500 price zithromax generic price zithromax prescription online
cialis 30 day sample expired cialis 3 years fastest delivery of cialis buying online
cheap cialis generic cialis without prescription does medicaid cover cialis
otc viagra buy real viagra online viagra cost per pill
에볼루션코리아
792SduSYv?=>
에볼루션카지노
096gAVCOd(-#
에볼루션바카라
625UKOPxC~>,
에볼루션룰렛
512AkfPNT!`_
에볼루션블랙잭459vfPxhJ~”
This post really resonated with me. That Theodore Roosevelt quote is so powerful and timeless because it speaks to the courage required to actually live life instead of just observing it. I love how you tied it to your own personal experience of awakening after watching The Motorcycle Diaries. It’s inspiring to read about someone who was willing to question their path and seek something more meaningful instead of staying stuck.things to do in ho chi minh
This post really made me reflect on how I view vacations versus traveling. I agree that travel is about exploration and personal growth, not just relaxation. The way you described embracing cultural differences and learning from them was very powerful. Even traveling within our own country can be eye-opening if we approach it with curiosity. This is a great reminder to travel with intention and an open heart.
I appreciate how honest and vulnerable this post feels right from the beginning. That feeling of living someone else’s life is something a lot of people experience but rarely talk about openly. Your reference to being a broker in London while feeling deeply depressed really highlights the gap between outward success and inner fulfillment. The mention of The Motorcycle Diaries is powerful because it shows how stories and experiences can awaken something buried inside us. This kind of transparency makes the message far more impactful. Historical Hotels
This post really captures the beauty of slow travel. Taking time to explore downtown instead of rushing straight to your next destination makes such a difference. I also think it is amazing that you were able to squeeze in a visit to the library and still enjoy your morning. Those little unexpected experiences often become the most memorable parts of any trip. sabbatical tips