A reflection on fear, routine, and choosing the wild road.
A few months ago in Brazil, I met a 60-year-old man who lives along the Amazon River. As we chatted, I showed him a video of me playing with a shark. He watched it wide-eyed, completely transfixed, and then turned to me and asked with genuine curiosity, “What kind of fish is that?”
I told him it was a tiger shark.
He’d never seen one before.
Years ago, a younger version of me might’ve found that sad. How could someone live their entire life and never know the wonders of what’s out there?
But now, I think a little differently.
If that man is happy and content in his snow globe, then maybe there’s nothing tragic about it at all. He’s living his life, on his terms. And there’s a kind of perfect peace in that.
But…
If you're filled with wonderlust—if your soul itches for more—then no, that kind of life won’t do.
It’s funny—or maybe sad—how many people move through life on autopilot.
Wake up. Go to work. Feed the kids. Walk the dog. Eat. Sleep.
Day after day. Over and over.
And hey, there’s nothing wrong with that. I do those things too.
But if you’re reading this, I’m guessing that’s not all of you.
That’s just one part.
Because if you’ve found your way here, then something inside you is probably craving more.
More wonder. More adventure.
More moments that leave you changed.
Maybe it’s the ocean that calls you.
Maybe it’s the thrill of being around wildlife.
Or maybe it’s simply being somewhere new—heart pounding, senses wide open.
That’s what I write about.
That’s what I live for.
Bilbo Baggins running through the Shire, yelling out… “I am going on an adventure!” has always given me goosebumps. From the book ‘The Hobbit.’
So here’s the question that’s been sitting with me for years:
How many people live out their lives quietly wishing they were doing something else?
Or wishing they were somewhere else?
I’d bet the number is high.
And it leaves me asking:
Why do we cling to routine like a life raft?
Why are we afraid to step out the door unless we’re certain of the way back?
Why does “safe” always win over “bold”?
Here’s one answer I’ve come to understand:
Our brains are wired to protect us.
It’s an ancient thing—a leftover from the days when our ancestors needed to avoid danger to survive. That wiring is still with us.
It tells us to stay comfortable, to avoid risk, to fear the unknown. And while that instinct might have kept early humans alive, it can also hold us back from the very things that make us feel alive today.
We often have to fight through those negative thoughts just to try something new.
But when we do—when we push past that internal resistance—the reward is powerful.
The clarity. The breath. The feeling in your chest like the world just opened up.
That’s the good stuff… and that’s why I keep chasing it.
Because here’s the truth:
Life won’t wait for your “one day I’m gonna…”
So if you’re reading this and you’ve been wishing and daydreaming your way through the weeks, hoping for the “right time” to do that thing, take that trip, or become who you know you really are…
This is your wake-up call.
There’s a wild world out there. Full of beauty. Full of risk. Full of stories waiting to be lived.
And it’s calling your name.