Becoming Heroes: Part 1
“Life is just too important to let it pass by. My mom went through incredible pain to have me as a child. Man, I was a big baby! So, only because of that I owe it to her to not waste my life and live every day to the fullest.”
# AdventureStartsWithYou
Dave is probably the most energetic and smiling human being we know. At the age of 25 Dave left his job as a graphic designer and embarked upon an adventure that would take him all over the world, in all kinds of different ways. His Expedition1000 project is considered one of the most ambitious adventure projects of all time. 25 different non-motorised journeys, each in excess of 1000 miles.
Lets start philosophically: Why aren´t more people following their dreams?
Dave: Well, I´ll try to answer it from an adventurer’s perspective. It’s not a job where you wear a suit. It’s just not the same job that we grow up knowing in the western world. Because that’s the way it is: You have to get a job, go to office and pay your bills for your house and car. For many people that’s ok. But I wonder, why bother? And because of that we rarely know who we are.
In my case: I was a graphic designer. I was horrible at it! I chose my university degree because I just had to choose something. And then I turned 25 and realized that I did my job only because I earned some money, rather than because I enjoyed it. After I tried snowboarding, I fell in love with the feeling to ride a board. And as I´ve always wanted to go to Australia, I decided to cross Australia on a skateboard. Just like that.
How have you started your first adventure?
Dave: So, I realized that I´m on the wrong path. So I just grabbed my skateboard and crossed the whole of Britain and afterwards I crossed Australia, from Perth on the west coast to Brisbane on the east. It took me 5 months. The thought of living new experiences and seeing new things every day excited me a lot. I was 26 back then and have never looked back.
I think, everyone should make their Epiclist and then take steps to realize it. That’s why I like your idea so much. Its like a framework to help you get focused on the things that matter most and grow it from there. The key about it is to make it transparent. The more you talk about your dreams and goals, the more you´ll be inspired from other people around you.
Did you do any endurance sports at all before you have started your skateboarding journey?
Dave: Not at all! But I think it’s really important to do an endurance adventure at least once in life. Because that’s when you find out so much about yourself, your strengths and weaknesses. You realise how much you´re actually capable of. And everyone can do it! I was not a superman or an athlete. By the end, I think it’s not about finding yourself. It’s about creating yourself. And that’s exactly what you experience during an adventure!
Do you get a lot of emails from fans and other adventurers?
Dave: Yeah, I have a hall of fame folder on my laptop, where I´ve saved so far about 1500 mails from people around the world, who saw me on Social Media or at one of my talks, and set out on their own adventures afterwards. This is a bigger purpose beyond my adventures. I’ve been on my own in this situation, where 95% of western people often find themselves.
A feeling that you´re not really happy about your job, but just can´t leave, because you have to pay all your bills and other stuff. So, if I can ask people to think about their purpose of life and inspire some of them to go and follow their passion, then that’s really amazing!
“I have 10x less money then back in my job. But I feel 10x more secure and much happier!”
Who is Dave as a person now?
Dave: I´ve started to feel more brave and confident about myself. I´m not scared about new adventures and new roads. I have 10x less money then back in my job. But I feel 10x more secure and much happier! I have very little things that limit me. I´m simple. I´m happy. I´m passionate. And I do what I love!
Also I´m currently creating an online business, which allows me to work from any place on the planet. Its called “Say Yes More” and about encouraging people to step out and follow adventures. And I´m writing 4 books now about my last adventures from the past 3 years.
What was your favorite adventure so far?
Dave: One of the coolest things I´ve done was paddling along the Mississippi River for 82 days on a Stand Up Paddleboard. This adventure formed a lot of the person I am today!
Dave supports many charity projects and you can support him too:
Visit his personal website: http://www.davecornthwaite.com
Follow his journeys on Twitter: @DaveCorn
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