The Key to Your Journey of Significance is Having the Courage to Stay on the Path

The following is adapted from Rise Above Chaos.

The blazing afternoon sun scorched the sands of Egypt. Jack pulled the reins on the camel he was riding and brought his beast to a complete stop. He turned toward me, sweat dripping off his forehead.

“My contact lens in my right eye just curled up and popped out. Damn, it’s hot out here!”

Jack and I were a week removed from graduating from the United States Military Academy at West Point. We decided that we would take a graduation trip together, and we chose Egypt as our destination for two reasons.

First, we had an Egyptian classmate, Ayman, and he agreed to host us once we arrived. Second, we thought it would be fun.

We found ourselves traversing the hot desert on a couple of camels with a local guide who took us to the pyramids for a personal tour of the ruins.

It was epic!

Adventures Happen When You Aren’t Afraid to Act

Jack and I started our adventure the day after graduation, on June 4, 1995. We had a couple of backpacks, our passports, a few thousand dollars of cash between us, and the desire to get to Egypt. That was about it.

We didn’t have a concrete plan for how we were going to get there other than we planned to hop on any military logistical flights we could find to get us moving in the right direction.

We started our journey in New York with our first stop in Delaware. There, we waited a few days, trying to find a military flight that had room for us. Finally, we flew out of Delaware and landed in Georgia.

From Georgia, we flew to the Azores. From the Azores, we flew to Italy. From Italy, we hopped on a ship that sailed to Greece. From Greece, we hopped on a flight to Egypt.

We took buses, planes, trains, boats, taxis, and camels. It was quite the adventure, and it only happened because we weren’t afraid to act.

Go Beyond Your “Why”

We knew we wanted to get to Egypt. We weren’t quite sure how we would get there, so we took the first step, which led us to our next step, and then the next — a series of steps that ultimately got us to our desired destination.

The same applies in any journey. You must have the intention to take the journey, yes. But even more importantly, you must be willing to take the steps to get there.

The key to your journey of significance goes beyond just discovering your why. Having the courage to do something about it is when the journey begins.

Having a purpose in life becomes your “true north.” When life gets hard and the whirlwind pulls you from every direction, your purpose will guide you back on your path. When it does, it’s time to act.

Find the Courage for Action

This is as true in life as it is in travel.

I’ve read several biographies on people I admire: famous political figures, professional athletes, business titans, and social elites. I’ve personally met and interviewed Super Bowl champions, actors, clergy members, and Hall of Fame basketball players and coaches.

When I met one of my heroes, Michael Hyatt, in Florida at his conference in 2014, I discovered something that surprised me but also motivated me: he didn’t have all the answers. He was figuring it out, just like I was! He seemed to have some clarity on what he was going to do next, but he didn’t have a pristine plan to get him there like I’d expected.

Ultimately, I discovered that all those successful high achievers I had studied had one thing in common — they had the courage to act. They weren’t always totally clear on what they were doing; they were just figuring it out along the way. They didn’t have a concrete plan for every detail of their lives; they just had a vision and the courage to take the next step.

Find Your Next Step

So, what’s the next step you need to take on your journey?

On a piece of paper, write a list of possible actions you could take to move forward in your life. Don’t overthink this exercise; just make a list. Then pick the very next thing you can do to move forward and do that.

Don’t worry about the other steps. Just take the next one, and you will be well on your way of your own journey to significance.

For more advice on how to get started on your own journey of significance, you can find Rise Above Chaos on Amazon.

Erick Rheam is a graduate of the US Military Academy. He served for five years as a military police officer. On deployment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Erick became fascinated by the field of human dynamics and what motivates us as human beings. Some two decades later, Erick now speaks regularly across the country. He trains and inspires athletes, college students, organizational leaders, public officials, utilities professionals, and business executives to master the art of human dynamics and personal fulfillment — helping them rediscover their passion, redefine their purpose, and develop the courage to live a life of significance.