WEBVTT
00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.760
Are the adventures over?
00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:08.320
Is the second half of life one of slowing down, sitting back, and soaking in the memories and fruits of the adventures of our youth?
00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:09.279
For most?
00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:10.640
Sure.
00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:13.679
For you, not a chance.
00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:15.199
You can feel it.
00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:24.000
That restlessness deep inside, crying out for more than the status quo, beckoning us onward to Poet Robert Service's land of beyond.
00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:25.679
We're not done yet.
00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:32.320
We know there's more to uniquely contribute, unexplored mountains to climb and new dragons to slay.
00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:34.079
But where do we start?
00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:44.320
How do we distinguish between that still small voice inside each of us and the veritable onslaught of messaging coming at us from all directions the moment we slide out of bed each morning?
00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:51.679
Welcome back to the Not Done Yet podcast, where we focus on purpose and possibilities through life's second half.
00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:52.320
I'm Dr.
00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:56.240
Brad Cooper of Catalyst Coaching, and I'm grateful to have you join me on this journey.
00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:57.520
I don't have the answers.
00:00:57.679 --> 00:00:59.200
I don't pretend to be the expert.
00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:06.640
I'm merely a fellow traveler who's a pretty good funnel, gathering, applying, and then sharing the insights of others.
00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:11.760
Maybe together we can light the unique path that awaits every single one of us.
00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:17.280
And speaking of those experts, let's return to this land of beyond with this little section from Mr.
00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:18.400
Service's poem.
00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:24.480
Have you ever heard of the land of beyond the dreams at the gates of the day?
00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:32.719
Alluring it lies at the skirts of the skies and ever so far away.
00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:34.560
Ah yes.
00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:36.400
Ever so far away.
00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:38.799
It can feel like that sometimes, can't it?
00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:50.079
And yet, in so many ways, our call to adventure, the entry point into this land of beyond, it's it's sitting there waiting for us beneath the rush and noise of everyday life.
00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:56.159
So what do you say we take a little closer look at this thing called the call to adventure?
00:01:56.560 --> 00:02:02.799
It really started with a 1949 book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces that Joseph Campbell wrote.
00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:05.920
And he brought forth this concept of the monomyth.
00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:11.439
Now he wasn't the first to talk about that or even write about it, but he really brought it to the forefront.
00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:12.800
And I want to walk you through it.
00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:23.039
Essentially, he said there were these commonalities across narratives of all cultures, from ancient stories to the Marvel movie that maybe you watched last week.
00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:24.719
And he created this template.
00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:27.199
And if you haven't seen it, it it might be worth Googling.
00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:31.680
I'm gonna walk you through it, but it's nice to see the visual, so it may be worth pulling up.
00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:34.639
Basically, it starts off you're in the known world.
00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:35.919
Everything's fine.
00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:38.240
You're just kind of going along, doing your thing.
00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:39.599
Doo doo doo doo doo.
00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:40.560
Yeah, life is good.
00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:42.400
I don't have any big stuff going on.
00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:44.960
And so it's this known world, he calls it.
00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:46.960
I call it the fine world.
00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:48.000
Everything's fine.
00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:50.879
It's not great, it's not terrible, but it's fine.
00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:54.560
And then the call to adventure comes in.
00:02:54.960 --> 00:03:02.960
Or more accurately, we sense it, we hear it, we tune into it, and then we have a decision to make.
00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:05.199
Do we answer that call?
00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:07.360
Do we cross over the threshold?
00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:12.800
And that threshold in his diagram, that's the big key step.
00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:16.159
As long as we don't cross over that threshold, everything's fine.
00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:19.039
We're just going about our day and doing our thing.
00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:22.080
As soon as we cross over that threshold, things happen.
00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:24.719
That's where the challenges kick in, the temptations are there.
00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:29.599
But in the midst of that, that's where transformation begins.
00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:31.919
That's where we meet our helpers.
00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:35.039
That's where mentors come out of nowhere.
00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:39.840
And that's where we're stepping into this call to adventure.
00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:42.800
Now, a couple of things here.
00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:45.919
One is the idea of dragons.
00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:49.120
And dragons aren't necessarily the fire-breathing type.
00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:51.280
They might be a Marvel version of that.
00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:53.680
It might be the bad guy in some other show.
00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:58.879
The dragon is the one that when we see it, we go, oh no, what are we gonna do?
00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:00.159
We gotta escape.
00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:06.159
And the point of the call to adventure is the dragon is where the goal is.
00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:12.800
When we see dragons, when we experience a dragon, whatever your dragon might be, that means you're on to something.
00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:14.560
And don't forget that.
00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:27.040
Because anytime we step out of our known world, we are going to face dragons, these challenges, these temptations, these struggles, these seemingly stuff that we can't handle.
00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:29.439
And we want to get away from it.
00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:34.639
But the point is that's where the gold is.
00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:55.920
So we go through these challenges and temptations, we become transformed as a result, and then, and then, and this is key, we return to the regular world, the known world, whatever you want to call it, with the elixir, with the new education, the new knowledge, the new experience, the new whatever it is.
00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:00.800
We're not doing this to simply grow our bank account or have a bigger car.
00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:07.759
It's to benefit those in our community, in our family, in our organization.
00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:11.920
So we're coming back with something to benefit others.
00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:16.079
One other point about this diagram and the movies and stories you've read.
00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:24.160
If you've ever read or watched anything about the Knights of the Round Table, what it what are they always going out to do?
00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:26.480
They're searching for the Holy Grail, right?
00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:28.399
Let's go out and find the Holy Grail.
00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:30.639
Woo, yeah, Holy Grail, let's do it.
00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:33.920
Do you ever hear about the Holy Grail again?
00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:35.199
No.
00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:37.040
You really don't.
00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:42.879
It's the thing that brings you out onto the adventure, and then the real adventure occurs.
00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:47.920
And I think that's a really valuable concept to keep in mind.
00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:54.399
I even laughed, I do a personal vision every year, and we'll talk about that process at some point in these episodes.
00:05:54.560 --> 00:06:04.879
But I even laughed at this year's because as I put it together, I'm super excited about a few things that I felt like were the call to adventure, the the holy grail, if you will.
00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:10.800
And I kind of chuckled as I was finalizing it, thinking, I know these aren't the real.
00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:13.120
I know there's something else.
00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:19.279
These are the things that are getting me out there, but the the real adventure is going to appear as I step into it.
00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:21.279
And I think that's really important to remember.
00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:29.120
Now, the depths of the insights, they they provide a great way to look at our own development.
00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:32.240
But it's interesting, it's been used other places too.
00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:44.240
And one that you're probably very familiar with, a guy named Christopher Vogler, he worked for Disney, and he tapped into Joseph Campbell's work and just mind-blowing for him.
00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:50.800
And so he initially created this internal memo about it at Disney, and it was supposed to be a guide for writers.
00:06:50.959 --> 00:07:04.399
It soon became required reading at Disney and led to what they now call the Disney Renaissance, that period from 1989 to 1999 when movies like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast came about.
00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:10.959
So this is valuable stuff for us personally, and we see it happening out in other places as well.
00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:13.839
Now, a lot of potential applications for this model.
00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:21.360
And yes, I selected this as an early episode because you're going to hear me come back to it over and over and over.
00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:36.240
And I want to be able to say, remember that call to adventure and for your mind to immediately say, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, that's where you start in the the world is uh just kind of cruising along and doing your thing, and then you step across the threshold, and then you have the challenges and the dragons appear.
00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:50.000
So my hope is that by covering this early, when we reference it later, when we talk about it later, when we when we use the phraseology of the call to adventure, you'll uh your brain will immediately go, Oh yeah, I remember that.
00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:54.399
But for now, I want you to see it as our launch point.
00:07:54.639 --> 00:08:00.399
So let me give you a few considerations before we set sail on this call to adventure.
00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:05.120
The first thing is the call is the necessary step forward.
00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:08.079
No call, no journey.
00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:09.759
That's step one.
00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:13.120
And when I say no call, it's it the call's always there, folks.
00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:15.839
It's it's more like, do I hear the call?
00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:17.839
Am I willing to listen for that call?
00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:19.360
Am I tuning in?
00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:20.319
You get the idea?
00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:23.920
Am I lowering the noise enough so that I can actually hear that call?
00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:27.360
So, number one, the call is the necessary first step forward.
00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:29.120
No call, no journey.
00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:33.840
Number two, it's a call, not a demand.
00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:38.240
It's an opportunity, not a requirement.
00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:46.399
You're gonna look around at your peers and you're gonna say, Oh, none of them are doing any of this call stuff.
00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:47.440
What is it?
00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:49.120
It's not for them.
00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:50.720
You're different.
00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:52.399
You're not done yet.
00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:54.000
You get it.
00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.120
It's a call, not a demand.
00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:59.600
It's an opportunity, not a requirement.
00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:05.519
We must first hear the call, which obviously requires listening, and then we've got to choose to answer it.
00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:08.000
And that's where you're different from the crowd.
00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:13.360
Number three, the call occurs while we're living in the everyday ordinary world.
00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:18.000
Think of maybe Luke Skywalker in his home on the desert planet, for example.
00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:21.120
He's he's just going about his work day and all of a sudden oh.
00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:24.240
And you see that in practically every movie.
00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:33.360
And number four, it's an upward aim, a challenge that moves us, stretches us beyond what we may believe is possible.
00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:36.480
If you're like, oh yeah, that sounds good, I could do that.
00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:37.679
Probably not the call.
00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:40.799
Doesn't mean not to do it, but that's probably not the call.
00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:48.240
The call is an upward-aiming challenge that moves us, stretches us, pulls us beyond what we believe is possible.
00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:52.879
So again, kind of back to the dragon, kind of back to that, ooh, this feels out of my element.
00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:54.080
That's it.
00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:55.360
That's it.
00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:59.039
The call to adventure exists on a higher plane.
00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:00.240
It's a deeper dimension.
00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:08.639
It's not the low-hanging fruit, it's not simply clicking on an exciting-looking advertisement that shows up in our social media feeds.
00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:15.840
It's also not simply or or necessarily the next logical step, in quotes.
00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:22.960
As I said a minute ago, I just want to reinforce, it's a calling that takes us outside of and beyond our current path.
00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:25.519
Is it it isn't just, oh yeah, one more step forward.
00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:28.080
Now, I'm all for the let's take one more step forward.
00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:28.559
That's great.
00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:29.679
That's it's critical.
00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:30.799
We'll talk about that.
00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:33.279
But the call to adventure is different.
00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:37.840
It takes us outside of, it takes us beyond our current path.
00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:51.279
Now, again, I'm not an expert in this area, but my sense is there are three guardrails that are very valuable in this process as we talk through, as we live into this call to adventure.
00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:55.120
So, number one, it's a calling, not a should.
00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:58.159
Wise cancel, super important.
00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:01.039
Valuable every time we face a crossroad.
00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:10.240
And garnering feedback as you sense a call, as you hear a call, as you begin to answer a call, getting feedback from others, that's great.
00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:12.000
That's valuable, that's important.
00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:23.600
But, but this is not a time to simply do what your mentor, your spouse, your parent, or whomever is saying you should do.
00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:26.240
This is not a should, it's a calling.
00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:27.279
That's number one.
00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:36.159
Number two, the call does not involve putting loved ones, our valued relationships, nor our health at risk.
00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:44.399
I guess what I'm saying is don't make the mistake of replacing the potential for adventure with some ego-driven idiocy.
00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:52.159
And then speaking of idiocy, number three is this is not a selfish hedonistic pursuit.
00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:54.799
It's not the classic sex, drugs, rock and roll.
00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:56.159
The midlife crisis.
00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:58.960
Oh, I'm I'm supposed to do this thing.
00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:01.519
Are you, or is that just you?
00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:07.440
The hero's journey stretches us personally and benefits others.
00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:08.720
Let me say that again.
00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:13.279
The hero's journey stretches us personally and it benefits others.
00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:17.200
The call to adventure isn't simply a passive escape from our boring lives.
00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:23.840
It's a calling to bring forth a better version of ourselves for the greater good.
00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:29.279
With that said, adventures are they're not one size fits all.
00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:34.639
I can't give you a list of here are the five most popular calls to adventure.
00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:35.840
Like that's not a thing.
00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:39.840
They come in all shapes, sizes, they come from multiple directions.
00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:47.840
Their dimensionality is defined for all of us based on our history, our support systems, our margins that we have available.
00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:56.480
As I was writing about this topic in a different setting, I came up with three overlapping buckets that I thought might be helpful to our discussion here.
00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:11.679
So these are these are three different dimensions of advent of calls to adventure or adventures that you might want to ponder as you're looking at this and see where you're looking first or where one might lead to another.
00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:17.759
So the three different buckets, if you will, are microadventures, macro adventures, and transformational adventures.
00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:19.600
Let me give you a quick example of each.
00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:28.080
The microadventures involve moving outside our daily settings, our daily routines, our daily rhythms, and taking on an isolated challenge.
00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:29.279
Example.
00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:33.200
Maybe sign up for your first 5K or first 5K in a long time.
00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:36.240
Maybe visit a new city, try a new hobby.
00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:38.960
Try something that stretches you, but it's a one-time thing.
00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:43.120
Susanna recently did this great example in her own life.
00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:54.480
She hesitantly but actively and purposefully stepped into an opportunity to swim around sharks in spite of a significant lifelong fear of doing so.
00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:57.919
So that was a big stretch for her, but it was a microadventure.
00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:03.440
It was a one-time thing that she actively, intentionally stepped into and then moved forward.
00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:04.720
So that's a microadventure.
00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:08.639
A macro adventure, this adds an element of time to the above.
00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:18.159
As compared to the one-time or limited pursuit, like the microadventure, this has a more extended timeline or maybe a broader base challenge.
00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:26.240
Example for me, when I went back to pursue a PhD at the age of 50, that was an example of a macro adventure in my own life.
00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:29.200
It constantly pulled me outside my comfort zone.
00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:35.519
The research, the academic writing, the politics, the traveling and speaking in Europe that was part of that.
00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:45.679
All those things, each one of those revealed new potential doors of challenge and opportunity and impact that I had no idea I was stepping into.
00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:49.039
So that's that's a macro adventure example.
00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:52.879
And then the transformational adventure, that is what it sounds like.
00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:54.080
It's transformational.
00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:55.440
Now the others can be.
00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:58.799
That microadventure that Susanna stepped into, that changed her.
00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:02.000
The macroadventure of the PhD, that changed me.
00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:05.600
But the transformational ones, they're even bigger.
00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:14.879
When Susanna and I launched one of the first health and wellness coaching organizations in 2007, it shifted everything in our life.
00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:26.240
It clearly wasn't the next logical step for a couple entering midlife with three young children and had grown pretty accustomed to that regular paycheck and benefits.
00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:32.080
But when we did that, it was life-changing for our family and for us.
00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:38.000
And it allowed us to serve 100,000 plus employees, coaches, students in the process.
00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:42.799
Microadventures, macroadventures, and transformational adventures.
00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:53.840
I just want to give you some different things because the ones that you hear, the ones you step into, might be very, very different than your best friend, your spouse, your mentor.
00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:55.120
We're all unique.
00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:56.639
And that's the point I want to make here.
00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:59.519
Different levels, different styles, different backgrounds, different.
00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:06.399
We're all unique in terms of all these things: backgrounds, personality, support systems, perspectives, risk tolerance, all those things.
00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:13.519
What one person sees as, oh, just another day, may be considered transformational for others.
00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:15.519
I can't say this enough.
00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:19.759
Our call to adventure is our call to adventure.
00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:21.200
It's not a competition.
00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:23.279
You're not being great on a curve.
00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:29.759
But there's no doubt our willingness to answer our unique calling will change us.
00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:30.879
It'll grow us.
00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:32.720
It'll engage our hearts.
00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:36.320
And it'll benefit others in the process.
00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:40.399
Let's tie a ribbon on this initial exploration with a few questions.
00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:49.840
I want to try to do this regularly, where I give you a couple things to ponder as we for well, for those who are thinking, yeah, this is something I want to think about a little bit more.
00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:51.120
This hopefully will get you started.
00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:53.600
So two things: one about past, one about present.
00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:54.320
Past.
00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:58.399
What adventures, regardless of what happened in the end, that's the key.
00:16:58.559 --> 00:17:06.480
Remember when I said my little vision for this year, I knew going in that what I thought it was going to be was just the holy grail.
00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:10.559
It was just what got me out started, that I knew something else was going to develop.
00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:11.599
That's you too.
00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:17.920
So, regardless of your outcomes, what adventures have you leaned into in the past?
00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:20.559
What opened you up to their calling?
00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:21.920
How did they stretch you?
00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:26.880
Why did you decide to move forward with those when maybe you didn't with others?
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:29.039
So think about that in terms of the past.
00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:36.880
And then present, what whispers are you currently sensing from that still small voice?
00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:41.359
What potential call have you been hearing in the distance?
00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:45.839
Or maybe even as I'm talking here, are you beginning to sense?
00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:50.720
The phrase that ship has sailed is a common deflection.
00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:51.839
I hear this all the time.
00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:59.680
It's utilized by those in life's second half who prefer security and certainty over possibility and wonder.
00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:02.000
But you're different.
00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:07.359
That ship may indeed be sailing, but you're on board.
00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:11.519
You're ready to explore all that awaits over the horizon.
00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:16.000
Because you are not done yet.
00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.760
Are the adventures over?
00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:08.320
Is the second half of life one of slowing down, sitting back, and soaking in the memories and fruits of the adventures of our youth?
00:00:08.640 --> 00:00:09.279
For most?
00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:10.640
Sure.
00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:13.679
For you, not a chance.
00:00:14.000 --> 00:00:15.199
You can feel it.
00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:24.000
That restlessness deep inside, crying out for more than the status quo, beckoning us onward to Poet Robert Service's land of beyond.
00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:25.679
We're not done yet.
00:00:25.920 --> 00:00:32.320
We know there's more to uniquely contribute, unexplored mountains to climb and new dragons to slay.
00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:34.079
But where do we start?
00:00:34.320 --> 00:00:44.320
How do we distinguish between that still small voice inside each of us and the veritable onslaught of messaging coming at us from all directions the moment we slide out of bed each morning?
00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:51.679
Welcome back to the Not Done Yet podcast, where we focus on purpose and possibilities through life's second half.
00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:52.320
I'm Dr.
00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:56.240
Brad Cooper of Catalyst Coaching, and I'm grateful to have you join me on this journey.
00:00:56.479 --> 00:00:57.520
I don't have the answers.
00:00:57.679 --> 00:00:59.200
I don't pretend to be the expert.
00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:06.640
I'm merely a fellow traveler who's a pretty good funnel, gathering, applying, and then sharing the insights of others.
00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:11.760
Maybe together we can light the unique path that awaits every single one of us.
00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:17.280
And speaking of those experts, let's return to this land of beyond with this little section from Mr.
00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:18.400
Service's poem.
00:01:18.959 --> 00:01:24.480
Have you ever heard of the land of beyond the dreams at the gates of the day?
00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:32.719
Alluring it lies at the skirts of the skies and ever so far away.
00:01:33.599 --> 00:01:34.560
Ah yes.
00:01:35.040 --> 00:01:36.400
Ever so far away.
00:01:36.799 --> 00:01:38.799
It can feel like that sometimes, can't it?
00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:50.079
And yet, in so many ways, our call to adventure, the entry point into this land of beyond, it's it's sitting there waiting for us beneath the rush and noise of everyday life.
00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:56.159
So what do you say we take a little closer look at this thing called the call to adventure?
00:01:56.560 --> 00:02:02.799
It really started with a 1949 book, The Hero with a Thousand Faces that Joseph Campbell wrote.
00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:05.920
And he brought forth this concept of the monomyth.
00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:11.439
Now he wasn't the first to talk about that or even write about it, but he really brought it to the forefront.
00:02:11.520 --> 00:02:12.800
And I want to walk you through it.
00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:23.039
Essentially, he said there were these commonalities across narratives of all cultures, from ancient stories to the Marvel movie that maybe you watched last week.
00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:24.719
And he created this template.
00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:27.199
And if you haven't seen it, it it might be worth Googling.
00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:31.680
I'm gonna walk you through it, but it's nice to see the visual, so it may be worth pulling up.
00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:34.639
Basically, it starts off you're in the known world.
00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:35.919
Everything's fine.
00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:38.240
You're just kind of going along, doing your thing.
00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:39.599
Doo doo doo doo doo.
00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:40.560
Yeah, life is good.
00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:42.400
I don't have any big stuff going on.
00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:44.960
And so it's this known world, he calls it.
00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:46.960
I call it the fine world.
00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:48.000
Everything's fine.
00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:50.879
It's not great, it's not terrible, but it's fine.
00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:54.560
And then the call to adventure comes in.
00:02:54.960 --> 00:03:02.960
Or more accurately, we sense it, we hear it, we tune into it, and then we have a decision to make.
00:03:03.599 --> 00:03:05.199
Do we answer that call?
00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:07.360
Do we cross over the threshold?
00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:12.800
And that threshold in his diagram, that's the big key step.
00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:16.159
As long as we don't cross over that threshold, everything's fine.
00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:19.039
We're just going about our day and doing our thing.
00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:22.080
As soon as we cross over that threshold, things happen.
00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:24.719
That's where the challenges kick in, the temptations are there.
00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:29.599
But in the midst of that, that's where transformation begins.
00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:31.919
That's where we meet our helpers.
00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:35.039
That's where mentors come out of nowhere.
00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:39.840
And that's where we're stepping into this call to adventure.
00:03:40.560 --> 00:03:42.800
Now, a couple of things here.
00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:45.919
One is the idea of dragons.
00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:49.120
And dragons aren't necessarily the fire-breathing type.
00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:51.280
They might be a Marvel version of that.
00:03:51.439 --> 00:03:53.680
It might be the bad guy in some other show.
00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:58.879
The dragon is the one that when we see it, we go, oh no, what are we gonna do?
00:03:59.039 --> 00:04:00.159
We gotta escape.
00:04:00.479 --> 00:04:06.159
And the point of the call to adventure is the dragon is where the goal is.
00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:12.800
When we see dragons, when we experience a dragon, whatever your dragon might be, that means you're on to something.
00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:14.560
And don't forget that.
00:04:15.199 --> 00:04:27.040
Because anytime we step out of our known world, we are going to face dragons, these challenges, these temptations, these struggles, these seemingly stuff that we can't handle.
00:04:27.839 --> 00:04:29.439
And we want to get away from it.
00:04:29.839 --> 00:04:34.639
But the point is that's where the gold is.
00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:55.920
So we go through these challenges and temptations, we become transformed as a result, and then, and then, and this is key, we return to the regular world, the known world, whatever you want to call it, with the elixir, with the new education, the new knowledge, the new experience, the new whatever it is.
00:04:56.079 --> 00:05:00.800
We're not doing this to simply grow our bank account or have a bigger car.
00:05:01.120 --> 00:05:07.759
It's to benefit those in our community, in our family, in our organization.
00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:11.920
So we're coming back with something to benefit others.
00:05:12.160 --> 00:05:16.079
One other point about this diagram and the movies and stories you've read.
00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:24.160
If you've ever read or watched anything about the Knights of the Round Table, what it what are they always going out to do?
00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:26.480
They're searching for the Holy Grail, right?
00:05:26.639 --> 00:05:28.399
Let's go out and find the Holy Grail.
00:05:28.560 --> 00:05:30.639
Woo, yeah, Holy Grail, let's do it.
00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:33.920
Do you ever hear about the Holy Grail again?
00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:35.199
No.
00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:37.040
You really don't.
00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:42.879
It's the thing that brings you out onto the adventure, and then the real adventure occurs.
00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:47.920
And I think that's a really valuable concept to keep in mind.
00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:54.399
I even laughed, I do a personal vision every year, and we'll talk about that process at some point in these episodes.
00:05:54.560 --> 00:06:04.879
But I even laughed at this year's because as I put it together, I'm super excited about a few things that I felt like were the call to adventure, the the holy grail, if you will.
00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:10.800
And I kind of chuckled as I was finalizing it, thinking, I know these aren't the real.
00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:13.120
I know there's something else.
00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:19.279
These are the things that are getting me out there, but the the real adventure is going to appear as I step into it.
00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:21.279
And I think that's really important to remember.
00:06:21.519 --> 00:06:29.120
Now, the depths of the insights, they they provide a great way to look at our own development.
00:06:29.360 --> 00:06:32.240
But it's interesting, it's been used other places too.
00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:44.240
And one that you're probably very familiar with, a guy named Christopher Vogler, he worked for Disney, and he tapped into Joseph Campbell's work and just mind-blowing for him.
00:06:44.399 --> 00:06:50.800
And so he initially created this internal memo about it at Disney, and it was supposed to be a guide for writers.
00:06:50.959 --> 00:07:04.399
It soon became required reading at Disney and led to what they now call the Disney Renaissance, that period from 1989 to 1999 when movies like The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast came about.
00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:10.959
So this is valuable stuff for us personally, and we see it happening out in other places as well.
00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:13.839
Now, a lot of potential applications for this model.
00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:21.360
And yes, I selected this as an early episode because you're going to hear me come back to it over and over and over.
00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:36.240
And I want to be able to say, remember that call to adventure and for your mind to immediately say, oh yeah, yeah, yeah, that's where you start in the the world is uh just kind of cruising along and doing your thing, and then you step across the threshold, and then you have the challenges and the dragons appear.
00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:50.000
So my hope is that by covering this early, when we reference it later, when we talk about it later, when we when we use the phraseology of the call to adventure, you'll uh your brain will immediately go, Oh yeah, I remember that.
00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:54.399
But for now, I want you to see it as our launch point.
00:07:54.639 --> 00:08:00.399
So let me give you a few considerations before we set sail on this call to adventure.
00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:05.120
The first thing is the call is the necessary step forward.
00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:08.079
No call, no journey.
00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:09.759
That's step one.
00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:13.120
And when I say no call, it's it the call's always there, folks.
00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:15.839
It's it's more like, do I hear the call?
00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:17.839
Am I willing to listen for that call?
00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:19.360
Am I tuning in?
00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:20.319
You get the idea?
00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:23.920
Am I lowering the noise enough so that I can actually hear that call?
00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:27.360
So, number one, the call is the necessary first step forward.
00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:29.120
No call, no journey.
00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:33.840
Number two, it's a call, not a demand.
00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:38.240
It's an opportunity, not a requirement.
00:08:38.639 --> 00:08:46.399
You're gonna look around at your peers and you're gonna say, Oh, none of them are doing any of this call stuff.
00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:47.440
What is it?
00:08:47.919 --> 00:08:49.120
It's not for them.
00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:50.720
You're different.
00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:52.399
You're not done yet.
00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:54.000
You get it.
00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:57.120
It's a call, not a demand.
00:08:57.279 --> 00:08:59.600
It's an opportunity, not a requirement.
00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:05.519
We must first hear the call, which obviously requires listening, and then we've got to choose to answer it.
00:09:06.000 --> 00:09:08.000
And that's where you're different from the crowd.
00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:13.360
Number three, the call occurs while we're living in the everyday ordinary world.
00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:18.000
Think of maybe Luke Skywalker in his home on the desert planet, for example.
00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:21.120
He's he's just going about his work day and all of a sudden oh.
00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:24.240
And you see that in practically every movie.
00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:33.360
And number four, it's an upward aim, a challenge that moves us, stretches us beyond what we may believe is possible.
00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:36.480
If you're like, oh yeah, that sounds good, I could do that.
00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:37.679
Probably not the call.
00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:40.799
Doesn't mean not to do it, but that's probably not the call.
00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:48.240
The call is an upward-aiming challenge that moves us, stretches us, pulls us beyond what we believe is possible.
00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:52.879
So again, kind of back to the dragon, kind of back to that, ooh, this feels out of my element.
00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:54.080
That's it.
00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:55.360
That's it.
00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:59.039
The call to adventure exists on a higher plane.
00:09:59.120 --> 00:10:00.240
It's a deeper dimension.
00:10:00.639 --> 00:10:08.639
It's not the low-hanging fruit, it's not simply clicking on an exciting-looking advertisement that shows up in our social media feeds.
00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:15.840
It's also not simply or or necessarily the next logical step, in quotes.
00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:22.960
As I said a minute ago, I just want to reinforce, it's a calling that takes us outside of and beyond our current path.
00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:25.519
Is it it isn't just, oh yeah, one more step forward.
00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:28.080
Now, I'm all for the let's take one more step forward.
00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:28.559
That's great.
00:10:28.639 --> 00:10:29.679
That's it's critical.
00:10:29.759 --> 00:10:30.799
We'll talk about that.
00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:33.279
But the call to adventure is different.
00:10:33.519 --> 00:10:37.840
It takes us outside of, it takes us beyond our current path.
00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:51.279
Now, again, I'm not an expert in this area, but my sense is there are three guardrails that are very valuable in this process as we talk through, as we live into this call to adventure.
00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:55.120
So, number one, it's a calling, not a should.
00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:58.159
Wise cancel, super important.
00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:01.039
Valuable every time we face a crossroad.
00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:10.240
And garnering feedback as you sense a call, as you hear a call, as you begin to answer a call, getting feedback from others, that's great.
00:11:10.320 --> 00:11:12.000
That's valuable, that's important.
00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:23.600
But, but this is not a time to simply do what your mentor, your spouse, your parent, or whomever is saying you should do.
00:11:23.759 --> 00:11:26.240
This is not a should, it's a calling.
00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:27.279
That's number one.
00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:36.159
Number two, the call does not involve putting loved ones, our valued relationships, nor our health at risk.
00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:44.399
I guess what I'm saying is don't make the mistake of replacing the potential for adventure with some ego-driven idiocy.
00:11:45.039 --> 00:11:52.159
And then speaking of idiocy, number three is this is not a selfish hedonistic pursuit.
00:11:52.399 --> 00:11:54.799
It's not the classic sex, drugs, rock and roll.
00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:56.159
The midlife crisis.
00:11:56.320 --> 00:11:58.960
Oh, I'm I'm supposed to do this thing.
00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:01.519
Are you, or is that just you?
00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:07.440
The hero's journey stretches us personally and benefits others.
00:12:07.679 --> 00:12:08.720
Let me say that again.
00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:13.279
The hero's journey stretches us personally and it benefits others.
00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:17.200
The call to adventure isn't simply a passive escape from our boring lives.
00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:23.840
It's a calling to bring forth a better version of ourselves for the greater good.
00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:29.279
With that said, adventures are they're not one size fits all.
00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:34.639
I can't give you a list of here are the five most popular calls to adventure.
00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:35.840
Like that's not a thing.
00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:39.840
They come in all shapes, sizes, they come from multiple directions.
00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:47.840
Their dimensionality is defined for all of us based on our history, our support systems, our margins that we have available.
00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:56.480
As I was writing about this topic in a different setting, I came up with three overlapping buckets that I thought might be helpful to our discussion here.
00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:11.679
So these are these are three different dimensions of advent of calls to adventure or adventures that you might want to ponder as you're looking at this and see where you're looking first or where one might lead to another.
00:13:11.840 --> 00:13:17.759
So the three different buckets, if you will, are microadventures, macro adventures, and transformational adventures.
00:13:17.840 --> 00:13:19.600
Let me give you a quick example of each.
00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:28.080
The microadventures involve moving outside our daily settings, our daily routines, our daily rhythms, and taking on an isolated challenge.
00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:29.279
Example.
00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:33.200
Maybe sign up for your first 5K or first 5K in a long time.
00:13:33.440 --> 00:13:36.240
Maybe visit a new city, try a new hobby.
00:13:36.480 --> 00:13:38.960
Try something that stretches you, but it's a one-time thing.
00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:43.120
Susanna recently did this great example in her own life.
00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:54.480
She hesitantly but actively and purposefully stepped into an opportunity to swim around sharks in spite of a significant lifelong fear of doing so.
00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:57.919
So that was a big stretch for her, but it was a microadventure.
00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:03.440
It was a one-time thing that she actively, intentionally stepped into and then moved forward.
00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:04.720
So that's a microadventure.
00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:08.639
A macro adventure, this adds an element of time to the above.
00:14:08.799 --> 00:14:18.159
As compared to the one-time or limited pursuit, like the microadventure, this has a more extended timeline or maybe a broader base challenge.
00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:26.240
Example for me, when I went back to pursue a PhD at the age of 50, that was an example of a macro adventure in my own life.
00:14:26.480 --> 00:14:29.200
It constantly pulled me outside my comfort zone.
00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:35.519
The research, the academic writing, the politics, the traveling and speaking in Europe that was part of that.
00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:45.679
All those things, each one of those revealed new potential doors of challenge and opportunity and impact that I had no idea I was stepping into.
00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:49.039
So that's that's a macro adventure example.
00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:52.879
And then the transformational adventure, that is what it sounds like.
00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:54.080
It's transformational.
00:14:54.240 --> 00:14:55.440
Now the others can be.
00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:58.799
That microadventure that Susanna stepped into, that changed her.
00:14:59.039 --> 00:15:02.000
The macroadventure of the PhD, that changed me.
00:15:02.159 --> 00:15:05.600
But the transformational ones, they're even bigger.
00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:14.879
When Susanna and I launched one of the first health and wellness coaching organizations in 2007, it shifted everything in our life.
00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:26.240
It clearly wasn't the next logical step for a couple entering midlife with three young children and had grown pretty accustomed to that regular paycheck and benefits.
00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:32.080
But when we did that, it was life-changing for our family and for us.
00:15:32.320 --> 00:15:38.000
And it allowed us to serve 100,000 plus employees, coaches, students in the process.
00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:42.799
Microadventures, macroadventures, and transformational adventures.
00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:53.840
I just want to give you some different things because the ones that you hear, the ones you step into, might be very, very different than your best friend, your spouse, your mentor.
00:15:54.320 --> 00:15:55.120
We're all unique.
00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:56.639
And that's the point I want to make here.
00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:59.519
Different levels, different styles, different backgrounds, different.
00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:06.399
We're all unique in terms of all these things: backgrounds, personality, support systems, perspectives, risk tolerance, all those things.
00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:13.519
What one person sees as, oh, just another day, may be considered transformational for others.
00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:15.519
I can't say this enough.
00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:19.759
Our call to adventure is our call to adventure.
00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:21.200
It's not a competition.
00:16:21.440 --> 00:16:23.279
You're not being great on a curve.
00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:29.759
But there's no doubt our willingness to answer our unique calling will change us.
00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:30.879
It'll grow us.
00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:32.720
It'll engage our hearts.
00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:36.320
And it'll benefit others in the process.
00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:40.399
Let's tie a ribbon on this initial exploration with a few questions.
00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:49.840
I want to try to do this regularly, where I give you a couple things to ponder as we for well, for those who are thinking, yeah, this is something I want to think about a little bit more.
00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:51.120
This hopefully will get you started.
00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:53.600
So two things: one about past, one about present.
00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:54.320
Past.
00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:58.399
What adventures, regardless of what happened in the end, that's the key.
00:16:58.559 --> 00:17:06.480
Remember when I said my little vision for this year, I knew going in that what I thought it was going to be was just the holy grail.
00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:10.559
It was just what got me out started, that I knew something else was going to develop.
00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:11.599
That's you too.
00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:17.920
So, regardless of your outcomes, what adventures have you leaned into in the past?
00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:20.559
What opened you up to their calling?
00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:21.920
How did they stretch you?
00:17:22.079 --> 00:17:26.880
Why did you decide to move forward with those when maybe you didn't with others?
00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:29.039
So think about that in terms of the past.
00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:36.880
And then present, what whispers are you currently sensing from that still small voice?
00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:41.359
What potential call have you been hearing in the distance?
00:17:41.599 --> 00:17:45.839
Or maybe even as I'm talking here, are you beginning to sense?
00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:50.720
The phrase that ship has sailed is a common deflection.
00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:51.839
I hear this all the time.
00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:59.680
It's utilized by those in life's second half who prefer security and certainty over possibility and wonder.
00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:02.000
But you're different.
00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:07.359
That ship may indeed be sailing, but you're on board.
00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:11.519
You're ready to explore all that awaits over the horizon.
00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:16.000
Because you are not done yet.
