Why not me?
I’ve always been inspired by adventure stories, articles, blogs, and books alike. I think it’s because they’re rooted in reality. They may seem like dreams, but they are real! It’s like dreaming with your eyes open, and I consider myself an open-eyed dreamer. The fact that these tales are told by real people, whom I could name, follow, and even contact if I wanted to, transports me into a world where the impossible suddenly seems possible.
The first book that truly inspired me, if I remember correctly, was Mike Horn’s Latitude Zero. It took me along on his incredible journey of circumnavigating the globe powered solely by human effort, following the Equator line. I was in my mid-twenties at the time, and it completely transformed how I saw the world — and life. The raw sense of adventure resonated deeply with me: a determination to make things happen, to solve problems one by one, to adapt to every situation, and to believe in yourself as you live life to the fullest.
The most recent book that inspired me was The Pacific Alone by Ed Gillet. It recounts his 1987 solo kayak journey across the mid-Pacific, from California to Hawaii. When I read it, I felt as if I were experiencing his journey myself — the ambition, the difficulties, the doubts, the vast ocean, and the miraculous achievement of making it safely to his destination. It’s one of those books you can’t put down, the kind you don’t want to end. At times, I would pause, place the book on my lap, look up at the sky, and just marvel, “What??” It’s the kind of book you try to read slowly so it lasts longer.
Now, with books like these, you can be entertained, delighted, amazed — even inspired. But there’s another step entirely: taking action because of them. Here’s how I see it:
Entertained: “What that person is doing is really cool.”
Delighted: “What that person is doing is truly special.”
Amazed: “Wow! What that person is doing is incredible!”
Inspired: “What that person is doing makes me want to do something.”
Driven to act: “I want to do this! I want to feel that! I’m going to do it.”
It takes time to be transformed by a story, to the point where you act on it. Before that can happen, you need to allow the transformation to take place in your mind. You need to believe that “you too” could do this.
To get there, you need to take two steps:
Shut down self-doubt. Silence the thoughts that paralyze so many would-be adventurers: “I can’t do that. It’s not for me. I’m too busy, stuck in my job or responsibilities.” SHUT THEM DOWN. This is about overcoming self-doubt.
Allow yourself to dream big. Teach yourself to believe that “you too” can do it. There’s a simple trick for this, and it’s to be used every day: whenever you’re introduced to something new, tell yourself: “Why not me?” This is about empowering yourself to dream that anything is possible for you too. It’s about daring to try — then see what happens. Be bold about your own potential. Say to yourself, with the loudest inner voice possible: I want to do it, and I can do it too!
When I finished Mike Horn’s book, I told myself, “I would love a life of adventure. Why not me?”
When I finished Ed Gillet’s book, I told myself, “I want to know what it feels like to cross an ocean in a solo kayak. Why not me?”
In 2022, I crossed the mid-Pacific Ocean in my solo kayak during a 91-day expedition. In 2025, I crossed the Atlantic on a 71-day expedition.
Believe in the power of “Why not me?” I did it. You can too.
Why not you?