The Doorstep Mile

This case study involves me, not because I’m particularly interesting but because I’m lazy. I have been writing books for a quarter of my life now. It is my job. Like most people, I occasionally wonder if I’m doing the right thing with my life. When writer’s block strikes and I can’t stomach any more tea or toast procrastination, I fantasise about becoming a carpenter, a tree surgeon, an advertising guru or a postman in the Shetlands. They are my usual four.

Show Notes

Case study

This case study involves me, not because I’m particularly interesting but because I’m lazy. I have been writing books for a quarter of my life now. It is my job. Like most people, I occasionally wonder if I’m doing the right thing with my life. When writer’s block strikes and I can’t stomach any more tea or toast procrastination, I fantasise about becoming a carpenter, a tree surgeon, an advertising guru or a postman in the Shetlands. They are my usual four. 
The last time this career-angst happened, I asked myself the three why-how-what questions. This book is the result of my scribbled answers.

1. ‘Bearing in mind the spirit of living adventurously, why am I still writing books after so many years doing the same thing?’
It makes me think differently.
I’m still learning to become a better writer.
It’s a mental struggle.
I can make a positive impact. 
It is satisfying.
I learn a lot.
I can walk my own path.

2. ‘OK, I’m satisfied with that. I’ll hold off applying to Royal Mail for a while. How can I approach my writing to better encompass trying to live adventurously?’
Take more risks.
Try something new.
Write and publish differently.
Make the process more exciting.
Force deadlines on myself.
Work with interesting people.
Learn new skills.
Teach something.
Speed up.
Simplify.

3. ‘Gadzooks! That list flowed out quickly. Seems I should make some of this happen. What shall I do next that focuses on living – and writing – adventurously?’
Ask questions on social media to see if I’m alone in this or if other people are interested in the same stuff.
Write a series of articles about living adventurously so that I can figure some stuff out for myself.
Experiment with giving them away in an automated email series.
Launch the mailing list with only a few articles written, thereby lighting a small fire under my ass to hurry up before the readers catch up with me!
Turn it all into the skeleton of a book.
Return to self-publishing to give myself complete freedom and responsibility.
Knock up a mock front cover of the book. Stick it online and make the book available for sale, promising delivery of the book before the end of the year. Thereby lighting a blooming big rocket beneath my butt to get this written and to make it good enough for paying customers to be happy.

The next thing I know, I am in a late-night McDonald’s, drinking tea and launching this whole daft idea into the world before I have time to see sense and wimp out.
We have lift off.
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What is The Doorstep Mile?

Would you like a more adventurous life?
Are you being held back by a lack of time or money? By fear, indecision, or a feeling of being selfish or an imposter?
Living adventurously is not about cycling around the world or rowing across an ocean.
Living adventurously is about the attitude you choose each day. It instils an enthusiasm to resurrect the boldness and curiosity that many of us lose as adults.
Whether at work or home, taking the first step to begin a new venture is daunting. If you dream of a big adventure, begin with a microadventure.
This is the Doorstep Mile, the hardest part of every journey.
The Doorstep Mile will reveal why you want to change direction, what’s stopping you, and how to build an adventurous spirit into your busy daily life.
Dream big, but start small.

Don’t yearn for the adventure of a lifetime. Begin a lifetime of living adventurously.
What would your future self advise you to do?
What would you do if you could not fail?
Is your to-do list urgent or important?
You will never simultaneously have enough time, money and mojo.
There are opportunities for adventure in your daily 5-to-9.
The hardest challenge is getting out the front door and beginning: the Doorstep Mile.

Alastair Humphreys, a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, cycled around the world for four years but also schedules a monthly tree climb. He has crossed the Empty Quarter desert, rowed the Atlantic, walked a lap of the M25 and busked through Spain, despite being unable to play the violin.

‘The gospel of short, perspective-shifting bursts of travel closer to home.’ New York Times
‘A life-long adventurer.’ Financial Times
‘Upend your boring routine… it doesn't take much.’ Outside Magazine

Visit www.alastairhumphreys.com to listen to Alastair's podcast, sign up to his newsletter or read his other books.
@al_humphreys