Shouting from my shed

Get the latest news, updates and happenings via my shed-based newsletter.

 

If I have the chance to do something now and do not take it, I may always regret it

Looking back

Clearing out a few boxes of old stuff back at my Mum and Dad’s recently I found a copy of a letter. It was a letter I wrote to the headmaster at the school I had been working at during my Teacher Training course.

The school had offered me a full-time job. I was tempted. It was easy. I enjoyed the work. Life was good.

The letter was my response to this generous job offer. I found it fascinating to read it again, thinking back over all that’s happened to me in the decade since I wrote it.

I am often asked in talks whether my decision to ride around the world was a spontaneous one or a life-long dream. I reply that it had been a dim dream for a few years and that writing this letter was the decisive moment that tipped me over from pleasant daydreaming to committing to make something happen.

Here then are a few excerpts from the pivotal letter.

“Dear Mr. W,

…I would definitely enjoy working here on a permanent basis…

However there is so much to see and do in the world…

If I was to settle into teaching now I am sure that I would enjoy it, but there would always be something gnawing at me…

Therefore I have decided that I am going to go ahead with my original plan to take 2 or 3 years cycling around the globe. I believe that my experiences on the road will only serve to improve my teaching skills when I do decide to return to teaching…

Deep down I know that [teaching is] probably the sensible option. However, even deeper down I know that if I have the chance to do something now and do not take it, I may always regret it.
Yours Sincerely…

Chapeau, my young me. Well done. Well done and thank you!

Read Comments

You might also like

10500 Days (and almost as many words) “My thoughts first turned to adventure 10,500 days ago today. The idea of adventure for me at first was simple and uncomplicated. It was the prospect of excitement, fun, and novelty that were pulling me forward, and the push of […]...
Survey results: What direction shall I go next? I recently asked the wonderful readers of my newsletter for a bit of advice on what things I should focus my attention on for the next few months and years. I thought I’d share the results here, partly to show […]...
Embracing the Adventurous Spirit in Life and Leadership In the journey of life, we often find ourselves at crossroads, contemplating the path less traveled versus the familiar road. Drawing parallels from a life dedicated to adventure, we can extract profound lessons that not only motivate us but also […]...
 

Comments

  1. Ruth Posted

    Wonderful! What a great letter. You should frame it above your desk as a reminder to seize every moment.

    Reply
  2. I think I recall you briefly alluding to this letter at the start of your first book.

    A surprisingly mature letter …apart from the bit where you thought you could make it round in 2 years. Does the fact that it lasted 4 make it a success or a failure vs the plan?!

    Reply
  3. Jamie Posted

    A surprisingly mature letter, apart from the bit where you thought it could be done in 2 years. Perhaps the fact that it took 4 made the journey more of an experience and more of a success vs the plan? Or was it just because Africa was not on plan A at all?

    In other news…

    * London To Amsterdam in 24 Hours
    Hats off to Harris Systems Limited’s International Marketing Director Ciarán Doran who will be leading a group of ten cyclists to ride from the headquarters of the International Broadcasting Convention in central London to the IBC show in Amsterdam (approximately 300 miles).

    http://www.dailydooh.com/archives/52835

    Reply

 
 

Post a Comment

HTML tags you can use: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

 

Shouting from my shed

Get the latest news, updates and happenings via my shed-based newsletter.

© Copyright 2012 – 2011 Alastair Humphreys. All rights reserved.

Site design by JSummertonBuilt by Steve Perry Creative