More than 20 years ago I had a dream.
I was going to bike the Appian Way from one end to another.
That’s about 400 miles heading southeast out of Rome, through the Pontine marshes, diagonally across southern Italy, over the Apennine Mountains, and across the plains of Puglia to Brindisi: The ancient gateway to Egypt, Greece, and all the Mediterranean.
I was going to do the whole thing on a bicycle. Even though I didn’t know the way and I didn’t even know if it was possible.
I didn’t go right away. I thought about it for years and years. Then finally one day I just got on my bike and pedaled out of Rome…
…Even though I didn’t know the way and didn’t even know if it was possible.
Along the journey I learned that the Via Appia is named after a person who once said, “Every one of you is the architect of your own fate.”
Seven years after I first had the dream, I finally fulfilled it and my only mistake was waiting so long to do it.
Which brings me to an important question:
What are you waiting to do?
The people who read Bold Words are mostly entrepreneurs. You’ve worked hard. You’ve taken risks. You’ve made calls and given presentations when you were almost too scared to speak.
You know in your gut what it means to have an adventure, to feel the fear and do it anyway.
But there’s one adventure that might be escaping you. The one thing you’ve always wanted to do, but maybe you deferred it while you were busy being responsible, busy building a business and a family.
Now here’s the irony: That postponed adventure will make your business and your relationships richer than you ever dreamed.
Your adventure will fulfill you, which is a game changer for personal branding.
The adventure will make you complete, which opens you to receive without hesitation, and empowers you to give more of yourself than you ever could before.
I want to help you set off on your adventure. That’s why I’m putting together something brand new that might resonate with you.
A year ago, I started freelancing for an email platform called beehiiv that was built by and for creators.
I’m testing their platform with a new, non-business email and blog called Ithaka.
(I spell Ithaka with a “k” because I was inspired by C.P. Cavafy’s poem.)
Ithaka could make you rich and famous and happy beyond your wildest dreams. Here’s why.
A bold, new journey
You probably know that Ithaca was the island home of that old Greek vagabond, Ulysses. The Odyssey retells his long and dangerous trek trying to get home to Ithaca after being away for years.
The message in the Odyssey is that the journey is more important than the destination.
I’m building Ithaka to help you set off on your journey.
We’ll be talking about flow states and peak performance and visualization, as well as some practical tips on how to find and carry out your journey.
But Ithaka is more than just a newsletter. You’re going to have the ability to interact with each other and with me.
Let’s start that interaction right now with another question: What were you put into this world for? What do you want to do with your life?
The thing about this question is that whether you ask it when you’re 20 or when you’re 50, the answer is the same.
The answer is to just do something and find out! Give yourself an adventure.
Set a course for Ithaca, knowing full well there will be all kinds of detours and obstacles along the way. All you have to do is embrace those detours, and learn from them.
As I mentioned before, your adventure will leave you feeling inspired and fulfilled. You’ll attract interesting people and opportunities. You’ll be more present and authentic as you interact with others.
Virtually every aspect of your life will improve when you’re being true to yourself and following the road that was meant for you.
If you want to take the first step, all you have to do is sign up at this link.
One more thing. The world needs your adventure.
In fact, at this very moment, the Universe is silently begging you to take the first step.
If you’ve been keeping up with local and international events at all, then regardless of your political opinions, you know we’re in a lot of trouble.
I think the only way we’re going to make it through the next 10 years is if everybody plays their best game right now.
This means pulling out all the stops and pushing your limits. It means creating your own adventure.
That’s what Ithaka will help you to do.
