Life is short — don’t waste it with excuses

“Oh, I could never do that.”

You might be surprised how often I hear this sentence when discussing adventure travel with people. You would think I just suggested that they fly to the moon or ride an angry water buffalo or read “War and Peace” in Mandarin Chinese.

So, I decided, this morning, to enter the phrase into my Google Translate app, translating the language Excuse-ese (it’s one of those fringe languages I had to download) into Honest English. Turns out “Oh, I could never do that” translated into Honest English means “I’d rather stay home and do nothing than to exit my comfort zone, travel overseas, and do something.”

Yes, of course I’m being snarky, but I’m also speaking truth. Turns out it’s a heck of a lot easier to do nothing than to do something.

Easier, yes, but better? Hmm … I think not.

The problem with going around speaking Excuse-ese is that the only person negatively impacted by this annoying language is the speaker themselves. Sure, they get to stay home on their couch and binge-listen-to mediocre Netflix documentaries while scrolling on their phones — which is highly attractive, I know — but I suspect that there may be more to life than “Trainwreck: Poop Cruise” or “The Hatchet-Wielding Hitchhiker.”

To all my “Oh, I could never do that” aficionados, here are a few things to chew on.

1. First and most important: You have one life, and it goes fast. Don’t end up living with regret.
2. Almost any obstacle can be overcome if you make the decision to conquer it.
3. No use of money is more impactful and meaningful than in making memories and having experiences.
4. I’m 59 years old, 6’6”, 250 lbs., with a bad back. If I can handle a long airplane flight, so can you.
5. An overseas trek is usually as much about meeting the people and experiencing the culture of that destination as it is about hiking. Don’t underestimate the value of this.
6. No itinerary that Hobnail offers is out of the possibility of most people, given a little bit of preparation and a reasonable amount of fitness. Three percent body fat and the ability to run a 4-minute mile are not required. Despite what our modern culture might tell you, hiking is not about speed and looking like a 22-year-old Instagram influencer in overly-filtered, staged selfies; it’s about experiencing God’s creation with your own two eyes and your own two feet, slowly and with gratitude.

If you’re a new to this website, I hope you’ll take some time to look around. I can promise you that every destination you’ll find offers life-changing experiences, incredible vistas, wonderful foods, and amazing people. Pick one and make that personal commitment today. Change the phrase from “Oh, I could never do that” to “Oh, I can’t wait to do that!”

That’s a change of heart you’ll never regret.