Living on the Edge of the World: Lessons from Ultra-Running, Falcons, and the Future of Work
Living literally on the edge of the wilderness has its rewards. While incredible birds are frequent visitors, a recent stop by a beautiful falcon at my place, "Edge of the World," felt particularly symbolic. For some time now, I've been driven to visit and live in places that feel truly "out of this world". It’s a calling that goes back to my days as an ultra-runner, racing across the harshest deserts on the planet, including the Atacama, Gobi, Sahara, Antarctic, Namibia, and Madagascar.
That period of extreme endurance race training gave me an intimate awareness of how the body can adapt to nature, allowing me to be like an ant crossing inhospitable places. This deep realization quickly turned me into something of an explorer.
The City Formula That Broke
I never sat well in cities. On one hand, I genuinely loved the interconnectedness that comes with so many people in dense places. I even credit a place like Singapore for providing the platform to build a thriving global business and work at warp speed.
But, fundamentally, that rigid formula eventually broke. The constant drive and predictable routine turned me robotic in my habits, and I became overly materialistic. The fast-paced, high-density environment, while productive, had pushed me away from my essential nature.
Finding Freedom Like a Falcon in the Wild
My solution was to reinvent myself and commit to living my dream in an isolated part of the world. Living like that falcon in the wilds has been a profound experience. It has effectively pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to learn life skills that keep me engaged and on the edge of my seat every single day.
The shift hasn't been about complete isolation, though. I still enjoy traveling to new experiences around the world and connecting with humans in my local community. However, I now also cherish solitude. The ability to create a global network that doesn't favor one location or way of interacting is the modern advantage. This capability, coupled with limitless virtual communication, allows me to optimize my energy doing the things I genuinely love.
The Future is Now: Optimizing for Well-being
This is the present-day opportunity for all those willing to embrace it. The future of living is here, offering ways to live differently to optimize our well-being, happiness, and longevity. By challenging the old norms—the robotic city habits—and seeking environments that push our comfort zone, we can truly align our lives with our deepest self, much like a falcon effortlessly navigates the open sky.
What small step can you take today to live a little more on your own "Edge of the World"?