Planning for adventure

We often get the question of how we get our ideas to our adventures and how we dare, or can be so plain stupid, that we finally embark on them. As far as ideas are concerned, we do not know ourselves, they just pop up. Our tactics to realize them are quite simple; do not think just do. In particular, we do not allow ourselves to think that much on what could go wrong. There are always a million things that can go wrong. Instead, focus on the awesome things and how to make them happen.But do not misinterpret me, we are extreme control freaks who find pleasure in planning and structure. We try to minimize all the major risks we can identify..

We have seen the strength of not spending too much on thinking more on doing, especially at the beginning of a "project". After reaching some kind of point of no return when you've quit work, sold the car and most of the stuff in your home, and have realized what you've got into and start to get really nervous, yes then you cannot back out. Problem solved, just keep on going.

'Engaging all of the family in the planning has also been a key to success for us. We involve the whole family in setting goals and strategies that for us is more on feelings rather than coming up with hard facts. How will it feel when we have reached our objectives / goals with this adventure? What ambition do we have as a group / family and as individuals and what skills do we need to build to achieve our goals, how do we collaborate and who is responsible for what? Together we set our objectives and goals, write down emotions connected to the goals, draw roadmaps with milestones for reaching and acquiring different capabilities (for example, getting more physically and mentally fit, learn to scuba dive, learn a new language, etc.) that will help us reach our goals. You can find the whole family lying on the floor drawing and writing goals and plans, and our feelings connected to them, on large piece of paper. Nerdy and almost mentally insane, sure, but it has worked for us.