An old friend of mine mentioned that she is moving in a couple of weeks and that a friend of hers was going to accompany her in true “Thelma and Louise” style. I don’t remember much about the 1991 movie starring Susan Sarandon (Louise Sawyer) and Geena Davis (Thelma), apart from a poignant quote by the character Louise Sawyer that stuck with me through the years:
You get what you settle for.
While life is better lived through giving than getting, the point is well made. You will ultimately end up with what you settle for. Benjamin Franklin, a man who refused to settle all the years of his life, made the astute observation that “Some people die at 25 and aren’t buried until 75.” Die when you die, not before.
Settling requires acquiescence to lethargy. In settling you say “thus far and no further.” To avoid settling, you must maintain a sense of adventure. Adventure, venturing forth, is the stuff of life. Every chapter of the book of your life can be filled with tales of adventure, excitement, challenge and growth. To be sure, one man’s adventure is another man’s picnic, adventure is adventure!
To be adventurous you must not fear mistakes. While you can be certain that you will make mistakes and you will taste failure on occasion, it is important to develop the strength of character that allows you to pick up the pieces and move on.
Kennedy was right, for the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. Relinquish fear and you release the most common impediment to wisdom. A simple formula for a powerful experience.
Take care not to collapse in a heap of futility when you are faced with the prospect of a new adventure. Instead, embrace it. Enjoy it. Approach it with confidence, creativity and curiosity.
And never forget: you get what you settle for.
Gregory Hake 
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A fav from “Into the Wild” and I can’t say it better myself, so I will not try…
“…so many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day, to have a new and different sun.” – Chris McCandless
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Fabulous quote. Thank you for sharing!
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I think the the spirit of adventure is something that renews life. The feeling of starting early in the morning and moving into the unknown is something that I relish, especially with travel. I realize that that feeling can be applied to every day and every circumstance, though! Adventure can be a constant companion!
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Wonderful site and theme, would really like to see a bit more content though!
Great post all around, added your XML feed! Love this theme, too!
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Just finished buying a new “Made in America” magic 8 ball. Ready to embrace the journey!!!! So many chapters … behind and ahead! and so it goes … 🙂
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Bon voyage!
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Thank you for your thoughts this morning. It was a great opportunity to look at my life and to see areas where I may have settled and if so, to raise the bar and be willing to change.
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If you make a regular review you’ll find that progress comes naturally and as easily as possible. The alternative is painful, forced progress that comes not gracefully but by fits and starts.
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Great post!!
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I feel that settling for anything in your life directly relates to your post yesterday – hearing the call, but not listening – being afraid, lethargic, comfortable, stubborn, whatever the reason, it’s the same result. Why not have a”why not” attitude! To have a sense of adventure requires a willingness to have fun, courage and passion about whatever you’re doing. This sure sounds much more interesting than settling!
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