I sat with my friends the other night and over IPAs and 805s asked the question: how does one make life more...interesting?

Most of us are merely existing, surviving day to day.

Charles Bukowski, wrote:

“How in the hell could a man enjoy being awakened at 8:30 a.m. by an alarm clock, leap out of bed, dress, force-feed, shit, piss, brush teeth and hair, and fight traffic to get to a place where essentially you made lots of money for somebody else and were asked to be grateful for the opportunity to do so? ”

― Charles Bukowski, Factotum

In many cases, it's like we're Truman in The Truman Show, a character living out someone else's script. Or Phil Connors in Groundhog Day. The same day plays on an infinite loop...

But when I asked that question to my friends, they each had a different response.

Marin said, "Not every day is going to be a grand adventure. Some days are boring, some days are bland..."

In other words, you can't expect every day to be a highlight reel on Instagram. But that idea right there...each day acting as an individual slide on a long reel of our lives, is what my brother, Nick, proposed...

He said we should try and have as many Instagram-able moments as possible. Does that mean we should document everything for Instagram?

Not necessarily, but he said we might aim to live a life worth documenting.

He mirrored back to me my own life:

"You surf...work out...are writing a movie...making YouTube videos...that sounds pretty interesting to me"

It's easy for us to forget that our lives may be more interesting than we give them credit for. See, what makes something interesting is often subjective.

Solving math equations may not be interesting to you but to a mathematician, it may seem like exploring the unknown, giving them a sense of freedom and creativity they don't otherwise experience.

This then begs the question, are you trying to be more interesting for others (for their validation/approval/acknowledgment) or to improve your overall life experience (in other words: for you)?

The issue is not an issue of being more interesting, but feeling more alive. When you're pursuing something that makes you feel alive, a natural by-product of that is being interesting because interesting isn't just a label. It's an energy…It's an experience.

A great movie that drives this point home is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Every hero starts his or her journey in their ordinary world and before we get to Walter's, let me give you a glimpse of mine...

For the last few years, I've been mostly introverted. This looked like spending most nights inside...Playing video games, being single as fuck, watching the occasional movie, and feeling sorry for myself the entire time (just being honest).

I knew there was more out there, but I didn't know where to start...And I didn't want to face the fear of finding out...

For Walter Mitty, his life looks very much the same at the start of the film:

- He lives alone.

- Works in an office at LIFE MAGAZINE.

- Has a crush on a co-worker, but does nothing about it...

He frequently escapes into vivid daydreams where he envisions himself in heroic, adventurous situations. These daydreams provide an outlet for his desires for excitement and adventure, which are largely unfulfilled in his real life.

That is until he is forced out of his comfort zone as he tracks down the famed photographer, Sean O'Connell, and embarks on a real-life adventure. This journey takes him to exotic locations around the world.

And as Walter travels, he starts to take control of his own narrative. He becomes more proactive and assertive, actively seeking out experiences and facing challenges head-on. This is a stark contrast to his passive demeanor at the beginning of the film.

Throughout his journey, Walter discovers hidden talents, strengths, and capacities within himself that he never knew existed. He learns to adapt to unfamiliar situations and becomes resourceful in solving problems.

Walter's adventure leads him to meet a variety of people, each of whom plays a role in his personal growth. He forms meaningful connections with them, which enrich his experiences and contribute to his transformation.

Along the way, he rediscovers his passion for photography, and this becomes a driving force in his journey. He captures breathtaking moments and finds a sense of purpose in documenting his experiences.

Does this sound familiar...?

Walter learns to appreciate the beauty of the present moment, letting go of his tendency to daydream about an idealized future. He realizes that life's true adventures are happening right in front of him.

One of my favorite moments in the film is when he finally meets Sean O'Connell.

Walter becomes more willing to take risks and embrace uncertainty.

He faces challenges, overcomes obstacles, and becomes more resilient in the face of adversity.

When Walter returns to his normal life, he does so as a completely transformed person.

He has:

- A newfound confidence

- A deeper appreciation for life's experiences

- And a more adventurous spirit

At the onset of the story, Walter is single and desires not just adventure, but companionship. However, the "been there" and "done that" sections of his dating profile are blank...

By the end, he has more than enough; he has an abundance of experience to draw from.

In pursuit of Sean O'Connell:

- Adventurous

- Free-spirited

- Mysterious

Walter becomes him...

So how do we become more adventurous? How do we embody more of these attributes? How do we feel more alive?

Pursue a meaningful goal

It starts with pursuing a meaningful goal. This is your quest. This goal should be something that you decide on; something that sits outside the edge of your comfort zone.

It’s time to become more proactive and assertive, actively seeking out experiences and facing challenges head-on.

If this scares you…GOOD. It should.

“Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do.” 

- Steven Pressfield

As you brush up against that fear you will discover hidden talents, strengths, and capacities within yourself that you never knew existed. You will learn to adapt to unfamiliar situations and become resourceful in solving problems.

Meet new people

You will meet new people and you should be meeting new people; people that you can form meaningful connections with, connections that further push you into growth. 

Rediscover your passions

Pick up that camera…pick up that paint brush…Pick up whatever you gave up in order to live the life someone else planned for you. You’ll find that while it’s gathered dust, you haven’t lost your touch. And while you’re at it, find a sense of purpose in documenting your experience.

Appreciate the present moment

Learn to appreciate the beauty of the present moment, letting go of your tendency to daydream about an idealized future. All we have is now.

Building the life you want and becoming the person we both know you’re capable of becoming is not an easy task. Most people forego their dreams and surrender the vision they have for their lives…

But you get to decide what it is you want out of this life. Realize that the path to freedom is often fraught with danger and obstacles, but every strike of the hammer on the anvil forges your character and makes you better equipped to handle the next leg of the journey. 

Cheers,

Mike Miller