Q: Why are you doing this?
A: Because it scares the shit out of me!
Pushing your boundaries
Have you ever heard about something so fantastic and out of this world that a little piece of you is just crying out to try it while the rest of you is cowering in the corner saying “hell no!”?
Most of the time we adhere to the “hell no” message from our brains, but every once in a while we follow our gut and do something far outside our comfort zone. We’d probably all like to do a little bit more of that, but it is hard to overcome our wiring.
We recently spoke to Sherry Ott, who told us her test for trying new things and stretching her boundaries is the “hell no” test. If it scares the shit out of her, she knows that is a sign she needs to seriously consider it.
Pretty good test, huh?
Sherry - a woman who doesn’t even own a car, much less know how to change a tire - has decided to take part in the Mongol Rally this year.
Crossing 10,000 miles over unforgiving deserts, perilous mountain ranges and non-existent roads, we will face the possiblity of bandits, breakdowns and corruption while navigating our way through 15 countries and 2 continents. Oh yes, and not a one of us have any mechanical knowledge.
We talked with Sherry about her decision to enter the 10,000-mile Mongol Rally with 3 almost-strangers in a compact car, life as a long-term traveler, and the importance of career breaks in the video below (click here if you don’t see it displayed). If you think this is great, you should have heard what we talked about when the camera was off!
For those who can’t watch the video:
- The Mongol Rally is a charity event where all proceeds (including the cars) are donated to a Mongolian children’s charity at the end.
- The race is about 10,000 miles from London to Ulaan Batar in Mongolia and takes 6-8 weeks to complete.
- Cars cannot be bigger than 1.2 liters (or 1.5 with an additional entry fee), and teams are made up of 4 people. Picture 4 people in a Ford Escort for 10,000 miles. I know, I’m thinking the same thing as you!
- Sherry only recently met her traveling companions in person after knowing them online. Can you see what a challenge this is shaping up to be?
- Clothes, camping gear, and supplies are all in or on the car. There is no backup van or support team in place except for their virtual social media team. In Canada. Did I mention they are going to places in Russia that most Russians never even see?
You can follow along on Sherry’s adventure by visiting The Social Media Syndicate or by following Twitter hashtag #MongolSMS.
Last but not least, Sherry is again behind the fabulous Meet, Plan, Go events in 17 cities across North America on October 18. If you are thinking about a career break, this is a great way to meet other long-term travelers, dreamers, and those who have done it and lived to tell the tale. Early-bird tickets are just $10 and prices go up to $15 on August 8. Click here to find out the nearest location to you and to register.
So tell us, what is one thing you want to do that gets your heart pumping, your gut swirling, and your brain racing? The thing you’ve been saying no to until now?
For me it is climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. For Warren it is trekking the entire Annapurna Circuit in Nepal. Both definitely fit the “hell no” test and scare the shit out of us, so perhaps they need to go on next year’s agenda.
Damn you, Sherry.
