The Challenge of a Lifetime

December 18th, 2013 by Peterson

Posted in Uncategorized

The mystery of the desert.

What drives men to explore, to push the boundaries, to boldly go where no man has gone before?

I was on the Dakar website the other day watching video of the 2013 competition, which these days takes place on the South American continent (Argentina, Peru and Bolivia).

Dakar is the legendary race that began in the mind of French motorcycle racer Thierry Sabine when he got lost and almost died in the Sahara during a race in 1977. His thought after that harrowing experience was “Wow, the desert is a fantastic place for a rally!” So he devoted the rest of his life to organizing the Paris to Dakar rally raid.

The Dakar is not just about speed. It requires true off-road navigation through perilous terrain. It requires physical endurance. It requires calm in the midst of chaos.

The quote I ran across on the Dakar site that I liked was this:

“Like the mountains or the oceans, wide open spaces inspire adventurers. Taking part in the Dakar is more or less a competitor’s equivalent of climbing Everest, sailing round the world or rowing round the earth. Reaching the finishing line represents an exceptional challenge, sometimes the challenge of a lifetime.”

We strive and thrive when we are challenged. We grow and discover surprising things about ourselves. And you don’t have to be an adrenaline junky to benefit from a challenge.

The “challenge of a lifetime” might be finishing that novel. Making peace with an alcoholic parent. Losing the weight. Starting your own business. It may be a cliché, but you only fail if you don’t try.