Because we're here...

A famous climber by the name of George Mallory was once asked a simple question: “Why do you want to climb Everest?”. We all know the answer: “Because it’s there”.

Ever since I became addicted to adventure, I’ve been trying to determine why. Why do I have the urge to go to far away places and do seemingly dangerous things rather than settle down and live a quiet life? Why do I have a constant itch to go to new countries, meet new people and do new things? Most importantly, what am I really trying to achieve?

I’m a long way off finding an answer to some of those questions and will continue to go on long-distance human-powered journeys until I do, but today I had one small insight that I feel is worth sharing.

The reason we should all go on adventures and challenge ourselves to climb mountains (both literally and metaphorically) is not because they’re there, it’s because we’re here. We, the human race, are perhaps the most intelligent and capable life forms on earth and our time here is short. I believe we have a moral obligation to take advantage of this fact and use our minds and bodies to the very edge of their capabilities. It would be a wasted opportunity to not stretch ourselves to our limits. And it would be such a shame to get the end of our lives (and the end of the human race) and look back with regret at having not been the best we could have been.

As an aside, I also think we as British or Western citizens have a moral obligation to travel. We are one of the luckiest groups of humans on Earth having both the wealth and freedom to go wherever we want, and do whatever we like. There are many people alive in this world who simply do not have the means to travel or are citizens of a country where it’s almost impossible to leave. As the owner of a British passport (my most valuable possession), I feel morally obliged to travel, to learn, to experience all that life can throw at me. You should too. It’s an insult to the rest of humanity if we don’t.

What is the most important thing you could be working on right now? If you’re not working on it, why not?

What is the most ambitious goal you can set yourself? If you’re not working towards it, why not?

What’s your Everest?