Writer, Adventurer, Speaker

What is adventure?

Adventure is something I talk about a lot. But when I talk and write about adventure, I don’t necessarily mean physical experiences like flying, mountain climbing or explorations to polar ice caps.

I’ve been a pilot for over 20 years, and I’ve had many physical adventures—from wreck diving in the South Pacific and climbing mountains to flying relief supplies into conflict zones in Africa and traveling to the edges of space. But adventure is much bigger than all that. It’s what happens any time you step out of what’s known and comfortable into new and uncharted territory, where nothing is known, but anything is possible.

Adventure is starting a new business, adjusting to unexpected life changes, or surviving uncertainty in a challenging circumstances and times. Adventure is what I do whenever I try to explore a complex topic from a new and different angle, or explore life through someone else’s eyes. In short, adventure is embracing change, learning, and new ways of looking at or experiencing the world.

So choosing an adventurous path in life means cultivating the heart and soul of an explorer on a lifelong quest for meaning, learning, and joy. Even if that means finding your own way, creating an unusual career or life track, or learning to rely on yourself for your security.

Twenty years ago, I quit my nice, safe, corporate marketing job that paid well but didn’t make me happy, and set out in search of a more meaningful career and life as a writer, pilot, and explorer of people and places around the world. Since then, I may not have known exactly what my income was going to be, but I’ve had the privilege of a rich, happy, and rewarding journey that I wouldn’t trade for the world.

On occasion, I’ve ended up with more adventure than I bargained for, and I know—all too well—what fear feels like. But I’ve learned how to battle it and come out stronger on the other side. I also know what it is to feel 100% alive.

But the adventures that excite me most are the ones still to come. The world is an infinitely fascinating and changing place, the humans who populate it are endlessly complex, and one lifetime is far too short to even begin to learn and experience all there is to know. I continue, however, to give it my best effort!

You can find my work in a number of places:

Sport Aviation
I recently moved my long-standing “Flying Lessons” column to Sport Aviation—the official publication of the Experimental Aircraft Association, or EAA. In my column, I write about adventure, passion, and all the life lessons that flying adventures can impart. Currently, the magazine is only available to members, but it will soon be available in select pilot shops around the country. And some columns may become available on the EAA website.

The Atlantic
I write regularly for The Atlantic and contribute as a freelance writer to the magazine. I don’t write about any one particular subject. But many of my online pieces look at events, issues, and questions through the lens of a curious explorer (as opposed to a dedicated partisan). What do we require in order to forgive the unforgivable? Is commercializing adventure a good thing? Why does Tiger Woods owe the public an apology for his private actions? Why do people cling to opinions even in the face of incontrovertible evidence to the contrary? How do we survive uncertain times and circumstances? You get the idea.

No Map. No Guide. No Limits.
I have a blog called No Map. No Guide. No Limits. The blog, which also includes work from some like-minded and talented colleagues, reflects my core life philosophy. It takes some courage to chart your own course in life. But the trade-off for setting off across an uncharted landscape is that while you may have no map or guide to help you, you also have no limits to where you can go, and what you can achieve.

The blog also has a cool “Resources” section with some good links, articles, books and organizations for anyone contemplating taking the uncharted road in their life. Worth checking out!

Books
There’s a separate page on this site that goes into my book writing in more detail. I currently have a collection of some of my best flying adventure stories in print. It’s called Unforgettable, and it’s available through Sporty’s Pilot Shop.

I’m also in the process of getting a book manuscript—Surviving Uncertainty: Taking a Hero’s Journey—published, and I’m working on a book about passion. Stay tuned for updates on those projects!

I encourage you to explore both this site and my blog—and please contact me with any thoughts, questions, or feedback.

Happy adventuring!

AUTHOR

Lane’s latest book, Surviving Uncertainty: Taking a Hero’s Journey, is now available! Learn more

NEED A SPEAKER?

Lane has spoken for groups as diverse as NASA, a Forbes Executive Summit, the 92nd Street Y, and corporate meetings and retreats. Learn more

FOLLOW LANE AT THE ATLANTIC!

Read Lane’s latest Atlantic posts here.

READ LANE’S BLOG

Read Lane’s latest posts here.