Finding your why in Hike and Fly

"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." Friedrich Nietzsche

Understanding your purpose is crucial to achieving your goals —it’s the compass that guides your actions and decisions.

Clarity of purpose keeps you focused, motivated, and ready to tackle whatever challenge comes your way. When you know your “why,” you’re not just training; you’re on a mission. Whether it’s a personal goal, a professional project, or even a new diet, knowing your why gives you the grit you need to push through the tough times that all meaningful endeavours inherently bring.

And there can certainly be tough times in the sport of Hike and Fly. Whether it’s your first flight away from your training hill or pushing through rough leeside thermals in the Alps on day 14 of the Red Bull X-Alps (the world's most gruelling adventure race), hike and fly will present tremendous challenges to you and the associated rewards that come from overcoming these challenges.

Discovering your why

• You have started reading this blog – why?
• Are you interested to learn about the sport and know little about it – why are you interested in learning?
• What makes you tick?
• What do you want to make you tick?
• What purpose do you currently have in your life?
• What purpose do you seek?
• How can Hike and Fly help you fulfil your purpose?
• If you are Hiking and Flying already why do you seek more knowledge? Is it knowledge, skills or performance related?
• If you do find what it is that you seek, how will it help you to achieve your purpose?

These questions may seem esoteric to some however, knowing the answer can be powerful in helping you to achieve your goals – be they physical, mental, competition etc.

I took up the sport because I believe that by doing hard things I develop my mental resilience which helps me in all aspects of life – from the Boardroom to the Bedroom. The healthy and competive lifestyle sets a good example to my children, ensures I am optimising my physical abilities and in turn develops my mental ones – particularly as I age. I would have read this blog as a kid based purely on the picture, because I love flying. I would pick it up now because I am always exploring ways to improve my knowledge and skill in the sport to make me safer and more competitive. With increased safety I achieve a better quality of life physically and improved competitiveness rewards my mental side by achieving tough goals.

So ask yourselves these same questions – maybe write down the answer in your Lessons Learned Book so you can review them over time. When times get tough in the sport pull out your black book and reflect on your why – the more empowering your why the greater your grit for the sport will be. And Grit will be the subject of our next blog.

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