Comments on: What is my purpose?

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 09:35:42 +0000

Sure thing. We’re out in Chamonix at the beginning of Dec and back again for the Mont Blanc Marathon in June (and maybe some point in between if we can swing it!). Will find you on Twitter now. Cheers!

By: Charley Radcliffe

Charley Radcliffe — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 17:38:50 +0000

Will try, Ross!

By: Ross Chapman

Ross Chapman — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 17:16:42 +0000

Hold on to that feeling!

By: Charley Radcliffe

Charley Radcliffe — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 06:32:19 +0000

Very wise words, thank you Nate, ones to bear in mind and embrace!

By: Charley Radcliffe

Charley Radcliffe — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 06:31:00 +0000

Thank you, Ryan. It is difficult and timing is crucial. Sophie and I first trid to move here last summer and, after two months, returned to the UK with our tails between our legs. We gave up on the idea but it was only at Christmas we decided we wanted to try again and here we are. Who knows if this will work this time but, as you said, baby steps are crucial to these life changing decisions.
Please do drop me a line when you’re in town and we can swap war stories!

By: Nate

Nate — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 06:17:29 +0000

Charly.

Good post and an enjoyable read. Once (about 25 years back) I asked my Dad the question “I don’t know if I am doing the right thing”. He replied “I am nearly 60 and I still don’t know”.

It’s one of the most interesting things he’s has ever said, along side this gem “If it hurts don’t do it”.

I think his overall position was that uncertainty is normal. Embrace it, but also our time here is short. Do what makes you happiest.

Perhaps uncertainty is a good thing. It shows you have the inner sense to question your position. Could I do more? Am
I making this most out of this time, this life. I can’t say for certain I am/have but the fact we question it should lead us to make sure we do. Better that than being a sheep.

Best of luck. Embrace the uncertainty. It shows you care.

Nate.

By: Davy Wright

Davy Wright — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 23:28:41 +0000

Thanks Charley. I’d like to make life a bit more flexible, so baby steps! 🙂

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 23:23:49 +0000

Hi Charley

What a refreshing, honest, open blog post.

I completely recognise your thoughts. My fiancee and I spent a year in La Plagne a couple of years back. It didn’t really work out for me there as I was plagued by the very same questions you are, but I was unable to find a workable solution or suitable answers (albeit the circumstances of me going there were much less planned).

We are back in the UK (with a baby now) and after feeling lost and directionless for a couple of years I think we are now finally finding some direction. This has only come about, however, through a great deal of soul-searching, countless days of despair, questioning the questions, and too many lattes spoilt by trying to work out the answers to the big questions.

Thanks to my wonderful fiancee who has continually promoted the life values of ‘One Life, Live It’ and ‘Adventure is Waiting’, we are now grasping life by the neck and shaping it for what we want it to be rather than let it push us around. But we are only starting to achieve this through taking small steps and crossing hurdles when they need to be crossed. It’s amazing how versatile we can be when we have problems to solve (physical or mental). And also how clear things can become when you start on a path, where no clarity ever seemed possible.

I have recently ditched the world of marketing to set up my own business in my trade and passion; landscape gardening, and my fiancee is looking to leave the same industry for a world of fitness instructing. The only demon we need to battle now is coming to terms with having given up the alpine life we had. I have to work hard to remind myself of the circumstances which meant I couldn’t stay in Savoie and that, in there somewhere, is a life lesson on timing and knowing when to listen to the world (though will never be 100% sure I got it right).

We regularly return to Savoie/Haute Savoie to get our alpine fix and still harbour dreams (plans?) of making a go of it out there, especially now that we have a much clearer and more positive direction for ourselves. Perhaps this was what was missing when we were in the Alps before? But for now, we are ignoring the big picture of Scotland vs. The Alps and just seeing where the baby steps will take us.

Maybe catch you for a pint when we’re next in Cham and see how you’re getting on with it all.

Good luck and trust in the world.

Ryan

By: Charley Radcliffe

Charley Radcliffe — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 19:13:52 +0000

Hi Conrad, yes I completely agree though maybe didn’t word it quite the same. For now, I want to focus on enabling people to get outdoors and reap the benefits I have through adventure, excitement, and sharing both with others. How that takes form exactly, I don’t know nor mind, as long as the underlying aim is attempted.
Thanks for your message and well done for staying strong, persevering, and coming through the other side.

By: Conrad

Conrad — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 19:05:43 +0000

Great post Charlie and I’ve only been following you for the best part of a week. I’m very much in the same boat. The last two years have seen huge upheavals in my life. Became a single dad, lost my house, had a pretty bad health scare and have battled with some of the worst mental demons imaginable however through persistence and continued “try try try again” I’ve started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. For me though, a “life’s purpose” and the question around it hasn’t been the best approach. “Life purpose” almost reads like a specific thing you should be doing, however continuously searching fro anything especially an emotion or a feeling of “I’m here, I made it,” for most people, never comes. It’s like chasing for something that then moves further away all the time.

For me, working on what my “core life values” are, has had much greater impact. They can cover more than one thing, and even if your values don’t specifically read exactly what you should be doing, they are a lot easier to consistently follow. If you’re values are true to yourself, your abilities, goals and dreams then you’ll find you’ll have more opportunities to find your life purpose than one specific thing.