Are You Just An Armchair Adventurer?

Copyright 2006 Christopher Green

It is a simple fact known by everybody who is actively involved in the self-improvement industry. Most of the ambitious, excited people who buy courses, books, audio products, DVDs and seminar places never apply the knowledge they’ve paid good money for to a real purpose.

Consequently, the information that could drastically improve their lives beyond all recognition remains unused. But there are some people who put their knowledge to use and this is what separates the doers from the armchair adventurers: the courage to take action.

Are you an armchair adventurer? Here’s 5 telltale signs that mark out those who never quite manage to “walk the talk” and who prefer to sit in solitude watching, thinking and reading about it instead.

1. Have you got a large and ever growing collection of self-improvement products? Is your bookshelf GROANING with the weight of book after book by various gurus and experts? Is your DVD player in danger of getting indigestion from the number of “motivating” DVDs you watch night after night? Is your car’s CD player in danger of burnout because of the number of affirming CD’s you play to and from work each day? If so, score 1 for the armchair adventurer.

2. Do you like to share your knowledge with your pals over beer and pool? Telling them about how good you feel using affirmations every day and how you’re going to change your life – soon. But three months later, you’re still talking about the latest product you’ve bought and how you know you’re “growing”. Sounds familiar? Add another point to the “armchair adventurer” column.

3. Having read so many books, you’ll know how important it is to set goals. But have you set any goals? Have you constantly reviewed them and measured progress and set new goals? If you haven’t, is it because you’re still reading about it and you’re not quite sure what goals to set? Nevermind, pour yourself a cold one, put your feet up, read yet another goal setting book and score one more in the “armchair adventurer” column.

4. How’s the planning coming along? Ah, the plans aren’t quite finished yet. But haven’t you been working on them for months? Yet each time you’re about to take action, you find another area of concern that you need to read up about. Better not take any action until you’re absolutely sure that nothing can go wrong. After all, you don’t want anything unexpected to come along and scupper your plans do you? Better to be safe than sorry, so go ahead, nip down to the library and get yourself a book called “How To Do Anything You Want Without Taking Risks From The Comfort Of Your Armchair”. Don’t forget to add one more to your armchair adventurer score before you leave.

5. Finally, after all of the reading, watching and listening you’ve done, why is your life still pretty much the same? Is it because: You haven’t got enough money? You have a family and they come first? You’re too old? You’re too young? Your dog has fleas? Your cat doesn’t want to move and the stress would kill it? You haven’t got the time to do what you really want to do? Time-out! I’m running out of white space – can we quit with the excuses now and just agree that you’re not prepared to overcome fear and live the life you truly want because you’re an armchair adventurer? Yes? That’s cool, but please can you add one point for each excuse you use to your armchair adventurer score. Wow, that score is mounting up isn’t it?

I know the above points are hard hitting but I’m trying to open your eyes to a simple truth: All of these self-improvement products – and there are some very, very good ones, mine included – are completely WORTHLESS unless you act on the fantastic information they contain. Armchair adventuring is fine, nothing wrong with sitting down and reading so long as you know what the consequences are if you don’t apply your knowledge to a purpose.

But isn’t it better to read and then put your knowledge into action? Why be an armchair adventurer when you can experience the joy and satisfaction of real life adventure by putting the books down, getting up off your armchair and applying what you’ve learned to get the life what you want. Go on, just do it!

Until next time.