PCT…T-minus 25 days. Why am I attempting this???

In 2018 I decided to leave my corporate job for a once in a lifetime adventure. I decided that I’m going to attempt to hike the Pacific Crest Trail! So, basically, I’m going to walk from Mexico to Canada through 700+ miles of Mojave Desert and desert mountains, up and over the spine of the Sierra Mountains, through the Oregon forests, and eventually, up through the Cascade Mountains of Washington and into Canada.

The conversation would end up revolving around, as it often did, our corporate jobs. We wrestled with the questions of…Why do we feel that our jobs are so unfulfilling? Are we crazy if we no longer want to work here? And, most importantly: What can we do about it?

But, the sensible voices in our heads end up saying:

‘Don’t complain. This is what real adult life is supposed to be like. The pay is great, and we will retire financially stable. Even more importantly, OTHER’S ENVY US!!!’
At least we have jobs; many people would love to have these jobs.

But the more I analyzed MY situation, the more I realized that the path that had led me to the corporate world had been a path I took because I felt that others would admire, or at least, respect me. If I were to quit this job and take on an adventure as crazy as the PCT, mad as it sounds, I feel it would be one of the few truly self-involved decisions I had ever taken for MYSELF!

I felt like I was being pulled along by an invisible force. A force with its own agenda, goals, and definitions of success. We call this force “Keeping up with the Jones”. It pulled me, against my will, into a web of gotta have it materialism, often accompanied by depression, which is really passion that we learn to suppress so we can fit in with and look good to those around us.

We convince ourselves that it is more important to focus on these material possessions that we want our neighbors and social media friends to see us acquire, and have, and it becomes easier to wallow in the negatives of what could have been. I’ve discovered that this leads to an empty soul and unhappy life.

It’s a conventional path that starts in high school and college and can continue right until retirement. This implies a level of conformity and passivity, and ultimately, a sacrifice of “what could have been”.  You begrudgingly accept your expected place in society. Stepping off this beaten path is hard, very hard, and scary. We’re a fear driven society. What if this decision is not accepted by others?!?

The path to change begins by seriously pondering two questions, two questions that you have no doubt asked yourself on many occasions when your life plan evaporates into thin air as you are yet again required to stay late to work on a seemingly important task, while watching others living a life of adventure that you wish you could partake in, just once.

Question 1: Why am I working in this career?

Question 2: Am I crazy if I don’t want to be here?

The problem is the decision-making process that got you to where you are today wasn’t entirely your own. The values of your work environment don’t reflect yours. Often it’s easier to inherit external definitions of success than cultivate your own. I’m tired of living this “what could have been” existence, and, for this reason, I have decided to leave my job and partake in this crazy adventure of a lifetime opportunity. I want to share this adventure with you, a window out of corporate America. A small reprieve from the doldrums of regimented, cubicle life that is dominated by an everseemingly endless schedule of deadlines, meetings, and corporate projects. I hope you enjoy my travels and adventures.

Cheers!
*Jason Soden*