Ah, Alaska! If ever there was a place to make you think about a bucket list, this is it. I happened to be up here in time for the ceremonial start to the Iditarod 2016. The Iditarod is one of of the last truly wild races on Earth. At an average of one thousand miles and some extreme weather (up to 45 degrees below zero), it is a grueling race that will test any human’s resolve. It made me think about my bucket list. I wondered if I could participate in this race. Not so much to try and win it — although why not — but just to say I’d done it.

Driving along the highway on the way to a fishing town called Seward, I passed amazing views of massive snow covered mountains that came up out of the water. As my wife and I stopped to take in the views I thought about my bucket list again. I’ve gone hiking but never in a place like this! What would it take for me to run that race or hike up into those mountains and icy glaciers?

Because this was a business trip we weren’t prepared for anything more than some casual sight seeing. But a return trip to Alaska during the summer quickly became a strong possibility. This trip could ideally be followed by a visit to my friend, and business partner, Mike DeSanti, who is spending the month of July in Montana exploring the great outdoors.

Exploring Alaska’s wilderness followed by fly-fishing in Montana, that’s a no brainer for us.

The thing is we’re not necessarily natural born wilderness men (having grown up in cities) or that we have the type of disposable income that we can just take off for two weeks or a month to play in the woods. We certainly have the spirit but it takes more than that to make it happen.

It’s about creating a mindset that helps get us from point A to point B. We start by identifying the things that recharge our batteries and ask why do we want this? Where are we most connected and what makes us feel truly alive? We then ask and answer key questions.

What will it take to make this happen?
Can I work remotely while away?
What shift in mindset will it take to get out in bear country despite not wanting to get mauled by a grizzly, or trampled by a moose the size of a small SUV?
How can we make this financially doable?

Whatever the answers are, we make a firm commitment to get to the outcome. Without the commitment all the plans in the world won’t amount to much more than unfulfilled dreams, and dreams that are unfulfilled lead to frustration.

Here’s how we make a strong commitment:

Set a date.
Make an announcement in public or to someone who will hold you accountable for the result.
Get support.
Lay out your plan of action.
Chunk it up so that it’s more doable.
Reward yourself for small victories (this will help keep you motivated to continue).
Get to work and don’t stop until you reach your goal.

In our case we’re talking about a trip to explore nature while still doing the work we do to keep our business moving forward, but this can apply to every area of your life: health, finances, relationships, and fitness.

So what’s on your bucket list?

Do you want to be in better shape?

Do you want to climb a mountain?

Do you want better relationships?

Do you want financial freedom?

If any of these or more apply to you, The Vital Guide is holding a live half-day men’s workshop in the NYC, NJ area Saturday, April 23rd. Stay tuned for more details and get ready for action!