“The trail is offroad, with a good mix of forest jeep and single track. We will be spending most of our time running under the forest canopy as we navigate our way through the indigenous forest within the Table Mountain’s National Park.” – Airbnb experience description
You know how you sometimes sign up for something thinking it will be adventurous and fun—but not that hard? That’s precisely what happened to me on this trail run. The description made it sound like a casual off-road jog under the canopy of Table Mountain’s National Park. However, let me tell you, words like ‘hard,’ ‘difficult,’ and ‘challenging’ should have been included. I presume I was a bit overzealous. I recently hiked 3 hours one way to the highest waterfall in West Africa. Evidently, I did not envision the description as I experienced it. Did I get hung up on the word “trail” and overlook the words “most of our time running”? Every other word seems a blur.
By the way, I wasn’t a bit intimidated after the guide inquired about our running regimen. The other participant was a slender blonde from Latvia or Lithuania, some country near Russia that starts with an “L”. I need to reread my post on listening. She stated the sole reason she was in South Africa was to participate in a marathon. She regularly participates in races while traveling. Really?!?! To add insult to injury, the guide participates in ultramarathons (100 km runs). Who are these people?
Imagine me running behind these ultra-athletes, literally. They always seem to be 50 paces or more ahead of me as I view them in the distance. Why do I always put myself in these challenging predicaments?
Here’s the thing: you’ll find yourself in moments like this, too—where you continuously choose growth over comfort. But that’s when true living happens.
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Pain Is Weakness Leaving The Body
Have you ever signed up for something simply because you were curious, only to realize later that curiosity might’ve gotten you in a little too deep?
So here’s the funny thing—I once took a personality test by NERIS Analytics Limited, and it labeled me a Campaigner. Interestingly, the biggest strength of a campaigner is curiosity.
Did curiosity play a role in my decision to join this running adventure? Well, let’s find out.
According to the test,
“Curious – [Campaigners] want to go out and experience things and don’t hesitate to step out of their comfort zones to do so. [They] are imaginative and open-minded, seeing all things as part of a big, mysterious puzzle called life.”
In other words, if you are a campaigner, you enjoy taking on challenging tasks and stepping out of your comfort zone. You welcome adventure, like trekking 3 hours up Wli Upper Waterfall, the tallest waterfall in West Africa. Or huffing, puffing, and trekking in an upward direction over collapsed trees, stones, and streams in Table Mountain.
I expressed to the tour guide that my thighs would thank him in the morning. He interpreted my sarcasm. Lightheartedly, he responded with a smile, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” And in that moment, the difficulty suddenly felt worth it.
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Choosing Growth Over Comfort
After I moved abroad, I requested to be appointed as a coach for a Toastmasters club in Atlanta, GA. If you’ve never heard of Toastmasters International, it’s a nonprofit organization that helps people like you and me sharpen public speaking and leadership skills through clubs all around the world. Because I was living and traveling abroad at the time, I had to juggle time zones and late-night meetings. Sleepless nights were almost guaranteed.
As the club coach, my role was to guide and support the members to achieve Distinguished Club Program recognition. And for me, the real prize—the carrot at the end of the stick—was the chance to earn the Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM) designation, the highest achievement Toastmasters offers.
But here’s the kicker: before I could reach that milestone, the club had to accomplish at least five major goals. We had less than 11 months (excluding holidays) to do it. The clock was ticking, and every step forward required grit and determination. Looking back, I could see how clearly this fell under the category of doing the hard stuff—and if you’ve ever chased a big goal, you know exactly what that feels like.
Thankfully, if you are a Campaigner, you were built for this type of assignment. Naturally, campaigners:
Living to Leave Your Stamp on the World
I’m not changing the world by being a club coach (or am I?) I think of the Apple commercial (2015) narrated by founder Steve Jobs:
“Here’s to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes… the ones who see things differently — they’re not fond of rules… You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change things… they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”
Running through Table Mountain’s National Park with ultra-athletes and guiding a club toward its highest recognition taught me something simple yet powerful: doing the hard stuff always leaves its mark. Yes, there was pain, sleepless nights, and moments I wanted to quit—but every step forward stripped away weakness and replaced it with courage, confidence, and a stronger belief in what I could accomplish. Stepping outside my comfort zone wasn’t just about finishing a trail or earning a title; it was about unlocking a fuller version of myself.
And here’s where you come in—because your growth story doesn’t have to wait. Travel has a way of pulling you into the unknown, stretching your limits, and opening your eyes to new ways of living. If you’re ready to step out of your comfort zone, let me help you plan that journey. Together, we’ll design an experience that challenges you, inspires you, and leaves you walking away with stories worth telling.
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