The adventure is what you make it

“Something fantastic is going to happen today, but you have to show up to find out what it is.”
— Andy Combs

Andy said this to me at an event we were both at. It stuck with me for a few days… and then became this post.

Some days, the weight of everything makes you want to stay home. Or keep your head down. But staying home doesn’t make for great stories.

Adventure doesn’t always start with a bold leap. Sometimes, it’s just showing up when it’s easier not to.

Over the weekend, the movie Up popped up in our queue. We didn’t watch it, but just seeing the title brought it back. In the film, Carl finally sets out on the adventure he and his wife dreamed of. Thousands of balloons. A house that flies. Paradise Falls. If you’ve seen it you know the story.

But the destination is not the adventure.

The real story unfolds in the detours: rescuing a rare bird, meeting Russell, finding a new sense of purpose. The destination wasn’t the point. The unexpected journey was.

That feels true outside the movies too.

There’s a phrase I heard a lot growing up:
“The future is unknown, and therefore friendly.”

It stuck. Because most people treat the unknown like a threat. But what if it’s actually an invitation?

That’s how I try to look at it. Every day has the potential to go off-script. To become more than it was supposed to be. All it takes is a bit of openness and a willingness to go with it.

So, if you’re feeling stuck in the plan or buried under the predictable…

Maybe today’s the day to show up a little differently.
Maybe something fantastic is waiting.
But you won’t know unless you go.

So come on, let’s go on an adventure.

🔗 Connect with me at linkedin.com/in/scottschoeneberger.