There is taking the scenic route, and then there is Karl Bushby.
On November 1, 1998, Bushby left the southern tip of Chile with a rather ambitious plan: travel all the way home to Hull, England, using only his own physical effort. He established two rules. He would not use transportation to advance his journey, and he would not return home until he could get there under his own power.
Twenty-eight years later, he is almost home.
Along the way, he has walked through dangerous jungles, crossed the frozen Bering Strait, navigated political upheaval, and swum across both the Caspian Sea and, just this month, the English Channel.
Meanwhile, I get annoyed when the grocery store rearranges the aisles.
I’ve been following Bushby’s journey recently, and it has me thinking about something we talk about in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): the difference between goals and values.
A goal is something we hope to accomplish. A value is a direction we choose to live in.
For Bushby, reaching Hull is a goal. But the qualities reflected in his journey, such as adventure, courage, perseverance, and curiosity, are things that can guide a life long before any finish line appears.
ACT encourages us to identify what matters and take meaningful action in that direction, even when the journey becomes uncomfortable. We do not have to eliminate fear, uncertainty, or disappointment before moving forward. We can make room for those experiences while continuing to live according to our values.
Of course, Bushby’s story raises another interesting question.
When does commitment become stubbornness?
Bushby has acknowledged that his remarkable adventure has come at a cost. He has missed much of his son’s life and has a granddaughter he has never met. His dedication to one extraordinary goal has inevitably affected other important parts of his life.
That matters because psychological flexibility is not simply the ability to keep going. It is also the willingness to reconsider our approach when circumstances change.
Sometimes living our values means persevering. Sometimes it means resting, asking for help, changing plans, or recognizing that another part of our life needs attention.
We can become so focused on reaching a particular destination that we forget to notice what is happening around us. We might sacrifice time with loved ones, neglect our health, or overlook opportunities for connection because we are convinced that everything will somehow fall into place once we reach our goal.
But life does not begin at the finish line.
One of the things I find especially interesting about Bushby’s journey is how much he has depended on the kindness of strangers. For all his extraordinary determination, he has needed other people along the way.
There is an important reminder here that pursuing a meaningful life does not mean we have to do everything ourselves.
Most of us will never walk around the world. Frankly, some days walking to the mailbox feels sufficiently ambitious.
But we are all traveling somewhere.
Perhaps the important question is not simply whether we are getting closer to our destination, but whether the way we are traveling reflects the person we want to become.
So, where are you headed? And as you make your way there, are you remembering what matters most?
Interested in following Karl Bushby’s remarkable journey? Visit the Goliath Expedition website to learn more.