Crazy loves company

There are two ways to live life. You can be bound by the limitations that others put upon you, or you can go out and discover how limitless your life can be.

Of course, most of the world operates in the safe world of society's limitations. 

You're supposed to get a secure job, settle down with a nice girl, and put away a reasonable 20 percent of your income every year so you can retire before age 60. 

For many, this kind of life is all that they desire and for them, it is a good and fulfilling life...

For me, on the other hand, this life seems like a suffocating, half existence that is more of a jail sentence than a way to spend your precious time on this earth. 

You have to be a little crazy to get a lot out of life

Life should be about risks and rewards, failures and lessons, adventures and incredible experiences, yet most of us live life avoiding such things.

It's only when we do something a little crazy that we're able to do things that are incredibly great.

Maybe you want to start your own company, or perhaps you want to compete in a Tough Muddier race (they're super cool, I totally want to do one), or maybe you just want to quit your job or leave your spouse. 

Most people would think you were crazy just for attempting any one of these, but that's exactly why you should do them.

Recently, I announced I was going to try to trade up a button all the way up to a bus so that I could go on a journey across Canada while challenging myself to take on big life goals and attempting to connect with amazing Canadians along the way. 

To do this, I would have to sell almost everything I have, ask help from almost every friend I know (and some I don't yet know), and risk everything in an attempt to accomplish my dream. 

Unsurprising, this was labeled as crazy. But it was for exactly this reason that I knew I had to attempt it.

Crazy as a badge of honour

I got calls from my parents, my brother, my friends and my colleges all telling me that this decision made no sense. 

They advised me that I should attempt something less risky, and a lot less outrageous. They feared for my finances, my well being and my reputation after all the hard work and accomplishments I'd had last year.

After hours attempting to defend my decision, I realized that for all my loved ones kind words of caution, that it wasn't me who was afraid to take on this venture, it was them.

They couldn't conceive of doing something so outside their comfort zone and it scared them to think of the hardships, pain, and failure that could come from a risk such as this. 

This realization strengthened my resolve like never before. 

It was incredible to know I had so many people who cared enough to fear for me, but I knew I couldn't let their fears define the limitations of my life. 

Crazy is crazy hard

A crazy life isn't something you should take on lightly and it most definitely isn't something that will come easy. 

If you want to achieve crazy goals then you need to be willing to work crazy hard for them. 

You have to be willing to invest everything into your vision, ignore all the outside negativity and push through your own self-doubt. 

You will face insurmountable roadblocks that make you want to quit, give up and go back to a simpler, quieter life. 

But I can tell you from experience, that if you're passionate enough, committed enough and genuine enough you will not only find a way through the toughest of time, you will discover support like you couldn't even imagine. 

Crazy loves company

It's a funny thing about acting crazy; at first, everyone tries to stop you, then they will quietly doubt you, and finally they will boldly support you. 

Although it's not without sacrifice to get through the initials trials of your crazy journey, know that there is an incredible amount of love and support just for the sake that you tried.

There's a freedom to this knowledge that makes you feel free to get out and try to accomplish anything. 

Whether it's moving to a big city or finally proposing to the girl of your dreams, the worst case scenario is that you took a shot and missed and just that will earn people's respect far more than if you had never tried at all. 

So go out do something crazy, something unrealistic or something unadvised. Make your life about possibility and not about predictability and you will discover the life of your dreams.

Follow me on my journey to fulfill my dreams as I attempt to live a crazy, impossible life.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.