Buttoning up a bus

I am now the proud owner of a bus.

But, as most of you know, I did not come to this ownership in any normal way.

This is how, with no money, extremely limited resources and a lot of will, I managed to trade my way from a button to what is essentially a full-scale mobile home.

Creating something from nothing

There will never be a perfect storm of money, time and tools, so if you want to ever make your dreams come true, you need to do it with whatever resources you have.

With my dream to travel across Canada, I faced this very issue. I had no money (still don`t, but I`m working on that) and I had no vehicle to get me where I wanted to go — across Canada.

I had a choice. I could either sit. wait and hope to eventually save enough to get out on the road or I could start hustling with what I had. 

Well, unlike other times in my life, I knew waiting wasn't an option. 

I announced to the world my crazy dreams and, with nothing but a $2 button in my hand, I set out to trade my way up to a bus.

And then, six weeks, five trades and a whirlwind roller-coaster of ups and downs, I did it.

I had converted an otherwise insignificant button into a fully livable, 40-foot bus that I could now take across Canada in pursuit of my dreams.

This experience has taught me so much about the barriers we create for ourselves. 

Instead of worrying about what we don't have, it's absolutely amazing what we can accomplish when we focus on what we do, and we simply put that into action.

Don't love the rewards, love the game

Whether you're trying to breathe life into an entrepreneurial dream, or you're attempting to conquer your greatest physical ambitions, the simple fact is, if you don't absolutely love what you are doing, then you will inevitably fail at it. 

But it's not just the results that you need to be in love with...

As I learned over the rollercoaster of my last six-week challenge, it's the journey you must be equally addicted to.

It's so easy to get so wrapped up in the end results. They're shiny and luxurious and bring with it all the fruits of your labours.

Unfortunately, it's this mindset that can distract you from the work that has to go into your day to day. 

If you truly hinge everything on achieving your goals, then what are you left with when faced with setbacks or failures?

But if you can shift your focus to falling in love with the process, then the work becomes your fulfillment. 

Love the hard work, love the adventure, and love the challenges and you'll win no matter how your journey unfolds.

It takes a community to raise a dream

Often, it's when we are at our worst that we end up becoming most alone. 

We become embarrassed and upset, frustrated and deflated, and we hide from everyone to try to save ourselves some pain.

At multiple points in my trades, I experienced this very problem. 

I faced barriers of abandoned trades, busted tires, dead batteries, and broken starters on everything from a tea set to a Seadoo. 

But, rather than fall prey to the trap of reclusion, I did something I had rarely done before. I swallowed my pride, turned on the camera and shared my difficulties with the world. 

Then a funny thing happened. Instead of facing ridicule and criticism, I was met with a wave of support. And each time I struggled, there seemed to be somebody there to rescue me.

In the end, I have to admit, I may have started the challenge, but it was my community that got me to my goal. 

It was friends, family, and people I don't even know who helped me, supported me, and pushed me to keep edging forward. 

This is perhaps the biggest lesson I will take away from any of this

That when times get tough, we are not alone. There is a whole group of people that believe in you and will help you if you only give them that chance. 

This realization gives me great confidence in what I will undertake moving forward, and I hope that it does for you too.

Follow me on my next big challenge as I attempt to overhaul my bus, fund my dream and get out on the road to explore, experience and adventure across this amazing country we all call home. 

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