10 Heightened Thoughts from Being Outdoorsy in Colorado

After a lot of cool feedback from my 17 Random Thoughts from China article, I decided I'd do one from my trip to Colorado. Anytime I had an interesting thought I'd write it down or take note for later. My time in Colorado was split into three days in Boulder and then one day in Denver. If you haven't been to Colorado, you should. It's a great place!

​1. People are the driving force behind great experiences. Don’t waste time trying to please everyone or hang out with the people you think you should. Find people you enjoy and spend your time with them. Shoutout to the Sommer family!

2. There’s a difference between being wild and adventurous vs. being insane. I’m all for taking risks and challenging yourself but there’s a line. Every person’s line is different but it needs to exist. 

3. People are friendly in Colorado. Why are people nicer in certain parts of the world? We should all strive to be nice and compassionate everywhere we go. It’s not that hard to smile or say hi.

4. Speaking of saying hi, why does everyone immediately say hi when hiking? Is this part of the hiking culture? Are people happier outside? Any other time you see someone working out, the last thing you want to do is say hi. Why is this different?

5. There’s a difference between a results driven task and a process driven task. Being able to identify them can help you achieve the task with more efficiency and also decide which tasks to tackle.

6. It’s okay to be scared. When we crossed a rock path with no barrier between the edge and the bottom of the mountain, I was definitely scared.  Instead of hiding behind your fear, acknowledge that it exists and keep going. You can do it!

7. Don’t live life for the picture or the Instagram post. Live life to enjoy the moment and be around great people.

8. Sometimes you just have to go for it! I normally plan everything out, especially when it comes to flying and staying somewhere for multiple days, but I didn’t think twice about this trip. A friend said to come and I said okay.

9. Weed shops in Boulder are unique. I had never been in one until Colorado but it was quite a fascinating experience. 

10. Find the balance between ambition and being in the moment. Often times, I am GO-GO-GO, but even in the midst of pursuing my definition of success, I have to be appreciative of the current moment. It's okay to strive for greatness, but I think it's important to enjoy the journey along the way. How do you balance your energy?

What random thoughts do you have? Write them down and share them in the comments!  

Jake Kelfer is the bestselling author of Elevate Beyond and a lifestyle entrepreneur. He is the founder of the Professional Basketball Combine which features NBA draft prospects in a secondary draft combine. As a high energy inspirational speaker, he is on a mission to elevate and motivate millions of people to achieve their definition of success. He and his work have been featured on Forbes, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBC Sports, USA Today, Bleacher Report, and many other major media outlets. Connect with Jake on social @jakekelfer!
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