Leon Logothetis's Blog, page 28
September 19, 2011
I dare you…
"To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself." Soren Kierkegaard
I dare you to go out today and be the best you can be. I dare you to go out today and make a difference. I dare you to go out today and live the life you've always dreamt of. Go on. I dare you…
How I wished someone had said this to me. They didn't. But something did. That something was my urge to travel the world. To see beyond my comfort zone and be inspired by the world and all its beauty. Travel taught me that to sit in my old zone of comfort and monotony was going to get me the same old thing:
Mediocrity and failure.
It's not easy to break free of your shackles. To break free of your perceived limitations. To simply break free. But it is possible.
During my last trip to India I found myself in the city of Varanasi. Varanasi is nicknamed 'the city of fire'. The reasoning behind this becomes self-evident as you walk along the cobbled streets overlooking the Ganges, the sun rising and the musky smell of smoke descending all around you. Varansi is a special place. Hindus believe in cremation and Varanasi is Cremation central. The River Ganges is considered holy, and to be cremated and scattered in its waters is the ultimate sense of completion for many.
My story of daring myself to be the best I could be started on a cold morning as I walked along the riverbanks. I found myself meandering through the small alleyways and came face to face with the main funeral pyre of Varanasi.
As I stood there in shock I placed myself within eyesight of the cremations and silently watched. What I saw was the inevitable. Death. What I also saw was the not so inevitable. Life. Real life.
You see, we all share the same fate. Each and every one of us will die, but how many of us will share the fate of those who fully live? Who dare to be great?
I dare you to go out today and live greatly.
Leon Logothetis
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September 13, 2011
Life advice from an English chap…
"We hate to have some people give us advice because we know how badly they need it themselves." Author Unknown
When you are feeling down, what do you do?
I find my immediate reaction is to stay down. It's an inbuilt emotional safety mechanism to find my way under the covers and hope things magically get better. I can tell you from experience this does not work. I have learnt that once you find your way out of the covers everything is still exactly the same. Nothing has changed. Nothing has shifted. Except maybe some time, which has simply been wasted. So, I am going to ask the question again:
When you are feeling down, what do you do?
There are many options available to us. Some wise. Some unwise. Here are a few positive ways to deal with the ebb and flow of life. Ways that I know have worked for me and I hope will work for you.
Call a friend: I believe that isolation is a conduit for suffering. We are not meant to be alone with our struggles. So, pick up the phone, go to your local Starbucks and connect with someone. Ask them to listen and let your heart do the talking. Preferably connect with someone you know, but sometimes anyone will do…
Buy a journal: I learnt this little trick many years ago and find it to be an invaluable tool. Writing is a powerful way to let our inner thoughts see the light of day and ultimately giving our unconscious mind a voice. We often forget that so much of our lives are run by our unconscious. Writing frees us to connect with parts of ourselves that may be hidden from view.
Practice self love: Sometimes this is the most difficult thing to do yet it is critical. It's about learning the simple yet challenging skill of no longer beating yourself up. I would never let anyone treat me the way I have treated myself. A simple reframe can reshape your life.
The final point in this little impromptu advice session is that nothing ever comes easily. Many of us have learnt our negative behaviors over years and years of self-defeating action. The only way to change those behaviors is to give yourself some breathing space.
Be gentle. Be loving. Just Be.
Leon Logothetis
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September 8, 2011
September 7, 2011
Mongol Rally: End of the road is the start of something good
"Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat." -Theodore Roosevelt
Our Nissan Micra after the crash in Romania. We were lucky to have escaped. (Leon Logothetis / For The Times / September 2, 2011)
In those moments when things happen—really bad things—we have a choice: Do we feel sorry for ourselves? Or do we grab the opportunity to reflect and grow?
I wish I could say I was immediately in that latter category, but I spent some time in the former.
Earlier this summer, I set a daring goal: I would embark on a 10,000-mile road trip from London to Mongolia, across desert and hostile territory in a tiny car on a quest for adventure.
Steven Priovolos, my friend and cameraman, and I would face danger and drama in our Mongol Rallyquest, along with more than 400 other teams, to reach our goal, but we never dreamed ours would end in near-disaster.
On Day 8, we were to drive 625 miles from Budapest, Hungary, to the capital of Moldova, Chisinau, on the next leg of the rally. After 12 hours on the road, we found ourselves in the leafy Romanian town of Campulung Moldovenesc.
I was fully invested in finishing the rally. Completing an improbable goal. Feeling proud of an achievement.
As dusk approached, a black Volvo 4X4 veered toward us from a side street. The driver was going the wrong way down the one-way street and blew onto the main road–and into us.
Our little Nissan Micra didn't stand a chance.
The Romanian driver shattered my dreams. Or did he?
I emerged from this crash intact (a small fracture of my collarbone notwithstanding).
I emerged from this crash with my future still very much in my own hands.
I emerged from this crash.
My goal of reaching Mongolia was thwarted, but I am now asking myself what lessons I've learned from this whole escapade–lessons that can shape a life. Here's what I know now:
–I am not immortal. I know this sounds obvious, but until one is within inches of death, it's tough to realize because denial is so comforting.
–Sometimes trying is enough. I wanted to march into Ulan Bator, head held high, after having conquered a third of the Earth's surface. Instead I found myself in a Romanian hospital bed 8,000 miles shy of my goal. I finally realized that the simple act of attempting this crazy journey was sufficient and that my ego needed to be stripped of its megalomania.
–I am grateful I got to play at all. And I'm delighted I found my way back home in one piece.
Life will always bring up nasty little surprises. When we find our way out of our comfort zones, these surprises can be greater and more ferocious. It shouldn't stop us from living fully or exploring. It shouldn't stop us from the joys of traveling the world.
What it should do is remind us that with all great adventures in life comes risk. The magic lies in finding the balance between that risk and living fully.
Leon Logothetis
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Breaking News: Amazing Adventures of a Nobody is finally out on DVD
"One small step for this man. One giant leap for mankind" Leon Logothetis
I have some rather astonishing news to report. I doubt you will be able to handle this. So, please take a seat. Ready? Here goes…my trips across both the USA and Europe on $5 a day are now available on DVD. Yes, you have read these words correctly.
"F*ck me! He's gone and actually done it!" I hear in the offices and homes across the world…
The show that has defined the lives of billions of people (ok, maybe only one person!) is now available for you to purchase on Amazon (US & Europe). I can't believe I have actually uttered these words. We live in truly momentous times!
A moment of great significance is upon us all. A defining moment in the history of the world. A moment of such magnitude that our beautiful blue planet will never be the same. Ever.
It is my humble belief that the DVD launch of Amazing Adventures of a Nobody is similar in magnitude to the ripples felt across the world when the Berlin Wall fell. Similar to the outpouring of joy at the conclusion of the second world war. Similar in scale to the achievement of man's first steps on the moon.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this is all about scale. And this is huge. Massive. Humungous. Ginormous. Earth shattering. A seminal moment in time. And how lucky you all are to be alive when it becomes a reality. Oh yes, how lucky you are!
*Disclaimer: the above was written in jest. The launch of the DVD is indeed fact. But the comparisons to pivotal moments in history are not genuinely believed by the author. Any complaints should be directed to your local senator.
Buy Amazing Adventures of a Nobody Europe >
August 29, 2011
Win something. For doing nothing*
Practically nothing…
I have always been rather a competitive chap. You see, winning is quite a lot of fun. Losing on the other hand can be seriously dangerous for your health. And ego! In my younger years I was a horrendous loser, not your run of the mill 'bad loser'. I would categorize myself as a 'catastrophic, complete break with reality loser'. I was well known in my neighborhood for the utter devastation I felt in defeat.
Losing drove me into a dark and lonely place. Usually a place filled with tears.
I remember one memorable day playing soccer in the back garden with my dad and brother. It turned out that my brother was a much better shot than I was goalie and he kept scoring goal after goal. Something in my little 10 year old brain snapped. I got so angry I ran away from home! Yes, you heard correct, I took the ball and ran away.
Probably not the smartest thing, but in my defense I was only ten. I made it as far as the park directly opposite my house. I didn't get very far because my brother ran after me and made me an offer I couldn't refuse: He told me that he would let me win the next time we played…
I came home.
But why am I even mentioning this slightly embarrassing story. Well, its because its now my turn to make you an offer you can't refuse. But please, if you don't win don't run away from home. Trust me, it's not cool…
Here goes, I am starting the Like Leon Facebook page competition. Here is how it works. If you go to the following link and 'like' my page you will automatically be entered into a competition to win a $500 American Airlines gift certificate. This certificate can be used on any international or domestic flight for one year. No questions asked.
The draw for the winner will take place on the day my book launches on October 3rd 2011. Winner will then be sent the gift certificate. If you don't win there will always be the next competition…
For all you 'catastrophic, complete break with reality losers' out there: I am rooting for you!
Leon Logothetis
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August 18, 2011
What do you want to be when you grow up?
"God gives us dreams a size too big so that we can grow in them." Author Unknown
The question "What do you want to be when you grow up?" is overused but its symbolism chases us through time. For those who are not embracing their true passions the question haunts them. I know this because it haunted me for years. I was living other people's dreams. I was denying my own truth. I was lost.
Then one day it all changed. I no longer felt lost.
Today I can gratefully say I am doing what I wanted to do when I grew up. And when I meet people who are doing the same it inspires me.
I recently met one such man. A man who by chance realized that what he was doing with his life was not fulfilling his dreams. Or his soul. So he became a man who had the courage to find a new path and become what he had always dreamt of being. Someone who created a life for himself out of nothing. That man is called John Millios.
Now I hear you mutter, who is John Millios and why should I read the rest of this post about a man I don't even know. Well, the answer is simple. John's life and decision to embark on a career in photography is the perfect example of someone living their truth. Someone living their boyhood dream. It is a story of someone who created a life for himself. On his own terms. His story is a timeless rendition of positive living. So, you may not know John but I bet you know someone like John.
I often find that too many of us plod through our lives failing to fully grasp the greatness we possess. This greatness lies within us all. Now, don't be fooled. I don't mean that to be great we have to save the world like Winston Churchill or create flight like the Wright brothers. Yes, these are great achievements. But to me, simple greatness is living out our dreams and in the process being of service to others.
Greatness comes in all shapes and sizes.
What struck me about John was his uncanny ability to capture the soul of my beloved Winston. I felt that this ability to create a connection between owner and pet was truly amazing. It literally brought tears to my eyes as I saw my baby in front of me. His character clear and unmistakable. This is the greatness that John possesses. An ability to create connection through his art.
Again, we all have gifts. We all have paths that are perfectly laid out for us. Yet too many of us lose our way. We get distracted and end up suffering for our own lack of imagination and clarity. If you are doing what you wanted to do when you grew up then consider yourself lucky. Not because you are one of the lucky few who have stumbled across your dreams, but because you are one of the lucky ones that followed your true path. This is where the magic is.
I think Winston is happy that John found his true path…
Leon Logothetis
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