North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail

by Scott Jurek

“Remember this, boy: This is who I am, and this is what I do.”

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The mind of a warrior (or anyone performing a difficult task) should be so attuned to the moment that thoughts and emotions do not impede proper action. A mind in this condition is thought to function so optimally that the right decisions come naturally and pain and fear disappear. I often saw similarities between this mind-set and what elite athletes refer to as being “in the zone.”

We often think we can’t go any farther and feel like we have nothing left to give, yet there is a hidden potential and strength in all of us, begging us to find it.

“your mind can’t know what’s coming,”

Out there in the wild, on a long journey, you hike your own hike, blaze your own trail, and only you can find what you’re looking for.