Do Epic Sh*t! What does this mean? Grab a cup of coffee or your favorite liquid and otherwise separate yourself from distractions for a moment then read on!
Seriously….go get a cup of comfort, or encouragement!
We only get so many useful trips around the sun. Subtract out your childhood and geriatric years, and there’s really only a precious few. What did you do with that time? Did you do any of those things that fascinated you so long ago? I know, life caught up, but it’s not too late, and maybe there are new things now.
There are things I’ve dreamed of doing, things I’ve done, and most importantly, things I never thought I’d actually be able to do. I had friends backpack through Europe. I’ve had colleagues hike the Appalachian Trail. A former boss took his teenage daughter backpacking in Machu Picchu one summer. Some college buddies spent 10 days rafting the Grand Canyon one summer. Some local F3 guys ran an Ultra through some of the most gorgeous vistas Utah has to offer. Two Carpex guys are running the next Boston Marathon!!! The memories, the sense of accomplishment, the stories. Epic.
In all those cases, these people set high aspirations, prepared mentally, physically, and financially to accomplish their goal, and the preparations took substantial time, sacrifice, effort, and support. They were probably scared at some point, maybe even terrified.
Men, since joining F3 I’ve been continually inspired by those around me. They believe in me, and I feel encouraged to do things I never thought possible. The Carpex Epic initiative (I’m not a fan of “Challenges”) is aimed at reinvigorating that sense of adventure, of living life to the fullest, and reawakening that younger you who dreamed of great things. Brother, we’re here for you, and more importantly, we want you to see these things through.
So pick something epic for you individually. It’s a stretch goal, and should honestly scare you a little. If it doesn’t scare you, it won’t feel epic. Get out of your comfort zone and commit to your goal. You can EH another F3 brother, a family member, or just another friend. Find that thing that come Dec 31, 2020 you will look back and think “Wow, I did that! I can’t believe it, I F’ing DID THAT!!!!!” (Add your own colorful language as appropriate.) This epic thing is for you and you alone, to reawaken you, to remind you that you can do more!
Your epic thing doesn’t necessarily need to be a gargantuan physical endeavor, it just really needs to have personal meaning to you that makes it epic. That being said, this is F3, so it does need a physical feat associated with it. You will want to tell others about this, brag a bit. When you tell them, they should be in awe. They should think to themselves “Damn that sounds awesome! I’d LOVE to do that one day, if only I ___________.” They should also have a little sympathy for what you endured, and perhaps even a little “you’re crazy” in their eyes after hearing about it.
For some people, it may be running a marathon. For someone who has run a marathon before, maybe it’s a destination marathon, like Chicago, Marine Corp, NYC, Boston, or Greece! For others, it may be summiting Mt Rainier. It could be bench pressing 300lbs. Or running/walking/rucking 1,000 miles in 2020. For several guys it may be running the BRR for the first time, totally epic!
There are daydreamers, talkers, and doers. Let’s be doers!
So here’s how it works:
Step 1: Find your Epic!
Find your epic and determine what makes it epic for you (this is important.) Stretch, REALLY stretch yourself, you won’t feel that sense of accomplishment if it’s easy for you. Once you find it, submit it to the epic committee (Build-A-Bear, Banjo, Disco Duck, and WWW) along with your reasoning. Once confirmed (we MAY ask you push a little harder or dig a little deeper) we’ll add it to the sheet and make it public. This helps accountability, something your F3 brethren excel at!
Step 2: Commit!
You commit by laying out $50 to F3Carpex. This cost gets you a shirt and tac patch at the end of the year if you complete your epic. If you fail to complete it, then the money is forfeit and added to the F3Carpex Charity fund.
Step 3 (optional): EH someone!
EH someone to join you! Spouse, sibling, F3 PAX, Dad, Kid, Co-Worker……..Doesn’t matter. Get a partner or three!
Step 4: Train, Plan, Set aside finances if necessary!
Get Pax to train with you and keep you motivated. Skipper’s six-word poem during GrowRuck17 sums it up: “Get stronger by chasing stronger men.”
Step 5: Crush It!
And take pictures!
At the 2023 Holiday party, tell your story, share your pictures, and get your epic idea for 2024. Keep it going! If you’re anything like me, you’ll already have a list that will go on for several years!