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Self Help / Travelogue
Can You Find Wisdom in the
Wilderness?
Francis Tapon sought wisdom when he quit his
Silicon Valley job, donated most of his belongings, and set off to hike the
Appalachian Trail. He and his hiking partner, Lisa Garrett, traversed the 2,168
mile footpath by walking for nearly four months from sunrise to sunset. The
pilgrimage gave him insights that not only apply to backpacking, but to life
itself. It also taught him that there sure are easier ways to go from Maine to
Georgia.
While you enjoy the intense journey, you’ll
learn:
- Why the
Appalachian Trail’s credo is relevant to your life.
- How to control
your finances.
- How to discover
and pursue your passion.
- How to avoid
costly mistakes and conquer your fears.
- How to
dramatically improve your health.
- Why the
Appalachian Trail teaches you more about human nature than Mother Nature.
- How to shrug off
misfortune and live stress free.
- Why mosquitoes
just want to be your friend.
Packed with two color maps,
photographs, sidebars, and self assessment quizzes!
“Don’t expect a dull trail log. Don’t expect
a humdrum self-help book. Instead, expect to laugh and learn as Hike Your Own
Hike weaves practical wisdom with an epic journey as the backdrop.” —
Dave Roberson, President and Chief Operating Officer, Hitachi Data Systems
"Francis Tapon shares the useful insights he gained after
hiking over 2,000 miles in the wilderness. Hike Your Own Hike is not a
book about how to backpack, but how to live. It will reawaken your spirit and
energize your soul." — Liz Bergeron, Executive Director, Pacific Crest Trail
Association
“It’s hard to imagine a book could combine
the strengths of Bill Bryson’s Walk in the Woods and Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,
but Hike Your Own Hike has
done it!” — Marco Iansiti, Harvard Business School Professor
Have you settled for a good life, but
not an amazing one? Go from the rut to the ridge!
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Francis Tapon knew he had a good life—he had a
great career, fantastic friends, a nice home, and a cool electric
shaver. However, something was missing. His life was good, but not
great. It was quite predictable and safe, but thoroughly uninspiring. He
wondered how to take his life to the next level.
He thought it would be smart to do what the
sages do: hang out in the woods for several months and get some wisdom.
Although he ultimately found wisdom, finding it wasn’t as easy or as
romantic as all those spiritual books say it is. They neglect to mention
that during the hot humid summer months there’s no air conditioning in
the woods.
Hike Your Own Hike balances the story of
an adventurous and insightful trip across the Appalachian Mountains with
practical advice on how to squeeze the most out of life both on and off
the trail. It’s enlightening, educational, and entertaining. It’s a
serious book that doesn’t take itself so seriously.
Hiking the entire Appalachian Trail in one
season has soared in popularity over the last 20 years. Compared to
1986, there are eight times more people trying to “thru-hike” it! What
accounts for this phenomenon?
Today people are overly stressed and need a
break to return to the fundamentals. Feeling disconnected from the
rhythms of life, hikers go on multi-month trails to recalibrate
their perspective.
Hike Your Own Hike is about an incredible
pilgrimage, what we can learn from it, and how to enrich our lives
without getting too muddy. |
“This is definitely not your ordinary
Appalachian Trail thru-hike memoir.” — Brian T. Fitzgerald, Chair,
Appalachian Trail Conservancy
“Francis Tapon’s book is a marvelous
addition to the very best outdoor and personal development books
available. Against the backdrop of a rich and unique journey along the
Appalachian Trail, Hike Your Own Hike offers the reader a wealth
of practical how-tos blended masterfully with the wisdom of the ages.
This isn't another boring hiking guidebook, it’s a wonderful guidebook
for life.” — Kim and Demetri Coupounas, Co-Founders, GoLite
 About the author
Francis Tapon is a
public speaker, consultant, and life coach. He has traveled to over 60
countries and plans to backpack the Pacific Crest Trail and the
Continental Divide Trail. He was born and raised in San Francisco. He
has a degree with Honors in Religion from Amherst College and an MBA
from Harvard Business School.
Visit
FrancisTapon.com
Francis is donating
50% of his book royalty to the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail,
and the Continental Divide Trail. So even if you don’t think you’ll like this
book, buy it anyway so you can support those trails.
J
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