Camping as a kid, I invariably found myself on the edge of a cliff, steeling myself for the plunge into the cold and hopefully deep waters of the lake below. While I hesitated, other kids would hurtle past me. Eventually, I would uproot my feet from where they were planted in the firm ground and I too would become a creature of the air. Once freed of the earth and its consequences, that exhilaration was one which I would seek repeatedly. The greatest challenge for me was always that initial decision to leave terra firma and leap into space.

In the last few weeks, people have asked me whether I was excited about my upcoming trip. I’d reply in the positive, but I was also aware of something more complex in my outlook. The closest equivalent I can think of are those experiences of cliff jumping.

I began composing this post while I was in the air over the Atlantic. I’m flying now, and there’s no turning back! An old high school friend began posting a series of articles on fearless creativity in 2013. Although I don’t consider myself to be a “creative type,” much of what he wrote at cliffjump.net makes sense to me and the way I’ve tried to lead my life.