How skating 400 miles in the Philippines will make you a better entrepreneur
Written by Noah Shoaf
As an entrepreneur, have you ever had high levels of risk and stress? You might feel it is so difficult to know when your insane idea will be your winning idea.
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BYU–Hawaii alumnus, James Astle, a special instructor for the Willes Center, had an insane idea. Did it have high levels of risk and stress? Most definitely, along with high levels of danger.
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No, it was not a new startup or patent-pending product, but it was a winning idea.
“Rolling Moments” revolved around Astle’s skateboard. The journey from Claveria and to Manila took 12 days. Each day he skated up to 10 hours.
Astle took a camera and decided to solo-skate 400 miles in the Philippines, starting near the coast in Claveria, hoping to reach the capital, Manila.
He said, “I had the idea to skate across the Northern Philippines. Kind of sporadic, but it just came to me one day. I got to do this. It would be a challenge. And I thought, why not find a way to share this experience with others?”
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Now, Astle has a documentary on Amazon Prime Video. It’s a 12-day journey with uplifting melodies and aerial shots, appropriately titled “Rolling Moments.”
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It is time to act on your insane idea
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Astle said the message of the film is simple, “If you’ve ever had an idea, go out and do it now. Because the world is waiting for you, but who knows how much longer that moment will wait for you.”
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You may have felt as an entrepreneur that you listen to self-limiting beliefs. You become too afraid to act, and you are justified for doing so.
Investopedia found 30 percent of new businesses fail during the first two years of their conception, 50 percent during the first five years and 66 percent during the first ten years.
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Although these numbers might discourage you, 92 percent of entrepreneurs do not regret launching their businesses. Yes, there is a chance you will fail, but as Astle suggests, living with regret is much worse than living with failure.
What challenges you most is often the most rewarding
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Being an entrepreneur, you are used to challenges. You might be even more attracted to something just because it is a challenge like Astle.
“I pulled a muscle in my calf, and it was pretty hard the last 75 miles. It was really difficult. I felt like giving up, but I kept going because I knew it would be worth it in the end.”
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Toward the end of his trip, it began to rain, making the streets slick, but Astle said he kept going, imagining finishing his trip without regrets.
From biking across Los Angeles without a phone to walking from Laie to Honolulu in a day, Astle said those adventures pushed him to make “Rolling Moments.”
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No matter how effective his mindset was, it did not make his journey any safer. “If I break my skateboard. If I get lost out here. If there’s no cell service, what am I going to do?” noted Astle.
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Despite these risks and many encounters with uneven pavement, Astle found something that you can apply to your entrepreneurs efforts.
“The fact that it was hard made the trip a lot more meaningful. Because it pushed me in ways that I would normally not be pushed.”
Astle said when things get hard, remember that it’s part of the journey. “When you finally get there, you’ll be so happy, and you’ll enjoy it so much more. The value of your experience goes way up because you really earned it.”
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If you are being pushed right now, maybe this pushing is what you need as an entrepreneur.
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You will have more “skin” in the game.
You will appreciate success when it comes.
You will stay committed to your insane idea.
How preparation will lower the risk of your failure
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It is not science. Preparation and strategy should always guide your entrepreneurial decisions. Even insane ideas need comprehensive game plans.
Astle said if you want to follow through with your dream, you need a plan. That requires setting goals, creating expectations and having an open heart and mind.
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“You shouldn’t be scared because it will only hold you back from experiencing what could potentially change your life. Just go out there and do it, but make sure you have a plan.
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It doesn’t mean you can’t be spontaneous. The plan is there to guide you to good opportunities.”
Astle planned for his trip by using Google Street View, mapping out every road he would take. He also skated 15 to 20 miles each day to get into shape.
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As an entrepreneur, you might think it is tedious to plan every road you will take. However, it paid off for Astle. When you have a path from start to finish, you have added confidence and safety.
Beyond safety, Astle said he was also blessed by talking, smiling and laughing with the Filipino people.
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Living in the moment will help you have focus
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Patrick Henry, founder & CEO of QuestFusion, stated seven reasons why entrepreneurs experienced a business failure.
The lack of focus was at the top of the list.
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Astle shared, “All you really have is right now. It’s the only thing that really makes life possible in this moment right here.”
If you are worried about something, whether that is in the past or the future, you miss out on the present experience, added Astle.
He noted how right now you have complete control of how you feel, what you are doing and where you will go, but you do not with the past and the future.
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“Take a break, take a moment and take a breath. What is your goal right now? Where are you going? What steps are you making?”
Astle said the people he met did not really live fancy lives. “Their livelihood was very, very simple and easygoing. That helped me realize my life needs to be more simple.”
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As an entrepreneur, your work consumes everything. Taking a break and a breath will sharpen your decision-making. You will be focused and know how to respond to challenges.
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You might get wrapped up in your business’s past successes or future gains. Instead, focus on how your business can succeed today.
Astle said his trip allowed him to be more present. Since he was on the road, he was not looking at social media or the computer screen.
“On the road, you’re aware, and your senses are engaged. As you’re skating, you’re just completely in the moment, and you feel everything. And you start using all your senses.
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A lot of times, we forget about [using all our senses] because we’re not engaged in the moment as we should be.”
Build off your success to make the greatest impact
Rolling Moments is just the beginning for Astle. He said he wants to do a “part two” once traveling is safe and not restricted by COVID-19.
Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and some Latin American countries are all potential settings for his next documentary. It will feature people giving back in creative ways.
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Like every great entrepreneur, Astle wants to build from his success. He is committed to make the film even better than “Rolling Moments.”
He has the goal for his next adventure to go on Netflix. A more challenging platform to get published on than Amazon Prime.
“It’s not as hard as it seems to get out in the world and do a trip of your own, whether it is on a bike, a unicycle, rollerblades or even just regular traveling, I am hoping that people will see that these kinds of adventures are possible, not as far-fetched as it may seem.”
Sure, you may not skate 400 miles in the Philippines, no matter how attractive it appears.
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However, acting without hesitation, adequately preparing and having focus will make you a stronger entrepreneur no matter what journey you take.
For people who want an adventure but cannot travel due to the pandemic, Astle said, “Go out and explore your hometown. There’s still a lot of cool things at home that you may not have seen.”
Watch “Rolling Moments” using this link https://amzn.to/3dKBChv
Visit Astle’s website, www.tukanproductions.com and follow him on Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/aojma/
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The article was written for the BYUH Willes Center. Pictures provided by James Astle.
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