While traveling through the island of Java, something unexpected happened one day —I started feeling this joy and pride in myself. No more wondering of what if. I just knew —I got this. I can figure things out.

It had been a long, exhausting day. I got lost, had no phone signal or WiFi, had to ask locals for help using hand gestures and a lot of creativity (since no one spoke English), and ended up walking several kilometers to reach my destination just before dark. But even after all that, I felt more alive and energized than ever. I had done something hard, stepped out of my comfort zone, and come out the other side victorious.

At the time, I thought it was just the relief of finally figuring out how to get to my hostel instead of being stranded and having to sleep on the sidewalk. Or maybe it was the location —the incredible views, the sense of freedom.

It took me a while to connect the dots. But now I know: doing hard things is incredibly rewarding. That’s when I grow the most. Every time I push through something difficult, I come out the other side a different person.

Last year, I did something that, just two years earlier, I thought was impossible —I went back to Nepal for another multi-day hike. It wasn’t easy. It took time, discipline, training, problem-solving, finding the right people, asking for help, and trying new things. But it was all worth it.

During that hike, I realized something: when I have a big, specific goal —one that’s both scary and exciting —and the right help and discipline, I can accomplish anything. Watch the story of my Nepal trip here.

So, what’s next for me?

Well, the next challenge came to me instantly while training for that hike: I want to complete a 500-mile (800 km) bike ride.

It’s been on my bucket list for years. I actually tried to do it back in 2020 but got injured halfway through training. The longest ride I’ve ever done is 60 miles (100 km) in one go —this will be eight times that.

Is it scary? Yes!
Is it exciting? Double yes!

So, sticking to my realization from last year, I asked myself the same questions:

• What’s my big, specific goal? A self-supported bike ride from Berlin to Austria —800 km in 8 days —in July 2025.
• What help and discipline do I need to achieve this goal? A sports expert who’s done something like this before to guide me in choosing the right gear and training, and my personal trainer John to teach me how to train and keep me accountable during the 5 months of training.

And that’s it. The first steps are already in motion, and the date is set. It is coming soon, and I can already feel the excitement. Having a clear goal makes training so much easier. Honestly, I don’t know if I can ever go back to exercising without a specific purpose or big goal.

So, what about you?

What’s a hard thing you’ve always wanted to do? Or what hard thing are you working on right now?