#41 Jordan Wylie on the Power of the Paddle, the Edge of Life, and Knowing Your Why

Jordan Wylie is not good at one thing in particular: being idle. This man does life-threatening adventure like most people go to the store. When Covid restrictions put a halt to his attempt to run 10 marathons in the 10 coldest places on the planet, Jordan rapidly switched plans to attempt to circumnavigate the United Kingdom on a stand up paddleboard. To add to the extreme level of difficulty in this quest, Jordan had to first learn to paddleboard, in less than 7 days.

What may seem like pursuits of madness, for Jordan are in reality pursuits of purpose. He does not focus as much on how he is going to accomplish something as he does on why he is going to accomplish something. His “Why” for this sea voyage was a little boy in Africa who he had promised to build a school for. So his fundraising paddleboard expedition was to him not a choice but a duty. While England was in lockdown, Jordan took to the seas.

Despite superhuman credentials, Jordan humbly makes it clear that he is not resistant to suffering and struggles. He details his harrowing experience with divorce that eventually led him to contemplate his final journey from a skyscraper in Dubai. The man who had once climbed Kilimanjaro barefoot and had fought off Somali pirates had nearly lost both his “why” and his will. With renewed determination, he is now trying to remove the stigma of mental illness and also to provide education for children who have few options.

“It’s only when you are being tested that you can really find out, I feel, what your made of deep down when it’s all said and done.”

— Jordan Wylie

In my opinion, Jordan is superhero-like, and he is also remarkably human, in ways that enable him to change lives. His newest book, The Power of the Paddle, is an account of his world record-breaking paddleboard journey and will be released this fall.

Be prepared to be deeply moved in this episode of Salish Wolf with Jordan Wylie.

Episode Links:

Jordanwylie.org

Books by Jordan Wylie

FaceBook: @mrjordanwylie

Instagram: @mrjordanwylie

Anchor Point Links:

Men’s Retreats at Anchor Point Expeditions

Men’s Group at Anchor Point Expeditions

Grief Recovery Program with Brea Segger