Phil Keoghan is the host of that “amazing” reality series, “The Amazing Race.”

The native New Zealander more than walks his talk. In his book “NOW-No Opportunity Wasted”, he lets us visit his notion that none of us have to live SMALL lives.

He’s a bungee jumping, mountain climbing, parasailing, termite/slug eating, cobra blood drinking, iron man triathlon participant, husband, father and dreamer.

It all started the way most wake up calls come….when you’re about to lose something; in his case, his life. He was 19, scuba diving, cut off from his crew and running out of air. Imagine!!! 19 years old with all of it ahead of you and moments from death. Whatever deal he made with the devil or whatever solemn vow he made to God worked because he lived to see another day. And boy has he lived.

Ok. Not all of us are Phil Keoghans. Most of us don’t get the opportunity to kiss death on the cheek well before “our time” in our 70’s or 80’s.  Not all of us take even the threat of loss to shake us up. What? You’re losing someone you care about? To inattention or indifference….or most heart breakingly, to death. So what? There’s always someone else to fill the void. Isn’t there?

I’ve talked about our “throw away” world before and at first glance it seems that someone like Phil and other extreme adventure seekers are jumping from thrill to thrill in an effort to “escape”….because what they’ve got isn’t satisfying enough….because they can’t hang on to an experience long enough to savour the richness of it. People like this can come across as flaky and scattered. I don’t believe it for a minute. In the acknowledgement portion of his book, Keoghan first and foremost thanks Louise, his “best friend, fellow adventurer, business partner and wife.” He thanked his “beautiful and fearless daughter” for inspiring him every day.

This is not a man running away from life and responsibilities. This is a man INVOLVING himself in life in every way. From the heart opening adventures of committed love to life embracing adventures all over the planet.

I’m drawn to people like this amazing man. I’ve never done a bungee jump or sat down with a tribe of natives in the rainforest or eaten piranha soup (teeth and all), but I’d like to think I’m not afraid of the possibilities of attempting my own version of life enhancing adventures.

I want to take a long motorcycle trip through the mountains, never knowing what’s around the next bend in the road, until I gasp with the pleasure of seeing it.

Although skydiving’s never off the table, a hot air balloon ride would satisfy my immediate need to float high above the earth.

I’m not a runner but I want to compete in a walking marathon.

I want to perform “Patricia the Stripper” from Chris De Burgh’s Spanish Train album on stage, in front of a very large audience.

I’m not into sharks but would love to swim with dolphins.

I want to back pack across Tibet.

I want to give a speech on the same stage as my heroes, Deepak Chopra and Robin Sharma.

I want to go zip lining through the Costa Rican rain forest.

I want to go to the Adult Space Academy in Alabama.

Those are just a few. None of them death defying. I don’t need that to FEEL alive.

What I do to honour my life is to always have my foot hovering to take that LEAP OF FAITH. Because that’s what adventure and love need. You never know what’s going to happen if you take that leap; but you never know what’s going to happen if you don’t.

(visit lindakaban.com)