Synopsis

Adventure is in our genes, for 99% of human history we were nomadic explorers; hunting wild animals, climbing mountains, crossing rivers and discovering new territory were an integral part of our existence. Regrettably, the successive agricultural, industrial and technological revolutions of the last twelve thousands years have little by little separated us from our primal instincts. Sitting still, enclosed by four walls, most likely focused on a screen, has gradually become the new normal. Yet, for many among us, the comfort of the contemporary boxed life leaves us with a hollow feeling. The ‘call for adventure’ is still in us, but what was once necessary for our survival has now become a luxury, a treat reserved for our weekends and yearly holidays, a freedom restricted to timely limitations set up by society as acceptable, or at least that's what we believe. The individual that lives most similar to how our ancestors used to do for hundreds of thousands of years is nowadays a rare, fortunate exception. Today, the one who makes a livelihood by his actions in the outdoors is no longer the norm, but rather seems to be a unique divine force gifted with a stunning skillset and a rock solid mind, a natural-born hero.

In ‘We could be heroes’, 100 adventurers, explorers and outdoor athletes share their life story. These people are often looked at as heroes; they have tens of thousands of social media followers, are covered in outdoor magazines and television documentaries, and tell their captivating stories to many thousands of listeners on stage. These heroes make the audience dream, they make us long for exploration and they make us wish we’d be having a similarly amazing lifestyle ourselves. Most of us, listeners, never go beyond dreaming and wishing though. Limiting beliefs - “I am not good enough”, “I don’t have a special talent”, ”I can’t do this while having a family” - or fears - “What if I go broke?”, “What if I fail?”, ”What if people make fun out of me?” - hold us back from taking action and living our best, most adventurous, soul-connected lives. Yet, the adventurers in this book show that they are only ordinary heroes, they are normal people who have flaws, struggle with fear and make mistakes, just like us. But what separates them from most of their admirers is that they have strong enough reasons, powerful strategies and clever tactics to not let self-doubt, criticism or other obstacles stop them from listening to their heart, putting in the necessary work and becoming the person they truly want to be. By sharing what an unconventional career has taught them, the heroes in this book leave us with no more excuses to not follow in their footsteps.

Being born and raised in highly urbanised Belgium, it took until his 26th birthday before Glenn Valentin had his first encounter with adventure. During a 3-month long bicycle journey in Morocco, Italy and Slovenia, he fell in love with the mountains. Returning back home, Glenn felt a huge missing for the natural beauty of the planet and decided to move to the French Pyrenees. Over there, Glenn started canyoning, rock climbing, mountaineering, hiking and trailrunning. The aliveness he felt during those activities in the outdoors was in stark contrast to the unfulfillment experienced during his dayjob. After listening countless times to Alan Watts' famous speech "What if money was no object?", the answers "Being an adventurer and writer" could no longer be neglected. That's how Glenn decided to ask for advice and write a book about it...

Check-out the 100 adventurers here: www.smileplaygive.com

10 % of the book's revenue will go to Protect Our Winters, a community of athletes, scientists, creatives and business leaders advancing non-partisan policies that protect our world today and for future generations.

Read a sample chapter of the book here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14kqdT3aAwXHqjDpASAcM-X3QAx1UR0zx/view?usp=sharing

Sales arguments

• The adventurer's following on Instagram adds up to over 1,8 million fans. Most of them are willing to give a shout out for the launch on social media.
• The forword is written by Karen Darke, an all-round, well-recognised paraplegic adventurer and Paralympic Champion.
• Dean Karnazes is one of the interviewed adventurers. He's a phenomenon in the USA, even known by the general public.
• I (the writer) am involved in 2 international adventure networks/communities ("Adventure Psychology Network" and "Activate Your Life") and have an e-maillist of over 300 adventurous people who might be interested in buying the book.
• I (the writer) plan to SUP 5000 km across Europe in 2022, an endeavour that'll put the knowledge of this book into practice and that will be a promotion for the book in itself

Similar titles

• Tools of Titans, by Tim Ferriss. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (2016). "Tools of Titans" and "We could be heroes" both share strategies and tactics from the pro's. Opposed to Tools of Titans, the pro's in my book are only adventurers, not top-entrepreneurs or professional athletes from conventional sports.
• Chicken soup for the soul, by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. Published by Chicken Soup of the Soul Publishing (2012). 'We could be heroes' is different because it's focused only on stories from adventurers, explorers and outdoor athletes. Its stories are nourishing for the soul too, but also provide very concrete insights about how to push your life into a different, more adventurous direction.
• Grand Adventures, by Alastair Humphrey. Published by William Collins (2016). 'We could be heroes' is different because it's a descriptive book, opposed to Humphrey's prescriptive guide to adventures. In 'Grand adventures', Humphrey also interviews adventurers, yet his interviews are focused on the type of adventure this person does. In my book, I'm really diving deep into the personality of each portrayed adventurer.

Audience

This is the must-read book for outdoor-lovers who are feeling stuck in the rut of a “normal” life and willing to initiate on the difficult but wonderful path that leads to exploration, creativity, freedom and a deep connection with their own soul.

Advance praise

"You’ve done an amazing job!! Well done on turning my ramblings into something coherent!" (Roz Savage, one of the heroes, rowed solo across the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific Ocean)

"I very much like how you've written down my story! Thank you for all your work and inspiration!" (Dakota Jones, one of the heroes, professional trailrunner)

"Wonderful text, Glenn. I am already very exciting to read the book!!!" (Kristina Palten, one of the heroes, ultrarunner and kayaker)

"The content is great. You did a really good job!" (Alice Morrison, one of the heroes, crosses deserts with camels)

"Wonderful, Glenn! Success with the rest of your book's 'pregnancy', looking forward to its birth!" (Dixie Dansercoer, one of the heroes, polar explorer)

"This has been one of the best interviews of my entire career, very well done!" (Lorraine Huber, one of the heroes, former World Champion Freeride ski)