Lessons Learned Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Lessons Learned Hiking the
Appalachian Trail

Presented:
August 13, 2016 at Drupal Camp Asheville
October 22, 2016 at Drupal Camp Atlanta
November 5, 2016 at Drupal Camp Chattanooga

Jim Smith

Oak Ridge, Tenn.
Oak Ridge National Lab
Started using Drupal in 2005
Drupal user #16880
Trail Name: Gravity

2,189.8 miles

Appalachian Trail map

Springer Mountain, Georgia

April 3, 2017

Mt. Katahdin, Maine

Oct. 4, 2017

>

White blaze

Differences

Hikers carry all of their possessions on their back
Developers have all the comforts of home and office
Hikers rarely shower
Developers regularly shower
...unless they work from home

Similarities

Trail Names / User Names
Unique jargon, expressions and traditions
Free and Open Access

More Similarities

A close-knit community bound by a shared experience and commitment
Managed and maintained by volunteers
Supported by governments, businesses and non-profits
Offer many challenges and rewards

Seven Lessons

Lesson 1

Carry only what you fear.

Lesson 2

If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there.

Lesson 3

Maine isn’t going to walk to you.

Lesson 4

No pain, no rain, no Maine.
Pain is mandatory. Misery is optional.
Embrace the suck.

The biggest similarity between the AT community and the Drupal community is what binds them together: Shared experiences and shared goals.

Study by researchers at Yale University asked participants what they thought about about chocolate they sampled.

Not every experience is good, but a shared conditioned puts the participants on the same wavelength.

“Sharing an experience might lead people naturally to think more about the contents of each other’s minds, a phenomenon called mentalizing, and this might increase the impact of the shared stimulus.”

Share your knowledge. Share your experience. Share your time. Chances are you will learn new skills.

The biggest similarity between the AT community and the Drupal community is what binds them together: Shared experiences and shared goals.

Study by researchers at Yale University asked participants what they thought about about chocolate they sampled.

Not every experience is good, but a shared conditioned puts the participants on the same wavelength.

“Sharing an experience might lead people naturally to think more about the contents of each other’s minds, a phenomenon called mentalizing, and this might increase the impact of the shared stimulus.”

Share your knowledge. Share your experience. Share your time. Chances are you will learn new skills.

The biggest similarity between the AT community and the Drupal community is what binds them together: Shared experiences and shared goals.

Study by researchers at Yale University asked participants what they thought about about chocolate they sampled.

Not every experience is good, but a shared conditioned puts the participants on the same wavelength.

“Sharing an experience might lead people naturally to think more about the contents of each other’s minds, a phenomenon called mentalizing, and this might increase the impact of the shared stimulus.”

Share your knowledge. Share your experience. Share your time. Chances are you will learn new skills.

The biggest similarity between the AT community and the Drupal community is what binds them together: Shared experiences and shared goals.

Study by researchers at Yale University asked participants what they thought about about chocolate they sampled.

Not every experience is good, but a shared conditioned puts the participants on the same wavelength.

“Sharing an experience might lead people naturally to think more about the contents of each other’s minds, a phenomenon called mentalizing, and this might increase the impact of the shared stimulus.”

Share your knowledge. Share your experience. Share your time. Chances are you will learn new skills.

Lesson 5

Embrace the community.
We are all invested in each other's success.
Experiences are better when they're shared.

The biggest similarity between the AT community and the Drupal community is what binds them together: Shared experiences and shared goals.

Study by researchers at Yale University asked participants what they thought about about chocolate they sampled.

Not every experience is good, but a shared conditioned puts the participants on the same wavelength.

“Sharing an experience might lead people naturally to think more about the contents of each other’s minds, a phenomenon called mentalizing, and this might increase the impact of the shared stimulus.”

Share your knowledge. Share your experience. Share your time. Chances are you will learn new skills.

Lesson 6

Hike your own hike.
Leave no trace.

What does this mean? The path you take is your own. Yes, but what does that say about the path you take? Every purpose is unique.

You are entitled to go your own way, but how? Where? To be clear, it's your career. Maybe the sites you build are your sites. It's your life. Do you like it? Do you learn from it? If not, find another journey. Life is too short to be doing something you don't enjoy. But don't let that be a cop out. "Leave no trace." Hike your own hike if you aren't leaving wreckage behind you. Make sure you aren't negatively impacting those around you.Enjoy the experience.

Lesson 7

If you have an ambition, make it your dream.
If you have a dream, make it your passion.
If you have a passion, make it your commitment.
If you have a commitment, make it happen.

Thru-hikers never die,

they just smell that way.

hikewithgravity.com
@hikewithgravity