In 2000, a friend of mine in South Africa started a small paddle sports company called GOYA, an acronym for Get Off Your Ass. A mantra that he lives his life by and one by which I try to live mine. Sometimes, things would appear to get in the way.

Two weeks ago I had a shoulder reconstruction. 4 weeks in a sling, a long (let's be honest, pretty boring!) rehab program and at a bare minimum 3-6 months out from any activity that I might normally undertake (grappling, surfing, weights, climbing etc). Major motivation drainer! Ouch! It is a short, sharp spiral to sitting on my backside feeling sorry for myself. Justifying this sloth with the fact I have one bung arm. "I can't do anything!"

I have been thinking a lot about how I am going to keep motivated. How to keep stoked about my work and play time (fortunately these are, and should be, one and the same!). So, what am I going to do? I have a few ideas and am constantly looking for more. Some are specific to my own situation but I hope a few might be applicable to all.

1. Strictly adhere to my rehab program in order to make the fastest and most successful return to activity. Rehab sucks, but it must be done. Being lazy about it won't help me get back in the mountains or paddling again.

2. Follow other expeditions and adventures. Get jealous! It can be a good thing. It will get you all excited about what you can do next.

3. Adapt. Some things I can do. Free squats, lunges, abdominals, stretching. Do as much as YOU can. Don't weigh yourself down about the things you can't. I don't mean settle for less, but be smart about it.

4. Watch porn! After you have wiped your tea off the screen, I mean kayak porn, climbing porn, bike porn, surf porn, ski porn etc. Something like Bruce Iron ripping in Indonesia above or perhaps even this. Whatever gets your adrenalin pumping and puts you in a good state of mind.

5. Don't follow the norm. I want to spend time over the next few months doing a lot of thinking. Whether that is about a particular expedition, a new project or way of earning a living as a professional adventurer. Sure, I can write articles and speak about my adventures. Two things I very much enjoy. But, writing and speaking have been an adventurer's bread and butter for hundreds of years. Things change. So many aspects of adventuring have been revolutionized in the past few decades. Why not the way in which a living can be made from the lifestyle? No light bulb moments as yet. I will keep you posted.

6. Most importantly - harden up! It's only a shoulder recon and a matter of months before I am back in the game. Stronger people than I have endured far worse and overcome greater difficulties to excel in life. Sometimes, after you've had a bit of a whinge, you need to give yourself a good kick up the backside and remind yourself of what true obstacles are. Rehabbing a busted shoulder isn't really that high on the "tough" list now is it?

Perhaps you can help? Let me know your strategies for keeping amped about what you do! I could always do with more!