When and how?

When do dreams become realities? How do you take the leap of faith that is required to leave the life you know so you can dive into the great unknown? How to you transition from a life of people and relative ease to a life of solitude and survival? How do you go from big box store convenience to living off of the land utilizing your own wits and skills? How do you go from electricity, power tools and forced air, to only natural light, hand tools and fire? How do you get the nerve to risk it all, literally everything, on a dream? Hopefully like this….

My name is Adam Dixon. I am currently on active duty in the United States Navy. As I get closer and closer to retirement, the reality of what is coming up in my life is getting more and more real.

I joined the Navy shortly after High School and have been in for over 24 years. It is unquestionably the greatest decision I have ever made. I have had a successful career in the Gas Turbine field and have absolutely loved it. But this isn’t what I want for the rest of my life.

Gas Turbines are super-complex, intricate, multi-million dollar technical wonders. I lead teams of Sailors in their maintenance, overhaul, removal and replacement and we travel anywhere the Navy needs us to do this. And I don’t want that anymore.

I don’t want millions of dollars worth of equipment and the ability or inability of a ship to get underway in defense of our Nation, to rest on my shoulders. I don’t want the lives of my Sailors and their families to depend on my decisions, whims and moods. And I don’t want my life to depend on the decisions, whims and moods of my superiors.

I want Simple. Tangible. Understandable. Relatable. I want to be the doer. I want my decisions to affect me. I want my efforts and the level there-of to result in my rewards. The harder the work, the greater the reward. I’m ready for my own life.  Maybe you’ll follow along.

Adam