Damian Geleyns is on a mission. The mission — simple and complicated all at once — is to inspire people to live their “Legend Life.” A life that is lived to the absolute fullest; a life that fills one’s narrative with authentic, extraordinary experiences.
Damian has created several websites on his mission to inspire others to lead this type of life. The websites act to form a community of like-minded people, connecting online, and are geared toward inspiring each other to be more active. Legendlifeafter40.com offers a community for people who need inspiration after age 40; the 52 Experiences challenge challenges and provides accountability for people to have one new experience a week.
The communities are just part of what Damian is trying to accomplish. He has also written a 150-page e-book called the “Ageless Living Manifesto,” featuring a road map to living the “legendary life” at any age. The manifesto is designed to be a daily reminder that “it is not our age but only ourselves that can limit us from living the lives that we desire”.
In an interview with Kinute, Damian shares his views of living a Legend Life, his thoughts on staying active after 40 and what is left on his bucket list.
Damian Geleyns on one of his many Legend Life adventures. Photo provided by Damian Geleyns
Q: You are a resident of the world, living in six countries, currently in Brazil. Have you found the spirit of adventure to be different in different countries? Have you been inspired to explore more in certain places?
A: Being a New Zealander and a little biased I would have to say that there is an inherent spirit of adventure because we live in quite a rugged pristine country with many different landscapes and natural things to explore. So, my experience has been that most New Zealanders love getting outdoors and being adventurous.
That being said, in all the different places I have lived I have found the adventurous spirit to be alive and well. It typically is more pronounced in locations that lend themselves to people getting outdoors. So, if you live in a place where the outdoors are accessible and there are plenty of outdoor sports to practice, I find the people in these areas tend to be more adventurous.
On the flipside of this I find that typically people who live in big cities tend to be the least adventurous in all places in the world.
Damian and his son exploring the Legend Life. Photo provided by Damian Geleyns
You refer to yourself as a "Legend Life Evangelist.” What do you think it takes for someone to live a "Legend Life?"
Firstly, it is important to say that the definition of what is your best life or what I call your Legend Life is personal to each person. But I do believe there are some overarching requirements. Primarily that you feel fulfilled and satisfied by your life. Secondly, that you feel you are living your life on your terms and according to what is important to you. Thirdly, that you feel you are living your potential and excelling in all dimensions of your life. Lastly, that you are living your life purposefully, passionately and with no regrets.
When I say I am a Legend Life Evangelist I am basically saying that my mission in life is to awaken everyone to the fact that all of us have within us a definition of what a Legend Life means to us and with it a capacity to live it. We just need to define what a Legend Life means to us personally, believe we can live it and start taking the action and make the choices to live it.
Swimming with giants as part of living a Legend Life. Photo provided by Damian Geleyns
Your movement is “Legend Life After 40.” Why do you think people over 40 lose the drive to adventure and what can be done to continue to live that Legend Life?
I think people when they hit 40 just have forgotten what it means to live adventurously. They get so caught up on the daily grind of living, paying the bills and working, that they have forgotten to make time for themselves to have some adventure in their lives. They come to assume that how they are currently living, which is basically surviving as opposed to thriving, is the norm and have forgotten what excites them and so don’t seek it.
On the other hand there are those who believe they are too old to do anything adventurous or they are already feeling the effects of a sedentary lifestyle and have health issues that they use as an excuse to not adventure.
But in both cases it is just a mindset thing. I think the need to adventure is inherent in each of us and we can rediscover it at any age. Once we do rediscover it and start acting on it, life suddenly takes on a new dimension.
Damian indulging in a hang gliding venture. Photo provided by Damian Geleyns
You also have a challenge, the 52 Experiences, which is a little different than most in that it doesn't tie people to one activity. Why do you think having different experiences can lead to living the best life?
I am a firm believer that each of us have a need for novelty and spontaneity and we need to satisfy these needs to feel fulfilled and happy with life. Our lives are already quite regimented by our work routine, family responsibilities and even our wellness or fitness routine so for me adding one more regimented routine to our fun and relaxation time seems counterintuitive.
For me our free time should be about trying new things, having new experiences and taking ourselves out of our comfort zone a little. It shouldn’t be about allowing ourselves to fall into the same pattern as other parts of our life where we just do the same things over and over again.
That being said, if you are passionate about one particular activity there is no problem doing this one activity but you should at least look to see how you can make this experiential as well by doing it in a different way or in a different location.
Skydiving to a Legend Life. Photo provided by Damian Geleyns
When you aren't inspiring countless people to live better, what activities do you like to do?
Broadly I like to do anything that challenges me physically, gets me outdoors in nature and exploring new places. So, that means hiking, mountain biking, and snorkeling. It also means traveling to new places, especially those that are good for outdoor sports.
I have an 11-year-old son so my focus is on activities I can do with him. So, it is now all about trying as many new activities as possible, having new adventures and visiting new places to instill in him a love for the outdoors and new experiences.
Damian and his son rappelling into Cenote Jaguar on the Riviera Maya near Tulum, Mexico. Photo provided by Damian Geleyns
What adventures are still on your bucket list?
I have a pretty extensive bucket list but some immediate near-term ones that I hope to accomplish in the next 18 months are:
- Hike the Inca Trail
- Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
- Go on a walking Safari in the Serengeti
- Go hiking in Patagonia both the Chilean and Argentinian side
- Go trekking in Morocco
- Live in Portugal near the coastline with my son
- Plus 100+ more
A motto that kind of sums up how I would like to live my life is “Live that you may live.” It is something that reminds me that if I am to be happy with my life I need to live my life passionately and do all that I love because if I don’t I won’t have truly lived this short life of mine.
What scares me is looking back on my life and feeling I have not fully lived it and that I have wasted the opportunity I have been given to explore all we have on offer on this planet and to do all that is available to do.
Damian Geleyns on a zip line. Photo provided by Damian Geleyns
What is one thing you would like someone who is reading this, that might still need a little push, to take away from your story?
That it is never too late and you are never too old to start creating your best life or what I call a Legend Life. Life is a journey and the quest to live your best life doesn’t stop until this journey comes to an end. So, don’t allow your age to limit you or the fact you may not have achieved what you want in life. Start today imagining what your best life looks like to you and start from this day making the choices that will help you create it. Life is to be lived, so live it.