The Fearless Road

11. PART 2 - Conquering Oceans and Fears: A Voyage with Karlis Bardelis

• Michael D Devous Jr • Season 2 • Episode 11

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Season 2 Episode 01
"Conquering Oceans and Fears: A Voyage with Karlis Bardelis" PART 2

In the heart-pounding second part of Season 2, Episode 1, we continue our riveting conversation with host Michael Devous and guest, the intrepid Karlis Bardelis.  Having ignited the spark of adventure within us last time, Karlis is now poised to take the helm and guide us through the perilous yet exhilarating process of preparing for an epic ocean row.  Will his unwavering spirit conquer the anxieties of the unknown?  Will his meticulous planning be enough to tame the fury of the Atlantic?  Hold tight as we witness the raw determination it takes to transform a dream into a breathtaking odyssey.  This is The Fearless Road, and Karlis Bardelis is about to show us the true meaning of courage in the face of the vast unknown.

Inspired by Thor Heyerdahl's quote about the non-existence of borders in his mind, Karlis reflects on the limitations he's encountered in his own life and how he navigates them. He discusses his fear of certain activities, such as ski jumping, despite his fascination with them. Karlis emphasizes the importance of following one's excitement rather than succumbing to fear, sharing his philosophy of taking small steps toward goals rather than leaping into the unknown. He and the host, Michael, discuss the significance of celebrating small victories on the journey to personal growth and achievement.

Karlis then shares details of his first rowing adventure, which took him from Namibia to Brazil across the Atlantic Ocean. Despite minimal testing of the boat beforehand, Karlis and his team embarked on the journey, prepared with basic safety training and navigation skills. He reflects on the support of friends and family, who sometimes questioned his decisions but ultimately stood by him. Karlis emphasizes the importance of following curiosity and excitement, which has led him to unexpected opportunities such as public speaking about his adventures. As they wrap up part two, Karlis and Michael preview the next installment, where Karlis will share more about his first ocean rowing expedition. Stay tuned for part three to hear about Karlis's journey across the Atlantic.

Key Takeaways:

  1. Follow your excitement: Karlis emphasizes the importance of pursuing activities that excite you rather than succumbing to fear or limitations.
  2. Celebrate small victories: Karlis highlights the significance of acknowledging and celebrating the small steps taken towards personal growth and achievement.
  3. Preparation is key: Despite minimal testing of his boat, Karlis embarked on his first rowing adventure with basic safety training and navigation skills, showcasing the importance of preparation.

Quotes:

  1. "Borders. I have never seen one, but I have heard that they exist in the minds of some people." - Thor Heyerdahl (quoted by Karlis Bardelis), highlighting the concept of mental borders and limitations.
  2. "I was following this curiosity, where this excitement of doing the things that I really kind of feel connected." - Karlis Bardelis, emphasizing the importance of following one's excitement and curiosity.
  3. "One kilometer, one hour, one meter is the same for me. I'm human being. So it's the same for me. So it's the same for you, listener, for you who watches, this is the same." - Karlis Bardelis, emphasizing the equality of time and opportunities for personal growth.
  4. "Have a backup for your backup, 'cause that could save you." - Karlis Bardelis, highlighting the importance of preparation and contingency planning in challenging endeavors.
  5. "I was following this excitement, and I saw that, 'Oh yes, I like to speak. I like to share my story.'" - Karlis Bardelis, reflecting on how following his excitement led him to unexpected opportunities like public speaking about his adventures.
Speaker 1:

Michael Davoo 001, 002, 003, 004, 005, 006, 007, 008, 009, 0010, 0011, 0012, 0013, 0014, 0015, 0016, 0017, 0018, 0019, 0019, 0020, 0020, 0021, 0021, 0021, 0022, 0023, 0024, 0025, 0025, 0026, 0027, 0028, 0029, 0029, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030, 0030. How does someone become fearless? Well, that's exactly what we're going to find out. In every episode, we dive into the lives of individuals who've learned to turn fear into fuel, face some incredible challenges and cultivate a fearless mindset while navigating their fearless road. So join me for in-depth interviews with some amazing people where we investigate more deeply the valleys on their road to success, because the valleys are where character is built, foundations are laid and where the fearless are born. Welcome to the Fearless Road Podcast. All right, and we are back with part two of the episode, with Carlos Bartalas exploring what borders mean to him. And yeah, I'll let him take it away.

Speaker 2:

Enjoy. Yeah, I was very inspired by one quote by Tur Heyerdahl. He is an explorer from Norway. He's an explorer from Norway, tur Heyerdahl. He did an expedition called Kontiki and they made a documentary and they got Academy Awards in, I guess, 1960 as a documentary movie. When they traveled with a raft from Peru to French Polynesia and there was a reporter who asked him about borders and what do you think about borders? And he replied borders I have never seen one, but I have heard that they exist in minds of some people.

Speaker 2:

So, yeah, this quote stuck with me for the past, I think 15 to 18 years. So for myself, there are definitely some borders in my head where, let's say, there are some activities that I cannot imagine myself doing. I just can't.

Speaker 1:

Okay, Like what I mean. What would be, what would not, what would Carlos not be able to imagine?

Speaker 2:

I wouldn't imagine. You know, when I watch Olympic Games, winter Olympic Games, there is a sport where they discipline, where they go down with the skis by the very steep slope, like alone One guy with big ski jumping, ski jumping yeah. I mean, they are insane.

Speaker 1:

And then they fly, and then they fly, they fly like little squirrels. At the end, yeah, with those little wow, they have these little wings in there, absolutely that's.

Speaker 2:

That's always fascinating for me when I watch that.

Speaker 1:

I would love to do that, but for me it's.

Speaker 2:

I have some fear of like this uh feeling of flying, like I don't mind to fly in airplanes or I once flew in a helicopter in Somalia.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I love helicopters.

Speaker 2:

But like fly from some, like trampoline, I wouldn't be able to do that, so I cannot imagine that. So here is the very thin line, what I want to. Um, I want to explain, like someone might say that, oh, carlos, uh, you're afraid of that. Oh, this is not your comfort zone, go out of your comfort zone. Yeah, someone might say that, but at the same time I am going there. But at the same time I am going there where my excitement is.

Speaker 2:

I follow my excitement. So when I was following my excitement, it turned me to these adventures of human power Like step by step. I didn't start right away rowing across the sea, no, Step by step.

Speaker 1:

I had some adventures before I was telling the concept of these layers.

Speaker 2:

but I was following the excitement, I wasn't following the fear.

Speaker 1:

So, yeah it, when you know we're, we're told to lean into what we fear, we're told to chase what we fear and face what we fear, because on the other side of that, fear is is, accomplishment, is achieve, you know, is what things that we achieve personally.

Speaker 1:

Integrity is built, character is built right. Um, it sounds to me like what you've been able to do is discern a method for, for figuring out what excites you, even if it's a little scary, even if there's some fear involved in overcoming it or taking on that challenge. You, you know the difference between something that you're afraid of because it's bad or it's got too much risk or danger, and something that you have fear around but that it excites you. Right, yeah, and there's a little bit of excitement on the other side. Most of us are, and this is speaking from an entrepreneurial standpoint the things we fear are the things that have the great, have great risk, but also great reward. We are, we care about them so much that if they fail, that's what scares us we don't want to lose at at, at at this challenge in front of us as a business, starting my own business, getting financing, building an empire, whatever it is starting a new family going back to school, things like that.

Speaker 1:

How have you used this skill to lean into what excites you and make that determination? You say there's that thin line. But what does it feel like for you when you determine what the thin line is? Is it something you could teach somebody?

Speaker 2:

By thin line I mean that someone from a side might say, ah, if you're not challenging yourself, if you're not going outside of your comfort zone, ah, then you might be like lazy person. And just I'm not saying that, are you excited to be lazy? No, you are ex. Well, for me it's always meant something. No, I want to do something. So I, I want to be active, I, I, I.

Speaker 2:

There there is this spark with the idea that, oh, let's cross europe with roller skates, and I just cannot stop that idea. It's just uh, it just sucks with me. And if I'm not moving closer, doesn't matter what closer means, like five centimeters closer. Or I worked whole week sending out proposals for sponsorship or something like that. It doesn't matter If you're getting five centimeters closer, one day closer to your goal. That's an amazing feeling. And so, for me, this thin line is that, yeah, I feel fulfilled, and I feel that I'm getting closer to this fulfillment, which is this excitement of like waking up in the morning and asking am I doing the right thing? And there is no doubt. Can you imagine that there's no doubt. You wake up in the morning and there is no doubt that, yes, this is what I want to do. So yes.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, this, that the that is so important.

Speaker 1:

I like the idea that you, that I like the idea that you you celebrate the, the, the inches, you celebrate the millimeters, you celebrate the small steps towards what excites you, especially for those of us, I think, if we're thinking about big goals and big dreams that we're trying to take on and I talked about this previously in my show, as well as in my speeches and stuff about when we, as humans, would want to do, be or have something that is beyond our current state Right.

Speaker 1:

The next greatest version of ourselves, when we want to step into that. It's scary, it can be terrifying, it can be overwhelming, it can be challenging. But I wonder if we don't take enough time, as you say, to really celebrate the small steps in that direction. Right, we don't have to leap there. We can take small steps towards those big fears, towards those big challenges, and enjoy the moments when we realize we are getting closer to becoming a better version of ourselves. Yes, that we are facing these challenges and we're taking them on. Right.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, yeah. Well, I could absolutely agree, because this is the only way actually how I do all of my journeys. Some people might think that, oh, for Carlos is nothing, 100 kilometers for him is nothing. No, one kilometer, one hour, one meter is the same for me. I'm a human being, so it's the same for me. So it's the same for you listener, for you who watches this. It's the same.

Speaker 1:

You also?

Speaker 2:

have these 24 hours, so value this.

Speaker 1:

It's true that's present that you have every morning like, oh, you have this, yes, every time you wake up and face another day yeah, yeah, with those challenges in front of you, whether you're crossing an ocean or you're crossing the office, if you're, if you're building a future for yourself that includes bigger, brighter, amazing things, new challenges, new opportunities, new skill sets, new character, values, things that you want to build for yourself. Raising that bar little by little, every single time you approach it is a reward in and of itself, and approaching it, you know, fearlessly and taking that on is a reward, and you should be recognized for that. Um, I want, I have so many questions, carlos. You know I have so many questions, but, okay, so take us on the very first rowing adventure that you began.

Speaker 1:

And then from there, ladies and gentlemen, we're going to. Carlos is going to take us on the journey around the world, but we're going to talk about how he got in the boat, what it was like to begin this journey of rowing, and then there's a couple of really incredible moments. If being on the side of a mountain where lightning strikes isn't enough for you, hold on to your seats because this is going to get, hold on to your boat and your oars because it's going to get good, it's going to get better. So take us into that first moment when you did you fall in love with your first boat?

Speaker 2:

Absolutely Well, and I still haven't changed the boat. The boat has been on all of my ocean crossings and so, yeah, I went to pick up the boat. Uh, from uk, I knew it that this boat is experienced, uh like we joked with my uh friend with whom we crossed the atlantic that that is the most uh experienced team member, because the boat has already three crossings under the belt Equipment.

Speaker 1:

ladies and gentlemen, good equipment and good tools.

Speaker 2:

Those are key to success. And the backups, and the backup of the backups. It's in the ocean rowing.

Speaker 1:

Yes, well, and you know about backups, because my computer died and I thank you for your email and wishing me well and good luck on that journey, because that was terrifying for me to lose some of my work and potentially lose some of my work. Have backups, ladies and gentlemen.

Speaker 2:

As Carlos says, have a backup for your backup, because that could save you so, the first journey, the first journey, uh, we well, that journey actually justified its name in 150 percent, because we call the expedition the slowest way to rio.

Speaker 1:

So, uh, the slow road to rio.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, the slowest the slowest, uh, road to rio, slowest way to rio. So, um yeah, we started actually not from latvia but from namibia, because when I did googling I understood that when you do some research you understand on which side of the ocean you need to start to be able to actually cross. And there are quite many things that goes into this in that equation, but yeah, so Nambia, where is that?

Speaker 1:

Namibia, Namibia.

Speaker 2:

It's just northwest from South Africa. So just Okay, yeah so, just Okay, yeah so you're.

Speaker 1:

Let me just see if I got this right. Your first rowing was to go from the north of Africa, south of Africa, to Brazil, south of Africa, south of Africa yeah, okay, sorry, that makes a world of difference apparently. Yeah, from Africa to Brazil yeah, okay, sorry, that makes a world of difference apparently.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

From Africa to Brazil. Yeah, exactly, Not a lake, not a small like, a little like the Mediterranean, but the Atlantic Ocean was your first try.

Speaker 2:

So when we got the boat, when we got the boat and you know I don't want to promote this way of doing the things- but that was how it worked for me.

Speaker 2:

We got the boat at the very end of the season, like when our seas and lakes were already freezing over here in Latvia. We repaired the boat and by the time when we needed to leave it was still very early spring, so we couldn't test the boat. So the only test we did with this boat was 32 kilometers on the river. 32 kilometers we did on the river, and then the next. The next was Atlantic Ocean, from Namibia to Brazil. And please don't do. Don't do it at home.

Speaker 1:

Don't do it, Ladies and gentlemen. Do not try this at home. Yeah, absolutely. Serious professionals, or Carlos Barlas, who is our guest on the Fearless Reb podcast today. So when you did this, I would assume, did you have friends and family that were like Carlos? What are you thinking? You're absolutely out of your mind. What in the world are you doing?

Speaker 2:

Well, I've been gifted by these amazing friends who most of the times they are very supportive and at this time, yeah, of course, my mother and father, they were afraid when, unfortunately, you know, the media were quicker than me and the media posted our next, my next journey, and my mother read that from the website and then she, she, and then she called and like what is going, like they are saying that you are going.

Speaker 1:

Why didn't you tell me yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Well, unfortunately. But then I went back to my parents' place. I explained them everything, what I have Googled and what I've learned for the past.

Speaker 1:

But I Googled it, mom, it's okay yeah.

Speaker 2:

Google it yourself. It's on the Google, so it's true. Oh my God. No, it's true, right, of course, I mean of course we did our training. We did our training also basic safety on the sea, how to use all the equipment, how the navigation is being done, etc. Etc. How to communicate with the big ships and everything. So, step by step, slowing, making small steps towards the goal. And yeah, basically that's how we prepared. But then it's just that this example of we arriving in Namibia with experience of 32 kilometers of rowing on this boat not counting the rowing machines in the gym, but with this boat, how many months of preparation actually, you know, I would say that all my previous life was a preparation for that, because definitely, these layers I've put them on already years and years before.

Speaker 2:

But uh, like the preparation for this project was a little bit more than one year, so yeah, I think it's interesting that you say you know.

Speaker 1:

I like the idea that you're mentioning.

Speaker 1:

You know, I think for those of us when we reach our stride, when we reach that level of success in our lives where things just fall into place, it's not because of luck, it is because I think we were prepared, our lives prepared us to step into this version of ourselves 100%. And as soon as you do, and as soon as you're in that place and you're aligned with your purpose and you're aligned with yourself 100%, it's not that it's easy, but it feels right and it feels good and because of that you succeed. You know, you just step into that success and I think that's what our lives prepare us for. If you know how to follow that path and you know how to take those challenges on all the skill sets and things you've been learning up to now, your whole life can prepare you for this authentic self and I think that's such an amazing thing. If you can be on that path and in the flow of your life, then it becomes not easy but it becomes amazing and successful and good, you know.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, michael, and just to underline one thing, which adds to that what you said right now, that where this path is going, and actually that is the thing what I said before I was following this, this curiosity, where this excitement, uh, of doing the things that I really kind of feel connected. I haven't done ocean rowing expedition, no, but I feel that there is this excitement and I want to follow this excitement and I want to see where it will lead me. And now, seven years later, yeah, I rode across three oceans, cycled across south america, and and when people are asking me oh so you planned this, that this is going to be your work, also because now you're working as a speaker, no, I didn't plan it. I went because where the excitement was after my journeys, when I came back home, people were inviting me.

Speaker 2:

Carlos, we want to hear your story. Could you share your story?

Speaker 2:

And there, it started just slowly, step by step. I started with schools, student groups, and then I went into companies and now bigger and bigger companies are inviting and they are inspired by the story and they feel that there is a value to their team to hear this journey and I could say I never planned that this is going to be like my path. I was following this excitement and I saw that, oh yes, I like to. I like to share my story. As you can see from this podcast, you don't need to pull out with the tools.

Speaker 1:

You don't have to ask me. Yeah, it's just stories. Speaking of which, I love to share stories too, and apparently the turkeys love to share their stories. So if you'll give me one second, I have an entire flock of turkeys outside, oh no worries that are squawking and squeaking. I'm gonna just shut them down a little bit and tell them to be quiet.

Speaker 2:

So just one second no worries, we'll be right back, we'll be back.

Speaker 1:

So that concludes part two of the interview with the incredible Carlos Bartolis sharing his adventures in the world, and he's going to share, in part three, his first journey in his boat rowing across the Atlantic Ocean. You've got to check that out. That's what's coming up in part three. All right, so thanks for listening, remember, like and subscribe. Bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye, bye.