Life is full of decisions. So often we focus on the big … the macro. What job or career will we embark on? Where will we move or relocate to? Which kind of house or home will we move into? While those are big, punctuated in between are even more decisions to make … the micro. Hit snooze for an extra 9 minutes? Ride this trail or that one? Brew coffee with an AeroPress or pourover? Red flannel or green flannel? Ride the singlespeed or trail bike?

When you think about it, we make hundreds … thousands of decisions each and every day. Over the course of a year that is a lot. Every day we’re faced with the dilemma … will we make good decisions or stupid ones? But even more than that, what exactly is a good decision and what is a stupid one? How will we know? Some are obvious, right? Red flannel always wins over green flannel and the type of trail is an indicator of whether you should break out your singlespeed or not. Ok, so it’s not that obvious.

The older we get it is assumed that we move along nicely into making decisions that are categorically deemed as “responsible.” Move up the food chain in your company. Take that promotion even if it means moving to the other side of the country. Buy that stock. Move to a better neighborhood with better schools for your kids. The list goes on. This is #adulting.

But what is a life well lived? How will we know? Is it wrapped up into affordable mortgages, important job titles, and a growing retirement plan? If you’re like me you had definitive milestones plotted out on your life map. Like playing a board game such as Candy Land or Monopoly the goal was to land on the right places, get the right things, and you’re set. And then dreaded happens … it actually works. You get to degrees, the job, the titles, the accessories, and more.

I vividly remember 10 years ago passing my oral exams and being bestowed with the title of “Dr.” I was aglow. Achievement unlocked. Mission accomplished. I am somebody. All that day I was on cloud 9. But then something happened that I didn’t plan. I woke up the next day and I felt like regular me. The newness of the accomplishment had already washed away and the realization set it … I am the same person.

Yes, this has shaped up to be a rather odd article from a coffee roasting company that’s about mountain biking. However, as you will discover it really isn’t. Because wrapped up into so much that what we do at Loam Coffee is about marketing as well as creating and curating a brand that tells a story. An overarching meta-narrative. In other words it goes beyond merely downing a cup of coffee but it starts trickling into topics like identity. Who am I? Who are you? Why does it matter? What does this have to do with Loam Coffee? Also, what’s with the title of this article?

Decisions.

All of these decisions, micro and macro, shape our lives. Where we’re at currently usually is a cumulation of these decisions. That doesn’t mean there aren’t many others that are thrust upon us … loss of a job, an illness or disease, an injury or disability, and so many more. But the ones that we do make, how are we doing? More importantly, are we living the life we had dreamt of?

No, this is not about titles nor the accumulation of possessions (although having a full mountain bike quiver is a bonus). Instead, it’s about the kinds of decisions we make. Are we going to be responsibly irresponsible or irresponsibly responsible? I’ve met many through Loam Coffee who at some point made a clean break. To become responsibly irresponsible. To walk away from their soul-sucking corporate job. To leave their firm. To strike out and create a new life-giving path forward for them whether through some creative startup, photography, graphic design, opening a bike shop, a media company, and so many more.

You see, there’s something meaningful about simply “going for it.” To all of you doing so I tip my cup to you. Keep going. You’re an inspiration. I’d love to hear more stories.

Words and Photo by Sean Benesh

Founder of Loam Coffee