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It\u2019s not often that you read a great book written by a dishwasher.<\/p>\n
But Glen Van Peski \u2013 who works part-time at the Sparrow Bakery in Bend, Oregon \u2013 is not your usual pot scrubber.<\/p>\n
Over the years, I\u2019ve had the pleasure of getting to know Glen on extended hiking trips, most recently across Tuscany and along Austria\u2019s Alpe Adria Trail.<\/p>\n
Glen has hiked most of the Pacific Crest Trail and wandered much of the backcountry in Europe and Japan. (As J.R.R. Tolkien said, \u201cNot all who wander are lost.\u201d)<\/p>\n
He has been featured in Backpacker<\/em>, Outside<\/em>, and National Geographic Adventure<\/em> magazines and The New York Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n He is an internationally sought-after speaker.<\/p>\n Best known by his trail name \u201cLegend,\u201d he also founded a successful company that manufactures ultralight backpacking equipment.<\/p>\n But these days, when he is not hiking, biking, socializing, or brushing up on his French, Italian, German, and Japanese, you will generally find him down at the Sparrow, reading the Wall Street Journal<\/em>\u2026 or washing dishes.<\/p>\n I promise that you will be entertained by Glen\u2019s many adventures in his book take less. do more<\/u><\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n The book is partly about the pleasures of traveling through some of the most scenic places on earth.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also about founding and running a successful company, Gossamer Gear.<\/p>\n (An idea that had its genesis in a grueling boy scout trip with his 13-year-old son \u2013 and a 72-pound backpack.)<\/p>\n It\u2019s about Glen\u2019s personal challenges, failures, and triumphs.<\/p>\n But the best part, for me, is his philosophy of life, revealed on virtually every page.<\/p>\n As Whole Foods founder John Mackey writes in the Foreword\u2026<\/p>\n Glen is a firm believer that subtraction rather than addition would serve most people better. He has successfully applied his ultralight principles to the totality of his life and rediscovered a very old philosophical principle: the simple life is a good life. By uncluttering our lives, we can have a more fulfilling existence.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The book is full of practical advice\u2026 and timeless wisdom.<\/p>\n In take less. do more<\/em>, you will hear Glen\u2019s insights on\u2026<\/p>\n It\u2019s not easy to live a less materialistic life these days.<\/p>\n Glen notes that movies, television, social media and daily advertisements continually suggest that 1) everyone else has this thing we lack and 2) our lives would be so much better if we had it too.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a better recipe for personal bankruptcy than personal happiness.<\/p>\n Envy doesn\u2019t just make it difficult to meet your most important investment goals.<\/p>\n It leads to feelings of bitterness and resentment rather than abundance and gratitude. And that\u2019s an awfully high price to pay.<\/p>\n Like most of us, Glen has had plenty of ups and downs in his life.<\/p>\n Yet he reminds readers that failure can be a blessing in disguise. It increases resilience, hones problem-solving skills, enhances creativity, and allows us to better recognize our own strengths and weaknesses.<\/p>\n Perhaps the best thing Glen shares is his sense of perspective.<\/p>\n He argues that we all have two stories in our lives: a good one and a bad one.<\/p>\n And we get to choose which one to focus on.<\/p>\n For example, Glen grew up a nervous, anxious kid who was traumatized by his parents\u2019 divorce. He was not popular in school and didn\u2019t have many friends. He almost died in a plane crash that killed the pilot. His son Derek was born severely disabled. As his son struggled, his wife\u2019s depression worsened. And when the economy tanked during the financial crisis, his business failed.<\/p>\n Not good. Yet this is not the version of his life that Glen focuses on day-to-day.<\/p>\n He recalls that he was raised by intelligent and loving parents. He had amazing educational opportunities. He was a captain of the lacrosse team and president of the Outing Club. He graduated summa cum laude from college and discovered a passion for civil engineering. He married the love of his life. He started a backpacking company that turned into a multi-million-dollar business. He lives in a nice home in a great neighborhood and has two adult sons that he loves very much. And his outdoor interests have allowed him to make hundreds of interesting friends, including top CEOs, elite athletes, and A-list movie stars.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat an amazing life!,\u201d he writes.<\/p>\n Read take less. do more<\/em> and you\u2019ll discover how to \u201ctravel light.\u201d (Glen says that most hikers and travelers overpack because they \u201cpack their fears.\u201d)<\/p>\n You will also learn trail partner Matthew McConaughey\u2019s two-second cure for a snoring partner. (Worth the price of the book!)<\/p>\n You\u2019ll hear about Glen\u2019s surprising religious epiphany, which he refers to as \u201cthe gopher conversion.\u201d<\/p>\n And you will learn the answer to the question that is probably uppermost in your mind right now: \u201cWhat the heck is a guy like Glen doing washing dishes down at the Sparrow anyway?\u201d<\/p>\n Read take less. do more<\/em> and find out!<\/p>\n Grab Your Copy of the Book Here<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p><\/div>\n\n
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