So guessing however good your ‘adventures’ ‘art’ ‘music’ etc actually are then I’m guessing you’re never going to make a living from them unless you happen to be a marketable person in the eyes of the media?

now seems like he could be the ultimate manipulator of image and social media whore?

never posts pics of himself putting the bins out on Instagram

Hmmm…. well some people are genuinely amazing and will have no trouble making a living – these are the people who other adventurers or musicians look to, and go “How do they DO that? This person is a genius”. And fair play to them, they deserve it.

Most others – the 99% – muddle through with a mixture of hard graft, luck, marketing, sales, luck, networking, etc.

I’d file ‘being a charismatic and photogenic public speaker’ mostly under ‘luck’, and partly under ‘graft’ 😉

What a great bit of cultural analysis on that Tom Allen blog.

OP – Did you read the bit about “you’ve been sucked in by a powerful mythology”?

From a layman’s POV, I’d have thought it was the kind of job that evolved from an involvement in whatever “scene” and developing an audience that you could then monetise or use to leverage sponsorship.

Heard a very interesting interview on The Bike Show podcast last year with a round-the-world cyclist who was very anti-Mark Beaumont and all that he stood for.

Agents

If you look up some of the web sites of adventerers, you will see most of them employ an agency to seek out work, appearances, writing opportunities etc on thier behalf. So I would say, get some experience in some subject, then track down an agent or 2 and ask what they can do for you, then pick one.

I kind of had the opportunity to become a ski bum in years gone by.

Ok you might get free equipment, but sleeping on floors, and in grotty, pokey rooms didn’t appeal to me. Actually quite a lonely existence too with no real home or constant group of friends.

All the lifestyle and alcohol leaves you burnt out by 40

Methinks there’s a bit* of a difference between being a ski bum and being a pro adventurer.

*possibly an understatement 😉

I long ago acknowledged my skills, talent and stories of skiing/rock climbing/mountain biking are barely enough to impress my family and friends, never mind people who might pay to see me do it and hear me talk about it. Fair play to those who possess the magic

Methinks there’s a bit* of a difference between being a ski bum and being a pro adventurer.

The pro adventurer has a blog and a YouTube channel.

No one’s yet menioned STW’s favourite (almost) northerner Guy Martin?

50 weeks of the year spannering trucks, 1 week at the TT, a few weekends in Ireland and an infinite ability to make that sound interesting. Because let’s face it, outside of the podium most of the people at those races are enthusiastic amateurs little removed from mountainbikers at a trail center.

Can’t help but think we have it pretty hard in mountain biking / climbing / running / whatever. I came 89th in London marathon last year – can you imagine how much I’d be earning if I came 89th in the Premier League?

(I’m partly being tongue in cheek – I appreciate if there was football-levels of money in sports that are fun then the depth of UK talent would be much greater too)

Guy Martin

I thought he had a Isle of Man TT lap record?

I’d say alot of the things he does 99% or more couldn’t do

I’d say alot of the things he does 99% or more couldn’t do

Equally someone on here probably has a lap record of some trail center or other.

My point was, that aside form costing a bit more (probably averaged out by driving a LWB transit rather than a T5) there’s not much to separate what Guy does/did from a weekend warrior who does XC mountianbike races. He just market’s it better (and motorbikes are televised).

By ski bum, I meant going from continent to continent chasing the snow, and paying your way by doing films etc

Another climbing autobiography worth reading is Andy Kirkpatrick – Physcovertical and cold wars. He’s very driven and a world class climber but it took him a long time to make a living from it and he worked for a significant number of years in Outside in Hathersage.

On the subject of illusions I have a friend who for a few years was a pro skier for Rossignol. He showed me a article that had him “partying” in a bar in Switzerland. In reality apparently it was 11am on a poor condition day with a paid model. He wasn’t out late as he often needed to be up at first light for the photography and to get the best lines…

Friend of mine has been a pro adventure racer for a long while, has variety of other jobs on the side but does OK AFAIK, shameless plug for his book here Nathan Fa’avae biog

Friend (25 years+) of mine is professional (well…it’s his job) windsurfer.He’s in New Caledonia now before spending the winter in Oz.
This september/october he also drove from the middle of the UK to Denmark (freezing-full competition) then straight to Sylt Germany (freezing-no competition) then straight to Tiree- Hebrides (freezing-had to leave before comp ended) to France with 20 minutes to spare before the last ferry (freezing-no competition).3 up in a Transit.
He gets paid in kit from his sponsors (which he can sell afterwards as long as it’s not trashed) and also commentates on the events in between competing in his heats (imagine Warner/Claudio going “hang on…I’ll be back in 10 minutes.I’ve got to do my run!).
When at home he’s stopping at his parents/friends whilst constantly on the lap top trying to secure enough money to get to the next event.And he’s been doing this for over 10 years now……and somehow he still loves windsurfing (when his back and knees are’nt killing him) despite not actually being able to do much of himself!!
I’d not ever want to trade places with him tbh!Mainly because he is short and irritating.

I’d not ever want to trade places with him tbh!Mainly because he is short and irritating.

Haha – Ben Proffitt?

On the subject of illusions I have a friend who for a few years was a pro skier for Rossignol. He showed me a article that had him “partying” in a bar in Switzerland.

So there are some that seem to constantly be on the move, constantly positive, constantly traveling, constantly (seemingly with enough money) able to sustain that lifestyle. Couple of examples here:

http://www.jennyjonessnowboarder.com/blog/

Home

Exceptional talents there for sure, but I wonder how much of the ‘ideal lifestyle thing’ is due to a particularly groomed social media profile as above? I wonder how much is written by an agent? I wonder if they ever have a particularly shi**y day spent indoors infront of a laptop dreaming of other things? Surely they can’t always be so damn positive all the time eh?

Yup…he’s a right arsehat 😀
But this is funny (and NSFW) @1.30

Another climbing autobiography worth reading is Andy Kirkpatrick – Physchovertical and cold wars.

100%. And go and see him talk as well. Very entertaining. Can’t recall many books making me laugh out loud as much as cold wars – amazing ability convey the black humour that comes in (or when recalling!) desperate situations. So good at finding laughs in his feelings of inadequacy, and so unassuming about his achievements, that it needs a bit of reminding sometimes quite how impressive his climbs are.

And the blogs of his I’ve read have been funny, interesting and informative as well. I’m thinking particularly of the cold camping and the hardshell ones.

So good at finding laughs in his feelings of inadequacy, and so unassuming about his achievements

Alex Honnold is world class at this, too. Saw the Reel Rock 10 thing a couple of weeks ago with the full film of his and Tommy Caldwell’s Fitz Roy traverse: “dude, it’s like the stuff you see in Alpinist magazine, except we’re actually doing it.” Piolet D’Or for an alpine climbing novice.

He’s a chap living within in his means. He might be travelling a bit more, and he’s had a carpenter to do his van up, but it’s still the same van he’s been living in for years.