Disconnection
What we really mean here is some kind of distance from the day-to-day. Anything that gets you out of routines and stops you from thinking about the many tasks you could/should be doing. Not having access to a constant stream of information (i.e. by not having phone signal) and being out in nature help a lot here, but aren’t strictly necessary.
Mindfulness
This is possibly the most important ingredient of all. Being fully present - with yourself and with your surroundings - is the thread that runs through adventure activities. Surfing a killer wave, hiking through a mountain forest or catching a perfect photo of a rare bird all bring you into full contact with the present moment.
The great news is, this is both free and (kinda) easy to bring into any activity. It all depends on the quality of your attention; how open you are to all of the sense data coming in as you do something.
Novelty
This helps with the mindfulness part too. Our brains are hardwired to pay attention to things that are novel and new, which is why travel is such a reliable way of becoming more present and relaxed.
When you don’t know what’s coming around the next bend, all of your senses represent what comes next in high-definition.
Curiosity
Similarly, curiosity goes hand in hand with novelty. We’re a naturally curious species, and we’re all drawn to learning and experiencing new things. That curiosity - about place, people, history, food, nature, animals and more - is fundamental to the spirit of adventure.
Curiosity is self-reinforcing. The more curious you are, the more you notice. The more you notice, the more curious you are about what you notice.
Challenge (not risk)
So far this may sound relatively pedestrian. What separates an adventure from an ordinary holiday or experience is the challenge. To be an adventure, you should have a gap to close with determination. This could be physical or mental - a path to find or a skill to learn.
Very importantly - challenge does not have to come with high stakes and terrifying consequences if you fail. Challenge is about the level of stretch, not the level of risk.
Uncertainty (not fear)
In the same vein, adventure inherently has some degree of uncertainty that pushes you out of your comfort zone. This uncertainty will keep you focussed and provide you with an enjoyable satisfaction on completion, which is characteristic of a good adventure.
Not required are high levels of fear. Something doesn’t need to scare you to be an adventure. You definitely shouldn’t spend the time leading up to it dreading it, wishing you weren’t doing it. That’s suffering, not adventure.
