248: The World Walk with Tom Turcich
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248: The World Walk with Tom Turcich
Episode 248: Show Notes
In this episode of The Light Watkins Show, Light Watkins sits down with Tom Turcich, a man who achieved an extraordinary feat—walking around the world. Tom's incredible journey began with a dream at the age of 17, and after years of saving and planning, he set off on foot to circumnavigate the globe. His adventure took seven years and covered 28,000 miles across six continents. Along the way, Tom adopted a dog named Savannah, who walked 25,000 miles by his side.
Throughout the episode, Tom shares the ups and downs of his journey, from battling extreme conditions and illness to experiencing the kindness of strangers. He talks about the profound lessons he learned while walking an average of 14 miles a day, pushing a cart filled with his belongings, and facing the unexpected twists and turns that came with living on the road. Tom opens up about the mental and physical challenges of such a demanding journey, as well as the moments of beauty and connection that made it all worthwhile.
Listeners will be inspired by Tom's perseverance, his reflections on overcoming fear, and how following his heart led him to complete this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. If you’re looking for a story about resilience, self-discovery, and pushing the limits of what’s possible, this episode offers a deep dive into what it truly means to chase a dream and turn it into reality.
Tune in for an inspiring conversation that will encourage you to think about your own journey and the steps you can take to achieve your goals.
Key Points From This Episode:
The Dream to Walk the World: Tom shares how a teenage dream turned into a seven-year journey around the globe.
Starting the Adventure: Tom saved money for years before setting off from his home in New Jersey with only a stroller of essentials.
Overcoming Early Challenges: Tom discusses the physical and mental obstacles he faced, including illness and dangerous encounters.
Adopting Savannah: Tom recalls adopting Savannah, the dog who became his loyal companion for 25,000 miles of the journey.
Walking Through Six Continents: Tom shares stories from the six continents he crossed, from deserts to bustling cities.
Surviving a Near-Abduction: One of the scariest moments of Tom’s trip was a near-abduction in Georgia, which he narrowly escaped.
The Kindness of Strangers: Tom highlights the generosity and kindness he experienced from strangers around the world.
Lessons from Walking Alone: Spending hours walking alone each day led Tom to profound personal growth and self-discovery.
Battling a Life-Threatening Illness: Tom recounts the illness that nearly forced him to end his journey and how he fought to continue.
Navigating Logistics and Bureaucracy: Crossing borders with a dog and dealing with travel logistics proved to be one of the toughest challenges.
The Impact of Following His Heart: Tom reflects on how following his heart, instead of the path of least resistance, changed his life.
Life After the Walk: Tom shares how completing the walk shifted his perspective and led to a new chapter of motivational speaking and writing.
Quotes:
"You realize, oh, it really isn't the things that make you happy. It's all these other things around it. It's what you're doing, it's who you're with, it's where you're going, what ideas you have in your head. Those are all the things that matter." — Tom Turcich
"Having a larger plan just helps you minimize smaller struggles." — Tom Turcich
"If you have some massive aim, it's going to come with more sacrifices, and you have to be okay with living and walking the path that you want to walk and not walking those other paths." — Tom Turcich
"I think people underestimate how much time things take. They want everything to happen right away. But everything is very gradual." — Tom Turcich
"Once you actually start taking physical steps towards that goal, people get interested and they want to help you." — Tom Turcich
"You have to have some sort of unnatural conviction that your whole identity is tied up in this thing, and that if you give up, you'll be destroyed." — Tom Turcich