Small World
Australian Jesse Martin completed an unassisted, nonstop circumnavigation of the globe at the ripe old age of 18 in 1999, but his advice works for any prospective adventurer: Don't take advice. "I probably used to be more of a foolish adventurer. now I have better judgment on safety and efficiency," says Martin, who blazed a trail followed today by a host of young voyagers. "I'm now more mature and realistic in my expectations— this happens to everyone as they get older. I still applaud foolish adventures because it's the gateway to getting better at anything. I support young people attempting big ideas, because if it doesn't work, their next one has a much better chance of working. Talking or giving advice means nothing—doing and failing means everything."