They said it could not be done. A mathematical formula that shows not only how to discover the ultimate adventure job, but all the components that need to come together to create this holy grail of outdoor earning. For longer than we care to remember, there have been rumours circulating in the staffrooms of activity instructors up and down the country, that this formula existed. Most thought it nothing more than an urban myth, or rural legend. But they were wrong - we have found it!
Fun
The first part of the equation is, quite simply, fun. Having fun and enjoying your work is something that we should all strive for, yet far too many people go to work each day and do not enjoy what they are doing. For activity instructors especially, fun is a critical element of teaching people new experiences. If you and your clients are not enjoying the experience, then something has gone wrong. Make sure you factor in plenty of smiles to keep everyone around you in a positive feedback loop of happiness.
Amount to add: 24%
Excitement
A key component of instructing is allowing people to experience new activities. The reason they come to you to be taught something new rather than get a relative to show them how to knit (great though knitting is) - excitement! The adventurous activities you will be introducing them to, while completely safe, will certainly get the adrenaline pumping. If your job does not involve any excitement for you, it is time to move on to a new activity.
Mix in: 12%
New Experiences
The ultimate job does not require you to wake up day after day and undertake the same monotonous tasks over and over again. Even if your area of expertise is more restricted than most, if you want in to the formula, you need a job that mixes it up a bit every now and then. Some instructors we speak to say than no two days are ever the same. That will certainly suit some people, but even if you need a bit more structure than that, make sure you volunteer for extra training, or to take part in the expedition than other colleagues usually go on instead of you. And if you have ideas that would improve the experience for yourself and for your clients, don't be afraid to voice them to the management. Everyone is allowed to have great ideas.
Combine: 13%
Time Off
Assuming you have got all of these other components right, your job will be so fantastic that you won't actually need or want to spend all that much time away from work, but even so, everyone needs downtime at some point. The ultimate adventure job will give you just enough time to get away from the 'office' and indulge in non work activities.
Blend in: 7%
Colleagues
Your colleagues are a critical part of your work life. They are the people you need to work well will, rely on, and perhaps seek advice from. Many of us technically spend more time with our work colleagues than our own families. You cannot always choose who they are, but you can choose how you relate to and get on with them. We certainly have to factor in a bit of luck here as this element is usually beyond our control, but to push the job to the next level, your colleagues in adventure need to be great.
Stir to mix: 24%
Salary
This one took us by surprise. We assumed that to be considered worthy of such a grand title, the role would have to include a monster salary: Something that would give you the type of bank balance to make all of your friends jealous and your bank manager eager to prevent you switching accounts every year. But it seems that in order to satisfy the salary demands, the ultimate outdoor job merely requires you to earn enough to prevent you having to choose between a night out or being able to eat at the end of the month. Earning the best wage you can is sensible, but there is more to life than money, and in this formula it is all about striking the right balance!
Sieve in: 12%
Clients
The perfect clients will be keen and enthusiastic. They will always listen to your instructions, and follow them to the letter. They won't ask you silly questions and none of them will think they know better because they have seen the activity on youtube and know exactly how to do it already. At the end of the day, or course, your clients will extend their gratitude and will put in a good word for you when they email to say thanks for the wonderful time they had. What!? We never said it was going to be easy to find this job.
Season with: 8%
