Pioneers vs Settlers

Do you remember history class and studying the expansion of the American west?

Me neither.

But because experiencing life first-hand is so important to me, I decided to live on the road for about four years in order to determine where I wanted to deliberately call home. During this time, I explored over 300 sites in the National Park Service, and I learned this important lesson about history: With any expansion into new territory, first comes the pioneers and then comes the settlers.

The pioneers are the ones who blaze the trail through the wilderness. The pioneers take immense initiative and face risk and danger. The pioneers forge the way, break new ground, map the terrain, and help make the trek less dangerous.

Once the message gets back that things are safe on the frontier, then come the settlers. The settlers are important for building and sustaining a community. But they are detrimentally averse to risk. They thrive in security, not facing the challenges of the unknown.

We have pioneers and settlers in any endeavor. The pioneers of ideas embrace change, constantly try new things, open themselves to new possibility, and fundamentally challenge the way things are done.

With curiosity, courage, and commitment the pioneers always will lead the way. They challenge the prevailing norms. They innovate and improve. Pioneers don’t settle.

Do you have the courage to live your life as a pioneer, or will you be just another settler?

GoneSavage

Inspired by Joel Barker