Do Hard Things

Inspiring myself

I have one tattoo. I got it in the summer of 2024 to commemorate my recent completion of the Fan Dance, an endurance event in Wales. I had wanted to take part for years, made a resolution, and trained for it by running up ski hills with a weighted pack for six months. I’m not really an “ink” kind of guy, but this tattoo is not too large or obnoxious. It doesn’t draw much attention and I don’t think I’ll regret it when I’m old(er). It’s very simple and pretty anonymous, though explaining what it is and what it means always takes me a while. It’s a simple three-legged arrow, pointing up on my left bicep. It’s a version of the “pheon,” “broad arrow,” or “crow’s foot,” an ancient British heraldic symbol denoting property of His Majesty’s Government. I am no subject to any king, so to me it is simply a reminder that I can do hard things.