A few summers ago, while most kids were heading off to their summer camps, Sara and I decided to host what you might call an adult summer camp at our house on Candlewood Lake in Connecticut. The idea was simple: "Live Life for a Living."
We invited 50 diverse business professionals from all over the world - authors, entrepreneurs, even a zoologist. While our kids were away learning life skills at their camps, we created a space for adults to network, learn, and escape their everyday lives.
The schedule was packed: daily seminars on entrepreneurship and mental toughness, time management and happiness workshops, morning yoga, hikes, massages, and cold plunges. We even threw in some water skiing, cliff jumping, and late-night entertainment from Def Jef and Arrested Development.
What amazed me was how quickly phones disappeared. The most anyone used them for was taking pictures. Instead of social media networking, people were having real conversations and building genuine connections. In a world where we're all glued to our screens, it was refreshing to see adults rediscovering the power of person-to-person interaction.
It reminded me why we send our kids to camp - to learn, grow, and connect. Maybe we adults need the same thing: a chance to step away from our routines, challenge ourselves, and remember what it feels like to truly live life for a living. Since that weekend, the connections formed have turned into lasting relationships. It turns out summer camp isn't just for kids.
