Brad Cartwright

Why Life Looks More Like Patagonia than Straight Line

May 29th, 2026

In 2022, Sofia and I had the opportunity to drive the Carretera Austral in southern Chile.

If you are not familiar with it, the Carretera Austral is one of the most remote roads in the world. It stretches through Patagonia, weaving its way past glaciers, mountains, rivers, forests, and tiny villages that seem to exist at the edge of the earth.

For years, I had dreamed of seeing it.

As a kid growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, Patagonia felt almost mythical. It belonged in the same category as places I only read about in books. It seemed as distant and unreachable as the moon.

And yet there we were.

Day after day, we drove south.

The deeper we traveled, the more powerful the landscape became.

One thing surprised me, though.

The journey was not what I expected.

I assumed the road would become progressively wilder and more remote as we moved south. Instead, it constantly changed. One moment we were driving through untouched forests. The next, we were passing signs of human activity. Then back into wilderness. Then into small communities. Then into vast stretches of land where it felt as though no one else existed.

It wasn't linear.

It moved back and forth between developed and undeveloped, between wild and tamed, between damaged and restored.

The road itself reflected the history of Patagonia.

Some people had come to exploit it.

Others had come to preserve it.

Some had taken from it.

Others had worked to heal it.

And all of those stories existed side-by-side.

What fascinated me most was learning that the road took nearly sixty years to complete.

Sixty years.  Sixty years of connecting one piece to another.  Sixty years of building bridges, carving paths, crossing rivers, and finding ways around mountains.

Piece by piece.

Little by little.

Connection after connection.

As another group of students graduates this year, I find myself thinking about that road.

Because I suspect many graduates believe life unfolds in a straight line.

You graduate.

You choose a university.

You choose a career.

You find success.

You live happily ever after.

But life rarely works that way.

Life looks much more like Patagonia.

It twists.

It turns.

It doubles back.

There are periods of growth and periods of uncertainty.  There are moments when you feel completely confident and moments when you have no idea what comes next.  There are parts of yourself that are fully developed and other parts still waiting to be discovered.

And that brings me to something I want every graduate to remember.

The most important journey you will ever take is not the one through the depths a country.

It is the one within yourself.

Schools do a wonderful job of helping students understand the world around them. We teach the Arts, Math, Science, Literature, Economics, and History. We help students understand how the world works.

But eventually every young person reaches a point where a different question becomes way more important.

Who am I?

What matters to me?

What kind of life do I want to build?

What brings me peace?

What brings me joy?

No one else can answer those questions for you. 

That work belongs to you.

And like the Carretera Austral through Patagonia, the process is not linear.

You will encounter beautiful places within yourself.  You will discover strengths you never knew existed.  You will uncover passions that surprise you.

You may also find old wounds, disappointments, fears, and doubts that need attention and healing.

That is all part of the journey.

The goal is not perfection.  The goal is connection.

Connection to your values.

Connection to your purpose.

Connection to the person you are becoming.

And just as the builders of the Carretera Austral spent sixty years connecting Patagonia piece by piece, we build those connections within ourselves one small step at a time.

So, pay attention.  Reflect.  Listen.  Trust what you learn.  Continue moving forward.  

And...

Slowly, the road becomes clearer.

Slowly, the bridges become stronger.

Slowly, you will find those things that are truly you.

So to the Class of 2026, Congratulations.

You have worked hard to arrive at this moment, and you should be proud of what you have accomplished.

As you begin to write the next chapters of your story, remember that the most important road you will ever build is the one that connects you to yourself.  

Start small.  

Build simple bridges.

And trust that, over time, they will lead you exactly where you need to go.

See you next week.

Upcoming Workshops and Opportunities... 

In-Person Professional Workshops - If your school would like a tailored training on the updated Extended Essay guidelines, we’d love to help—onsite at your campus or live online—just send me an email at [email protected] and we’ll work together to make it happen. 

Theory of Knowledge New Teacher Workshop - July 23rd & 24th, 2026 - Designed for teachers new to Theory of Knowledge, this two-day training co-taught by Brad Cartwright and Sofía Elizalde offers a clear, practical roadmap for teaching TOK with confidence. Together, we will explore the core components of the IB Diploma Programme, the purpose and structure of the TOK course, key assessment criteria, the TOK Exhibition, the TOK Essay, and classroom strategies that support thoughtful discussion, meaningful reflection, and strong student writing. 

IB Economics New Teacher Training - July 25th & 26th, 2026 - Designed specifically for teachers new to IB Economics, this two-day teacher training program will give you a practical roadmap to begin your IB Economics teaching career feeling confident, prepared, and calm.

Brad Cartwright

Educator | Speaker | Workshop Leader | Course Creator 

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