It was only after a trip I made this summer that I realised that it was actually a pilgrimage, because it has had such a profound effect on me.

As a former TV journalist, I don’t normally quote Wikipedia, but in this case I’ll make an exception because I can’t express it any better:

In my case, my pilgrimage was a journey into my own self-belief.

As I turned, 50, decided that I wanted to enter my next 50 years fitter than I have ever been. So I signed up for my biggest cycling challenge yet: The Vätternrundan is a 315km bike ride around one of Sweden's largest lakes - the farthest I have ever cycled in one session, and the added twist was that we were doing it overnight.

When I signed up I wasn't sure that I could actually do it. That's the mark of a good challenge. And my journey, my pilgrimage, started six months before the event with training.

A pilgrimage is a journey both physical and spiritual. The geographical aspect of the pilgrimage is a physical construct framing a journey of self-discovery and contemplation. They say it's not the destination, but the getting there that counts.

The pilgrimage could also a physical challenge of stamina and endurance. It’s not meant to be a walk in the park!

I’m not religious, but I love the developmental motivations behind pilgrimage.

What’s more, I reckon that whatever our beliefs, we can all benefit from the power of pilgrimage, and here’s why:

1. Break out of your usual routine, and your comfort zone to explore something else.

2. See what you’re made of. Demand something extraordinary of yourself.  The chances are, you won’t let yourself down.

3. Take yourself to a new level (whether that be enlightenment, fitness or spiritual connection)

4. Mark a significant life stage, and reflect on both how far you’ve come and where you’re going next.

5. Give yourself a new sense of purpose. Give yourself an opportunity to ask yourself what’s really important to you.

6. Earn yourself a new sense of achievement.

7. Create a platform from which to build. If you can do this, then what more are you capable of in the future?

And if you’re up for making a pilgrimage, but don’t know exactly what form it should take, then here are 3 ideas to get you started:

Go to the place where it all began. it could be:

• A significant place in your religion

• A significant place in your life’s passion

• Where you met your life partner

Make a journey:

• From home to somewhere else (see above)

• From your current state to a future state (see below)

• To a place way outside your everyday world

Take a challenge:

• Push yourself to go to place (in your soul) you’ve never been before

• Explore your limits - find out what you’re capable of

• To do something extraordinary for someone other than yourself

As human beings, we are hardwired to explore our world. We need to nourish ourselves with new horizons on our travels, but we also need to explore ourselves. Pushing both limits helps us grow, but it's the journey into ourselves, our souls, and who we are as people, where we really grow.

It can be uncomfortable. A place you've never been to is unfamiliar, and thanks to thousands of years of evolution, we are programmed to switch to a state of alert, protecting us from the threats of the unknown. 

But we also have the power of rational process which can override our emotional responses. Where we can understand and rationalise the risks involved, and, in an act of risk accountancy, can come to the conclusion that the growth benefits of this journey into the unknown outweigh its dangers.