A corporate finance professional, Isaiah Shields, was sitting at a desk in his Utah office, staring at an Excel spreadsheet, when an idea hit: Go for a walk. Bill Rohrer’s tied the story of Shields’ next steps — many of them — into a nice bow for FOX29 Philadelphia.

Shields’ desire to stretch his legs was very ambitious. He sought to traverse the entire U.S. from coast to coast on foot.

Starting in Washington State (he backtracked from Utah in the name of completism), his route took him southeast to Texas, then along the Gulf Coast and finally northward on his way to Maine.

The path eventually wound through North Wales — although Ambler might have been a more thematically fitting Montgomery County destination for a walker.

“I’m doing it because I really, really like it,” Shields explained. “One of the things I sort of wanted to figure out was just how can I spend my days in a way that feels meaningful, fulfilling, and enjoyable.”

Along the way, over the estimated 16.7 million steps it took him to get to Montco, he’s developed a refreshingly simple philosophy.

“People always tell me, ‘Oh, I could never do that.’ I’m like, ‘Try the first step. And if that doesn’t fail, try the second one and the third one. And all of a sudden you’ve walked the 15 million or so that I have,’” Shields said.

More on Isaiah Shields is at FOX29 Philadelphia.