As someone who just quit his job to walk 2650+ miles along the pacific crest trail I found his last statement very interesting as well.

I'm a pretty normal tech industry hacker who can sometimes be socially awkward and definitely a bit introverted. I'm hiking the PCT because it will force me through things I find uncomfortable like being alone, and meeting new people. As I see it, I'm forcing myself through a tumbler and hoping what comes out the other end is more in line with who I want to be. Very different reasons.

Everyone has different reasons for starting such an adventure but I tend to think that "hoping for a change" might be the worst. Don't get me wrong, I respect this idea, I just feel the starting asumption may lead you somewhere you did not expect at first.

You might not like what you find during your adventure, you might not like what you discover of yourself, you might lie to yourself, incounciously trying to convince yourself that you're on the right path.

Trying to stay really objective towards oneself during such a trip is quite a challenge by itself, a very interesting one.

I feel that hiking / biking for the sake of it, for the beauty of the world, of its people, for the physical performance is a much more truthful experience than any other self-conviction goal.

In the end, what counts stays in you, in your eyes, in your heart and muscles. And that's not the kind of things you can sum up by a video, a blog or any slideshow back home.

That said, I wish sincerely that you find yourself!

TLDR: It'll ultimately be a good experience, I can't fathom it being bad in the end.

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I disagree. I would say it's bad if it is your only course of action towards improving your situation without trying or considering other options than yes, not the best idea ever. For me though it's much different and a lot of consideration went in to my decision.

I'll try not to bore you with details but I want to numb a few social emotional responses I have as an introvert who wants to be more sociable and outgoing. As much as I try to keep a focus on doing that in day to day life it's challenging for me with all the distractions (mostly work). I see the PCT as a way of repeatedly forcing these interactions in a natural way. Everyone I've met as a backpacker/hiker were friendly and approachable and considering your current situation on the PCT you both have a big glaring thing in common that will make connecting that much easier. My problem tends to be finding common ground with your average person and I'm hoping to develop some strategy of doing so easier. What better way to get better at this than to force myself to do it repeatedly while simultaneously doing something I love (backpacking)?

I can't say the goal I have in mind is the correct one, can't say it will absolutely make me a happier/better person... but believe without any doubts that it will have a positive impact on me either through being in better shape or by improving my introspective views, sociability, or my tenacity for taking on challenges, etc.

I don't get the logic here. "hoping for a change" is certainly a difficult emotion that is not easily resolved and we shouldn't delude ourselves into believing in silver bullets, but why is it worse going out on an adventure than staying where you are? At least you get some exercise, which in my mind is always a good start for inducing an improvement in one's mental state.

Absolutely agreed! But even if the body helps the mind, it can be hard facing yourself, hard admitting you took the wrong direction especially if you are doing it alone.