Climbing the Mountains of Your Life for 2019
Strive to make this year your most challenging ever.
āItās not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.ā Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to summit Mount Everest, the worldās highest mountain
On September 11th, 2001, I lost a lot of friends in the horrendous terrorist attack on the World Trade Center buildings in New York City.Ā It was a tough time to conquer for those who knew individuals lost, the families affected, and a nation grieving the tragedy.
It was this event and the result of it that caused many to reassess life and what we wanted to do with it, including myself.
On the first anniversary of 9/11, I found myself on the summit of Mt. Rainer in the Cascade Mountains located in Washington state. I wanted to do something that I always pondered, but always found an excuse not to.
September 11th, 2001 changed that for me; I was determined to accomplish something I had no idea at the time if Iād be good at it or achieve what it was that I was pursuing.
It’s never too late
I had never scaled a mountain ā skied down one, sure!
But climb up one?Ā Not at all. But now was the time I told myself.
I went out and did the training and work necessary to face my fear and climb to the top of a mountain.Ā Nearly 20 years later I have climbed many mountains across the world and consider it to be one of my greatest passions.
Now, Iām not suggesting your goal is to climb an actual mountain; however, make this the year to find your proverbial mountain to climb.
Challenge yourself to conquer fear of failure, disappointment, discouragement, etc. as it pertains to your selected goal(s).Ā Thereās one thing Iāve learned scaling some of the largest mountains on the planet ā there is no failure, only feedback.
If weāre not willing to try something and fail, then we arenāt going to grow and reach our true potential.
Consider who youāre going to be on the eve of 2020.Ā How different will you be?
That will be determined by the things you experience and choose to face between now and then.Ā Success isnāt and shouldnāt be determined by how many mistakes you avoid; instead, it will manifest itself from learning, growing, improving ā all things that suggest not being perfect or stagnant.
Instead of asking yourself, āWhat would I do if I could not fail?ā
Anticipate mistakes, embrace setbacks and take them as learning opportunities necessary for success.Ā Donāt limit yourself this year.
Seriously consider how you can exceed your own expectations and how you can helpĀ othersĀ exceedĀ theirĀ expectations.
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