It’s the highest peak in the continental United States. And, it’s quite a climb.
Whenever I take on these Challenges, I always think I know what I’m going to learn. And, I’m always surprised by the fact that I always encounter surprises.
But, isn’t this true with all endeavors?
Before climbing Whitney a climber friend of mine shared this piece of advice:
“Always focus on the summit.”
It’s great advice to keep your head in the game. You can’t get bogged down thinking about every hurdle you’ll face on your climb to the top.
Losing Site of Your End-game
But, as you’ll see in the video, there are times when the natural surroundings of whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish will blind you. You’ll lose sight of the summit—not because you’ve lost focus, but because the terrain actually blocks the summit from your view.
This is true in business as well. You can actually lose sight of your end-game from time to time, but it’s important not to lose focus—even when you can’t see it, or even when it doesn’t seem real.
And, as you’ll also see in the video, I have a confession to make.
I’m the type of guy who likes a plan. I like to know how, I like to know what, and I like to know when. On this climb, just like many times during the process of building a business, I realized things can take longer than you had planned.
You may envision arriving at a certain destination, but fall short. You may even be able to see your desired destination in front of you—which is a horrible feeling. But, it’s actually okay. As long as you keep going, you have not failed.
As we reach the final ascent, the terrain becomes very technical—a class 4, which means the next class requires ropes. This is is the portion of the climb where people stop. They could be tired. They could be intimidated. But, it’s always been my philosophy that the bigger the challenge, the bigger the reward.
Check out the video above. I think you can see on my face that I’m expecting a massive reward at the top.
Lessons Learned
The final 2,000 feet of Whitney is a challenge. Together, however, my team and I arrived at the top (with a few camera shots over the cliff that will make your stomach flip).
However, in the end, the climb was fantastic. The views were spectacular, and the lessons are something I’ll remember for life.
- Focus on the summit.
- Don’t lose sight, even if you lose sight.
- It always takes longer than you think.
- The bigger the challenge, the bigger the reward.
Set your Challenge. Document it. Send it to me. I love this stuff!
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