“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”
– EDMUND HILLARY
Growing up in the beautiful Austrian Alps close to the Swiss border, I was fortunate to be able to climb mountains from a very young age. Being on top of mountains that are much bigger and older than all of us always made me feel completely respectful. Walking itself is like meditation, and you start to reconnect with yourself and with nature, but you also have to conquer your inner demons. Those unforgettable mountain experiences taught me some valuable lessons that I would like to share with you:
One small step at a time
Often, the path is a lot longer than it looks. The mountain peaks always seem closer than they are in reality. Don’t lose motivation and momentum when you realize that the trajectory will take you longer. Step by step you can reach your goal. When the mountain appears to be too far away, just focus on your next step. And then the next, and the next…
Perseverance
There will inevitably be moments in which you feel like giving up. When doing nothing and sitting on the sofa might feel more comfortable. However, if you hike frequently, you will ultimately learn to ignore this voice inside of you that tells you to give up. When you keep going, this voice will be replaced by satisfaction at how far you’ve already come.
Overcoming fear
Not all mountain peaks are easy to reach. Some of them require us to go out of our comfort zone. Sometimes the paths look too steep, too dangerous, and too frightening. But we can achieve a lot more than we think we can. And with the help and collaboration of others, we reach even higher and more demanding peaks.
Celebrating our wins
On the mountain top, mountaineers celebrate their wins by honoring and enjoying the view and by congratulating each other. It’s important to acknowledge how far we have come despite all the obstacles we encountered on our path. It’s a ritual that helps us be grateful and never take anything for granted.
Nature helps us get different perspectives
The panorama we can enjoy from the mountain peaks makes us look smaller. We are suddenly part of a bigger whole. It helps to see our problems and challenges from a different perspective. And as we reconnect with nature, we might even come up with new solutions we haven’t thought about before.
As you can see, a demanding hike can be compared with the paths we have to walk in business and life. With patience, practice, and perseverance, we can achieve longer paths and bigger heights than we can ever imagine.
