The View from the Top

I recently hiked a "fourteener" or a 14,000+ foot mountain here in Colorado, Mount Sherman. That is apparently a pretty big achievement. Everyone I told about it said "WOW! That's awesome!" or "Congratulations!" or some other sentiment and it seems like I have done something bigger than I thought it was. I thought everyone who's outdoorsy in Colorado has hiked a fourteener. Apparently not. Many people have said to me that they haven't done it yet. So I felt even more excited with myself for having done it. I am still feeling the effects, my calves are killing me and I almost couldn't get myself up and down my stairs for a few days.

There were many moments in the climb where I doubted myself. Not so much physically, I knew that if I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, I would make it. It was more of a mental process. I was breathing hard, my legs were aching, I was getting sun burnt, and every time I looked up to see how far I'd gone it was like the trail had gotten longer and steeper. I asked myself on several occasions, "Why did I want to do this?" I found my inner dialog saying things like "No one will care or judge you if you stop now and go back down. It's ok. We don't need to make it to the very top, the view is great right here. I'm so slow and everyone is way ahead, if I turn back now, they will catch up to me." And etc.

I was reminded of Darren Hardy's book The Compound Effect where he talks with Lance Armstrong who said that it's not finding your walls that's important, it's what you do beyond the walls. He talked about mental walls in physical activity and how often, your biggest obstacle is yourself in a race. I kept that in mind every time I found myself doubting, wanting to turn back, convinced that the pain was not worth it. I kept saying "it's what I do beyond my wall ... it's what I do after I get to my wall that is important" and I was determined not to give up. I used a bit of anger to keep me going to. Anger that I have in the past always talked myself out of achieving goals because I thought I wasn't able to do them or didn't deserve to achieve. Anger and determination got me to the top.

So, I've learned can do pretty much anything I set my mind to, be the tortoise and put one foot in front of the other until you get there. I've changed my diet and now I've climbed a really tall mountain. The rest should be a cinch, right?