Mountains and Views
Coaching Tip #18
A mountain is only a mountain until we get to the top. Then it becomes a view.
The climb up a mountain can be filled with all sorts of challenges. Think of those who tackle Mount Everest. It must seem like a never-ending climb upward. Sometimes the summit is visible, but most of the time you need to trust that you are on the right path. There are incredible obstacles to be navigated or avoided: avalanches, crevasses, winds that can knock you off your feet, frostbite, trouble breathing, and pure exhaustion.
And reaching the target is never a solo venture. Your pursuit toward the goal demands that you both rely on and lead your team. There are always annoying distractions and man-made obstacles along the way. It is never a straight shot.
Pause and think about the mountains you have climbed. Some are small, some exist only in our head, some are physical, and others are so deeply personal that very few people know about them. Over a life well lived we encounter many mountains, some that you tackle for years, even decades, and others that are more episodic and tied to a specific stage in your life. Mountains (both real and metaphoric) provide meaning, focus, and a reason to get up in the morning. They also provide scenarios of challenges, chaos, and crumbling terror.
Whatever mountain you are facing, there will come a day when you reach your version of the top. This top may be an attainment of a goal but also could be the choice to step aside and tackle something new. It’s at this time that a mountain is no longer a mountain, it becomes a view.
Some views are spectacular. Looking out from your new perch, in your mind’s eye you can see where you started, and follow the path to the place you stand today. Filled with hindsight, you are now aware that each bump was necessary – it provided the energy and momentum to keep you going forward. Take a moment to acknowledge that you created this picture and savor that view. It will serve you as you start on your next climb.
Other views can be filled with clouds. You may never have reached the summit of your dreams, but you did reach the point where you owned the choice to choose a new mountain, and that too should be savored. Like those climbers who never summitted Everest, choosing to go down was a far better alternative that choosing to go up.
There comes a time when mountains that we climb yesterday simply do not serve our tomorrow. The courage to acknowledge that point is a mountain on its own. At some point in the future you will realize that the value of your climb was far more meaningful then you could ever have imagined. It created the person you are today.
Wherever you are on your journey – up, down, twisting, turning, or even those brief moments when you can savor your accomplishment – pause to realize that you have acquired the tools to handle your mountain.
Remember that one of those tools is knowing other people are there to help you in times of need. All you have to do is ask.
Melinda