Daily we are giving mountains of tasks to accomplish, bills to pay, problems to fix and customers to call. Standing at the base looking up this mountain of to-dos seems enormous – or worse yet standing on top looking down the sheer drop we would encounter should we falter.
It is sheer madness. How on earth are we going to accomplish this feat? Mountains are big; let us climb this one…
1. IS IT REALLY A MOUNTAIN? ON THE OTHER HAND, IS IT THAT YOU SEE A MOUNTAIN?
The task before you could be a 2500-meter climb, a 10,000-meter race, to organize next motivational seminar, buy a pallet of goods or to just keep to your schedule to please an important client. The task before you is indeed a mountain if that is what you see!
Take a good look at what lies ahead of you. Let us say you have a relatively short amount of time to organize a meeting for your boss. If the first thing that pops into your head is that you probably will not achieve it in time, therein lies the problem. Without this pre-conception, your job is a simple undertaking. However, when you have convinced yourself it is not possible, you have just created Mt. Fuji when only a moment earlier it was mere baseball mound.
Give yourself some credit. You did not get to where you are now by selling yourself short! Bring the baseball mound back.
2. GO AROUND THE MOUNTAIN
It is important to do some research first. There are always many possible answers to the one single problem. We all know it is easier to work our way around the hill than to tackle the peak itself. Is the goal to climb to the peak or simply to get to the other side?
If your destination is just to get to the other side then adjust your plan accordingly. Conserve your energy for those things that are indeed closer to your heart.
3. DO YOU REALLY NEED TO CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN?
This is very important here. Be overly honest with yourself. Why are you going to climb this mountain? Is it because deep down you really want to accomplish this feat or is it to please somebody else? This is probably the most important issue here. If you climb for the wrong reasons the chances are, at worst, you will fail; and at best, you will have a feeling of being unfulfilled from within.
Do not do everything simply to please someone else. It will severely deflate you. You are the most important person in the world. Treat yourself with the respect you deserve. If you do not, others may infinitely be pressing your buttons.
If you have wanted to get to the peak of this hill then for heavens sake go there and achieve it. The feeling will be exhilarating. If you are indifferent, then find your niche. You will have to seek it out, as it is highly unlikely that it will find you.
4. DO NOT DO IT ALONE!
A group of individuals with the same common goal has a habit of drawing incredible power and strength from one another. Plan your trip carefully with experienced mountaineers. A team with the same target has a much greater chance of success than a lone ranger with summit fever.
In relation to your professional life, it is important that you seek out as much knowledge and professional advice as possible from the wealth of information available from others. Tap into as many different success formulae as you can. Educate yourself in your field, absolutely! Become an expert. Even if you are already an expert in your field there are always mountains (pardon the pun) of new material regularly released that will assist you no end in your endeavor.
5. YOU HAVE ALREADY REACHED THE MOUNTAIN PEAK IN YOUR MIND
This is an important training exercise. As you envision in your mind that the goal i.e. in this case reaching the summit has already been achieved you will sub-consciously adjust your surroundings to make getting there substantially easier.
Visions of success will increase your confidence and therefore your chances of success. Put a goal sheet on your wall, beside your desk, inside your cap, in your wallet, purse…anywhere but make them visible to you.
6. START CLIMBING FROM THE BEST ACCESS POINT
Experience has shown that the journey will be easier when you start from as close as possible to your goal. Prepare thoroughly. In a nutshell be PT’d (prepared thoroughly) for everything you do.
When thoroughly prepared you will have created answers to problems that have at this time not developed into problems, but will be easily recognizable and solvable if and when they transpire.
7. OKAY, YOU HAVE DECIDED TO CLIMB, BUT CLIMBING IS FUN!
You have decided to climb the hill. There is only one lifetime and therefore no time for regrets. Enjoy your climb. If you do not you should not really be there in the first place.
Enjoy what you do, always!
8. PLAN FOR EVERY CONTINGENCY
It is always good to be prepared for anything that can potentially happen. Plan ahead and cover all your options. It may seem pedantic but every parachutist, every motor car racer, virtually every professional will plan for all situations. It is not much point realizing what you need when you need it. Generally speaking, it is too late at this point.
9. TRAVEL LIGHTLY
This is straightforward. What you take with you will need to carry. There is not much chance of an industrial hair drier coming in handy.
In a business sense, make sure your home life stays there. If you are developing something on the home front, for heavens sake make sure it stays there. If you bring your home concerns to work, your output will indeed be impeded. This will weigh you down and have the same effect a laden backpack would.
Give your mind a break. Do not fill your backpack with non necessities…
10. ENJOY THE VIEW
You will pass through incredible heights during your journey. Make them memorable; this is a marvelous feat you are accomplishing. Realize it for what it is and you will enjoy it and gain an incredible amount of strength from your accomplishment.
Who knows you may then start to plan your next rewarding achievement…
