At times we can get so caught up in climbing the proverbial ”mountain” of success, leadership, fitness, career, etc; that we fail to mentally prepare for the potential shortcomings or pitfalls that await us at the summit, at the pinnacles of achievement.  How will we stay on top?  How will we handle the pressure of continued excellence given more fierce competition and circumstances outside of our control?  How will we react if it were to be suddenly taken away?  What if we had to start the journey all over again?

The lyrics of the song I Was On a Mountain (presented here poetically) by Hot Water Music, encapsulate strong themes about mastery and serves as a cautionary message for those who strive to reach the top.

I was hanging on by a little thread.
Just minutes before I was on a mountain.
I screamed “I can see all.”
The ground broke from the sound.
It was all built on nothing.
The pretty lights down below
Begged me to just let go;
To let myself be condemned;
To start again

I opened up my aching hands.
I went down like an avalanche.
I took with me the things I found.
I used them to help slow me down,
And start again.

Caution: The solid ground that you
are on will slide from under you.

There are many themes and messages to be drawn from this short piece, here are a few I have picked up that serve as a reminder for me on my leadership and personal development journey.

When you are striving for excellence others will ridicule, criticize and oppose you

This is a given; love them anyways and seek first to understand those you care about, whom you know truly care about you.  At the end of the day remember a statue has never been erected to a critic.

What you work hard to build can be taken away overnight

Its a hard thing to stomach but it is a realty.  Companies fold, world class athletes sustain career ending injuries and statesman get ran out of office.  As Frank Bettger says “You only fail when you quit.”

In addition the loss can come from two angles
  • Loss can come from something totally outside your control
  • Loss can come as a result of complacency or ego

If the loss occurs because of something you cannot control take a brief period to collect yourself then move on.  Dwelling on the past prevents focus on the future.  On the other side of the coin, the way to avoid complacency and ego is to foster the mindset of never arriving.  Once a person feels that they have arrived any type of growth or learning ends.


 

If you do have to rebuild use what you have learned to do it again but faster

Its been written in many forms; that knowledge, a proper thought map and relationships are the foundation of what truly marks achievement.  While it may take years of deliberate practice to attain these things, it would explain why some CEOs can succeed in any company, why some athletes win regardless of circumstances and why some entrepreneurial millionaires that go broke can build a new empire faster than the length of time a president is in office.

The person you become matters more than the place you end up

Although somewhat philosophical or spiritual, this ties back to the previous point.  Who you become dictates where you will go.

Never Stop Climbing

This train of thought also begs the question of, is there every really a top?  Can we not always continue to progress and grow?  Although perfection may be impossible in this life, striving for it is not.  When you find something you are passionate about, why stop climbing?  Why discontinue to learn, love, lead and live?