10 lessons from the Mountain Dude. You asked for this.

You kept asking, so here we go. Here are my 10 rather "fitness" lessons but I can translate every single one to you into a "business" lesson. Do you need my help with this or is it clear?

Firstly, it's important to state that despite all the high-altitude extravaganzas …

a) I am NOT a native mountaineer. I started about 10 years ago as a COMPLETE greenhorn. I was a clueless casual hiker. I started getting serious only 3 years ago.

b) I still work about 40-50 hours per week and ENJOY it - a LOT! See here

Maybe these following 10 lessons - mainly from the previous three years - provide some inspiration. Feel free to pass on the post if you find it useful. My key take-aways are (executive summary first before getting into details):

1) It's never too late to start a health-turn around! Even at my age (54) you can make tremendous improvements.

And I mean "tremendous" not some minor fitness improvement. When people tell you "too late" ... bullshit!

2) Go beyond your limits. Your body is lazy. If you stay within your "comfort zone" your body won't change/improve.

You need to work your body really hard before it changes/improves. It's a lazy beast.

3) Working less does not always mean less income. The opposite might be the case. I have a theory why and will explain it later.

4) Allow no excuses. Make fitness/health a top priority. It drives business performance! Trust me. It all starts from there.

Healthy body, healthy brain, good performance. Details coming below.

5) Pick the right companions for your fitness/sports transformation journey. This is key! You won't get this done on your own.

Also here, details coming.

6) Avoid "convenience"!

7) Focus, focus, focus!

8) Muscles are the foundation. Start with them.

9) Slice crazy missions into less crazy pieces. Focus just on your next step.?

10) Travel light! Don’t carry dead weight with you.

Some background before I get back to the 10 lessons above in more detail.

In all fairness I was in "OK" shape/fitness about 3 years ago. So, I'd say I had a good start. However, things that I do today (only 3 years later) in the mountains .... climbing ... mountain biking ... gym ... Those would not have been a stretch for me back then but TOTALLY unthinkable/impossible. I had no clue technically about the stuff that I do today, nor was I anywhere near the physical capabilities. I am honestly rather impressed with my fitness progress during the previous 3 years ALTHOUGH I am still working (less though - admittedly). So, I want to share some of my findings. Maybe some of them are useful to you. Referring to the earlier mentioned 10 key learnings with a bit more detail.

1) FITNESS IMPROVEMENTS LATE IN LIFE - Amazing improvements are possible. In the GYM ... I do about twice the weights that I did 3-4 years ago. Biking .... I am not a bit faster ... I am a lot faster (almost twice as fast) than 3-4 years ago. Mountain biking ... 1000m altitude gain was my limit. Today ... 3000m days - no problem.?Climbing .... from amateur to serious high-altitude mountaineering in 3 years. When people tell you at age 50 plus it's about MAINTAINING fitness ... this is complete bullshit. Ignore it. Nonsense. Reaching another fitness level is important in life because fitness also drives a lot of other health benefits. Examples: Did I ever test positive on corona? Not once although everybody around me had it. Do I catch a cold? Technically maybe yes but I never get sick. Never. Not a single day. I come home with bruises and scratches from the mountain pretty much always. However, I noticed that the healing now happens very fast. Ah, and stop poisoning your body. If you smoke... Quit it! And reduce alcohol. I am by no means sober. People who know me, can tell you that I do like to drink alcohol.... a lot actually, if the occasion is right. However, I do not drink on my own. I am a pure "social drinker". I avoid hard liquor. It's rather beer and wine and I do pause sometimes for a week in a row. Other than that ... food: I eat what I like. Sugar, desserts ... YES, big time! I check my weight max once a month, since it's almost exactly the same: 80 kg. Does not fluctuate, so why bother checking. This whole fitness thing is also an attitude thing. I hate to get passed while climbing, hiking, biking. It rarely happens but when somebody is indeed faster, I am seriously pissed. I won't surrender easily and sometimes I get them in the end ??. Don't mess with me. Even if you are 20 or 30 .... I get you! Most of the time!

2) BEYOND YOUR LIMITS. I am convinced that the key contributor to my fitness is exactly that. You need to get to a state of complete exhaustion at least once per week. That's what I do. One day per week. Don't go crazy. See a doctor first and when you do it, ideally have somebody around who knows first aid ??. On that day I push the limit. It can be faster, higher, longer than ever. Set a new personal record. Whatever it is - get flat out exhausted. Totally. Get positive about pain ??. Pain means you are getting close (!) to your limit. No pain no gain. There are two types of pain. Firstly, the one that is slowly building up. That one is just the body telling you "c'mon ... I really have to work hard now - stop it!". You can ignore that pain and keep pushing. The second type of pain is the one that comes quickly. That's the alarm bell -> Stop, something is not right. You need to learn about that and be able to distinguish. Am I just exhausted, can that headache be cured with drinking water, or do I show first signs of altitude sickness? You need to learn and understand those warning signs and be able to distinguish. If you stop whenever a bit pain starts, you won't get anywhere. On the other hand, if it's really altitude sickness for example ... react immediately. Down, down, down!

3) MONEY. It gets interesting when I plot my income over the past ten years. When I look back, the times of crazy hours and high stress levels were rather low on the income side. The past 3 years were great. I think that’s because I spend so much time in the mountains. I come back with fresh ideas, recharged and a clear mind. I take the focus from the mountains to the business. I don't waste time on rubbish and pleasing other people. Work afterwards is so much more productive. It just "flows". And I don’t waste time on bullshit. I focus on the big tickets. I got much better about deleting emails for example. I avoid "courtesy replies" like "I see what I can do...." if I know that I can't help. I am more honest and straight now.

4) NO EXCUSES.

"It's bad weather" .... who cares? Unless crazy high-altitude mountain stuff is on the agenda, I just don’t care about the weather. Don't get me wrong: Matterhorn project (see recent post here) ... weather was the key! I spend a lot of time picking the right weather window. It was crucial! But "normal" projects ... cold, rain… let it pour down. .... it just improves your "body armor". I never got sick during the past years. Nothing. I don’t take medicine. I am convinced that this keeps the body strong. Favorite excuse “I have no time” … then go to the gym early morning! Be the first one. You don't need caffeine that way. You will have a nice fresh start for your workday. Rule of thumb: Gym is not going to happen "after work". And “Work” shall never count as an excuse. The hour in the gym or jogging … you can squeeze it in if you focus at work. You are allowed to THINK about work while you work out. You might find that the hour in the gym is more productive workwise than an hour in front of a packed e-mail inbox. And one more on the “I have no time”. Sure … but how many hours do you waste watching TV, YouTube or other nonsense?? I am not religious, but I believe you get punished eventually for wasting time: TV, YouTube, lousy jobs, bad vacations (club vacations, on a beach …. Doing nothing). Somebody will punish you for those wasted hours/days/years. You get smacked for all the time wasting. Another hour wasted in front of the TV .... kick in the butt!! Get out! Move, explore! Go crazy! I spend close to zero time in front of the TV. I avoid that time sink. It’s also not ?work or be outdoors“.?I can be super productive work wise outdoors. Acceptable excuses: illness, young family (my 3 kids are out of the nest), early years of your career (you just need to work like a dog - that’s just the way it is). The list is short though and the bar is high.

5) COMPANIONS. If you go for this ….. make sure you do this with somebody who knows her/his shit and knows how to perform first aid. You need to find people who are physically MUCH better than you, whom you like and who have time!! I found my two companions in the local Alpine club (DAV) here in Garmisch (I joined already when I was still living in Munich). Pick sports and travel companions from whom you can learn. People who challenge you. My two main buddies for the tours today are a professional MTB guide and a retired army mountain guide.

Number one: P., 60 years old. Looks like mid 40. Super athletic. 100% muscles, no fat. Retired army mountain guide. He trained special NATO forces in survival training and served abroad on many “special missions”. He was a paratrooper and trained others. By the way he was also an underwear model ;-). We are having a lot of fun together and do crazy things in the mountains. He is a bit bored and has time. Important! That helps. P. enjoys his retirement status and learned how to say "No". He is still extremely diligent about what he does and maintains a super high degree of professionalism. He has "army" written all over. He yells commands. He can get very serious about all the mountain stuff. He has me train the knots again and again until I can do them blindfolded. When I am climbing with other mountain guides, I get a straight "A" for technique - thanks to P.. And he is still so much better! They ask me "where on earth did you learn this? ..." I say "from P., a retired army mountain guide!" And YES, I started with P. as a paid mountain guide. Since many years now we are just friends and not any longer client & guide.

Number two is C.. About 40 years old. Professional MTB guide. On a regular basis he comes up with mad trips that he can’t do with his clients, or he does not find clients for those trips ;-). He had advertised the “Ortler tour” (see a previous post here) for years. Nobody wanted to cross - by bike - 5 mountains higher than 3000m in 7 days. Touch snow in July - on a bike - every day. Biking 12-14 hours per day …. No (paying) volunteers, surprise! But I loved the idea. So, we two are a nice match. I am his Guinee pig for new tours. If I survive .... he might advertise them for paying clients. I am also his companion for tours nobody else wants to do with him. Perfect!

Ah and I applied this "surround yourself with people who are better and smarter than you" always in business. What's the point in hiring people who are lower on the IQ scale than you are? It might get inconvenient (see point 6) with only smarter people around you, but it provides a challenge, and you might perform better! Always following the idea of "push the limit" even if it exhausts you. Ah well ... I could tell you stories here on "exhaustion" caused by super smart people but, in the end, no regrets!

6) BEWARE OF "CONVENIENCE". .... in 99% of the cases "convenience" means NOT healthy. Do I own an E-Bike? Hell no! Do I use lifts or elevators? Nope, it’s stairs. Do I take the car for local trips? Nope. I bike or walk. Desk with a chair? Nope. I have an elevated desk that I never take down. I stand. And the list goes on … beware of “convenience”!!! It makes you (and your body) lazy.

7) FOCUS IS KEY.

Take important tasks seriously!?Distraction can kill you (literally). Nobody ever got in trouble for preparing too much. Nobody got in trouble for being razor sharp focused. People get in trouble being not fully prepared for the challenge. In the end of the project, you need to say ?this was tough but easier than expected“. This obviously also applies to business: train a lot! Prepare well. And focus on your next step. When you are climbing don’t look down. Look up. Don’t even think “what if I fall?”. Focus on your next step (up), your next move, the next grip on the rock. Be prepared! My recent Matterhorn trip was the end of a rigorous 6-month training journey. I trained like hell. In the end I am 54 years old and the average age of the folks who make the summit is 35. So, I needed to train much more than the youngsters and be very focused. Training included lots of climbing sessions, planning, acclimatization, trip memory (I can probably still memorize the Matterhorn track in a year, very detailed: ... the "denture" ... left, steep wall up, right, follow the ridge, up again, straight to "Moseley plate". Stay in the middle of Moseley! A bit left to the "shoulder". Stay on the ridge then .... It's like a song text, I know the way - by hard). And another thing on the "Focus" topic: reduce the noise and distraction! When I moved from Munich to Garmisch about two years ago, this had an impact. The noise (literally and also in regards of distraction) got reduced dramatically. No "office warming" or PE event you just swing by. Time sinks, plus of course some casual beers, too many snacks ... all of that instead of the evening bike tour. Side effect: By moving to Garmisch, I obviously also surrounded myself with like-minded people. You don't live here in the Alps unless you are into mountains and outdoor activities.?

8) MUSCLES FIRST.

Muscles are your body armor. They protect your bones! The muscles burn your fat. Everything is easier with muscles. If you start from a poor fitness level, start with the muscles. Just that. Everything else afterwards. Gym 4-5 times per week is then mandatory.?On the “body armor” …. I had two severe MTB crashes on wild downhill trails this year. I got up, fixed the bike, and continued. I am convinced that 4-5 years ago I would have ended up in hospital. No question - broken bones would have been the result. So ... muscles are key!

9) SLICING.

Obviously, this also applies to business. You need to learn how to slice (impossible) missions into little pieces …. I learned this in the mountains. The overall mission might seem totally crazy but when you start slicing it into sections it becomes manageable. Celebrate the accomplished sections. Take a deep breath after the “wall”. Enjoy the view before you focus on the next task -say - passing the ridge. Also manage problems that way. I am stuck in the wall. What is the most important thing now? It's "am I secured?" Yes, fine, then find a solution. You won’t die. Focus and solve the problem. Next slice. You also need to manage fear that way. What's the point about looking down and worrying what's down there. Look up, up and only up! Don't worry about the next next thing, the upcoming tasks. Worry about the imminent next step. Worry about the next slice.

10) TRAVEL LIGHT. You learn this when you pack your backpack. Every gram counts. Do you really need that extra shirt? Need the heavy battery pack? Travel light also applies to live. All the extra stuff you think you need …. A lot of this is just a time sink. Your vacation home needs maintenance. Why not just go Airbnb? The large house with the garden …. Sounds like lots of maintenance to me ;-). Waste of time. I enjoy my nice little apartment with 360 degrees of mountain views (Kramerspitz, Wank, Wettersteingrat, Jubil?umsgrat to be precise). Don’t waste time on “stuff”. All that "stuff" needs maintenance/time. Travel light (also in life)! Whenever I moved during the recent 10 years, the place got smaller (although I could have afforded it otherwise). Every time I moved, I gave away so much stuff. The wardrobes are now all half empty except my outdoor stuff ??. It's 5 ropes (where I need only two), 5 ice picks (2 are enough) and so on. But that's my only "disease".?No other "collections".

That's it. 10 simple lessons. There is probably another lesson on food, but I am the wrong guy for that ?? I don't care (much).

Good luck with your health/life mission! Go for it!

Live your life to the fullest. Nobody said at the end of life ?I wish I had spent more of my time in the office …. Or watching TV ….“. Nobody.

Rather spend your time like this for example: Montblanc post.

PS: For those who wonder, what I actually do for a living (mainly). I connect shareholders of businesses who wish to sell with the right buyers. I have worked in this industry so long, that I know most of the large institutional investors, family offices and wealthy individuals. They are all looking for investment opportunities. They are all a bit different (size of investment, style, structure (majority - minority), personality). My close "buyers' universe" is around 20 to 30 parties that I know very well and an extended list of about 100 to cover all angles. Those buyers pay me a success fee in case a deal gets done. When I talk to owners of businesses who wish to sell, I assess what the best match might be. I suggest one of my clients to them, where I think the match is perfect. This is all at no cost to the seller. No fee, no contract. Nada. So why not give it a try? See www.altosadvisors.com So, I am a matchmaker. While most people think, selling a business is all about money, this could not be further away from the truth. Most of this is about personalities, sharing the same vision for the business, a match of cultures. I enjoy this a lot, since it gets me in touch with truly interesting people. Just in case you might wonder, what I do if I am not in the mountains. This is what I "mainly" do. "Mainly" because I also enjoy activities in the Venture Capital world. This is my heritage and I can't stop it ??. Ah, and following the rule of - travel light! - I have no "real" office and I am only supported by 5 freelancers. No permanent staff (travel light!).

So,?FEEL FREE TO SPREAD THIS POST if you found it entertaining/useful/fun. If it gets more than 10k views I might start a YouTube career ??