Lessons from the mountains part 5 – The time is now!

When I am about to plan a big project such as a mountain expedition, a backcountry ski trip, or a tech project as an engineering manager at Microsoft, I am trying to answer the 5 W questions.

What exactly I want to do/achieve? Why do I want to do it? When and Where will I do it? and with Whom?

Today, I will mainly focus mainly on the first three W's: What, Why and When.

Find your dream.

That is my What question.

It's usually something I had in me for a long time, often before I knew how to express it in a plan or words. It can be to climb a mountain, go solo camping in the snow, bike a downhill trail, or create the next tech that will touch and improve lives of many…

Defining “the what” is where it all starts for me, and I build it all from there.

It’s crazy, so why am I doing it?

Once I know what I'm looking for, it’s important to also know Why am I doing it.

Answering this question is an exercise of self-observations and a deep connection to myself. It is also where the magic happens for me, time after time.

I begin by asking why I am choosing to do this thing, and the answer will often lead to deeper understanding and to another why question, and another.

Here is an example: I want to climb a mountain, why? Since it connects me to nature -> and I want to connect to nature because it brings me peace -> and peace brings me clarity and focus -> and clarity makes me a better leader and a better person…

So, why do I climb mountains?

For me, the mountains are about these:

• The views are just breathtaking. Seeing a sunrise over the snow is gorgeous and a celebration of nature and joy.
• It’s a way to connect to my body and senses. Something about the snow enhances the senses for me, I smell better, my hearing becomes sharper (though hearing the snow cracks can be scary at times), and I enjoy feeling the wind and nature on my face.
• Each mountain has a story with lots of meaning to the surrounding area and to the ingenious people around it in, either in the modern era or thousands of years ago. So, before every expedition, I carefully choose the mountain I will attempt to summit based on its story and its meaning to me. That's why I don’t plan to summit Mt St Helen as I feel it doesn’t want people on its broken top. In other words, part of the process is to connect with the energies of the mountain.
• Being part of an expedition is a challenge and more importantly a personal journey I am going through. It helps me deal with my fears and it teaches me how to manage risks and critical decision making!
• Mountains remind me to be humble – it is never about conquering a mountain or standing on the top of the world (I don't plan to climb Everest!). And when I walk on a small ledge, often at high winds, the only thing that exists is the here and now. It's also a great reminder that nature is stronger than any of us, we are just visitors here, and we can let go of all our biases and differences as we are all equal up there.
• It's an investment in the memory dividend - creating these unique experiences pays back memories over time (read more about it in Bill Perkins Die with Zero book)
• It all about teamwork. Each climber is part of a “Rope Team” and we operate as one unit, supports each other, and make team decision, even the simplest things such as when to stop for a break and for how long is critical and that is a team call that can make or break the climb.

The time is now!

Another important question to answer is when. When should I go? When will I be ready? When should I start planning the trip? and when should I start training?

That is an easy question in my opinion. The time is now my friends!

I’m probably in a better shape now than I was 20 years ago, so I feel ready to climb a mountains. But what that also means is that I wasn’t in such a great shape 20 years ago and I made different decisions back then. It's all a matter of your decisions and your priorities and it’s never too late or too early to start a habit.

Many people across the globe inspired me by pursuing their own dreams:

• Jessica Watson sailed across the world solo and unassisted at the age of 17.
• Jordan Romero climbed Mt Everest at age 13, Yuichiro Miura climbed it at the age of 80!
• Raluca Pop created Hive Social at the age of 19, simply because she wanted a social app that fits her needs, Swedish Daniel Ek envisioned Spotify at the same age!
• Greta Thunberg addressed the United Nation about climate change at the age of 15.
• Malala Yousafzai?got a Nobel peace prize at the age of 17.
• J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter book as a single mom on Welfare.
• Harison Ford, a carpenter became an actor in his 30s.
• Ray Kroc sold milkshake mixers door to door until age 51 when he started… McDonalds.

So, the next time the universe invites you to an adventure, the only answer is yes, and the time to pursue that dream is now! Give yourself permission, move beyond your fears, and create a habit out of it. And most importantly, be patient with yourself, persistence is the key to your success.

If you haven't read the previous posts, check out these expeditions and some lessons learnt from them:

Part 1- Mt Baker Expedition

Part 2 - Mt Rainer Expedition

Part 3 - Mt Adams Expedition

Part 4 - From a Hobby to a Habit

See you on the trails.

#Mountaineering?#Leadership