Lessons Learned from the John Muir Trail: An Adventure of Professional & Personal Growth Part 2

In part 1 of this three part series, I shared the beginning of our journey on the John Muir Trail (JMT), why we chose this adventure for our annual off-site and the challenges we faced during the first few days. As we continued hiking, we experienced extreme highs and lows. In this part, I will share some lessons we learned from these experiences and how I feel they relate to professional and personal growth.

Lesson 1: Patience and persistence are key

Patience and persistence are essential to achieving your goals. I am not a very patient person. I am used to getting things done quickly and well. I get frustrated when things don't go according to plan, in my personal life and in business. But...things don't always go according to plan, and it can be easy to get frustrated when progress seems slow. I have been intentionally working on trusting the timing of things. This was put to the test on the trail. As we hiked through the challenging terrain, I realized that the only way to reach our destination was to keep moving forward, step by step, while doing my best to appreciate the moment I was in.

In business, this means staying focused on your long-term goals and not getting discouraged by setbacks or obstacles. It also means being patient and persistent in pursuing your vision, even when progress seems slow or difficult. The photo above was as the adventure was getting more difficult. I was nauseous daily due to the altitude and nothing sounded good to eat except Fritos, my Trader Joe's Parmesan Crisps and Macademia nuts. These two amazing women we had met earlier in our adventure had invited us to camp near them and offered to share a cup of Miso soup for our Happy Hour. Best soup ever! That combined with the conversation, sharing a reading and some laughter set us up for renewed energy the following morning. Being present in that moment of connection meant I wasn't thinking about how far we still had to go. Laughing and sharing our journeys also brought more joy to the challenges and helped improved our mindset. We also got insights and shared ideas about how to make the journey go more smoothly.

Lesson 2: Communication is key to success

Another lesson we were reminded of while hiking the JMT is that effective communication is essential to achieving our goals. When hiking with a partner or team, it's important to communicate clearly and effectively about your needs, expectations, and concerns. This helps to avoid misunderstandings and to ensure that everyone is on the same page. How would William Poett, PKE MBA know that I was doubting my ability to move forward, that I was fearing another intense water crossing or that I wondered if my blood clot had returned as I slowly made my way up another 12,000+ pass. He wouldn't. So, I needed to ask myself what I needed to move forward and then communicate it to him in a way he could hear.

"I need to get down NOW" I said at the top of a peak, with wind whipping around us and me staring down the steepest descent I had seen so far, rocks covering the trail after the previous night's rain storm. Maybe it was the altitude, maybe it was my exhaustion, but I didn't need many words to express what I needed. Down we went, not talking until the trail began to feel a little less like I'd fall down a chute and little more like I would make it in one piece to the flat area below.

In business, effective communication is just as important. Whether you're communicating with your team, customers, or stakeholders, clear and effective communication is essential to building trust, establishing credibility, and achieving your goals. Having clarity around what you need to succeed or what you need from your team is essential. No need to waste time guessing.

Lesson 3: Embrace discomfort and uncertainty

Hiking the JMT was an uncomfortable and uncertain experience at times. From the physical challenges of hiking at high altitude and crossing rivers to the uncertainty of encountering wildlife, storms and extreme weather changes, there were many moments where we felt uncomfortable and unsure of what was to come. The good news is we knew we could count on each other and we knew we had been extremely thorough in our preparations. This provided a level of confidence even when things got tough. "Grab that rain jacket!" "Close the waterproof bag!" We had everything we needed and knew how to keep things dry and intact.

As we continued on our journey, I realized that embracing discomfort and uncertainty is essential to personal and professional growth as well. As much as we can prepare for success, something inevitably will go wrong. Our first rainy day we kept hiking because the clouds looked they were letting up... they weren't. We hiked 12 miles in the rain, waiting for clear weather and a bit of sunshine to dry us out. It didn't come so we had to pivot and approach that night a bit differently in order to stay warm and dry in the near freezing temps. It's only by stepping outside of our comfort zones and facing new challenges that we can grow and learn, assuming we have the right team in place, we are prepared and we are committed to a clear goal or destination.

Lesson 4: Celebrate small victories

Hiking the JMT taught us the importance of celebrating small victories along the way. From reaching a new milestone on the trail to successfully setting up camp in the dark, we had many opportunities to practice this. Like this photo to the right, every once in a while we would get out of the toughness of what we were doing and see the most exquisitely beautiful scene. Certain views really do stop you in your tracks on this adventure... force you into being present. And when that happened, all sorts of emotions would cascade through our bodies. I believe this is one place creativity lies, within our souls when we powerfully connect with where we are... in awe.

Laughing at the situation is also a way to celebrate. Several of the videos I took had laughter... being in the moment, celebrating what we were doing while also feeling challenged beyond anything was a way to remember in that moment that there is beauty and inspiration all around us.

In business, it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day challenges and forget to celebrate the small victories along the way. I do this. I might focus on what hasn't happened yet, a sale not going through or a project that is delayed. Too much focus on that takes me away from what IS working! Taking the time to acknowledge and celebrate these victories can help to boost morale, build momentum, and keep everyone focused on the bigger picture. It feels better and reminds us of the bigger picture.

Hiking the JMT was an incredible adventure that taught us many valuable lessons about personal and professional growth. From the importance of patience and persistence to the power of effective communication, these lessons will stay with us for years to come. Is building a company easy? No. Is hiking the John Muir Trail easy? No. Are there amazing reasons to do both? Yes. Can we appreciate the good and keep learning from the challenges? 100% Stay tuned for part 3 of this series, where I'll share the final adventures and reflections from our journey on the JMT and how it set us up for an amazing 2023 for 9Q Solutions !

Thank you for reading!

I'm Laura Ciel and I empower leaders and their teams to thrive, in an often chaotic world, while making a positive impact. If you're interested in learning more about private or team training and coaching, check out my upcoming Thrive Together Women's Cohort , our website or DM me on LinkedIn so we can discuss your particular needs.