Is It Worth It? A Life Lesson from Glacier National Park

I got my inspiration for today’s Mojo while visiting our very own backyard wonder, Glacier National Park.

Typically, I avoid heading to Glacier in the summer months due to the crowds, but this past Sunday, I felt a strong nudge to take the drive. By the time we arrived, it was mid-afternoon, and we found a parking spot near the Trail of the Cedars. Initially, we thought we’d just take a relaxing stroll through the magnificent ancient trees.

Those trees are stunning, and the trail is easygoing. But soon, we found ourselves at the trailhead for Avalanche Lake and decided to hike up to see how far we could go.

Throughout the hike, I found myself asking others along the way, “How much further?”

The first response was, “About 10 to 20 minutes more.” The second time, it was “Maybe another 30 minutes.” An hour into the hike, someone told us, “You’re over halfway there.”

We laughed, realizing it felt like the hike was growing longer with each step. That’s when CrisMarie came up with a new question: “Is it worth it?”

Every time we asked that question, we received the same answer: “YES.”

That response was far more satisfying.

It made me reflect on how this lesson applies to life and business.

So often, we go through our day thinking, “When will this be done?” or “When will I get that win, the next client, the big idea, or the vacation?” Our ego pushes us toward finishing, achieving, and ticking off accomplishments. We become fixated on the end goal.

But maybe the better question, once we’re on the path, is, “Is this worth it?”

That question opens up so much more:

- Where are we headed?

- Where are we right now?

- Who’s with us on this journey, and are we moving together?

This shifts the focus to the present moment, to what’s right in front of us.

Think about your life. Where are you asking yourself, or thinking internally, “How much longer?” or “When will I arrive?”

Maybe it’s time to change the question to, “Is this worth the effort?” and explore what that means.

In the end, reaching Avalanche Lake was indeed worth the effort. But it wasn’t just the destination that mattered—it was the journey, with all its lessons, that made it truly rewarding.