Editor’s Note: Originally published on LinkedIn on November 9, 2021.
Through belabored breaths, at the end of 2014, I trekked up and back down Mount Kilimanjaro for seven hard days, one step at a time.
I spent all of the time at the back of the group, going slow, catching my breath, and capturing my experience with my trusty camera. That pace differed from my usual speed and a palpable sense of restlessness. However, it allowed me to get to know the guides that kept me company and safe, enjoy the beauty around me by taking moments to stop, look, and feel the memory I was creating, and learn life lessons along the way that still serve me today.
"One step at a time." That was my mantra as we climbed and the lesson I needed to learn.
Breathing was hard and slow going, and the difficulty increased as we made our way up Kili. Thinking about the whole mountain ahead, the known dangers and the upcoming freezing temperature was overwhelming. So I put those realities aside, knowing that I had already planned for them.
Since then, once I've decided what the goal is and have planned for it, I accomplish it one step at a time. This motto still helps me today as I grow my practice and skill set. When I envision how I want to impact the world, it sometimes feels like a mountain. However, breaking it down bolsters my confidence to know that I will accomplish my goals.
Being at the back of the group sucked…until I accepted it and recognized it as a gift.
I'm naturally competitive, and being at the back of the pack did not feel good. However, once I processed all of the feelings around it, I moved to a state of acceptance, creating space to see what was around me and take in the magnitude of my endeavor. Near the start of our trek, I remember looking up the mountain and seeing clouds; later on the trip, I walked through them. I used to be so hyper-focused on the process and controlling it that I would sometimes lose sight of the goal, resulting in not enjoying the experience until after it had passed.
Acceptance allowed me to slow down and be in the moment.
The same is true today as a founder. There are many times when I want to rush towards achievement and winning. Although inevitably, various forces slow me down, with the less problematic of these, I can be in the moment and create a memory of my entrepreneurial journey.
Through partnership, I reached the summit.
One of the guides that kept me company, Moody, recognized my innate curiosity and desire to explore and would show me views along the trail that I would have missed had I been at the front in my competitive mindset. When I was fatigued or lost in the moment, he would prompt me to stop and take photos of me on the mountain. We took many steps in silence and, through that, built a friendship that continues today. As we approached the summit, Moody and I were inseparable. He was such a strong partner and ensured that I was safe and had a rich experience.
It made me realize on a deeper level the importance of the partners I select and being open to the right ones appearing.
Having a higher purpose makes it easier to do the hard things.
It was not enough for our group to climb Kili. We did not want only to take away our experience from Tanzania; we wanted to give back and positively impact a place that gave so much to us. We chose to do that in two ways: choosing a company that would guide us up the mountain with aligned values and paid fair wages and raising money for a local charity. We chose Fair Travel, a non-profit tour company that pays their guides fair wages and puts the traveler's safety first (some companies get you to the top by any means to ensure a larger tip regardless of safety concerns). We also raised money for Shukuru, a non-profit that provides vulnerable girls in sub-Saharan Africa means to pay their way through school through entrepreneurial training and micro-loans. Doing this hard thing felt much more manageable, knowing that there was a higher purpose.
When hard things show up in my business, I think about my purpose, my vision, and the impact I want to have, which helps me get through it.
There was the goal, safely climbing and summiting Mount Kilimanjaro, and the motivation behind the goal, building inner strength.
With space and time from this life-impacting event, I was able to realize this additional lesson. Understanding that this extra level to your aim exists is key because it means you can satisfy this motivation in different ways. It can also uncover areas for development.
To be clear, had I known my reason ahead of time, I would have still climbed Kili. And, I'm still thinking about climbing it again :)