During a couple of hours climbing it's possible to experience more emotion than in a week of daily living. Focus takes on new meaning as your senses are acutely alert to the slightest sound of avalanche. Partnerships take on new meaning when the trade-off means risking your life to save your climbing partner.

Climbing is dangerous, gratifying, strenuous, stressful, frustrating, difficult, painful, lonely, sometimes boring and monotonous, and often without tangible rewards, much the same as life in general. Any real mountain story will not be a glossy-eyed story of summit-bagging splendor. Real mountain stories always involve fighting against the odds, failing, and dusting off the snow to try again.

 

"7 Leadership Lessons from the Mountain"
 Handout

 

  
 


Seven Leadership Lessons from the Mountains


 
 
  1. Sustained effort allows us to take advantage of luck
  2. If you have a dream be prepared to sacrifice for it
  3. Pushing the envelope is a prerequisite for doing anything truly rewarding
  4. Expeditions demand teamwork and extraordinary individual performance
  5. Select partners based on their commitment to your vision
  6. Overcoming the impossible transforms us into who we really are
  7. Be a closer
  
 

 

 

  

 

"If you have a dream never lose sight of where you want to go, be focused."