August 14, 2003
By: Mike Brescia
Website: http://www.thinkrightnow.com
Touch the top of the world
OK. So if a blind guy can climb the world's tallest
mountain...
How do those excuses sound that you keep coming up with
about why you can't do that paltry little project that's
been sticking its tongue out at you for months now.
People like Erik only have one thing that separates them
from most everyone else; the attitude that life is to be
lived; that accomplishments require some risk, and that
the risks themselves can make life juicy and fun.
Now, it's probably not required that you risk life and
limb to achieve most of your goals, is it?
You want some juice, don't you? Accomplishment? Real excitement?
Then set a big goal. A REALLY big goal. But whatever it
is, it's got to stretch you. It's got to be something that
you really want... something that would really change your life.
Write down all the steps it will take. Who do you have to
call? Where do you have to go? Does it require special training? Do you
need tools or supplies?
What sacrifices do you have to make?
Sitting on the couch for another 10 minutes might be pretty
'comfortable'. Taking one more unimportant phone call might be more
'fun' in the moment.
But at the end of the day when you look in the mirror...
the only way THAT'S going to be fun is if you cut short
the unimportant phone call, got off the comfortable couch, stopped
hiding out and took some major steps toward a big
goal... Every day. If you do that consistently, you'll
start to really be proud of who you're becoming.
And your esteem will magically improve. You'll like
yourself a lot more.
Those 'sacrifices', if you'll look at them, aren't
sacrifices at all.
Happiness comes from what you become, not what you get.
If you become more, you'll get more automatically. It's
one of those cosmic universal laws.
Erik Weihenmayer, in achieving his goals, has become more.
Now he gets paid huge sums to talk to thousands of people
every year about the thrill of working to reach your
wildest dreams. He gets to write about it.
90% of the people who attempt to climb to the peak of
Mount Everest fail. Many die. Erik 'looked' past the risk
and 'focused' instead on the reward, and went after it passionately.
So even though he's blind, he wouldn't trade his life
for anyone else's. His life is his life, so he's enjoying
every bit of it.
When Erik was about 15 minutes from the top of the world's tallest
mountain, so close to his goal, he started to cry... but his tears were
freezing, making it difficult to breath in his mask.
So he had to put off crying with his blind eyes for another
15 minutes...
...until he actually reached the top of the world.
About
The Author:
Mike Brescia is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.thinkrightnow.com.
Erik's story is about having the 'vision' to dream big; the courage to reach for near impossible goals.