Perseverance is a good quality to have. Determination is also a quality that will help you achieve your goals. When perseverance is combined with determination it’s an almost unbeatable formula. Unless it is applied to the wrong things.
In “hunker down” mode, head down determined to achieve the end, it’s not till you reach the top of the mountain that you realize you’ve been on the wrong mountain all along. I can do this! Pushing through the pain, setting small goals, and passing the milestones while failing to read the signs along the trail that read ‘Mt. Trouble’ instead of ‘Mt. Accomplishment’ is an unsatisfying victory. Egg-faced and exhausted, Mt. Accomplishment still remains to be tackled.
Is it a complete loss? Not necessarily. Did you learn anything from the experience? Like maybe read the signs along the way and look up once in a while? SIGH! The right turn at the giant sycamore led to a harrowing, dangerous path, perhaps you learned from that little side trip. Sometimes even though we are sincerely trying, we are sincerely wrong. I wont say it was wasted effort because there’s always something that can be learned.
We either learn not to do that again, do it in a different way, or in this case I know the steps that need to be taken to reach the top of the right mountain. I’ll just chalk it up to experience, and practice. Yeah, that’s my story and that’s what I’m sticking to.
It’s sort of like I got a chance to preview the terrain, a sneak peek at the course. There may be deviations along the way because there are always subtle differences. However, the larger scheme map is basically the same. If you can climb one mountain, you can certainly climb another.
It doesn’t matter how high the mountain, it can be conquered. My own personal K 2 may seem like a foothill to others, but that’s ok. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses. Where I’m strong, some one else may be weak. Where they are strong is very possibly my own weakness. When we work together we can accomplish more. There are benefits to bringing someone else along on your mountain journey. First of all you have a witness! OK, when you’ve climbed the wrong mountain that may backfire but you have someone to laugh with.
Sharing our successes is even sweeter when our companion has shared in our defeats. A true friend will rejoice with you, knowing that you’ve tried, knowing when you’ve been defeated and encouraged you along the way. For every three mockers that said you couldn’t do it there’s at least one person that wants you to succeed. Listen to the one that believes in you.
They are gracious enough to not beat you up when you hit the peak of Mt. Trouble. Mine was as encouraging as possible, congratulating me on the success while subtly pointing out that the distant mountain “over yonder” was in fact the one I needed to climb, while taking a few moments to point out that I’m stronger now from my practice run.
Yeah, practice run. I am stronger now, more knowledgeable and better able to tackle the right mountain. I’ve learned along the way and figured out how to lighten my pack from some unnecessary items. You can guarantee that this friend is going to go with me up the mountain. Besides, it’s never a good thing to start out alone. Trail blazing is one thing, but when you have a course, bring along a friend. Having someone to talk to along the way makes the trip more fun as well.
What about you? Ever climb the wrong mountain? Ever sincerely pursue an endeavor to find out that you were a little off course?
There’s always another mountain to climb, whether you tackle it or the practice hill, there’s always another.
Write on my friends write on!
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