By Dale Simonson
Anyone who has climbed a major mountain has probably been asked (and may have asked themselves) “WHY”. And for those who have never made such a climb, it might be because they see no meaningful why. Why should they subject themselves to the physical stress or pain required to reach the summit? Why should they expend the time, money, and energy to climb only to have to turn around and come back down?
I’ve climbed many mountains and embarked on many other similarly challenging adventures. I typically don’t need to answer the “why” question for myself since I only do these things when they light up an inexplicable fire in my belly that rarely subsides until I’ve accomplished it. It may be wired in my DNA – that insatiable urge for adventure. Or it may have developed as I gradually came to recognize, challenge after challenge, that I inevitably came away with wonderful gratification and memories far beyond the difficulties and miseries I experienced in the process.
I struggle, however, with answering the “why” question to others – until I saw the transcript of a commencement speech by David McCullough Jr. In it, he told the graduates: “Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air, and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.”
From others I have heard that the process of getting themselves off the couch and enduring the challenge of the climb to reach the very tangible success of reaching the summit opens new doors of possibility in other areas of their lives. They learn that they have more strength than they realized for obtaining a goal, and use that new-found confidence with their job or other life demands.
We’re all cut from different molds, so this post isn’t the Golden Rule of why to climb the mountain, but at least it’s a deeper and more meaningful reason than the “because it’s there” cliche. I welcome your comment on why YOU choose to climb the mountains in your life – whether it’s a literal mountain or figurative one.