Overcoming Mount Everest

I hope the past week has been kind to you. Have you been keeping up with the news? Every day the headlines are about some type of power struggle: Californians trying to keep their lights on, Gray Davis vs. George W. or Republican vs. Democratic senators. The news is either bad or boring. I often ignore it. However the other day I couldn’t stop reading this story (excerpt from San Francisco Chronicle, May 25): "Blind American scales Everest"

"Erik Weihenmayer, 32, of Golden, Colo., became the first blind climber to conquer the peak, according to the Nepalese Ministry of Tourism.

"Weihenmayer, 32, lost his sight at age 13 and took up rock climbing three years later. He was able to scale Everest by following the sound of bells tied to the jackets of his climbing mates and Sherpa guides.

"He has already climbed Mount McKinley in Alaska, Mount Aconcagua in Argentina and Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

‘This is quite an amazing and extraordinary feat for a blind climber to reach the summit,’ said Ang Karma, a mountaineering expert. ‘A majority of the people have difficulty even getting to the base camp, let alone the summit.’

"Since the first recorded conquest of Everest in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, more than 800 people have conquered the tallest peak. Some 180 people have died on its unpredictable slopes."

Erik joins a growing list of people such as Lance Armstrong who have magically transformed obstacles into stepping-stones and climbed to the top of their own mountain. How can we find this same magic and use it to reach our own mountaintop? Let’s first examine my definition of magic. Magic is:

Mind
Action
Goal
Insight
Courage

Erik used his mind’s eye to visualize himself standing on Mt. Everest. Once he was able to sustain this vision, his first action was to find people who would support and share his vision. He had to ignore the inevitable naysayers and follow the "two heads are better than one" philosophy to create a way to the top.

Much of Erik’s success depended on setting a series of realistic goals and a time line. Erik did not wake up one day and climb Everest. He prepared his body by training for and competing in ultra-endurance events such as marathons and cycling. He prepared his mind by climbing a series of increasingly challenging mountains. Erik made his mistakes on smaller climbs and gained enough insight to adjust his technique.

Obviously Erik is a man of tremendous courage. Erik’s courage was fueled by his experiences and the love and support of his family and his team.

Erik also had luck on his side; many people have perished on Everest when the mountain became angry and swallowed them up in a storm or avalanche. However, using MAGIC, Erik was able to stack the odds in his favor.

Many of us will face a challenge that seems as daunting and far away as the summit of Mount Everest. Whatever the challenge, we can overcome our obstacles and find the footholds that will get us up and over the top. We may not succeed at first, but we must never give up.

"Nothing in this world is impossible to a willing heart."
-Abraham Lincoln