Are you still circling the mountain?
There was once a man who could see a tall mountain in the distance. He often stood at his window, looking at it. He spent many years fantasizing about reaching the peak of that mountain.
He planned a trip and waited for the right moment. After many delays, he started walking towards it. Several days later, he reached the foot of the mountain. It was rugged, tall, and imposing. Overwhelmed with doubt and fear, he sat down, wondering what he must do. No travelers came his way. They climbed and descended on the other side.
“Life isn’t much more than a big dig through layers of doubt and fear into new levels of power and potential.” – Robin Sharma
Eventually, he decided to circle the mountain because he wasn’t sure he could climb it. He walked round the mountain again and again. After circling the mountain many times, he sat close to a path. This was the path that many climbers used. Soon, he saw someone going up the path.
“Aren’t you afraid to attempt this climb alone? The weather can turn awful and wild animals can kill you. Such an awful risk…” The climber smiled and shrugged. She continued climbing and soon vanished from sight.
Later, the man saw someone else coming down the path looking tired but happy. “How was your climb?” the man asked. The climber shared his experience in detail – the good paths, the difficult paths, and the hardships he had faced.
“How did you feel when you reached the peak?” persisted the man. The climber spoke about feeling elated and overjoyed.
“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.” – Chauncey Depew
Soon, the man started haunting the path and questioning everyone who descended. How had their experience been? How had they managed to reach the peak? How had they felt when they reached the peak after facing all those hardships? The man spent his time trying to imagine how one must feel after reaching the peak.
He took detailed notes for future reference. He intended to insulate himself from every possible calamity when it was his turn to climb this daunting mountain. His notes grew and the man spent a long time reading them, Always preparing, always an eager listener when a successful climber shared experiences with him. He never climbed that mountain.
“There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.” – John F. Kennedy
What does this story, related by Master Shi Heng Yi, tell us? Things will never be perfect in life nor will the stars and planets align to create moments that are ‘just right’ to begin your climb. There will always be uncertainty which can prevent you from undertaking your journey. Set aside your doubts and begin your climb without hesitation.
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare
The weather will change. The sun will shine, it will rain or snow, and sometimes, you might have to feel your way in the dark to reach a safe place. Keep walking anyway. Celebrate all the different people you meet and continue walking. If the path is difficult, rest awhile and continue. Distractions abound. Never allow them to deter you from the climb.
In life, there is only so much you can learn by taking notes and listening to others describing their life experiences. Theoretical knowledge can only help to a certain extent. The only way to move forward is to understand that the climb and experience are yours alone. It is your path to climb and cannot be lived through another’s experience.
“The best way of learning about anything is by doing.” – Richard Branson
It is easy to silence your inner voice and stop asking yourself what you need to make life more joyful. It is even easier to surround yourself with what you think will keep you safe. However, the only constant in life is change and nothing will ever keep you fully safe.
Are you still circling the mountain, constantly looking to others provide you direction in life? Then this might be the time to ask, “Why am I still in this state and what is the consequence of continuing to be in this state?” The answers should give you the courage to take action instead of living your life taking notes.
The direction your life takes is in your hands and not decided by someone else. Life is not meant to be lived based on someone else’s life experience either. Have the discipline to stop taking notes, overcome your doubts, and take the path that will lead to change and a different life instead of accepting the status quo. Only then can you start climbing your path to the peak.
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” – Gautama Buddha
