I was thinking about writing this blog the other day while hiking in the Blue Hills Reservation in Massachusetts. Unlike hiking in the western US, Blue Hills is a series of small hills with virtually no switchbacks, which means that the trail up is literally straight up the side of the hill. Hiking the trails in these hills is akin to interval training as you get a rest, then you do an intense climb that gets your heart rate up, then a steep downhill section, then another steep climb.
It was on one of these steep climbs that I got my inspiration. Sometimes I hike early in the morning before I start my work day. When I have a schedule, I will limit my hike to a particular time, so I go out for say 45 minutes, turn around and come back. Sometimes we set goals and if we don’t reach that goal within a particular time frame, we give up. It is ok to set a time limit on a goal as a general guideline, but what I think is the key to a major breakthrough in business and in life is to keep going in the direction of your goal irregardless of whether you achieve it in the given time frame. As long as you see that you are getting closer to the summit, then keep your effort up and a positive attitude and you will reach your goal. If you turn around too soon, you could be wasting all that effort and you will never reach the goal. Have you ever seen someone who gets excited about something for a while, they give it a try, then the next time you see them they are doing something else. The difference with a successful person is that they have the perseverance to continue towards their goal even in the face of extreme adversity. One of my favorite quotes: “Don’t quit before the miracle” Also, just liking hiking a trail, you really do have to take just one step at a time.
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