Ever since I climbed Kilimanjaro, I’ve been drawn to mountains and have begun to relate it to the journey of life.
What I find interesting about climbing Kilimanjaro is that you cannot see the summit from basecamp. In fact, the summit is rarely visible until the last few hundred meters.
As you climb you begin to let go of many things. One porter accompanies you to camp 1, a different one to camp 2 and so on. You shed gear and carry only the essentials at higher elevations. The weather begins to change and so does the terrain, from the rainforest at basecamp to volcanic rock at higher camps. You adapt to keep climbing. During the climb, your senses are heightened to the present moment — the environment, the weather, and how much food and water you have left.
I’ve found myself going back to this experience and relating it to various aspects of life.
First, there is something powerful about climbing without seeing the summit. It makes you more aware of the present and mindful of what is. The mountain unfolds as you climb, and so does life.
Second, being at higher elevations involves rapidly changing and unforeseen conditions. You develop a greater appreciation and respect for nature and variables that fall outside of your control.
Third, many of the accidents in big mountains such as Everest happen on the way down. As climbers become fixated with reaching the summit they may lose sight of time, weather and/or oxygen levels.
In the walk of life, we tend to set our sights on conquering the summit. It is hard to resist the urge. We reach one peak and are quick to set our sights on a higher, more challenging one. At some point, you look back and wonder if the climb was worthwhile.
The distinction I’m trying to make here is between values and goals.
Goal: climb Everest.
Value: climb to the best of my ability.
A goal is fixed and it sets an expectation — the source of all suffering according to Buddhism. A value sets the focus on the present as opposed to a future outcome. You may or may not climb Everest while climbing to the best of your ability. Conversely, you may climb Everest with bad form, by taking unnecessary risks or simply not at your peak performance. In other words, you can attain your goal by detracting from or, worse yet, compromising your value.
Pursuing a value independent of a goal may seem counterintuitive or unrealistic. Without a goal, how do you muster the courage and drive to reach new heights?
This is exactly the point I am trying to make. I believe that living day to day by your values is more important than attaining a goal. In the pursuit of your values you are in a state of mindfulness, self-compassion and happiness. You throw away that measuring stick or scale which never seems to hit your “magic” number and begin to appreciate the beauty of the climb.
How so?
By focusing on the value, you need to be aware of what makes you a good climber and the variables you can control to get there. By focusing on the goal, you set an expectation and it may distract you from being a good climber.
A master climber has respect for the mountain, is strategic, disciplined and long-term oriented. This discipline keeps him out of harm’s way. A great climber knows he/she can return to the mountain. The mountain will be there but he/she may not. I believe it is this appreciation for the dynamism of life that allows us to be successful.
Success is not a measure of if we reach the summit but rather of how we climb it. Naturally, it is harder to ascribe value to the process and, therefore, we tend to shift our focus to the binary outcome — the goal. Did I reach the summit?
Moreover, goal setting introduces a possibility of disappointment, anger, and suffering. Arguably, setting a goal makes you more vulnerable to detracting from your values in pursuit of the goal.
I like to think that life is measured by the moments we practice and uphold our values, and not by the number of peaks we summit. It is measured by our capacity to be present, to be mindful, and to be at peace with ourselves and our surroundings.
Life is about breathing and climbing one step at a time. So buckle up and enjoy the ride.