Have you ever climbed a trail to the top of a mountain? When you reach the top and look out, it has the most breathtaking views. In some cases, you can see for miles, and in others you may overlook a valley, a city, a forest, an ocean.
You feel as if you are on top of the world. However, the journey is not always easy. Climbing uphill is hard. It takes a certain level of fitness. You may even have to take some rest breaks. This is when it becomes the most difficult. After a rest, you say, should I go, should I turn around, or should I wait here?
Climbing the mountain is all about what is at the top. Knowing what is there gives us incentive to continue. If it is unknown, we become fearful or reluctant. We tend to wait at the bottom for someone or something to roll down and let us know what is at the top.
I remember days of riding a bike and having it coast downhill. It was an awesome feeling. I also remember how hard it was to get the bike to the top. I still have nightmares of the hills from my Ironman race in Chattanooga! Climbing the hills on the bike were tough but coasting down them felt like I was on top of the world. The worst were the hills for the run. There was this certain street, Barton Avenue that had two hills. You had to run them going out then turn around and run them coming back in, and you had to do it twice!
As I climbed the hill on Barton Avenue my outlook changed each time. The first time was exhausting and somewhat disheartening. It was tough. I had the thought of just walking. Some people had the thought of not continuing. The thing that kept me going was knowing what the Mountain View was. The last time I climbed the hill, I was like, you got this, and you will not defeat me. I became jubilated and exhilarated with knowing I was almost done.
You see with each step I gained confidence I would finish. I gained more belief in myself. My mountain view came into focus. It is like our lives. Each day we will have uphill climbs and we will have downhills. It is by taking each hill one at a time that we learn and gain confidence to get us to our Mountain View.
What is your Mountain View? Will you wait for it to come to you or will you climb that hill with confidence? Only you can make that choice. Just know the Mountain View is what you dream! Mine on the Ironman was to hear my name called by Mike Riley, saying “Jason Bankston, You Are An Ironman!”