Climbing Mount Everest requires mental and physical fitness. While mental preparation relies on our lifelong mindset and reactions, physical training is essential. “When I reached the summit in May 2019, I felt grateful, knowing some divine force and the support of my loved ones were with me,” says Aditya Gupta, Everester and Founder, The Rug Republic.
The Everest journey, lasting around 45 days, teaches valuable life lessons. It mirrors life’s ups and downs, challenges, easy moments, dangers, and extreme conditions.
Here are a few simple tips to reach new heights, preparing not only for scaling Mt. Everest but for a bigger and far more unpredictable journey called life.
Lesson 1 Preparation + Passion = Performance
Big missions like Everest need preparation on three fronts: physical, mental and technical. All three are needed to succeed. One can and must train for the physical and technical bits. But is it possible to change one’s mindset in the time between project conception and final success?
We may say we are passionate about something but the sacrifice and discipline of preparing well is the proof of this passion. When it’s really there, we see it without hearing about it. When we are in the difficult phases of a project or life, our preparation keeps us optimistic and our passion keeps us enthusiastic.
Lesson 2 The Power of Focus
Focus on a complex task needs to be so razor-sharp that all negative worries are tuned out. Everest taught me that two kinds of focus are needed: a general one for broad direction, and a specific one for every step of the way. Lack of either can be harmful.
Lesson 3 Scale Need Not Scare You:
When facing a challenging and complex task like Everest, one can’t afford to be afraid of the scale. This positive mindset is crucial at the beginning of the project, and all the way through to the end. The scale should enthuse you, not deter you. No guts, no glory.
Lesson 4 One Step At A Time
A big task seems difficult till you break it down into smaller steps. Once the steps are decided, one needs to keep putting one step ahead of the other. You can walk, run or crawl, but you do need to keep moving forward. That alone can lead to success. The summit night is a ruthless test of endurance, optimism, and tenacity. It took me 13 hours to reach the top. Each step took 5 to 7 deep breaths. But one needs to stop thinking about the looming picture and focus on “the next step” and then the other end of the line of life can take us to any summit we want. There ain’t no mountain too high.
Lesson 5 Expect The Unexpected
Everest taught me that unexpected things can happen anytime – to do with the weather, people, or equipment. They can threaten your life or limb, and you can’t have a Plan B for them because they are unexpected. What lets you overcome such danger is a calm approach to the trouble.
Lesson 6 Make Friends With Fear
There is no such thing as “not being scared” of what is realistically a threat. Threats can’t be ignored or wished away. They have to be accepted, prepared for, and actions taken as required. Without getting too scared or too casual about it.
Lesson 7 Time Is Oxygen
Time and Karma are mean folks. They wait for no one and show no mercy for any reason whatsoever. There is a fixed amount of oxygen every climber has on the Everest. Once we are above 8000m, in the death zone, the oxygen is running even if we are not. We need to keep going and reach camp before oxygen runs out. In life, the clock is ticking regardless of how productive we are. Time in life is like oxygen on Everest. We have a fixed amount and it keeps moving even if we are not. Conserve or consume consciously. The compounding power of saving just 30 minutes every day by better time management turns out to be enormous when calculated over a couple of decades.
Those who shine don’t have any magical wands, but they rely on the little habits compounded over time. Everest teaches the value of time better in 45 days than life teaches in 45 years.
As we approach the other end of life’s path, it occasionally holds up a mirror, reflecting back our choices and actions. Let us ensure that we like what we see in that mirror, my dear friends.
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