Motivation Information |
Half Dome, A Story About Your Future Success
The physical journey mirrors very accurately the spiritual journey of your own life. It was one of the toughest things you've ever done. Hike two miles to the bottom of the first waterfall, climb to the top of that one, only to find yourself at the bottom of another waterfall, only higher. After reaching the top of the second waterfall you begin to understand why people actually train for the hike. You then push yourself for three miles straight uphill through the switchbacks of the Yosemite forests. You finally reach the base of the domes. Here, you have a picture taken to document the point at which you "hit-the-wall"...the wall of exhaustion. The guy taking the picture says, "You've done a great job getting this far, no one would blame you if you turned around." You consider it, but just then, the reddest hummingbird you've ever seen flies near and seems to whisper in your ear, "You can do it. I'm telling you, you can do it!" Two more gut wrenching, leg quivering miles to the "Cables." To this point you've worked very hard to overcome physical limitation. Now you have to face some serious fear. The "Cables" run up a sheer face of the mountain. You're not great with heights. It's a 45 to 50 degree angle. You can swear that at points it's more like 75 degrees. You're thinking I didn't come this far to turn back now...you'd truly rather die on the side of this mountain than to turn around and cower home (Well, maybe not that extreme, but close). So you take the cables into your gloved hands and begin ascending. No one's talking on the cables. It's well understood that if you let go, or have a severe leg cramp, you're dead. Someone ahead of you loses a shoe. You're terrified by the way that shoe tumbles down the mountain. Several people decide to turn around and go back down at this point. Unfortunately, there is only one way up and one way down. So, climbers in both directions have to share the precious cables. You decide to continue and focus on the task of putting one foot in front of the other. You made it! You made it to the top of the world famous Half Dome. At the top there is no ethnicity, no gender, no age or any other difference, only deep respect and heartfelt admiration for the other humans willing to go. Lots of tears at the top. Lots of quiet contemplation. And, the most beautiful sight you've ever seen in your life. You cry hard and stay for about an hour of awe inspiring views and powerful spiritual space. Now you're on top of Half Dome, completely exhausted, legs quivering and cramping severely. And, worst of all you just let the very last drop of your water hit your tongue. All of this would not have been so bad if you were already back at the car. However, you've got to climb back down 9 miles of absolute gruel. Going down the cables is worst than going up because you're forced to look down at your fear. 4 miles into the return trip, severe dehydration symptoms humble you enough to ask a fellow hiker for water. You now understand why water is the most precious thing ever in the history of all of life, and all of the lives before that. You say to the fellow hiker, "I have $150 in my wallet right now. I'll give it to you for one small swallow of your water." Of course they do not take the money and give you about 8 oz. of water. Enough to make it down to the river stream. You know you should not drink the unfiltered river water but figure stomach cramps and diarrhea would be preferable to passing out from dehydration and being eaten by some of the local bears. You dip your towel into the cool river and suck on the moisture the rest of the way back down. Incredible! Back at the car, you whisper to yourself, "If I can do that, I can do anything." Whether or not you've hiked Half Dome you can relate to this story. We've all had times in our lives in which we've had to hang in there and push through extreme fatigue and fear. Those were also times when we felt most alive and invigorated. Maybe you're in the midst to something very challenging right now. Maybe you're battling through a health crisis, or the health crisis of a loved one. Maybe you're fighting for a relationship that is important to you. Maybe you're striving for success in your job, business or your classes at school. Whatever the case, you can do it, I know you can do it! Just believe in yourself and keep putting one foot in front of the other. Delano Garner writes for "Shades and Reflections," a resource site for Physical and Spiritual Health. http://www.shadesandreflections.com Contact Delano Garner at delano@shadesandreflections.com
MORE RESOURCES: Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting |
RELATED ARTICLES
Motivation: No Finish LInes There is a saying that goes something like "getting to the top is easy, the hard thing is staying there once you get there."There's a reason the above statement is so true. A Book Review: Great Resource for Group Facilitation Anyone who is a leader or member of a group and wants to get things accomplished knows that there are many issues and challenges that groups commonly face as they seek to find creative solutions, launch new initiatives, and create high performing teams.The Book Leading Groups to Solutions addresses how team leaders and team members can collaborate, problem solve, plan, organize, and make decisions by exploring models and tools that enable facilitators to help groups achieve their goals. Death by Overwork: Motivationally Speaking Its a Zero The Japanese have a word for death by overwork: Karoshi. A recent survey said 40 percent of all Japanese workers fear that they will actually work themselves to death. Whatever Happened to You? Whatever happened to all the dreams? The wants, the desires, the hopes, the cravings, the appetite, the passion? The aspirations of youth? Where did you go? Whatever happened to you?Last night a footballer gained admittance to the football folklore of Spain. He burst onto the field in the dying minutes of the game and scored twice to rescue his team from a hopeless situation. 5 Great Ways To Overcome Procrastination At Home If you procrastinate at home you may suffer some consequences from disgruntled family members who have to carry your share of the workload.A worst-case scenario is that your procrastination and lack of motivation may carry over to other members of your family, resulting in absolutely nothing being done. Quick Tips On Getting Motivated When You Dont Feel Like It The secret to getting started on something when you don't feel like it, is surprising, but easy.Edward W. Action vs. Apathy - Feeling Powerless? Get Moving! How many times have you felt truly defeated by the circumstances in your life? You know, the "I don't know why I bother to keep trying, I'm going back to bed and staying there" feeling. It happens to everyone - housewives, corporate executives, rock stars, actors, world leaders. The Power Of Rules - Petty, Petty, Petty Rules In 2004 a group of seven spoilt and often aggressive British teenagers were sent to a working ranch in Utah called "Turn-About Ranch" to undergo a regime of strict discipline and hard work.The vast majority of successful Brat Camps are in Utah, a state which takes morality seriously and has strict laws to enforce good behaviour. Decide Where do you want to be in a year? In five years? In ten years? Is what you're doing now -- the way you're living, your friends, your habits, your focus -- Are all of these things moving you in the direction of your goals? How does it look?Are your habits the kinds of habits that the person you're going to be in two years would have? Are your friends or associates, or whatever you call the people you hang out with the types of people the you you're going to be in five years will want to know and be with?What about the things your mind gets hung up on? Your focus. Do you even know what your focus is?If you and I were sitting together right now (and pretend we are) What would your answer be if I asked you where you're going? What are you focused on accomplishing or achieving? You are certainly focused on something. Within You Lies All You Need Within is the person we really are. Within lies our very existence. Planting Seeds of Action Recently, I was driving past a local nursery and saw a sign that said, "Fall Is For Planting." As I drove, the idea on the sign was gnawing away at me. 9 Ways to Motivate Yourself When You Just Dont Feel Like It Achieving the really big goals and dreams always involves breaking it down into do-able little steps. Assuming that you've picked a goal or dream that you really love working at, then most of the steps are a delight to take. Map to a Gold Mine - Could You, Would You? If a total stranger came up to you and said: "I've got a map", what would you think?Would you be intrigued or would you think he was nuts? What if he added: "It's a map to a gold mine." Would that get you interested?What if he said: "I'll sell you the map. Full Steam Ahead, Just Dont Go Off Half Cocked! Do you do things that you don't want to do? Do you not do things that you do want to do? Do you find every reason in the book to delay what needs to be done? Would you like to know the secret of getting things done? Then hang on tight, cause this buds for you.How do you make the secret of getting things done an everyday part of your life? It's done by a nasty word?. Awakening The Giant In You Deep within man dwells some vast slumbering powers and abilities that he never dreamt of possessing. Forces that would revolutionize his life if aroused and put into action. If Not Now, When? How many times have you made excuses for putting off something you really needed or wanted to do? Probably too many times to count. It is all too easy to get in the habit of putting the desires of your heart on hold. A Tribute to Edna To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world. - UnknownThis week I had a coaching session that caused me stop, sit back and reflect on why we're really here. The Ripple Effect: Small Steps Lead to Big Results "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit. Believe It's like that old joke about how long did it take Bell to discover the light bulb. Then realizing it was Edison who did it. What Comes First the Action or the Feeling? In other words, it is in the "doing" that we appreciate and learn the meaning of an action or activity, not simply in thinking about it.It's the action that preceeds the "feeling," whether it's the glory of victory or the agony of defeat. |
home | site map | contact us |