I'm unsure what today signifies in your world, but for me it's very special for at least two key reasons.
Firstly, I will say farewell to my 20's, and turn 30 next Sunday, December 6. Why be scared about it, honestly? I can't change my age. We're all ageing. Every day, every hour, every minute. So, my attitude is to embrace getting older because with it, we are learning, growing and becoming a new-and-improved-version-of-us. Or if we aren't, that is our choice. So, choose to become a better person every day in even a small way. Life is far too short to waste.
Secondly, in exactly 40 weeks today - the time it takes for a foetus to reach full term (which I thought was rather significant!) - I will, together with the rest of Team Mera, commence my epic trek and climb of Mera Peak in Nepal. How can I not get excited about that amazing fact? That's right kids, in 40 weeks today (5 September, 2010) I'll be in Kathmandu, in Nepal. I am sooooo, sooooo excited. I have tons of work (preparation) to put in between now and then, but I have every belief in myself that I can be physically, mentally and emotionally prepared for what is sure to be my most life-changing, challenging and rewarding experience to date. I have a Team of amazing people who are right alongside me, doing all they can to help me get ready for Mera Peak. I'm going to introduce you to those people very, very soon. I have long since acknowledged I cannot get from where I am now to where I need to be physically, mentally and emotionally on my own. It's SMART to ask for help, guidance and coaching. Why? Because I am so committed to summiting Mera and being in the best physical and mental condition of my life. Preparation is the key. Once I arrive, it's too late. The hard work needed to already be done. The more I prepare, the more I will gain from my climb and the more I'll enjoy it because I wont be struggling with every step. The altitude will alone be challenging enough. I'm so going to be a little ball of muscle in 40 weeks time... and an endurance athlete, ready to climb a mountain!
There is one other thing but I'm not quite ready to unleash it into the blogosphere yet. Soon though, I promise you'll hear/read about it right here. I'm well aware I could receive some feedback that may be borderline negative, hence why I am holding back at this time. But, at the end of the day, it isn't about anyone else. This is about me. I have my reasons (the why behind the what) and that is all that matters.
Enjoy today, kids. I invite you to sit down for a few minutes today and contemplate the significance of today in your life. Where are you at with your goals and commitments for 2009? What is in store for you in 2010? What worked for you, what didn't work? Are you a better person now than you were 1, 2, 3, 6, 12 months ago? I know I most certainly am in a much better head space than I was four months ago. And I am fitter and stronger too. And happier. And more focused and committed. And grateful for my family and my health. Sure, I'm always going to have my 'issues' and 'challenges' - but as long as we are committed to working on overcoming them it's all good in my book. I have a few I'm currently working on overcoming right now: my sleeping (or lack thereof), my eating (again, or lack thereof, given the quantity of training I'm doing) and my acute neck pain that has now persisted for almost 4 weeks. It's when we are stagnant that we lose the point of life. I'm the first to admit that about three months ago, I was in a very negative 'place' in my life. I don't want to go back there, ever. And I'm not about to paint a grim picture of what things were like for me then. Although you'll get glimpses of that period in my life, no doubt.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The Seven Summits
In the world of mountaineering, the Seven Summits is considered to be an achievable goal - rather than say climbing the fourteen peaks over 8000m (Andrew Lock - I totally admire you). That is, climbing the highest peak on each of the earth's seven continents.
If mountaineering doesn't excite you and isn't your 'thing' - and that is perfectly okay - what are your Seven Summits? What are the seven top goals you would like to achieve in your lifetime? The time frame is irrelevant and the 'significance' of any or all of your selected seven is entirely personal. Likewise, the 'degree of difficulty' is also irrelevant and individual. Because, as my personal development coach/mentor, Craig Harper, says time and time again: "It's about YOU." Why chase someone elses goals? Why be a copy cat? You are unique for a reason - so you develop your own ideas, opinions, thoughts and plans.
The rationale for me writing about this follows my commitment to climb Mera Peak in September next year with Nick Farr (our leading guide), Cherie Horne (my special friend/trainer in Melbourne) and eleven cool team mates who I'll meet early next month at our first team meeting. But it also comes at a time where I've had to totally re-think where I'm going in my own life. And, to be honest, I don't have any answers regarding what path I'll follow next. I decided to voluntarily walk away from my paramedic career in mid August, not having even completed half of my 12 month Graduate Ambulance Paramedic Program in Melbourne. It was the toughest decision I made this year and I sure as hell resisted it for as long as I possibly could. It literally tore me to pieces. I realised that work just was not meant to be that hard; that I needed to honour my respect for myself and that I needed more time to develop my confidence, communication, decision making and a bunch of other life skills that are not only integral to a paramedic career but also for all areas of life.
It's important to have goals, and I'm not going to start on how to set goals and all that stuff. However, it's important to set achievable goals, measureable goals and also goals that challenge you. Avoid setting goals that involve other people. For example, getting married and having kids are both important to me, but I woldn't want to think I'm a 'failure' if they never happen. Remember, the Seven Summits challenge is about you. Once you come up with your Seven Summits, start making action plans to achieve each, one at a time. I must also emphasise how self-destructive it would be - not to mention outright stupid - to attempt the summit of Everest without first having done some smaller peaks. You need to give yourself time to gain all the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to become 'amazing' at your chosen 'thing.' By the way, just because the Seven Summits is just about climbing mountains, doesn't mean your Seven have to be all related too. They can be seven anything's. Also note that it isn't a crime by any means to edit your Seven at any time.
So, what are my Seven Summits? As of today, they are (in no particular order):
I would love to know your thoughts on my Seven Summits and would love to read about your Seven Summits too. So please share or just say hello.
Asia - Mt Everest, 8850 metres
South America - Aconcagua, 6962 metres
North America - Mt McKinley, 6194 metres
Africa - Kilimanjaro, 5895 metres
Europe - Mt Elbrus, 5642 metres (not Mt Blanc)
Antarctica - Vinson Massif, 4897 metres
Australia - Mt Kosciusko, 2228 metres. (Note that for reasons that probably relate to the extremely low altitude and lack of any technical difficulty of Mt Kosciusko, some claim that the highest peak for this region should be Carstenz Pyramid, 4884 metres, in Irian Jaya for the 'continent' of 'Oceania'.)
(Ref: http://www.andrew-lock.com/seven-summits.shtml)
If mountaineering doesn't excite you and isn't your 'thing' - and that is perfectly okay - what are your Seven Summits? What are the seven top goals you would like to achieve in your lifetime? The time frame is irrelevant and the 'significance' of any or all of your selected seven is entirely personal. Likewise, the 'degree of difficulty' is also irrelevant and individual. Because, as my personal development coach/mentor, Craig Harper, says time and time again: "It's about YOU." Why chase someone elses goals? Why be a copy cat? You are unique for a reason - so you develop your own ideas, opinions, thoughts and plans.
The rationale for me writing about this follows my commitment to climb Mera Peak in September next year with Nick Farr (our leading guide), Cherie Horne (my special friend/trainer in Melbourne) and eleven cool team mates who I'll meet early next month at our first team meeting. But it also comes at a time where I've had to totally re-think where I'm going in my own life. And, to be honest, I don't have any answers regarding what path I'll follow next. I decided to voluntarily walk away from my paramedic career in mid August, not having even completed half of my 12 month Graduate Ambulance Paramedic Program in Melbourne. It was the toughest decision I made this year and I sure as hell resisted it for as long as I possibly could. It literally tore me to pieces. I realised that work just was not meant to be that hard; that I needed to honour my respect for myself and that I needed more time to develop my confidence, communication, decision making and a bunch of other life skills that are not only integral to a paramedic career but also for all areas of life.
It's important to have goals, and I'm not going to start on how to set goals and all that stuff. However, it's important to set achievable goals, measureable goals and also goals that challenge you. Avoid setting goals that involve other people. For example, getting married and having kids are both important to me, but I woldn't want to think I'm a 'failure' if they never happen. Remember, the Seven Summits challenge is about you. Once you come up with your Seven Summits, start making action plans to achieve each, one at a time. I must also emphasise how self-destructive it would be - not to mention outright stupid - to attempt the summit of Everest without first having done some smaller peaks. You need to give yourself time to gain all the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to become 'amazing' at your chosen 'thing.' By the way, just because the Seven Summits is just about climbing mountains, doesn't mean your Seven have to be all related too. They can be seven anything's. Also note that it isn't a crime by any means to edit your Seven at any time.
So, what are my Seven Summits? As of today, they are (in no particular order):
Body composition - 57 kg* / body fat 18-20% (* body fat % to take precidence over body weight)
Ironman New Zealand or Ironman Western Australia
Mera Peak
Become a qualified paramedic
Antarctic Ice Marathon
Rottnest Channel Swim 2011
Mt Everest
I would love to know your thoughts on my Seven Summits and would love to read about your Seven Summits too. So please share or just say hello.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
