Climbing Past the Limits in Your Mind

The parking lot was still shrouded in darkness. It was very chilly, so I was glad to have brought a hat and gloves.

I hadn’t thought to bring a headlamp; to find my way, I used the light from my smartphone. After a while, the waning moon appeared, directly in my direction of trek. All around, in the lower elevations, high fog spread out. It was still and quiet. A mystical atmosphere. Ah, and here I was, on my way to the two Mythen peaks.

I climbed slowly onward until I reached the pre-summit of the smaller peak. From here, the path became selective and exposed. A wrong step or a bout of dizziness would have had unmistakable consequences. Old bolt hooks, leftover pieces of chain, and with some light rock climbing, I reached the summit. What a panoramic view! A sea of fog all around, and above it, a perfectly clear, long-distance vista. And the summit belonged to me alone — the first one there that day! This time, it was worth getting up early.

The descent back to the pre-summit again required my full concentration. I took my time to find the right line. Relieved, I reached the pre-summit and then continued my descent until I crossed over to the larger peak. From this point on, it was bustling with activity. It was full of tourists, who had even shortened their trip with the cable car. The path to this summit was much easier, and once there, you had to look around for a quiet corner. My gaze inevitably fell toward the smaller but more demanding peak where I had stood just a short while ago. After a break, I hurried down, past the loud crowds of tourists.

I thought about this stark difference for a while. One peak is selective and exposed, reserved for experienced mountaineers. It’s a rewarding, challenging, and rather lonely summit that isn’t even signposted. The other is an easier peak, full of all kinds of hikers and tourists who can reach the top without any special experience. If you had to choose, which peak would you prefer? Where would you feel more comfortable?

I know my answer now. I would choose the more challenging peak. Because it challenges me more, both physically and mentally. Because when I stand on that summit, I have a stronger feeling that I’ve achieved something, which also makes me a little prouder. Because I’m among more like-minded people there. Because fewer people make it to this summit. There, I am one of a select group of people who are capable of it. On the easy peak, however, I’m just one of many people, where I don’t stand out at all.

And one last thought on the mental aspect: It’s also a mental game, because it’s often in our minds that we decide whether or not to dare to do something, and how confidently we approach a task. Limits often exist only in our own heads. I have limits in my own mind that don’t actually exist in reality. I’ve built these limits for myself, and they only hinder me from reaching my own goals. That’s why it’s good to question these limits, to challenge them with specific actions like a bit of light rock climbing, and to prove the opposite: yes, I can do it after all.

And where are your limits? Do they really exist? In your career?

Think about it…

Do they really exist?