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Life Lessons | Achievements | Mindset
Have You Reached The Top of Your Mountain? What Next?
Sooner or later you’ll have to come down.
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Most people have a peak they want to reach. Some achieve it, others are on their way, and some, unfortunately, never get there. Today, I was pondering whether I had reached my summit. Is there another mountain to climb? What if I’d reached the highest peak this world had to offer? It struck me that after that, the only way is down. Let me explain.
Twenty years ago, I had a mentor who was more than ambitious. When I met him, he was the CEO of a major mining company and an avid mountaineer. He would not find peace until he completed the “7 Summits Challenge.” In this challenge, one climbs the highest mountains on the seven continents.
For most mountaineers, the pinnacle of this challenge is Mt. Everest. The peak of Mt. Everest stands at 8,848.86 m (29,031 ft 8 1⁄2 in). Did you know that as of 2023, only 6,664 different people have reached the summit of Mt. Everest? Furthermore, only 500 people have completed the “7 Summits Challenge.”
Let that sink in for a bit, and let’s segue into working towards our peaks. Of all the people in the world, only…
