Climbing the Mountain . . .

Very often, you will hear the metaphor of climbing a mountain when descibing starting a business. Soaring to new heights, the self made man or woman standing alone on the peak, bracing against the elements having achieved greatness. . .

Amazing people who have faced adversity without succumbing to it. We are all at different stages of climbing the mountain. Some are looking at the mountain; while some are off climbing. And there are those have returned to earth with some fond memories of the summit.

In Michael Gerber's "The E-Myth", he descibes a different take on the mountain, when the day to day struggles of mananging our businesses overcome us.

• the zest for the climb had turned into a terror of heights . . .
• the rock had become something to cling to rather than scale . . .

Often, when climbing you can't see the top. In Og Mandino's "The Greatest Salesman in the World", the author tells the story of the climber who turns back from the summit, because he was tired or frustrated. The climber never knows he was within a few feet of the top. The author sends this message as a reminder that you never know how close you are to making it, so don't give up.

So my dear companions, pack your gear, grab some water, we are on a journey. You may tire, you may fall – but we are your friends, we will pick you up, dust you off and help you continue on your way. Some people climb alone, some use a guide, while others rely on teamwork. It doesn't matter how, as long as you begin the journey.

Oh yea – wear sensible shoes!!