The 5 AUDACITIES of Women who Lead 4/5
In the process of writing this blog series, I have been overwhelmed by the positive responses from readers. It encourages me to step it up a bit and expand on these themes, but more about that later.
Now that we've talked about preparing for and dreaming about opportunities, opening our awareness to "opportunityisnowhere" and moving boldly past fear. In the process of doing this, you are likely to pick up some skill and some useful techniques. It's at this time when things can feel a little mundane or even unexciting. In my climbing career, I have noticed that some days can feel like real drudgery. It's not like you're not in the pursuit of something exciting; it's just that while you're on the slopes, there's a kind of slog creeping in. This slog is important. For one, it means there's no drama or emergency! Secondly, there's progress with every single step. But the slog can also make you lose concentration, leading to adverse circumstances.
So, in spite of the slog being unexciting and even mundane, the real challenge is:
AUDACITY no 4
Keep on Keeping on
Staying focused,
On Mt. Everest there's a relentless part of the route that lasts between 8 and 10 hours. It's not technical; it's not particularly difficult either. It's just a long, icy step-by-step march between Camp 1 and Camp 2. On this part of the route it is easy to lose your focus. In fact, most big mountains have a section like this. It can be arduous. There are two specific scenarios that can play out under these conditions:
It gets monotonous. Putting one foot in front of the other for long hours can feel boring and make one lose concentration. Therein lies the big challenge of this phase. When things start to feel monotonous, we tend to lose concentration and become prone to accidents. "Keep on keeping on" is not an invitation to cave in to monotony; rather, it's a way of saying "hold the line." Putting your concentration and endurance into a singular focus for an extended period.
A sudden and unexpected shift. Being on a mountain means that anything can change at any time. Just recently I learned of two devastating avalanches, which happened in regions I'm familiar with. Dozens of lives were lost in an instant, while climbers were plodding up the steep, monotonous slopes of these peaks. So, the mission is to get into a nice, comfortable rhythm while being adaptable to any sudden shifts that may occur. Being ready for any eventuality and trusting that you will be able to handle what comes your way.
Eye on the Prize
Audacious women who lead know that things can take an unexpected turn from time to time. They understand that everything doesn't always have to be strictly planned. What they also know is that keeping clear sight of the desired end result is what picks up lost momentum and gets them through and up from the downhills.
Here's where true peak performance lies. Can one handle everything coming at you while being resolute about achieving your goal? In reality, many climbers set out with the same goal in mind: getting to the summit. But did you know that only around 20% of mountaineers actually make it to the top? This statistic includes those who have had to abandon their climb for serious reasons, like adverse weather, injury, death of a teammate, etc. Notwithstanding this, unless one has to make a decision based on life and death, the summit is still there to be had. Being able to overcome the physical, mental and emotional onslaught sets high performers apart from the rest.
Keeping your eye on the prize is not a nice suggestion; it's a necessity. Having reached the top of many mountains, I can unequivocally declare that I've wanted to give up so many times. Even after overcoming the toughest parts of a challenge, the temptation to just give up is still there. The real magic lies in keeping going.
Finish what you Start
I must be honest, I'm a great starter. I'm one of those people who can get really excited about a thing at the beginning stages and then quietly run out of steam when the drudgery becomes apparent. I've never been content with the boring rythms that are an inevitable part of life. Which may explain my lust for adventure. The bottom line is that drudgery is part of all meaningful pursuits. To overcome this, I've had to create a life hack. Positive self-talk.
I used to work in the cognitive-behavioral space and taught people this incredible technique: Speaking what you want instead of speaking what you don't want. This sounds obvious until you try it with every single sentence. It's simple, but not easy. Watching my self-talk requires a kind of thought discipline. So, I've decided to use this affirmation technique to help me overcome the erroneous belief that I never finish things. "It's easy for me to bring a task/project/objective to completion. I find it easy to complete what I've started."
So now, whenever a task or project starts to feel overwhelming and my interest drops, I intentionally speak life into that project. Audacious women know that the way to lead is by example. So, I try my best to keep on keeping on by doing exactly that.
Another hack that works in order to finish strong is to have a predetermined reward to look forward to. I usually like a day at the spa after an expedition, but any reward will do. Having something fun or satisfying to look forward to propels one from "this hard" to "I can't wait to finish up so that I can enjoy my prize!" Mountaineering is not a competitive sport. There are no medals or trophies, which is why one must be able to create your own. Peak performers do this naturally. As an audacious woman who leads, you deserve the rewards you're working hard for.
To Audacious women. May we know them. May we raise them. May we be them.
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