"Your summit is physiological, not to be dictated by elevation or ego"
Your legs are warm and screaming at you. Both cursing you out and thanking you for bringing them to this amazing place. Your heart is pumping with enthusiasm and joy. Your mouth, numb and stuck in a permanently temporary ear to ear smile. Your eyes can't believe what they're seeing. In front of you is one wrong step that will send you tumbling downwards to severe injuries or death. All around you are the best views you've ever laid eyes on. This is cloud 9. This is the summit of that peak you've been planning on reaching for sometime now. It's a euphoric state of adrenaline driven zen that subdues your current exhaustion. You did it.
This is the goal, right? When you set out for that mountain peak, or even that steep hike you've had your eye on, success or failure is dictated by whether or not you see the view from the summit. Push hard, get there, give it all you've got. This is what defines you as an outdoor adventure enthusiast and badass in your own right, right? Maybe not.
"Know when to hold em and when to fold em"
Pushing yourself to your limit to fulfill your own goals is an endeavor that you ought to be completely in tune with before execution...or more accurately put, during execution. Listen to your body while you're climbing that mountain. Respond to what it's telling you.
Are you feeling unusually fatigued early on? Could be you didn't get enough sleep or nutrients prior to the climb and maybe it's not your day to stand on top. Are you 500 feet from the summit but have reached a point of exhaustion that will sacrifice your safety if your push onward? Don't push onward then. You've reached YOUR summit. Know when to hold em and when to fold em. Your summit is not always the same as the summit of the mountain. You define your summit, your body defines your summit, your capabilities define your summit, the weather defines your summit. The last thing that should define your summit is your ego. Leave your ego at home. There's no need for it up on the mountain.
Instead, focus on your surroundings. Reaching the top or not, you're still in a beautiful outdoor setting. Take a minute to look around and soak it all in. Appreciate the fact that you're out there and you're doing it. If you get pushed to the point of exhaustion and can't take another step you've accomplished something huge! This is far from a failed attempt. You've found the edge of your ability! Not many people push themselves far enough to reach this type of summit. Knowing exactly how far you can go is a knowledge that is worth its weight in gold. When you get back home you'll feel a degree of accomplishment that far exceeds a summit that didn't push you to your limits.
And on that day when everything feels great and you're listening to your body and it's saying "hey we feel great, keep going", then you'll know that you've really got it. You've practiced listening to your body whether it's telling you green light or red. Eventually you'll stand on that summit. If it's been a long time coming then it's just going to feel that much more sweet at the top knowing you got there appropriately. Get outside and get after it!
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