SOS: What The Mountain Taught Me

01/12/26

STORY

This weekend, we celebrated my best friend’s 40th with a hike.

High altitude.

Steep climbs.

No shortcuts.

As we ascended…

It struck me how differently you can experience the same climb.

You can move fast.

Head down.

Focused only on reaching the peak.

Or you can slow down.

Look around.

Notice the views.

Connect with the people beside you.

The climb still matters.

But the experience changes completely.

Somewhere along the trail…

I realized this is how life works, too.

We all need a mountain to climb.

A challenge that pulls us forward.

But if all we care about is the summit, it’s easy to miss the moments that actually make the journey meaningful.

That’s when success can still feel empty.

So climb your mountain.

Chase the goal with intention.

Just don’t forget to pause along the way.

Be present.

Take it in.

Learn from the hard stretches.

Savor the good ones.

And when you finally reach the top, remember this:

There’s always another mountain waiting.

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OBSERVATION

A long-term study following more than 12,000 people over 20 years found that the more individuals tied success and happiness to money, status, and achievement, the less satisfied they were with their lives over time. Those same individuals also reported higher levels of psychological distress. Having goals isn’t the problem; what’s problematic is believing that you’ll be happy when you achieve your goal.

(Psychological Science, “Zeroing in on the Dark Side of the American Dream,” 2003)

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STRATEGY

This week…

Find moments to pause and appreciate the mundane but meaningful moments.

Savor that smile from your little one.

Deeply appreciate the meal that a loved one prepared.

Be fully present as you breathe in fresh air when you go out for a walk.

Turn up the volume of presence, joy, and gratitude in the good moments.

Seek to learn from the painful moments, since growth only comes through pain.

Take it all in.

Rooting for you,
Jay (encouraging you to savor the meaningful moments)

Global keynote speaker
Host of the “Unstuck” podcast
Recovering people-pleaser