Lessons From The Mountain
By P.E. Gilbert Angana- RC Athi River
Last month, the Rotary Club of Athi River(RCAR) in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Kitengela and the Rotaract Clubs of Athi River & Kitengela organized a hike to Mt. Longonot to raise funds for a joint tree planting project. RCAR President Elect Gilbert Angana joined in on the hike- his first in 15 years- and shares lessons for life and leadership from the experience
Lesson 1: There Is A Cost To Your Success Or Leadership.
Whatever the space you are in now, the difference between where you are today and where you want to be in your success, dream or leadership or any future space you dream of is THE COST you are willing to take.
Some of us take shortcuts and the end up paying double cost in future: but those who walk the journey incur the costs needed will reach their destination regardless of how long. You are only competing against yourself, your dream, and your comforts.
Lesson 2: Our Minds Are Our Greatest Asset And Liability.
Looking back at my walk on the mountain, there was a period where the body, legs were totally not in a position to move, and my mind was split between ‘turn back; it’s not that serious’ and ‘continue and accomplish what you had envisioned’.
Many of us are caught in such situations in our daily lives; Hitting challenges and our minds are split into giving up or soldiering on with persistent and consistency. Some chose to continue pursuing their dreams and by finding new creative solutions or pushing through the challenges and learning through them. Many however, give up, become depressed, and turn back to their old ways and continue living in same status then they wonder why others are succeeding and they are not.
Your greatest disability is in your mind! Conquer your mind, have a champions mindset and you can achieve anything you set to achieve!
Lesson 3: Right Habits
What are tour habits? Are they the right habits?
I started the hike on high gear, the competitive part of me setting the pace as usual. Somewhere along the way, my body was exhausted and I couldn’t move anymore. I had to communicate to my mind the speed of the rhythm without changing the activity! I then started taking a step at a time and a hill at a time maintaining the task though at a lower gear with the same rhythm. That is what enabled me to finish the crater lap. Many times in our personal lives we start off with wrong habits yet we expect to win at the end. We have poor daily habits then we expect success or win.
Right habits will make you win: change your habits, change your destiny!
Lesson 4: Learn to Fight Alone
In my mountain experience, there were times we had a pack of friends who we could challenge each other to strive and push on; but there were times I was alone to psyche myself up and push it alone.
There are many of us who are good with crowds, they camouflage in crowds and are very good at either rallying people, cheering people or looking for mistakes in people. It is unfortunate that this is also an area that leaders fall into. They are unable to do the things they tell their teams to do.
A leader knows the way, show the way and lead the way (Dr. John Maxwell).
Final Lesson 5: Keep Going…..Persistence
Nothing worthwhile in life comes without persistence. In my mountain experience, there were times I was totally wasted, tired, my legs did not feel like moving anymore but, I kept going and going and eventually, that persistence paid when I managed to finish the hike in arguably good time.
In any leadership or life experience and when faced with any challenge the mindset of persistence, will enable you overcome; keep going, and going until you conquer.
Nothing worthwhile is achieved without persistence!
Keep going and going and going!
