The Peak of All Peaks

By Jill Koenig
Author, Coach, Motivational Speaker

On May 15, Mark Inglis became the first person to conquer Mt Everest ... using artificial limbs.

Inglis is a double amputee who lost his legs below the knees due to frostbite in 1982 while scaling New Zealand's highest peak, Mt Cook. A blizzard forced Inglis and his climbing partner to spend two weeks in an ice cave. The pair barely survived. The incident did not diminish Inglis' passion for climbing.

The Kiwi mountaineer's success was all the sweeter after he was forced to repair one of his carbon fiber legs. On the night of May 1st, at 7000m Inglis experienced a fall when a fixed line anchor pulled out of the ice. His right carbon leg broke into two pieces. He was able to rebuild it well enough to continue.

Speaking before the expedition, Inglis said his goal was to conquer Everest because it was the peak of all peaks.

"Mountaineering was one of Ernest Hemmingway's three 'true sports', the sports that punish you for inattention or incompetence, the sports that the consequences of having a 'bad day' can quite often be your life.

Climbing epitomizes the concept of 'must do' in life. There is no room for just a can do attitude in the extreme environment of the New Zealand Alps so if a mountaineer can take that must do attitude to the rest of their life, they are unstoppable!"

Inglis also happens to be an avid cyclist. This is what he says about cycling vs mountain climbing,

"To train for cycling is to commit your life to pushing your self to the limits of your physiology, to knowingly submit yourself to intense effort and pain.

Perhaps the most difficult part of cycling at an elite level is that at anytime all you need to do is squeeze the brakes and step off the bike to stop the pain, it is so easy to do and hence makes the continuation so much more difficult. Climbers have it easy, when you are 1000m up a face you can't just say stop and be instantly transported to safety and comfort, many decisions are not available."

Wow. How true also in your daily life. When it comes to your goals, my friend, the same applies to you. On your way to your dreams, at any time you can stop or give up. It is so easy to do. But it makes the continuation that much more difficult. We start, we stop, we get off the bike, we get back on, again and again and we wonder why it's taking so long to get where we want to go! That is precisely why I created the Goal Rush system. When it gets difficult, you keep peddling, or climbing or whatever it is you need to do to propel your goal forward.

People who are this passionate about what they want to do will not let anything deter them. Sure things will happen. Yes, you will make errors in judgement. Yes, you will make mistakes. Yes, it sometimes takes longer than you ever imagined. Yes, you will get tired. Yes, you will have pain. Yes, it might cost more than you thought it would. Yes, there will be obstacles to overcome. Yes, there will be times you question if you can succeed.

But.... Yes, your greatest goals will challenge you to become all that you can be. Yes, each obstacle will reveal to you more of your own inner resources. Yes, every morsel of your blood, sweat and tears will unleash more of your own human potential. Yes, the pursuit of worthy goals will open a whole new world to you if you stay focused on your goal.

By constantly going after your goals with passion and determination, you will shape yourself into a powerful force. There is a champion inside us all. You will reveal to yourself the champion inside you. I believe in you and I want to see your goals realized. With each new goal you conquer, you will reveal to yourself the infinite power inside you.

What is your Everest? What is your highest vision? What is your biggest goal? There is a force in you waiting to be awakened. I know you can reach your peak of all peaks.

You can do it.

I know you can.

Live Your Dreams,

Jill Koenig

http://www.GoalGuru.com