Make Sure The Mountain is Worth Climbing

Many things in life are hard. We value hard work and extra effort in our culture. BUT, just because you are giving a great effort does not mean you are working toward a great result. How are you making sure that mountain is really worth climbing?

I’m entering the 9th decade of life on this planet and if I have any regrets about the way I’ve chosen to live out that time, it would be that most of my effort has been wasted on unimportant, unnecessary, frivolous endeavors with little or no ultimate value to myself or anyone else.

Flat Squirrel

I’ve always been curious about many things, and possessed with an adventurous spirit. I’ve travelled the world. I’ve supported life, (often not well), with a new job on average, every 2 to 4 years. That’s about how long it takes to burn out or figure out “that mountain ain’t the one I want to climb”. Been many places. Done many things. Jack of all trades, master of none. While I’ve never formally completed higher education certification, I have taken and still take hundreds of courses and read thousands of books. I’m a lifelong learner. I have MID (Multiple Interest Disorder). I still haven’t found THE mountain I REALLY want to climb. I thought I had several times. In the end, they haven’t panned out. Time is running out. While I do enjoy security and a nice lifestyle, I still long for an all-consuming project that will produce something of significance for the world. I love this life. It could be better. I’d like to make it better for those who follow.

Those “flat squirrels” I mentioned are the many past versions of me chasing this, that, or the other “new” trend, “opportunity”, “purpose”, or “calling”. Those squirrels are flat because of poor planning and indecision.

Learning to THINK for YOURSELF and filter all the well intended or otherwise, BS that parents, neighbors, friends, society, culture, academia, and snake-oil salespeople throw at you is the most important mountain anyone can climb.

I think I’ll write a book—maybe a series. I’ve been a wanna-be writer for a very long time.