At least you tried

Reaching your goals
Zwölfer Summit, Hohe Tauern range, Austria | © Gerdi Verwoert 2018

I don’t often say this about photos of myself, but I actually love this photo of me.

After a long and ridiculously steep climb, I reached the summit. Below me, I can see the lake where I found out I’d have to manage yet another steep climb to get there.

At least i tried

There was a time when I’d have given up there and then. It was the story of much in my life.

I would say, “At least I tried and I got close. I nearly made it”.

I would say, “The view is perfectly beautiful from where I’m sitting”.

I would say, “There’s no need to actually stand on the summit”.

Have you ever done that when it comes to the goals you set in life? Told yourself you’ve tried hard, but just couldn’t quite make it?

Afraid to commit

To be honest, I was afraid of taking those last steps. I was afraid of truly committing to my goal. I was afraid of not being good, fit or brave enough.

Do you ever experience fears like these and let them stop you from reaching your goals?

I can still remember when — a couple of years before the moment captured in this photograph — the reality of those choices hit me. The moment I decided to commit to reaching my goals, in the mountains and in life.

Committing to reach mountain summits, both real and metaphorical ones, is what I do now.

That is not to say that I never have moments where I turn around before reaching my goal. Those still happen and always will.

Common sense and instinct

But now it’s common sense or my instinct telling me that continuing towards that goal is not the best decision that I can make. At least for now.

Those moments, though, are far fewer now then they used to be. More often than not, I reach the summit I’ve been aiming for and when I do, I look and feel as happy as I do in this photo.

What will you look like when you stand on your summit?

As always …

Go dare greatly!

— Gerdi