"I'm climbing Kilimanjaro."
With one sentence, my dream morphed into a public vow.
I had etched a declaration in the air.
No turning back now.
It was scary but invigorating and empowering at the same time.
The shaking pen in my hand betrayed my anticipation as I filled out the forms.
Nine months ahead, Africa’s highest mountain awaited.
Now I needed a training plan. A way to leave zero doubt and ensure my success. There was no way I would wing this thing. No way.
Did some research about endurance athlete training.
And learned about how humans interpret and manage time.
Empowered with new knowledge, I adopted a philosophy for goal-setting, and I would use my commitment to climb Kilimanjaro to test it out.
Designed a 100-day training plan, broken into 10 chunks of 10 days each.
Why 100 days?
It strikes the perfect balance. More substantial than 90, less daunting than 120.
Endurance athletes swear by this method because it breaks the seemingly unattainable into achievable segments.
If it works for them, why wouldn’t it work for me?
And there I was, a Business Athlete applying this wisdom to my quest.
Training had its quirks. I remember looking and sounding like Bane from Batman with my restrictive oxygen mask as I tried to simulate a high altitude climbing experience.
Fun times.
The night before the climb, doubt crept in.
“Can I actually do this? What if I fail?”
But as dawn broke, so did my resolve.
Declaring my goal publicly wasn't just a statement; it was an ignition.
It transformed me. The dreamer became the doer.
At Kilimanjaro's foot, I stood as one person. At its peak, I met another version of myself. And beyond the summit, I discovered who I really was.
The journey to the top was an introspective journey like no other. The view from the summit was just a bonus.
My true reward? Overcoming doubts and enjoying the thrill of the challenge.
There is power in spoken goals. They create a strong will to act and propel us forward, turning dreams into reality, into memories we can share with others.
Whatever your dream, you have what it takes to make it your reality. All it takes is bold intention. Once it’s out there, nothing will stop you.
Cheers,
KB
The moment I said, "I'm climbing Kilimanjaro," everything changed.