In the evenings, my son and I have been hiking up South Mountain near our home in Phoenix. We go in the evenings because the sun is off the mountain at that time, making it a little less hot. July in Phoenix means the temperatures are never much below 110 degrees. It's our time to get some exercise, push ourselves a little, and to talk. I especially enjoy the talking part with my son. He's always funny and entertaining. Our goal is to make it to the top where we can collapse on the bench at the viewpoint for a few minutes of respite and water before we head back down.
When we start out on our walk the summit seems a long way off. The path is easy at first but as we hike up the mountain trail the climb grows more challenging. It's always the last 10 minutes when our talking slows because breathing is more labored from the effort of manouvering up the steep, rocky path. But once we see the end in sight we are motivated and excited to make it to the finish. Coming to the top we look out over the valley for a view well worth the effort. It is our reward. And as we look back down the path we climbed there is a sense of satisfaction that we made our way, one step at a time, to such a spectacular vantage point.
Starting a business is a lot like climbing a mountain. I know that sounds cliche. But think of it this way. The reward of climbing, working hard, and not giving up is getting to the place you most desire to be. Once you get there you can enjoy the view and take in the wonder of where you are, appreciating why you pushed on through the difficult moments to get to the top. So often we give up before reaching our goals because we lose sight of why we starting climbing in the first place. But when we persist we are truly blessed at the top.
Keep climbing. It is so worth it.
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