Taking It in Your Stride

Have you ever wondered why many people take the easy route through life? Let's see if a short story will provide some answers.

Many of you will know that Helvellyn is the second highest mountain in England. Many of you will also have been to its summit. Alfred Wainwright describes many different paths up to the summit from east, west, south and north. The one he reserves as the best is also the most difficult and dangerous.

Julia Bradbury, in the TV series Wainwright Walks, was visibly moved by the exhilaration she felt when having completed the walk by the famous Striding Edge route. The series set about climbing a selection of Wainwrights favourite peaks and to give us, the audience, the best experience possible she chose this, the most difficult and dangerous.

Why, when the objective was the same as if having climbed from Dunmail Raise in the west? The trek up from Thirlemere is quite spectacular for mountain scenery, at least to the novice, but easy. Why, choose that most challenging route? Especially when it was the only one in the series that needed an experienced guide.

There is something about the journey, rather that just the end goal that must appeal. What thrill will we get when we try something difficult and exceptional? Feeling the emotions of fear, trepidation, excitement; the physical exertions, stretching and growing in confidence and capability. How lucky then, knowing that we have a guide on hand to get us through the difficult stuff and developing our skill in negotiating and overcoming challenges.
This then might have stirred your emotions. Perhaps you will be one of the tens of thousands that this year alone will climb Helvellyn or maybe you will be one of the relative few that go via Striding Edge.

Perhaps you will take the more difficult route through your career, take on tough challenges and gain so much more than just getting to the summit.
Whatever you decide you will need a coach and guide to support, encourage, teach and praise very step you take into the unknown and be the first to congratulate your achievement.

I will be on Helvellyn in August, amongst the few crowds, on Striding Edge.

Will you be accompanied by a Dale Carnegie coach on your career path? If so give me a call!

David Pickering