Steps To The Summit - Step 6: Forge Character (Part 2)

Todays episode of Steps to the Summit from the Hanesbrand Team continues the themes set down in Episode 5, building on the idea of forging character, which comes from staying focused and determined to reach your goals, whether they include climbing Everest or going after some other goal in our lives.

Expedition leader Jamie Clarke uses a great analogy when it comes to overcoming challenges and unexpected adversity. He talks about how climbers get into position to summit by climbing the mountain in the miserable, crappy weather, so that when the weather window opens up, and the skies clear, they are already in position to take advantage of the conditions and go to the top. He says that character is forged during those long, tough days before you reach Camp 4, which makes the final summit bid all the better.

Adversity is part of reaching our goals, and when we overcome it, it builds our resolve and helps us to take the next step. Something we shouldn't forget in life or in climbing.

Steps To The Summit - An Introduction

The expedition may be nearly over for the Hanesbrand sponsored Everest Team, as their latest update had them back in Lukla, and waiting a flight to Kathmandu, but they're not finished sharing the lessons of their climb with the rest of us. Since the announcement of their expedition months back, the team has been creating a series of videos called Steps to the Summit that not only offer an insightful look into what it takes to climb the highest mountain on the planet, but also how to apply those lessons to our everyday life.

The videos, are hosted by team leader Jaime Clarke, and are extremely well done. In the weeks ahead, I'll be sharing them with you in the hopes that we'll not only learn more about what goes into a major mountain expedition, but also how that same focus and planning can be applied to achieve goals in our own personal lives. Below is the first of those videos, a short introduction to the series.