Chapter 36: Climb every mountain: A philosophy and purpose of goal setting.
“Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow, till you find your dream.” Song from The Sound of Music
My family loves the movie The Sound of Music. We like the songs, the story and the narrative take on history that is all a part of this production. In the movie, as in the book, Maria has a goal in mind of becoming a nun, all to have it changed by God’s plan to become a mother to Captain Von Trapp’s children. What she thought was a well planned approach to life changed and became a better life than she had originally imagined. It became one where she could continue serving God, but in a different capacity than if she had committed to being a nun in the Roman Catholic church.
When a person makes a plan and sets a goal, they should work hard to accomplish the goal. With this being said, it is only logical to make reasonable and attainable goals. A person who lives in Florida wouldn’t realistically believe that they could fly to Colorado and climb a 14er in the same or following day. It would not be practical or safe to believe that you could leave an area at sea level and adjust to a rigorous hike at 14,000 feet elevation. A more attainable goal would be for the person to train where they are for the hike, fly or drive to the mountains, and allow their body to adjust to the difference in elevation for several days before attempting the hike. They would have to factor in many other variables, such as weather or conditions and how they are fairing with altitude changes.
In a previous chapter, I wrote about attainable goals using the example of an infant. A newborn baby is not prepared to eat solid foods and walk to the table on their own. Instead, it takes months and years for the baby to progress to the level of self-sufficiency. We also should not rush a program that is in its infancy and expect the participants to be as knowledgeable and trained as an adult who has been working towards this goal. For example, we would not in good conscience take a group of campers who have never been camping in good weather, out to camp in blizzard conditions. This is asking for serious trouble.
When we are planning a program, we must be diligent in teaching each step of the progression with purpose and skill. Teaching a student how to pack their backpack properly before sending them off on a hike will greatly reduce frustration and pain. Instructing the participants in proper campsite selection and set up and practicing the skills before going backpacking into the wilderness will increase the likelihood of success and learning. Learning does not come from frustration and fear. Learning will not happen when we are worried about our survival. Learning happens in baby steps, practicing and understanding a little at a time why we are learning and trying these skills so that, at the end of our training, we are able to put the skills all together and be successful in the great outdoors. “Don’t rush perfection”, “slow and steady wins the race”, “take your time and do it right” are all great thoughts that help us to realize that a camper will not be a thriving outdoorsman on their first day of the experience. When we take the time to realize that life is a building upon process, we will be able to set up a successful and educational experience for all involved. Climb every mountain, but take your time learning how to climb it so that you can follow your dream and enjoy every step along the way.
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