Quotable Bits #14

"Getting to the top is optional, but getting down is mandatory. A lot of people get focused on the summit and forget about that."
- Ed Viesturs

Annapurna
Photo Source

Ed Viesturs is a world-renowned mountaineer, famous for his success in reaching the summits of all fourteen 8,000+ meter peaks without the use of supplemental oxygen - an endeavor that took almost 18 years to achieve. Last week, my fellow co-workers and I were fortunate enough to have Ed as a guest speaker at our organization. 

Ed's presentation was inspirational. He spoke of a dream that stemmed from a love for the book Annapurna. He spoke of all of the little steps he had to take towards achieving his ultimate goal. How he stayed focused, faced many obstacles and challenges, lost friends and turned back only steps from the top. But he never lost focus on what he wanted to achieve. He didn't give up. He reminded us that in order to find true happiness in what we do, we must do something that we are truly passionate about. Viesturs lives by the belief that climbing is about the round trip, not just about getting to the top.

His ultimate goal was to conquer the most challenging peak, the one that had inspired him when his dream first began. Nothing left him feeling more successful than his final ascent to the top of Annapurna.

He left me with a thought that has been stuck in my head ever since.

What is my Annapurna?

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