You know that what you choose to spend your time, energy and attention on is what you create. That simple, yet often overlooked fact, is why I think it’s really useful to ask the question:

As you see this message, I’d love to invite you to pause for a brief moment.

Have you realised that a traditional strategy session, where you come out with way more things to do, and even less time to do it, just won't cut the mustard anymore.

This simple step of tuning in throughout the day really helps us to bounce back quickly and effectively. From there we can choose to focus on more positive and useful things we can control.

“Who gives a shit what the holy grail is. That’s not important. It’s the quest that’s important. It’s the transformation that’s within yourself. That’s what’s important.” – Yvonne Chouinard

Falling is part of the process. Falling is not failing. It’s simply climbing’s way of showing you that some part of the way you approached that climb has room for improvement. Your job is to work out which bits need focus and attention.

Of course the road on the way out wasn’t any different that on the way in, but our approach to it was very different. If we hadn’t changed our approach and the pressure of our tyres I’m not so sure we’d be so keen to go back to Red Bluff, however beautiful and peaceful the destination.

If we were sitting together having a conversation about how to improve and sustain the outcomes you are creating in your life and I said to you “all lasting change begins with your energy”, would you believe me?

Being part of a club is like being part of a team or an organisation.

There are standards that are set and behaviours that are expected but it’s up to individuals to learn to work out how to grow and evolve within the culture, not in spite of the culture.

As leaders, the expectations we place on ourselves and others, especially at times of heightened stress and challenge, can lead to both powerful and harmful choices.

Often the weight of expectation is the actual thing that holds your people back in their conviction to perform. It’s less often about their capability and commitment.

Climbing is a challenging sport and a great metaphor for life, leadership and performance. Often, the higher we go the more we fear falling. The reality is, more often than not, that we have the capability, it’s simply our perception of risk and a fear of not executing a move successfully the first time that keeps us holding on tightly to exactly where we don’t want to be. And that impacts our capacity and our conviction.

As leaders how easy is it to get drawn into things for the wrong reasons or approach things in a way that’s not really serving us or others?