Reaching for the Summit: One Step at a Time

Imagine standing at 14,410 feet, the wind whipping against your face, the world stretching out beneath you like a vast, breathtaking canvas. That’s where I’ll be on June 14th, summiting Mt. Rainier – my first mountain.

And, as excited as I am, if I’m being honest, I’m also terrified. There’s a massive gap between my current fitness level and the mountaineering shape I need to be in by June. But it’s more than just physical conditioning. While I thrive on those long, gritty training sessions reminiscent of my Ironman days, there are other challenges looming: new skills to acquire, gear to purchase, and unforeseen expenses. These unknowns made today feel overwhelming.

Training for Rainier requires a significant investment of time, energy, and finances. It feels selfish asking my wife, Britney, to invest her resources, too, knowing I’ll be spending hours training and sacrificing weekends and mornings to put in the miles. It’s her sacrifice as much as mine.

I often feel out of my depth, like I’m wading through uncharted waters. But I have to do this. I have to discover my limits and push past them. This climb isn’t just about conquering a mountain; it’s a commitment to leaving my old self behind.

It doesn’t seem that long ago that I was severely obese, battling addiction, stuck, and living paycheck to paycheck. I struggled with severe depression in my early twenties, and I know the suffocating weight of feeling trapped.

To have gone from that to completing a Half-IronMan and now attempting to summit Mt. Rainier? It feels surreal.

Through it all, I’ve realized a simple truth: I always have what I need for today. The “work” is to do what I know I need to do right now.

Anxiety, fear, discouragement – these are indicators that my focus has drifted from the present moment. Even when the gap between where I am and where I want to be feels insurmountable, I have a choice.

Will I fixate on that gap and succumb to discouragement? Or will I pause, collect myself, and ask: “Do I have what I need right now to do the next right thing?”

The struggle is real. The “next right thing” often feels insignificant compared to the enormity of the goal. Spending 45 minutes on the treadmill, gaining a thousand feet of elevation, feels like a drop in the bucket compared to Rainier’s 14,410-foot summit. Sticking to my macros today seems trivial compared to the 100-plus pounds I’ve shed. Even during my Half-IronMan, cramping and struggling, I had to convince myself that reaching the next water station was all that mattered, let alone the 13 miles still ahead.

Leaving well-paying jobs to start our business felt like a leap of faith. Dreams of impact, influence, and wealth-building fueled us. Yet, for three years, we felt ground down, showing up day after day, innovating, braving the unknown, and still feeling behind.

But the truth remains: I’ve closed every gap in my life one step at a time with small actions and consistent discipline.

So, how will I summit Rainier? One step at a time. I already have what I need to take the next step today.

What’s one small step you can take today to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be? Share your thoughts in the comments below!