I have recently completed one of England’s most popular long-distance hikes. From the first time I heard about the Coast to Coast, also known as the Wainwright Path after its creator Alfred Wainwright, it sounded irresistible. The route stretches from St Bees on the Irish Sea to Robin Hoods Bay on the coast of the North Sea passing through three national parks: Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors. It’s hard to find just the right words to describe this amazing experience; any attempt to capture the journey and the special moments along the way would only scratch the surface. But I can say with confidence that it is certainly amongst the most interesting, challenging, and rewarding treks I have undertaken. Walking through the lush landscape felt like steeping into a mysterious fairytale land. Hiking the great outdoors certainly gets the body into shape, but it also nourishes, sustains, and recharges the heart, mind and soul. In addition to building physical and mental stamina, being close to nature for long periods of time allows plenty of time for thinking and reflection.
I am often asked – “what do you think about while hiking all day every day for hours on end?” Well, I haven’t tracked my thinking while hiking, but I would estimate that the majority of my thoughts are about my performance: Is it the best I can do? What’s my energy level? How do my legs feel? Can I push myself to run up the next steep hill, or should I hike up slowly and appreciate the views? I also spend time reflecting on the state of my heart exploring my feelings. Am I in a good place in my life, in my career, in my relationships? Am I living life as the best version of myself that I can be? It is a great time to mull over issues. And, of course, I try to be observant, to pay attention to my surrounding and to take note of the scenery, other hikers, and anything interesting along the way. I consciously remind myself to focus on the uniqueness of the experience and the moment to appreciate the present and the gift of wanderlust passion. If I am honest, I have to admit that I also spend a lot of time fantasizing about what I’d eat after the hike.
But to circle back to mulling over issues, I have a strategy that if something bothers me and occupies my thoughts on a hike, I pick up a small pebble and carry it with me until I can put the issue into perspective, at which point I let it go and symbolically toss the pebble away. Interestingly enough, a tradition of the Coast to Coast walk is that walkers wet their feet and pick up a stone in the Irish sea and carry it all the way to the North Sea where they again dip their feet and then throw the stone into the sea upon the completion of the hike. I cheated a bit and didn’t wet my boots nor my feet. But I did collect the stone, and as I was getting ready to toss it into the North Sea, I was thinking it took conscious and consistent effort to make it happen, to make my dream come true, and the same applies to my professional life in today’s complex career path and trajectory realities.
Long-distance hiking is challenging for everyone, but we humans are designed for walking. I had never been an athlete and never played any sports. I was a chubby child who loved books and spent hours in the backyard daydreaming about my favorite characters. When I hit my teenage years, I figured out that walking helped me lose weight and kept my anxiety in check. Thus, I took up walking and then running and hiking long distances. With time, I started challenging myself setting increasingly more difficult hiking goals. I learned that I thrive when I have goals to work towards, and that a good plan always gets me to the finish line when I apply myself. As I entered adulthood, I’d come to realize that at some level, building a successful career is similar to a long-distance hike. When we plan for it and make smart career choices, we can walk the distance and perform to our max potential.
Thinking about a thriving career as a hiking adventure can help you better plan for the strenuous challenges you are likely to face throughout your working life. On your career-journey be sure to:
Carefully consider and select appropriate yet challenging goals (as you’d choose your hiking destinations)
Develop a clear plan (as you’d chart out a hiking route)
Master the skills of your profession (as you’d strengthen your hiking muscles)
Acquire the best tools of the trade (as you’d purchase your sturdy hiking boots and equipment)
Remain flexible to adapt to change (as you’d navigate through rough terrain or bad weather)
Establish your base pace but be ready to increase or reduce it as needed (as you’d slow down to enjoy the view or speed up to catch the last shuttle bus out of the park)
Consider your options (for example, when encountering an enormous bull right in the middle of road, you’d probably want to take an alternative path, but when faced with a vast mass of bog upon bog, you’d need to keep moving quickly to avoid being sucked under)
Pay attention, focus on the game, level the playing field (as you’d pay attention to the trail signs, mileposts, and fellow hikers)
Celebrate milestones (you’d better get that beer at the end of a long hiking day, you deserve it)
Repeat (dare to dream big, set a new goal, & crush it)
I’ve found one thing to always be true: for the best views you must put in the effort. And for me, the best part about achieving career goals, or crossing off a bucket-list trek, is that there are always new goals to achieve and more destinations to explore - knowing the next adventure awaits.
“An objective is an ambition, and life without ambition is… well, aimless wandering” ~Alfred Wainwright
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions about setting and achieving challenging career goals, or to discuss hiking destinations.
