What Hill?

Have you ever run up a hill, climbed a hill or even gotten to the top of (or thought about) Mt. Everest or Kilamanjaro?  If you have, you know the things it takes…preparation, determination, endurance, and hard work!

As a runner, while training for a race, we run up hills on purpose!  I know, crazy, right ?!?

We do what we call, hill repeats, running up a hill as fast as we can and jogging back down – over and over.  This builds endurance and hopefully an ease of conquering hills in a race.

In life and in business there are many things we consider hills. 

Whether physically, emotionally or mentally.  As a business owner what hill are you facing? 

• Is it a hill of overwhelm?
• A hill of anxiety? 
• A hill of fear of success? 
• A hill of finances?

What is the one thing that seems unsurmountable and may feel like a 5 degree incline or even look like Pikes Peak? 

“The Best View comes after the hardest climb” – Unknown

We have heard don’t give up, keep climbing, the best part is on the other side of the struggle.

Of all the virtues you need to build a business, being determined and having endurance are at the top of the list.  Both play a big part in conquering the hills we have to climb.

“Determined means firmly set in one’s decision or course of action, especially with the aim of achieving a particular goal.

Someone who’s determined to do something is extremely motivated and unlikely to quit or change their mind.  Someone who’s determined in general has a very strong desire to achieve their goals.” (Vocab Builder)

Endurance, defined by Webster, is the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress or other adverse conditions; stamina.

Huh…stress, fatigue, adverse conditions, yet extremely motivated, firmly set in one’s decision with a vision of achieving their goals.  Sounds like an entrepreneur to me!

But here is the thing… negativity may creep in, whether from your own self talk or even someone trying to keep you from believing you can conquer your hill. Believe it or not, some people don’t want you to be more successful than they are.  They don’t want you to climb that hill because they are either unwilling or unable to as well.

Do you remember as a kid, we used to say, “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me”?  Believe it!  Let the negative words that others say to you, bounce off and keep on moving.

“Don’t be distracted by criticism.  Remember-the only taste of success some people have is when they take a bite out of you.” – Zig Zigler

One thing that can help conquer your hill is a mantra, an often repeated word, formula or phrase.  A mantra can come from a quote you read, a line in a song, something you heard someone say or a famous person you admire or someone that inspires you.

Having a mantra that will motivate you to see past, over or through the hill and create a “call to action” is powerful.  Repeating your mantra over and over can help you run head on at your hill. 

While out running one day and beginning to run up a hill, a song by Brittany Spears, “Womanizer”, started playing, and in that song there is a line, “you say I’m crazy, I got you crazy”.  At that moment while trying to figure out some self talk to make conquering this hill easier, I turned the “I got you crazy”,  into, “I got this hill!” Now when I run up a hill, I repeat the mantra, “I got this hill” and it continues to fire me up to attack hills while running.

In my business I also use this mantra when facing hills. One such hill of, “I don’t know where to start on this project”. ugh.  Saying, “I got this hill”, begins to open my brain from being in park and shift into drive.

So next time you “see” or feel a “hill” coming on, ask yourself “what hill’?  Engage your mantra and conquer your hill!

“Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle”’ – Napolean Hill

*Book by Paula Lesso: What Are You Waiting For? Today’s the Best Day to Start “Living” can be found on Amazon