Have you ever gone trekking on a whim, driven solely by motivation and adrenaline?
That’s exactly what I did during the 11th Leadership Development Program of the Discover Yourself initiative by Sadathullah Khan (and also during the 7th and 8th programs).
On the 5th day of the workshop, we visited Bagepalli, a tranquil site in rural Bangalore, where the Wisdom Paradise is being built. I felt an urge to climb the nearby hill, but doubts crept in. Would anyone else join me? Could we even make it to the peak? Disheartened, I began walking.
Then, out of nowhere, I noticed someone heading toward the hill. Excitement surged. I called out to them, and soon a few friends joined in. Together, we embarked on an unplanned adventure to conquer what I now call the Hill of Wisdom Paradise.
Thorns and Challenges
The journey was not without its trials. Tiny, stubborn thorns clung to our shoes and clothes, pricking us at every step. Despite our efforts to remove them, they persisted.
Adding to the struggle was the intense heat and our limited water supply. It was 3 p.m., and exhaustion was setting in. At one point, I began questioning myself:
“Is this even worth it?”
“Why am I doing this?”
“What will I gain by reaching the top?”
A 67-year-old climber, who had already reached the peak, offered timely advice:
“Don’t stop because of the thorns. They’ll always be there. Ignore them if you want to reach the top.”
The Turning Point
The climb got tougher. My hands ached, my knees wobbled, and my throat felt like the Sahara. I stood just 15 minutes away from the peak, consumed by doubt.
I turned back to see how far I’d come. In that moment, clarity struck:
“I won’t know the answers to these questions unless I finish what I started. The person who began this climb had a reason to reach the top. This current me, overwhelmed by challenges, must honor that decision.”
Step by step, I pushed forward. With each stretch, I silenced my doubts. And then I heard cheers my name being called out. I looked up and realized: I had made it.
The View from the Top
Standing at the peak, surrounded by breathtaking beauty, everything made sense. The thorns, the heat, the exhaustion all of it paled in comparison to the sense of achievement. The questions that had haunted me? They answered themselves.
Lessons from the Climb
Life mirrors this climb.
• You will have goals.
• You will face thorns challenges that poke and prod you.
• Your resources may feel insufficient, and people may drop off along the way.
But you’ll also find those who stay, those who lift you when you falter.
You’ll face moments of doubt and forget why you began. That’s normal.
What’s extraordinary is silencing the doubts, pausing the excuses, and moving forward no matter what.
The climb taught me that resilience and focus lead to breakthroughs. If you, dear reader, want to discover these truths for yourself, you’ll have to climb your own hill.
Because the answers and the bigger picture await at the top.
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