I read a story recently about a famous mountain climber who climbed many of the highest peaks in the European Alps during his lifetime. When he passed on he was laid to rest in a small cemetery next to a church in the foothills of the Alps. His epitaph simply read: “He died climbing.”
As another graduation season comes to a close, I wanted to offer this story to new graduates as an approach to life. As you set out to meet your new challenges, always be climbing and don’t be afraid to fail. You should encounter both peaks and valleys in your life – and if you don’t, honestly, you aren’t trying hard enough.
One of my clients, an ultra-successful CEO who sold multiple companies for a whole lot of money, once told me that what separated him from other business owners was that “I’m not afraid to make a $&@!ing decision.” He said he was wrong on those decisions about 60% of the time, but he didn’t waste precious time and energy dithering over the choices; instead he chose a path, hoped it would work out, and moved on if it did not. He never gave up, even after making the wrong choice.
During my first season playing football at Virginia Tech, a coach yelled at me for slowing down during a play after I realized I had made a mistake. He shouted, “If you’re going to make a mistake, always make it going full speed!” Follow through on the play, he continued, even if you’ve made a mistake. Don’t stop moving – choose a new direction or strategy and go with it.
I know it’s strange for many of the new graduates to think about your legacy, when most of you are just starting out on your journey. But it’s worth giving some thought: how do you want to be remembered? The choices you make in life from here on out will create your legacy.
Personally, I wouldn’t mind if my tombstone reads, “Still climbing.”
Have a great weekend,
Ro