There Is Always Another Hill to Climb

Most people, when asked about how or why they work as hard as they do, can immediately name a goal that they are diligently working towards. Goals motivate us. They provide a finish line for otherwise difficult and frustrating endeavors. When I was first starting out as an entrepreneur, my goal was to simply start and sell a company for profit. I hung everything on that goal. I imagined that once my first deal closed, that I would finally feel satisfaction. I am sad to report that I felt no satisfaction - I didn’t have time to. I was too busy thinking about my next venture. 

That is the thing about goals, high achieving people always need another one. In the absence of a clear next goal, people like me tend to set them for ourselves. The moment I sold my first business I started working on another. Actually, I did not even wait for the check to clear on the first business before working on the second. I jumped right in as if I had blinders on. It took another decade for me to realize that the finish line I always found myself sprinting towards would never actually come, because I was going to keep moving the finish line on myself forever. Once I had sold my first company, I wanted to know whether it was luck or skill and so I set out to prove myself again. Once I had started and sold two companies, I wanted to found larger companies and make more of a profit. I could not accomplish something without thinking about the next level I wanted to hit. I propelled myself forward, from target to target, never stopping to sit back and enjoy my success. I just kept climbing. 

It may sound exhausting to some, but to me the entire process is energizing. Now that I know that there will always be another hill to climb, I do not let the sight of another hill on the horizon frighten me. When I achieve something and spot my next goal off in the distance, I feel excitement rather than dread. Goals are what keep me moving. They are responsible for my success and they offer a clear path through life. I would not be where I am without them. 

I do not begrudge my personal inability to take breaks. Instead, I lean into my endeavours, knowing that I will not be able to find true happiness unless I am actively working towards something. I love that there is always another hill to climb. If you are anything like me, try to get comfortable with the fact that you will always be moving towards something. Once you do that, the entire process becomes a lot more fun.