The Mountain, the Obstacle, and the View Beyond

I recently returned from a backcountry hut trip with my wife, my cousin Matt (pictured with me in the picture above) and some other members of our family.  We were visiting Mount Assiniboine—arguably one of the most breathtaking places in the Canadian Rockies, and an area that I had long looked forward to exploring. You can see it in the photo above, its snow-capped peak standing majestically to the left. However while Assiniboine might grab all the attention, the mountain that caught me by surprise was the one right behind us: Sunburst Peak.

It was my cousin who first pointed to it and said, “I want to climb that.”

I remember my first reaction vividly: a hard no. It looked steep, rugged, and frankly, beyond my reach without proper climbing gear and guides. The kind of peak that, from a distance, convinces you it’s better admired than attempted.

And yet, less than 24 hours later, I found myself standing with Matt at the summit.

What changed? Curiosity, creativity, and courage. By leaning into those three ingredients—exploring, problem-solving, and being willing to try—we found a way. The route wasn’t obvious, and the journey certainly wasn’t easy. It was steep, exposed, and not for the faint of heart. Of our original group of six, only two of us made it to the top, however the view from that peak? Absolutely worth it.

And somewhere between the climb and the summit, I was reminded of a quote by Henry Ford:

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.”

The Nature of the Climb

Every meaningful path in life is lined with obstacles.  If you’ve ever taken on something bold - building a business, raising a family, switching careers, chasing athletic goals—you already know this. The road is rarely smooth with obstacles showing up in many forms including external challenges and internal doubts that often lead to unexpected detours.  Some people see these obstacles as stop signs while others see them as part of the landscape.

My initial reaction was one of "no way…there is no reasonable route to safely ascend the mountain.” Yet As we started out bit by bit, we started to progress our way up the mountain. And while on the climb, it suddenly dawned on me: you won’t conquer a mountain by staring at the steepest cliffs; you will only summit by having a clear goal and then focusing your eyes on taking one manageable step at a time.

And the same holds true in life.

Are You Stuck or Just Focused on the Wrong Thing?

It’s a question that’s been on my mind since that trip: am I blocked by an obstacle—or by my fixation on it?

Because there’s a difference.

Obstacles are inevitable. Fixation is optional.

Every time I’ve been derailed, whether in business, relationships, or personal goals,it wasn’t just because of the obstacle itself. It was because I allowed that obstacle to consume my focus. I got stuck staring at the problem until it felt bigger than it was.

As Viktor Frankl once wrote,

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response.”

How we respond to obstacles, what we choose to focus on, ultimately makes the difference between staying stuck and moving forward.

The Power of Focus

The lesson from that climb—and countless other moments in my life—is simple but easy to forget: what you focus on expands.

If you stare too long at the obstacles, they will grow in your mind, blocking out the goal entirely. However,  if you keep your gaze set on what you’re building, you can navigate the rough patches without losing your direction.

This is especially true for high performers. In my experience, entrepreneurs and business leaders tend to be problem solvers by nature. That’s a strength, but it can also be a trap. When every day is spent fixing fires and troubleshooting problems, it’s easy to forget the bigger picture. The vision for what we're looking to create, which is the “why” that made the journey worthwhile in the first place.

I’ve learned the hard way: your fulfillment in life is directly proportional to your ability to keep your focus locked on the purpose for your life, which influences the vision for your enterprise. It is the same in navigating where, despite the headwinds and crosswinds, you can steer the rudder to keep your compass pointed toward your True North.

The Team

It was also a good reminder of what it takes to pursue meaningful work while building out a team. 

To reach the summit of any business endeavor, every member of the team must be willing to evolve with the shifting demands of the journey. As the enterprise grows and the stakes rise, it often becomes clear that not everyone is ready or willing to grow alongside it. This is where leadership is truly tested. It begins with offering support, encouragement, and the necessary tools for growth; but when that isn’t enough, difficult decisions must follow. If someone can’t rise to meet the challenge, it becomes your responsibility to make a change for the health of the whole. Recognizing this gap is the first challenge. Choosing how to respond is the defining one. And just like on a mountain expedition, failing to act doesn’t just hinder progress—it can jeopardize the mission entirely.

The View is Worth It

Standing on that summit, looking out over the pristine backcountry, it struck me how much of life is like that climb. The first glance at a challenge can feel overwhelming. Our minds jump to limitations….what we lack, why it’s too hard, why it’s not the right time.

But with curiosity, creativity, and courage, we find paths that weren’t visible from the bottom. And the view from the top? It’s rarely just about navigating through the landscape; it’s about who you are becoming to get there.

We often overlook just how resilient and capable we really are. The ascent is always demanding—you’re pushing against gravity; but we are built to take on meaningful challenges, and that’s what gives them value.

 What makes the effort worthwhile isn’t just reaching a place few are willing to go, but the growth and self-awareness that come from becoming the kind of person who can get there.

A Gentle Call to Reflection

If you’ve been feeling stuck lately, maybe it’s time to ask yourself:

What am I focusing on?

Are you staring at the obstacle so long that you’ve lost sight of your goal? Are you letting temporary setbacks blind you from the bigger picture? The obstacles will always be there. But the more important question is whether you’ll allow them to define your path vs refine your focus.  It’s not about ignoring challenges; it’s about choosing your perspective.

Final Thoughts

Your ambition is a gift. Your desire to build, grow, and achieve is a force for good. But unaligned ambition—ambition that gets lost in firefighting or overwhelmed by obstacles—leads to hollow victories and quiet frustration.

Real fulfillment comes from aligning your ambition with what truly matters: your health, your family, your faith, your relationships, and meaningful work.

So, take a moment this week to realign:

Where is your focus today?

What is your True North?

Where are you letting obstacles get bigger than they need to be?

Choose your focus intentionally. Protect your attention fiercely. Because where you set your gaze determines where your life will go.

And I promise…..the view from the summit is always worth it.

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